Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) is one of the most harmful bacterial pathogens in waterfowl and causes enormous economic loss worldwide. Due to weak cross-immunity protection against different serotypes of RA, inactivated and attenuated vaccines are only effective for RA of specific serotypes. In this paper, outer membrane protein YaeT in RA was analyzed through bioinformatics, in vivo, and in vitro assays. Homology, physicochemical and structural properties, transmembrane domains, and B-cell binding epitopes were investigated. The recombinant outer membrane protein YaeT was then inoculated into Cherry Valley ducks to analyze its immune protection against RA. Results showed that the protein was conservative in different RA strains and had sufficient B-cell binding epitopes. The immunized duck serum contains high-affinity antibodies that could activate complement and promote the opsonophagocytosis of RA by phagocytes. After RA challenge, the survival rate of the YaeT protein-immunized ducks was 80%.

鸭瘟里默氏菌（ RA ）是水禽中最有害的细菌病原体之一，在全世界范围内造成巨大的经济损失。由于对不同血清型RA的交叉免疫保护较弱，灭活疫苗和减毒疫苗仅对特定血清型的RA有效。本文通过生物信息学、体内和体外分析对RA中的外膜蛋白 YaeT 进行了分析。研究了同源性、理化和结构特性、跨膜结构域和 B 细胞结合表位。然后将重组外膜蛋白YaeT接种到樱桃谷鸭体内，分析其对RA的免疫保护作用。结果表明，该蛋白在不同的RA毒株中是保守的，并且具有足够的B细胞结合表位。免疫鸭血清中含有高亲和力抗体，可激活补体，促进吞噬细胞对RA的调理吞噬作用。 RA攻击后，YaeT蛋白免疫鸭的存活率为80%。