THE DETECTION OF THE SIALOGLYCOPROTEASE GENE AND ASSAY FOR SIALOGLYCOPROTEASE ACTIVITY AMONG ISOLATES OF PASTEURELLA-HAEMOLYTICA A1 STRAINS, SEROTYPES A13, A14, T15 AND A16

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers to the sialoglycoprotease gene (gcp) of Pasteurella haemolytica biotype A, serotype 1 amplified a l-kb fragment from each of P. haemolyrica serotypes A7, A13, A14 and A16, but not T15; which was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization analysis. Using a sialoglycoprotease (Gcp) activity assay, Gcp activity was found in serotypes A13, A14 and A16. inclusion of these three serotypes confirms that all recognized A biotypes are positive for both gcp gene and activity, with the exception of serotype A11 (which has a different genetic organization and exhibits no Gcp activity). Furthermore, all recognized T biotypes are negative for both the gene and Gcp activity.