Sm. Yang et al., CLONING OF A PARTIAL LENGTH CDNA-ENCODING THE C-TERMINAL PORTION OF THE 75-77-KDA ANTIGEN OF TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI, The Journal of eukaryotic microbiology, 41(5), 1994, pp. 435-441
It has been suggested that several Trypanosoma cruzi antigens have pos
sible protective epitopes which may be suitable vaccine candidates. We
found previously that animals resistant to T. cruzi infection produce
d antibodies against the 75-77-kDa parasite antigen. To test the abili
ty of the recombinant form of this antigen to protect animals from T.
cruzi infection, the cDNA which encodes a portion of the 75-77-kDa ant
igen was cloned using a cDNA library constructed in an orientation-spe
cific bacteriophage expression vector (lambda gt11) from poly (A)(+) R
NA of Brazil strain epimastigotes. One clone, named SFS-40, was select
ed by screening the library using affinity purified antibodies specifi
c for the 75-77-kDa parasite antigen as probe. The cDNA corresponding
to the 1.7-kilobase insert of SFS-40 was subcloned into plasmid vector
s and characterized. The cDNA sequence encodes a polypeptide of about
40 kDa. The putative product of the cDNA was homologous to members of
the 70-kDa stress protein family. When epimastigotes were shifted from
29 degrees C to 37 degrees C, there was no change in the level of SFS
-40 mRNA. In contrast, the 70-kDa heat shock protein mRNA of the paras
ite was increased about four fold by this treatment.