Fasciola hepatica: molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression of a gene encoding a polypeptide homologous to a Schistosoma mansoni fatty acid-binding protein.
Immunization of mice with an antigenic polypeptide from Fasciola hepatica adult worms and having an apparent molecular mass of 12,000 Da (Fh12) has been shown to reduce the worm burden from challenge infection with Schistosoma mansoni by more than 50%. Moreover, mice infected with S. mansoni develop antibodies to Fh12 after 5-6 weeks of infection, indicating that this Fasciola-derived antigen is a cross-reactive, cross-protective protein. A lambda gt11 F. hepatica cDNA library was constructed from poly(A)+ RNA extracted from adult worms. A cDNA encoding a cross-reactive polypeptide (Fh15) was cloned by screening the F. hepatica lambda gt11 library with a monospecific, polyclonal rabbit antiserum against pure, native Fh12. The cDNA was sequenced and the predicted amino acid sequence revealed an open reading frame encoding a 132-amino-acid protein with a predicted molecular weight of 14,700 Da. This protein has significant homology to a 14-kDa S. mansoni fatty acid-binding protein. Comparison of the protective-inducing activity of recombinant Fh15 with that of purified Fh12 against schistosomes and Fasciola is warranted.
Rodríguez-Pérez
J
J
Department of Pathology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067.
Rodríguez-Medina
J R
JR
García-Blanco
M A
MA
Hillyer
G V
GV
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D050612:Fatty Acid Transport Proteins; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050612:Fatty Acid Transport Proteins; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C068709:SM14 protein, Schistosoma mansoni; C074842:Fh15 protein, Fasciola hepatica