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- Title
Molecular and immunological analysis of a fibronectin- binding protein antigen secreted by <em>Mycobacterium leprae</em>.
- Authors
Thole, J. E. R.; Schöningh, R.; Janson, A. A. M.; Garbe, T.; Cornelisse, Y. E.; Clark-Curtiss, J. E.; Kolk, A. H. J.; Ottenhoff, T. H. M.; De Vries, R. R. P.; Abou-Zeid, C.
- Abstract
By screening a <em>Mycobacterium leprae</em> λg,t11 genomic DNA library with leprosy-patient sera we have previously identified 50 recombinant clones that expressed novel <em>M. leprae</em> antigens (Sathish et al, 1990). In this study, we show by DNA sequencing and immunoblot analysis that three of these clones express a <em>M. leprae</em> homologue of the fibronectin-binding antigen 85 complex of mycobacteria. The complete gene was characterized and it encodes a 327-amino-acid polypeptide, consisting of a consensus signal sequence of 38 amino acids followed by a mature protein of 289 amino acids. This is the first sequence of a member of the <em>M. leprae</em> antigen 85 complex, and Southern blotting analysis indicated the presence of multiple genes of the 85 complex in the genome of <em>M. leprae</em>. The amino acid sequence displays 75-85% sequence identity with components of the antigen 85 complex from <em>M. tuberculosis, M. bovis</em> BCG and <em>M. kansasii</em>. Furthermore, antibodies to the antigen 85 complex of <em>M. tuberculosis</em> and <em>M. bovis</em> BCG reacted with two fusion proteins containing the amino acid regions 55-266 and 265-327 of the <em>M. leprae</em> protein. The <em>M. leprae</em> 30/31 kDa protein induces strong humoral and cellular responses, as judged by Western blot analysis with patient sera and proliferation of T cells derived from healthy individuals and leprosy patients. Amino acid regions 55-266 and 265-327 both were shown to bind to fibronectin, indicating the presence of at least two fibronectin-binding sites on the <em>M. leprae</em> protein. These data indicate that this 30/31 kDa protein is not only important in the immune response against <em>M. leprae</em>, but may also have a biological role in the interaction of this bacillus with the human host.
- Subjects
PROTEIN analysis; FIBRONECTINS; MYCOBACTERIUM leprae; HANSEN'S disease patients; HANSEN'S disease
- Publication
Molecular Microbiology, 1992, Vol 6, Issue 2, p153
- ISSN
0950-382X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2958.1992.tb01996.x