A novel approach for screening immunogenic proteins in Penicillium marneffei using the DeltaAFMP1DeltaAFMP2 deletion mutant of Aspergillus fumigatus.
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.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Chong
Ken T K
KT
Lau
Candy C Y
CC
Wong
Samson S Y
SS
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Yuen
Kwok-yung
KY
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
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C449087:galactomannoprotein, Aspergillus fumigatus