A new diagnostic tool for neurocysticercosis is a member of a cestode specific hydrophobic ligand binding protein family.
A protein of unknown function has been identified as a key serological tool for diagnosis of human tapeworm neurocysticercosis, a major worldwide neurological disease. Our own sequence analysis predicts that this protein is a member of a newly identified cestode specific oligomeric hydrophobic ligand binding protein family. In this report, using a rat cestode model, we confirm that homologues of this protein can bind fatty acids and their derivatives, and thus suggest a biological function for this key diagnostic tool.
Saghir
N
N
Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Ceredigion SY23 3DA, Aberystwyth, UK.
Conde
P J
PJ
Brophy
P M
PM
Barrett
J
J
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006926:Hymenolepis; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D051381:Rats; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D015801:Helminth Proteins; C419583:hydrophobic ligand binding protein, Hymenolepis diminuta