Identification and characterisation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface-molecules that interact with the host epithelium.

猪肺炎是一种严重影响生猪生产的疾病，引起猪肺炎。目前的疫苗无法防止呼吸道定植，生产和管理成本高昂。微生物粘附素的表达介导了对细胞外基质的黏附，被认为是许多细菌病原体寄主定植的第一步。我们建议鉴定与细胞外基质成分相互作用的猪肺炎支原体细胞表面分子。以这些细胞表面分子为靶点将导致预防疾病和阻止定植的治疗方法，最终从生猪生产设施中根除宿主病原体。

Mycoplasma hyponeumoniae causes porcine enzootic pneumonia, a disease that significantly impacts swine production. Current vaccines are unable to prevent colonisation of the respiratory tract and are costly to produce and administer. The expression of microbial adhesins that mediate adherence to the extracellular matrix is considered the initial step in host colonisation for many bacterial pathogens. We propose to identify M. hyopneumoniae cell surface moleculaes that interact with components of the extracellular matrix. Targetting these cell surface molecules will lead to therapeutics that prevent disease and block colonisation, eventually eradicating the host pathogen from pig production facilities.