title: A novel approach for screening immunogenic proteins in Penicillium marneffei using the DeltaAFMP1DeltaAFMP2 deletion mutant of Aspergillus fumigatus.
abstract: Using serum from guinea-pigs immunized with a DeltaAFMP1DeltaAFMP2 deletion mutant of Aspergillus fumigatus to screen a cDNA library of A. fumigatus, we cloned a novel immunogenic 57-kDa protein in A. fumigatus. We also cloned its 55-kDa homologue in Penicillium marneffei, which was possibly related to amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism, with homologues present only in the subphylum Pezizomycotina of Ascomycota. The recombinant 55-kDa protein of P. marneffei reacted strongly with guinea-pig serum immunized with P. marneffei and with the sera of patients with P. marneffei infection. A similar approach could be applied to immunogenic protein screening in other microorganisms for serological diagnosis, epidemiological studies and the study of vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Ken T K
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Candy C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Samson S Y
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Kwok-yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C449087:galactomannoprotein, Aspergillus fumigatus