title: Identification and sequence analysis of Treponema pallidum tprJ, a member of a polymorphic multigene family.
abstract: TnphoA mutagenesis was used to identify genes encoding exported proteins in a genomic DNA library of Treponema pallidum, the syphilis agent. The nucleotide sequence of an open reading frame (tprJ) that encodes a 755-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 81.1 kDa was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of TprJ has homology to the major surface protein of Treponema denticola, a periodontal pathogen. Southern hybridization and genomic DNA sequence analysis indicate that tprJ is a member of a polymorphic multigene family. RT-PCR data showed that tprJ is expressed in treponemes during syphilitic infection. A putative tprJ gene was sequenced from T. pertenue, the closely related yaws agent. The deduced amino acid sequence of T. pertenue TprJ is 87.3% identical to that of T. pallidum TprJ. This is the first report of significant sequence differences within homologous genes of T. pallidum and T. pertenue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7400, USA. lstamm@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bergen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hardham
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D015698:Genomic Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014208:Treponema / Q000235:genetics; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018272:Porins; C099361:major outer sheath protein, Treponema