Identification and characterization of a putative agglutination/immobilization antigen on the surface of Cryptocaryon irritans.
The ciliated protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasite of seawater fishes, was found to express an antigen that elicits antibodies in rabbits and tiger puffer (Takifugu ruburipes). Serum from rabbits and fish immunized with theronts had agglutination/immobilization activity against theronts in vitro; fish serum antibody levels (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays: ELISA) correlated with this activity. Anti-theront antibody levels in fish were significantly higher in the immunized group as compared with control fish at 2 weeks after booster immunization (injection of bovine serum albumin; Student's t-test, P<0.01). Biochemical analyses indicated that a Triton X-114-soluble 32 kDa theront integral membrane protein may be the agglutination/immobilization antigen. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of theronts suggested that this 32 kDa antigen was expressed on the surface of cilia. The full-length 32 kDa antigen cDNA contained 1147 basepairs, encoding a 328-amino acid protein including hydrophobic N- and C-termini. As with Tetrahymena and Paramecium spp., TAA and TAG appear to be used as glutamine codons in the 32 kDa antigen gene.
Hatanaka
A
A
Central Research Laboratories of Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd, 559-6 Kitano-Machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0906, Japan. hatanaka@nissui.co.jp
Umeda
N
N
Yamashita
S
S
Hirazawa
N
N
D000371:Agglutination / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005399:Fishes / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1