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We have investigated the use of a natural transformation protocol to introduce mutations into Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1 and 5b. For both strains tested, we recovered 1 in 108 transformants during culture in rich medium, a result that was independent of the growth phase. This low frequency of transformation of A. pleuropneumoniae did not increase when bacteria were grown under conditions known to be optimal for induction of competence in Haemophilus influenzae. Using linearised plasmid DNA containing a kanamycin cassette inserted into the sodC gene of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 1, we showed that natural transformation can be used as a simple method for introducing allele replacements into this bacterium, and can be used to transfer mutations from one serotype to another. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae causes porcine pleuropneumonia, a highly contagious disease for which there is no effective vaccine. This review considers how adhesins, iron-acquisition factors, capsule and lipopolysaccharide, RTX cytotoxins and other potential future vaccine components contribute to colonisation, to avoidance of host clearance mechanisms and to damage of host tissues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]