title: Characterization of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense variant  surface glycoprotein LiTat 1.5.
abstract: At present, all available diagnostic antibody  detection tests for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense human African  trypanosomiasis are based on predominant variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs),  such as VSG LiTat 1.5. During investigations aiming at replacement of the  native VSGs by recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides, the sequence of VSG  LiTat 1.5 was derived from cDNA and direct N-terminal amino acid sequencing.  Characterization of the VSG based on cysteine distribution in the amino acid  sequence revealed an unusual cysteine pattern identical to that of VSG Kinu 1  of T. b. brucei. Even though both VSGs lack the third of four conserved  cysteines typical for type A N-terminal domains, they can be classified as type  A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Nieuwenhove
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rogé
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lejon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guisez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Büscher
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma