title: Cloning and characterization of a major surface protein (MspTL) of Treponema lecithinolyticum associated with rapidly progressive periodontitis.
abstract: The gene encoding a major surface protein (MspTL) of Treponema lecithinolyticum, a periodontopathogen, was cloned and sequenced. The mspTL gene has a 1770-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 590 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 65 kDa which had a typical prokaryotic signal sequence (19 amino acids). MspTL showed a high level of homology with major sheath protein (MspA) of Treponema maltophilum, phylogenetically the closest relative of T. lecithinolyticum. Southern blot analysis indicated that the mspTL gene exists in a single copy and Northern blot analysis showed that the mspTL transcript is monocistronic. Another ORF located downstream of mspTL was in the same orientation and encoded a putative protein, in which the first N-terminal 291 amino acids were identified. The homologous region of this protein is also a part on the T. maltophilum mspA locus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu, 120-752, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Kyun
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heuner
authors.forename: Ulf B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: Yun-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Chong-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Bong-Kyu
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D018272:Porins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014208:Treponema / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018272:Porins; C099361:major outer sheath protein, Treponema