Schistosoma mansoni miracidial host-finding: Species specificity of an Egyptian strain

The effect of snail-conditioned water (SCW) from Biomphalaria alexandrina, a pigmented and an albino strain of B. glabrata, and Lymnaea stagnalis on the host-finding behavior of miracidia of two Brazilian and one Egyptian strain of Schistosoma mansoni was studied. Miracidia of the Egyptian strain significantly preferred their suitable host B. alexandrina versus the other snail species with their behavior patterns of host location and their responses after contact with the host. However, miracidia of both Brazilian strains did not differentiate between SCW from three of the snail species; only the pigmented B. glabrata elicited weaker responses. The releasing cues of SCW for miracidial host-finding phases are macromolecular glycoconjugates. An analysis of SCW by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), blotting, and subsequent carbohydrate detection showed that the band patterns of glycoconjugates differed significantly among the four snail strains. Therefore, differing chemical characteristics of the signaling glycoconjugates could be the basis for the observed host specificity in miracidial host-finding.     

Identification of a novel T-cell epitope in soluble egg antigen of Schistosoma japonicum

Identification of T-cell epitopes harbored in soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum and study of the immunological properties are essential for understanding the immunopathology and the control of schistosomiasis. As a follow-up to our previous work, the 66- to 80-kDa fragment from SEA was partially digested with protease, fractionated by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, and found to be carrying a peptide which stimulated proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production of Th1 clones specific to SEA. Sequence analysis showed that the peptide was composed of 12 amino acids lined up as DLAVELAYLGNL. A synthetic homologue induced proliferation and IFN-gamma and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, but not IL-4 or IL-6 production, by the Th1 clones as well as by the spleen cells from SEA-immunized mice, thus indicating that the peptide carries a Th1 epitope of SEA.     

Evidence that a 16-kilodalton integral membrane protein antigen from Schistosoma japonicum adult worms is a type A2 phospholipase.

Type A2 phospholipase (PLA2) activity has been observed in integral membrane protein extracts of Schistosoma japonicum. Antiserum raised against bee venom PLA2 recognized a single 16-kDa band in the parasite extracts; it also localized to antigen in the gut lining of fixed adult schistosomes as shown by immunofluorescence techniques. Evidence was obtained that the molecule was expressed at low levels in comparison with other integral membrane proteins and was weakly immunogenic in rabbits. Two oligonucleotide probes were constructed on the basis of highly conserved regions between the nucleotide sequences of rat, bovine, rattlesnake, and bee venom PLA2; these probes were used to isolate S. japonicum genomic DNA phage clones. A 1.8-kb FnuD2 fragment was shown by Southern blot analysis to strongly hybridize with the 5' 32P-labeled PLA2 oligonucleotides in both S. japonicum genomic DNA and DNA from one of the phage clones. The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of this fragment revealed homology with the C terminus of PLA2s from different species.     

Bioinformatic analysis suggests that a conserved ORF in the waikaviruses encodes an overlapping gene

The genus Waikavirus belongs to the order Picornavirales, whose members all use a polyprotein expression strategy. With the exception of Theiler's virus, overlapping genes are essentially unknown in the order. Recently, we reported experimental verification for a new short overlapping coding sequence (CDS) in the Potyviridae-a family in which overlapping genes were previously unknown. Using the same bioinformatics software (MLOGD), we have identified an approximately 89-codon conserved open reading frame (ORF) with a strong coding signature in members of the genus Waikavirus. The ORF overlaps the polyprotein ORF but is in the +1 reading frame. Here, we describe the bioinformatic analysis.     

Further characterisation of the Schistosoma japonicum protein Sj23, a target antigen of an immunodiagnostic monoclonal antibody.

Sj23, the 23-kDa target antigen in Schistosoma japonicum adult worms of the hybridoma monoclonal antibody (mAb) I-134, has been identified and cloned from cDNA libraries, mAb I-134 has been successfully used in immunodiagnostic assays to detect S. japonicum infection in Philippine patients. Sequence analysis has shown that Sj23 is the homologue, with 84% amino acid identity, of Sm23, a 23-kDa molecule from S. mansoni worms previously described from our laboratory. The domain structures of Sj23 and Sm23 are strikingly similar to the human membrane proteins ME491, CD37, CD53 and TAPA-1, which may suggest a functional role for the schistosome molecules in cellular proliferation.     

A multi-copy gene encodes a potentially protective antigen in Brugia malayi

A genomic library of Brugia malayi was constructed and screened by hybridization with a cDNA clone corresponding to a potentially protective antigen of 63 kDa. The antigen is encoded by a multicopy gene family. Five distinct gene copies were isolated and one was characterized in detail by nucleotide sequence analysis. An apparent pseudogene was also characterized. The organization of genes encoding the antigen is typical of higher eukaryotes in exon/intron organization although the introns have an unusually high A+T content (75%). Organization of the genomic sequence along with S1 nuclease and primer extension analyses indicate that a short untranslated exon is spliced to the 5' end of the mRNAs encoding the antigen.     

Cloning of a Schistosoma japonicum gene encoding a major immunogen recognized by hyperinfected rabbits

A library of randomly sheared Schistosoma japonicum genomic DNA fragments was constructed in the bacteriophage expression vector lambda gt11. A portion of the library was screened with sera collected from rabbits 8 weeks after they were infected with 1000 cercariae. Four clones whose recombinant gene products react with the rabbit sera were purified to homogeneity. Clone SjIR-12A was chosen for detailed study because of its very intense reaction with the rabbit sera. SjIR-12A was found to encode part of a 70 kDa protein (Sj70) that is present in both soluble egg antigen (SEA) and soluble worm antigen preparations (SWAP). Western blot analysis suggests that Sj70 is the only SWAP component that is strongly immunoreactive with the rabbit sera. Rabbit antibodies that react with the SjIR-12A fusion protein were immunoaffinity purified and used to localize immunoreactive product to the nervous tissue of male and female adult worms, the dorsal and lateral tegument of male adult worms, and in eggs to the miracidial tegument and the area between the eggshell and miracidium. Southern hybridization analysis suggests there are approximately four copies of the Sj70 gene per haploid genome.     

Characterization of Sm13, a tegumental antigen of Schistosoma mansoni

Sm13, a 13-kDa Schistosoma mansoni tegumental antigen, is one of the principal polypeptides recognized by antibodies from mice protectively vaccinated with adult-worm tegumental membranes. To obtain the complete gene encoding Sm13 we subcloned and sequenced a cDNA and a fragment of a genomic clone. The collated sequence contains 1088 nucleotides and represents the full-length open reading frame of the gene, encoding a protein of 104 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 11,923 Da, compatible with the native protein identified in the tegumental membranes. The sequence derived from genomic DNA contains a 45-nucleotide intron. The analysis of the predicted protein suggests the presence of both N- and C-terminal hydrophobic membrane-spanning segments, and the coding region contains no homology in the currently available data bases. Additionally, the coding region is preceded by putative CCAAT and TATA boxes that may be involved in the control of expression. Western-blot analysis and indirect immunofluorescence resulted in the identification of a 13-kDa protein (Sm13) in the tegument of adult worms. The present study reveals that Sm13 behaves as an integral membrane protein upon partitioning in Triton X-114 and that it is present in worms of 3 weeks or older but not in schistosomula or miracidia. Moreover, it is also specifically recognized by sera from some schistosomiasis patients in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western-blot analysis, suggesting that it is immunogenic in human schistosomiasis. Received: 17 February 2000 / Accepted: 22 March 2000     

Molecular cloning of a member of the gene family that encodes pMGA, a hemagglutinin of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

A hemagglutinin with an M(r) of 67,000 (pMGA) from Mycoplasma gallisepticum S6 was purified by using monoclonal antibody affinity chromatography. Purified pMGA was treated with a number of enzymes, the resultant peptides were purified, and their amino acid sequence was determined by using an Applied Biosystems (model 471A) protein sequencer. The DNA sequence encoding two peptides was used to dictate the sequences of synthetic oligonucleotides which were used to screen a library of EcoRI-cut M. gallisepticum DNA in pUC18. A clone reactive to both probes was isolated and found to contain a recombinant insert of 10 kb. The clone was mapped by using restriction endonucleases and fragments subcloned into pUC18 for DNA sequencing. Analysis of part of the DNA sequence revealed an open reading frame containing 1,941 nucleotides which encoded 647 amino acids. The amino terminus was preceded by a putative leader sequence of 25 amino acids. A promoter region preceding the putative start codon GUG was also located. This gene would encode a mature protein of 67,660 Da. There were a number of differences between the predicted amino acid sequence and that determined by direct peptide sequencing. Also, two tryptic peptides of pMGA were not found in the DNA sequence. This suggested that the cloned gene did not encode pMGA but did encode a homolog (pMGA1.2). Furthermore, downstream of pMGA1.2 was a region of DNA encoding a leader sequence followed by an amino acid sequence with high homology to that encoded by the pMGA1.2 gene. The presence within M. gallisepticum of a family of pMGA genes is inferred from the DNA sequence and Southern transfer data. A possible role for this gene family in immune evasion is discussed.     

重组日本血吸虫乳酸脱氢酶（SjLDH）酶学特性的研究

目的获得重组SjLDH主要的酶动力学参数。方法分光光度计测定NADH在340nm处吸光度的变化，检测不同pH及温度下重组蛋白催化正、逆反应的效率以确定其最佳pH、最佳温度；分别固定底物NADH、丙酮酸、NAD＋及乳酸浓度，分别测定丙酮酸、NADH、乳酸及NAD^＋在不同浓度下的反应速度，计算机Lineweaver-Burk双倒数方程回归计算各底物的米氏常数（Km值）、最大反应速度（Vmax）。并比较各自的Vmax／Km值。结果重组蛋白酶活性为379U／mg。催化正、逆反应的最佳pH分别为pH6．0—7．0和pH9．0—10．0；催化正、逆反应的最佳温度分别为37—60℃及40—50℃，后者在70℃时仍有较高催化活性；在NADH辅酶作用下，重组SjLDH催化丙酮酸还原为乳酸的最大反应速度是催化NAD＋作用下乳酸氧化为丙酮酸的21倍。比较丙酮酸与乳酸的Vmax／Km值。前者是后者的23倍。而NADH的Vmax／Km值是NAD＋的7倍。结论重组蛋白在生理条件下主要催化丙酮酸还原为乳酸的反应。     

Characterization of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus orf68 gene that encodes a novel structural protein of budded virus

All lepidopteran baculovirus genomes sequenced to date encode a homolog of the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) orf68 gene, suggesting that it performs an important role in the virus life cycle. In this article we describe the characterization of BmNPV orf68 gene. Northern and Western analyses demonstrated that orf68 gene was expressed as a late gene and encoded a structural protein of budded virus (BV). Immunohistochemical analysis by confocal microscopy showed that ORF68 protein was localized mainly in the nucleus of infected cells. To examine the function of orf68 gene, we constructed orf68 deletion mutant (BmD68) and characterized it in BmN cells and larvae of B. mori. BV production was delayed in BmD68-infected cells. The larval bioassays also demonstrated that deletion of orf68 did not reduce the infectivity, but mutant virus took 70 h longer to kill the host than wild-type BmNPV. In addition, dot-blot analysis showed viral DNA accumulated more slowly in mutant infected cells. Further examination suggested that BmD68 was less efficient in entry and budding from cells, although it seemed to possess normal attachment ability. These results suggest that ORF68 is a BV-associated protein involved in secondary infection from cell-to-cell.     

Heteroplasmic suppression of an amber mutation in the Chlamydomonas chloroplast gene that encodes the large subunit of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Summary The 18-5B and 18-7G mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii lack ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase holoenzyme and contain nonsense mutations in the chloroplast gene that encodes the protein's large subunit. Spontaneous revertants of the 18-5B opal (UGA) mutant were found to be heteroplasmic in a previous study (Spreitzer et al. 1984). They appeared to contain both mutant and wild-type alleles of a suppressor gene within the chloroplast. However, revertants of the 18-7G amber (UAG) mutant could not be recovered spontaneously. In the present investigation, revertants of the opal and amber mutants were recovered after a mutagen treatment. Heteroplasmic suppression of the 18-7G amber mutant was observed, suggesting that heteroplasmic suppression may be a common genetic mechanism of polyploid genomes. Although a diversity of other revertant types was also observed, no significant alteration occurred in the oxygen sensitivity of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase acitivity.This research was supported in part by USDA Grant No. 85-CRCR-1-1563, and is published as Paper No. 8185, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Research Division     

Fractionation of Schistosoma japonicum soluble egg antigen glycoproteins by hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

We are currently studying the soluble egg antigens of Schistosoma japonicum in an attempt to determine which antigens are potent immunogens. Previously, we demonstrated by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion and inhibition of the circumoval precipitin test that the glycoprotein fraction of soluble egg antigens contains the antigens which are most immunogenic in natural infections. The soluble egg antigen glycoproteins have now been further fractionated via hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl Sepharose. We found that there were at least two antigens involved in the circumoval precipitin reaction. Both the hydrophilic antigen which we call japonicum antigen glycoprotein II (JAG II) and a mixture of hydrophobic antigens (JAG III and the JAG IV complex) were capable of causing a 50% inhibition of the COP reaction around S. japonicum eggs. JAG II was not a major serological antigen of S. japonicum since it gave only a weak precipitin line upon Ouchterlony immunodiffusion analysis with pooled sera from Filipino patients with chronic S. japonicum infections. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography yielded preparations which were sufficiently pure for use in radioimmunoassays. By radioimmunoassay, the best antigens among the glycoproteins were moderately hydrophobic JAG III and the JAG IV complex. They had large amounts of antibody directed toward them in patients with schistosomiasis japonica and exhibited little reactivity with S. mansoni. The hydrophilic glycoproteins JAG I and II were poor immunogens and extensively cross-reacted with S. mansoni. This cross-reactivity means that diagnostic tests with crude soluble egg antigens would run the risk of potential false-negative results in patients with other trematode infections.