Prokaryotic expression of human cytomegalovirus pUS22 and its reactivity with human antibody

Summary.  This work demonstrates that antibodies to the product of the recombinant pUS22 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are present in human sera during natural infection. US22 gene product has been identified as a member of the US22 family which may be secreted from infected cells. It is an early protein of 593 amino acids, 76 Kd in molecular weight. US22 seems to be an antigen which stimulates a good IgG response. In fact specific IgGs were found in approximately 40% of the CMV positive sera irrespective of their anti-CMV IgG titer. Specific IgM antibodies to pUS22 were observed exclusively during primary infection and in the sera with a high anti-CMV IgM titer. pUS22 could be considered for inclusion in a cocktail of CMV recombinant proteins to determine seropositivity to CMV and also to diagnose an active CMV infection. Received May 29, 1998 Accepted July 29, 1998