title: Phlebotomus papatasi SP15: mRNA expression variability and amino acid sequence polymorphisms of field populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Phlebotomus papatasi salivary protein PpSP15 was shown to protect mice against Leishmania major, suggesting that incorporation of salivary molecules in multi-component vaccines may be a viable strategy for anti-Leishmania vaccines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we investigated PpSP15 predicted amino acid sequence variability and mRNA profile of P. papatasi field populations from the Middle East. In addition, predicted MHC class II T-cell epitopes were obtained and compared to areas of amino acid sequence variability within the secreted protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of PpSP15 expression from field populations revealed significant intra- and interpopulation variation.. In spite of the variability detected for P. papatasi populations, common epitopes for MHC class II binding are still present and may potentially be used to boost the response against Le. major infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conserved epitopes of PpSP15 could potentially be used in the development of a salivary gland antigen-based vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA. mortigao@k-state.edu.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramalho-Ortigão
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID-NIH, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA. vieiracoutinhi2@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Iliano V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Abreu
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. Valdir@ufpe.br.
authors.forename: Valdir Q
authors.initials: VQ
authors.lastname: Balbino
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. cjsantifigo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto S
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan. rmmukbel@just.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mukbel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan. hdayem@just.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Hussan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dayem
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan. hanafi.ahmed.hanafi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hanafi A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hanafi
authors.affiliation: Vector Biology Research Program, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3), Cairo, Egypt. shabaan.elhossary.ctr.eg@med.navy.mil.
authors.forename: Shabaan S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: El-Hossary
authors.affiliation: Vector Biology Research Program, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3), Cairo, Egypt. EmadEl-Din.Fawaz.eg@med.navy.mil.
authors.forename: Emad El-Din Y
authors.initials: Eel-D
authors.lastname: Fawaz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan. mnshehada@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abo-Shehada
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA. David.Hoel@usuhs.edu.
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Hoel
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. gstaybac@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stayback
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. mwadswor@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Mariha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. dshoue@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Shoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA. jenica.abrudan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jenica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abrudan
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. nlobo@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Neil F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Detroit, MI, 48859, USA. mahon2a@cmich.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mahon
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. semrich@nd.edu.|Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. semrich@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Emrich
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID-NIH, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA. SKAMHAWI@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Shaden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. frank@nd.edu.|Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. frank@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. mcdowell.11@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McDowell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D014644:Genetic Variation; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger