Immunization of mice against Salmonella typhimurium using different DNA preparations.

Groups of female BALB/c mice were given primary and booster injections of whole genomic DNA extracted from S. typhimurium, P. aeruginosa, or S. aureus. Other groups of mice were immunized in a similar manner with the 1.57kb fragment of the mouse virulence gene (mviA), pTargeT vector (plasmid DNA)/1.57kb construct, pTargeT vector, or saline. Mice in all groups were challenged intraperitoneally with 100 LD50 of S. typhimurium. The bacterial genomic DNA was extracted using the Pure Gene extraction kit. Specific primers were used to amplify the 1.57kb fragment by PCR. The pTargeT Mammalian Expression Vector System was used to prepare the plasmid/1.57kb construct. Bacterial genomic DNA extracted from P. aeruginosa and S. aureus appeared to induce non-specific resistance in mice. Specific, in addition to non-specific resistance appeared to be induced when genomic DNA from S. typhimurium was used. There was a prolongation of survival in the groups of mice that received either the 1.57kb fragment or the pTargeT v...