title: Antigenic relationships of transferrin-binding proteins from Neisseria meningitidis, N. gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae: cross-reactivity of antibodies to NH2-terminal peptides.
abstract: The NH2-terminal amino sequence through the first 20 amino acids was obtained for transferrin-binding protein (TBP)1 from three strains of Neisseria meningitidis. These were identical except for a glutamine to a glycine substitution at residue 6 in one case. The sequences of the NH2-terminal 20 amino acids of TBP2 from the same three strains were also determined; one TBP2 had a M(r) of 68,000 and the other two of 78,000. Sequences were identical up to residue 13 in all three proteins. Peptides based on the NH2-terminal sequences of TBP1 and 2 were synthesized, linked to Keyhole Limpet haemocyanin and used to raise antibodies in rabbits. Anti-peptide antibodies cross-reacted on immunoblotting with the respective TBPs from all meningococcal strains tested, as well as with those from N. gonorrhoeae, suggesting that the NH2-terminals of these proteins are well conserved in the Neisseria. Neither anti-peptide serum reacted with the analogous TBP1 and 2 from Haemophilus influenzae, although common epitopes have previously been shown to exist.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Byfield
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ala'Aldeen
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Borriello
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D033863:Transferrin-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014168:Transferrin; D033863:Transferrin-Binding Proteins