Identification and characterisation of a Leishmania donovani antigen belonging to the 70-kDa heat-shock protein family.
A Leishmania donovani promastigote cDNA library was screened with serum obtained from a patient infected with visceral leishmaniasis. Sequence analysis of a clone obtained from this library revealed that the 600-bp insert corresponded to the carboxy-terminal region of an antigen related to the 70-kDa heat-shock protein family. The full-length sequence of the corresponding gene (1959 nucleotides) was determined after isolation of genomic clones. Genes encoding the antigen are present on a single chromosome as a series of approximately twelve 3.7-kb direct tandem repeats. The antigen can be identified as a 70-kDa heat-shock cognate protein by virtue of its molecular mass, sequence and constitutive expression during heat shock. It is expressed at all stages of the parasite life-cycle. Antibodies against the lambda gt11 fusion protein were detected in more than 50% of serum samples obtained from patients with visceral leishmaniasis, but were not detected in sera from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis or Chagas' disease.
MacFarlane
J
J
Department of Medical Parasitology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, England.
Blaxter
M L
ML
Bishop
R P
RP
Miles
M A
MA
Kelly
J M
JM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins