A 46 kDa integral membrane protein from Mycobacterium leprae resembles a number of bacterial and mammalian membrane transport proteins.
In this paper we describe the nucleotide sequence of a 3.4 kbp region of the Mycobacterium leprae genome. This region contains an open reading frame of 1290 bp with a coding capacity for a protein of 46,179 Da, designated the 38L protein. Using antibodies against part of the 38L protein, we were able to demonstrate that the 38L protein is present in the membrane protein fraction of M. leprae. The 38L protein showed significant matches with a number of integral membrane proteins involved in the transport of small molecules through the cellular membrane. Among these are a human and a murine protein involved in melanin biosynthesis. The 38L protein might play a role in the hypopigmentation observed in leprosy patients.
Oskam
Linda
L
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Hartskeerl
Rudy A
RA
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Hermans
Caroline J
CJ
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
de Wit
Madeleine Y L
MYL
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Jarings
Guus H
GH
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
Nicholls
Robert D
RD
Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Department of Genetics,10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106,USA.
Klatser
Paul R
PR
Royal Tropical Institute, Department of Biomedical Research,Meibergdreef 39, NL-1105AZ Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D017496:Hypopigmentation / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology
C078975:12-kDa antigen, Mycobacterium leprae; C095948:AG45 protein, Mycobacterium leprae; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins