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

低肺炎支原体引起猪地方性肺炎，这是一种严重影响猪生产的疾病。目前的疫苗不能防止呼吸道的定植，而且生产和管理成本很高。介导细胞外基质粘附的微生物粘附素的表达被认为是许多细菌病原体在宿主定植中的第一步。我们建议鉴定肺炎支原体细胞表面与细胞外基质成分相互作用的分子。以这些细胞表面分子为靶点，将产生预防疾病和阻止定植的治疗方法，最终从养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.