title: Characterisation of the gene encoding a candidate vaccine antigen of Theileria parva sporozoites.
abstract: We have cloned and characterised the gene encoding the 67-kilodalton stage-specific surface antigen, p67, of Theileria parva (Muguga) sporozoites. The gene which is present in a single copy, is divided into 2 exons by an intron 29 bp long and is transcribed into mRNA of about 2500 nucleotides. The gene is present in all stocks of T. parva and there is a related gene in Theileria annulata. The deduced amino acid sequence of 709 residues predicts that p67 is a membrane protein and that it lacks tandemly repeated sequences. Recombinant p67 has been expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with Sj-26, a glutathione-S-transferase of Schistosoma japonicum. Antibodies to purified recombinant proteins containing residues 9-316 or 397-709 of p67 bind to p67 in immunoblots and neutralise sporozoite infectivity in vitro. Recombinant p67 is, therefore, a candidate antigen for development of an anti-sporozoite vaccine for East Coast fever in cattle.
authors.affiliation: International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nene
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Iams
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gobright
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Musoke
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C114309:p67 antigen, Theileria