The role of Chlamydia psittaci polymorphic membrane proteins (pmp) in its pathogenesis and in determination of host range.

鹦鹉热衣原体是一种专性胞内细菌，是鹦鹉热的病原体。在本项目中，我们针对衣原体的致病机制和不同的宿主范围，重点研究了衣原体的多态性膜蛋白（pmp）家族在衣原体感染中的作用。鹦鹉代表性结果如下。1)pmp家族的比较基因组学：在衣原体内菌株以及衣原体种间的基因组中观察到pmp家族基因的多样性。2)Pmp家族在C.鹦鹉热：除了组成型表达的Pmp（例如：PmpD），部分Pmp（如PmpG 11）在衣原体在宿主细胞中繁殖中期后转录。3)对C.鹦鹉热特异性Pmp：关于鹦鹉热C.鹦鹉热特异性PmpG11，虽然其贡献衣原体发病机制是未知的，PmpG11作为血清学诊断抗原的适用性进行了揭示和评价。

Chlamydia psittaci, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is an etiological agent for human psittacosis. In this project, regarding chlamydial pathogenesis and diverse host range, we have focused on the role of the polymorphic membrane protein (pmp) family of C. psittaci. The representative results were as follows. 1) Comparative genomics of the pmp family: Diversity of the pmp family genes were observed in the genomes of intra-chlamydial strains as well as inter-chlamydial species. 2) Expression profile of the Pmp family during growth of C. psittaci: In addition to the constitutively expressed Pmp (e.g.: PmpD), some Pmp (such as PmpG11) were transcribed after the mid-stage of the chlamydial propagation in host cells. 3) Functional analysis of the C. psittaci-specific Pmp: Regarding to the C. psittaci-specific PmpG11, although its contribution to the chlamydial pathogenesis was unknown, the applicability of PmpG11 as a serodiagnostic antigen was revealed and evaluated.