title: Purification of a recombinant Schistosoma japonicum antigen homologous to the 22-kDa membrane-associated antigen of S. mansoni, a putative vaccine candidate against schistosomiasis.
abstract: We describe the cDNA cloning, overproduction and purification of a 22.6-kDa antigen from the human blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum. A 777-bp cDNA (C32) was isolated from a S. japonicum lambda ZAPII cDNA expression library immuno-screened with hyperimmune rabbit serum (HRS) raised against soluble adult S. japonicum proteins. The open reading frame of C32 encodes a protein of 191 amino acids (aa) which exhibits 71% identity to a 22.6-kDa membrane-associated antigen of S. mansoni, a putative vaccine candidate for schistosomiasis. We have identified a sequence motif known as an EF-hand calcium-binding domain in both the S. japonicum and S. mansoni aa sequences, suggesting that the 22.6-kDa antigens are able to bind Ca2+. Further, we have, for the first time, obtained the 22.6-kDa antigen in purified, non-denatured, recombinant form, and in sufficient quantity to assess the protective value of the molecule in vaccination/challenge experiments. This was achieved by synthesizing the schistosome antigen with a short polyhistidine tag fused to the N-terminus which was then used for subsequent affinity purification. The recombinant protein was purified under non-denaturing conditions using nickel-chelate affinity chromatography.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Waine
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kalinna
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McManus
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000276:immunology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C087430:22.6-kDa antigen, Schistosoma japonicum; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic