title: Antigenicity of recombinant maltose binding protein-Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis fusion proteins with and without factor Xa cleaving.
abstract: Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes Johne's disease (JD) in ruminants. Proteomic studies have shown that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis expresses certain proteins when exposed to in vitro physiological stress conditions similar to the conditions experienced within a host during natural infection. Such proteins are hypothesized to be expressed in vivo, are recognized by the host immune system, and may be of potential use in the diagnosis of JD. In this study, 50 recombinant maltose binding protein (MBP)-M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis fusion proteins were evaluated using serum samples from sheep infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and 29 (58%) were found to be antigenic. Among 50 fusion proteins, 10 were evaluated in MBP fusion and factor Xa-cleaved forms. A total of 31 proteins (62%) were found to be antigenic in either MBP fusion or factor Xa-cleaved forms. Antigenicity after cleavage and removal of the MBP tag was marginally enhanced.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ratna B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gurung
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Begg
authors.forename: Auriol C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Purdie
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bannantine
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Whittington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary*; D015951:Factor Xa / Q000378:metabolism; D058619:Maltose-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016927:Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D010283:Paratuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D058619:Maltose-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015951:Factor Xa