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The major tegumental antigen of Fasciola hepatica contains repeated elements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2000

A. TRUDGETT
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
A. T. McNAIR
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
E. M. HOEY
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
P. S. KEEGAN
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
J. P. DALTON
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 4, Ireland
B. K. RIMA
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
A. MILLER
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland
P. RAMASAMY
Affiliation:
Life Sciences Building, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai 600025, India

Abstract

In order to provide a better understanding of the interaction between the liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) and the immune system of its mammalian host immunoreactive λ bacteriophage clones containing F. hepatica cDNA have been isolated. Plasmids from these clones were sequenced and found to encode a family of proteins containing certain common elementsThe nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper are available in the GenBank database with the accession number AF153056.. All the clones contained a coding repeating sequence (RRRXCA) which is conserved at the nucleic acid level followed by a non-repeating element coding for the C terminal used by the proteins which shows conservation of amino acids at certain positions. Antisera raised against a β-galactosidase fusion protein with one of these sequences as a terminal extension was used to localize the immunoreactive antigens. Binding was predominantly in the tegument of the juvenile fluke but was reduced in the adult tegument. The wall of the uterus showed strong reactivity in the adult. Rats immunized with the β- galactosidase fusion protein showed enhanced resistance to challenge infections. The role of these antigens in the host response to infection by F. hepatica is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2000 Cambridge University Press

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