FIMBRIAE EXTRACTS FROM ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS OF BOVINE AND PORCINE ORIGIN WITH K99 AND OR F41 ANTIGENS/

Fimbriae extracts obtained using the thermal shock method, from bovine and porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains with K99 and/or F41 antigens, were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting and haemagglut inating activity. Three major protein bands with molecular weights 17 kDa, 29.3 kDa and 30.9 kDa were detected depending on the strain assay ed. A 17 kDa band was identified as the fimbrial subunit for K99 fimbr iae and was detected in strains of bovine and porcine origin. The 30.9 kDa band was identified as the fimbriae subunit for F41 fimbriae and was detected in all porcine strains with F41 antigen and only in the b ovine strains of serogroups O9 and O101 that proved positive for F41 a ntigen. The 29.3 kDa band was shown to be antigenically related to F41 and K88, and was only detected in bovine strains of serogroups O8 (5 strains) and O20 (a single strain). We speculate that the 29.3 kDa ban d may be related to the CS31A antigen.