title: The major salivary gland antigens of Culex quinquefasciatus are D7-related proteins.
abstract: The sera of persons with strong allergic responses to the bites of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, contained IgE antibodies reactive with two major salivary gland proteins with molecular weights of 35 and 28 kDa. These antigens were purified, their amino termini sequenced, and the sequences were used to search for similar sequences in public databases. Two cDNAs, CuQu-D7Clu1 and CuQu-D7Clu12, which encode D7-related proteins, were identified as containing predicted amino acid sequences identical to the 35 and 28 kDa antigens, respectively. These proteins are expressed specifically in adult female salivary glands and, their predicted tertiary structures are consistent with a role as carriers of hydrophobic molecules in mosquito saliva.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosely dos Santos
authors.initials: Rdos S
authors.lastname: Malafronte
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Marinotti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003465:Culex / Q000276:immunology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000276:immunology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D017931:DNA Primers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E