CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF A GENE ENCODING A T-CELL REACTIVE PROTEIN FROM COCCIDIOIDES-IMMITIS - HOMOLOGY TO 4-HYDROXYPHENYLPYRUVATE DIOXYGENASE AND THE MAMMALIAN F-ANTIGEN

The gene which encodes a previously described T-cell reactive protein (TCRP) of the human fungal pathogen Coccidioides immitis (Ci) was clon ed and sequenced. Both the genomic and cDNA sequences were determined. The transcription start point was confirmed. The tcrP gene has three introns and a 1197-bp ORF which translates to a 399-amino-acid (aa) pr otein (45.2 kDa). The predicted protein has approx. 50% aa sequence id entity and 70% similarity to mammalian 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxyge nase (HPPD) proteins and mammalian F-antigens. Expression of the Ci tr cP in Escherichia coli resulted in production of a deep brown pigment, consistent with E. coli expression of the bacterial HPPD homolog from Shewanella colwelliana. The TCRP is likely the Ci form of HPPD.