STAGE-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN STEADY-STATE LEVELS OF MESSENGER-RNA ENCODING THE MAJOR SURFACE GLYCOPROTEIN OF BRUGIA-PAHANGI

The glycoprotein, gp30, is the major soluble cuticular antigen of the adult lymphatic fiarial worm Brugia pahangi (Maizels et al., 1983, Dev aney, 1988). Cookson et al., 1992 suggested that gp30 may function as an antioxidant enzyme protecting B. pahangi from the vertebrate host d efence mechanism. In this communication we report that the gp30 transc ript is present in each of the life cycle stages, including mosquito d erived L3's, and that there is a 50 fold increase in the transcription of gp30 in young adults (28 days post infection) compared to mature a dults. These findings suggest that gp30 performs a general function re levant throughout the B. pahangi life cycle and in particular to young adults.