CLONING, NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE, AND EXPRESSION OF THE GENE CODING FOR ARIBOSOME RELEASING FACTOR-HOMOLOGOUS PROTEIN OF BRUCELLA-MELITENSIS

The gene coding for a Brucella melitensis cytosoluble protein (CP24) t hat is immunogenic in infected sheep and a major component of brucelli n INRA was cloned and sequenced. As in Brucella cells, CP24 was locate d in the cytoplasm of recombinant Escherichia coli, The amino acid seq uence predicted from the cloned gene revealed 48 and 46% identity with the ribosome releasing factor, a protein factor required for release of the 70S ribosome from the mRNA, of E, coli and Haemophilus influenz ae Rd, respectively. Sera from naturally infected sheep and sheep expe rimentally infected with B, melitensis H38 showed antibody reactivity against recombinant CP24.