Molecular cloning and expression of human Tumor-associated Polymorphic Epithelial Mucin

/pdf/the-structure-biosynthesis-and-function-of-glycosylated-4rbegebbn2.pdf

The structure, biosynthesis and function of glycosylated phosphatidylinositols in the parasitic protozoa and higher eukaryotes.

The gene for the circumsporozoite (CS) protein of Plasmodium falciparum has been cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined. The gene encodes a protein of 412 amino acids as deduced from the nucleotide sequence. The protein contains 41 tandem repeats of a tetrapeptide, 37 of which are Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro and four of which are Asn-Val-Asp-Pro. Monoclonal antibodies against the CS protein of Plasmodium falciparum were inhibited from binding to the protein by synthetic peptides of the repeat sequence. The CS protein of Plasmodium falciparum and the CS protein of a simian malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi, have two regions of homology, one of which is present on either side of the repeat. One region contains 12 of 13 identical amino acids. Within the nucleotide sequence of this region, 25 of 27 nucleotides are conserved. The conservation of these regions in parasites widely separated in evolution suggests that they may have a function such as binding to liver cells and may represent an invariant target for immunity.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/225/4662/593.full.pdf

Structure of the Gene Encoding the Immunodominant Surface Antigen on the Sporozoite of the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Short-sequence DNA repeat (SSR) loci can be identified in all eukaryotic and many prokaryotic genomes. These loci harbor short or long stretches of repeated nucleotide sequence motifs. DNA sequence motifs in a single locus can be identical and/or heterogeneous. SSRs are encountered in many different branches of the prokaryote kingdom. They are found in genes encoding products as diverse as microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules and specific bacterial virulence factors such as lipopolysaccharide-modifying enzymes or adhesins. SSRs enable genetic and consequently phenotypic flexibility. SSRs function at various levels of gene expression regulation. Variations in the number of repeat units per locus or changes in the nature of the individual repeat sequences may result from recombination processes or polymerase inadequacy such as slipped-strand mispairing (SSM), either alone or in combination with DNA repair deficiencies. These rather complex phenomena can occur with relative ease, with SSM approaching a frequency of 10−4 per bacterial cell division and allowing high-frequency genetic switching. Bacteria use this random strategy to adapt their genetic repertoire in response to selective environmental pressure. SSR-mediated variation has important implications for bacterial pathogenesis and evolutionary fitness. Molecular analysis of changes in SSRs allows epidemiological studies on the spread of pathogenic bacteria. The occurrence, evolution and function of SSRs, and the molecular methods used to analyze them are discussed in the context of responsiveness to environmental factors, bacterial pathogenicity, epidemiology, and the availability of full-genome sequences for increasing numbers of microorganisms, especially those that are medically relevant.

https://repub.eur.nl/pub/8835/9618442.pdf

Short-Sequence DNA Repeats in Prokaryotic Genomes

A highly immunogenic region of a human polymorphic epithelial mucin expressed by carcinomas is made up of tandem repeats.

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/0092-8674(83)90538-X.pdf

Structure of the plasmodium knowlesi gene coding for the circumsporozoite protein

Complementary DNA clones that code for the immunogenic region of the Plasmodium knowlesi circumsporozoite protein were shown to contain a tandemly repeating 36-base pair unit. A synthetic dodecapeptide corresponding to the predicted reading frame of the repeating nucleotide unit behaved, in an immunoradiometric assay, identically with the native P. knowlesi circumsporozoite protein. The repeating 36-base pair unit occurred 12 times within the gene and accounts for at least one-third of the amino acid sequence of the surface antigen protein.

Identification and chemical synthesis of a tandemly repeated immunogenic region of Plasmodium knowlesi circumsporozoite protein.

The gene coding for the circumsporozoite antigen of the malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi was inserted into the vaccinia virus genome under the control of a defined vaccinia virus promoter. Cells infected with the recombinant virus synthesized polypeptides of 53,000 to 56,000 daltons that reacted with monoclonal antibody against the repeating epitope of the malaria protein. Furthermore, rabbits vaccinated with the recombinant virus produced antibodies that bound specifically to sporozoites. These data provide evidence for expression of a cloned malaria gene in mammalian cells and illustrate the potential of vaccinia virus recombinants as live malaria vaccines.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/224/4647/397.full.pdf

Plasmodium knowlesi sporozoite antigen: expression by infectious recombinant vaccinia virus

Previous studies have shown that the immunodominant region of the circumsporozoite surface (CS) protein of Plasmodium knowlesi is contained within a tandemly repeated dodecapeptide: Gln-Ala-Gln-Gly-Asp-Gly-Ala-Asn-Ala-Gly-Gln-Pro. We show here that the CS protein epitopes reacting with six monoclonal antibodies raised against the intact parasite are represented in a synthetic tandem repeat of this dodecapeptide. The specificity of four of these antibodies was studied further by preparing synthetic peptides corresponding to overlapping regions of the repeats and measuring their ability to inhibit the specific interaction between the antibodies and CS proteins. We find that three antibodies have very similar patterns of reactivity with this series of peptides and that they define an epitope of eight amino acids (Gly-Asp-Gly-Ala-Asn-Ala-Gly-Gln) within the dodecapeptide. The remaining antibody probably recognizes a configurational epitope formed by a tandem repeat of the dodecapeptide.

G. N. Godson

Papers

Structure of the plasmodium knowlesi gene coding for the circumsporozoite protein

Identification and chemical synthesis of a tandemly repeated immunogenic region of Plasmodium knowlesi circumsporozoite protein.

Plasmodium knowlesi sporozoite antigen: expression by infectious recombinant vaccinia virus

Structure of an immunodominant epitope of the circumsporozoite surface protein of Plasmodium knowlesi