A 46 KDA INTEGRAL MEMBRANE-PROTEIN FROM MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE RESEMBLES A NUMBER OF BACTERIAL AND MAMMALIAN MEMBRANE-TRANSPORT PROTEINS

In this paper we describe the nucleotide sequence of a 3.4 kbp region of the Mycobacterium leprae genome. This region contains an open readi ng frame of 1290 bp with a coding capacity for a protein of 46179 Da, designated the 38L protein. Using antibodies against part of the 38L p rotein, we were able to demonstrate that the 38L protein is present in the membrane protein fraction of M. leprae. The 38L protein showed si gnificant matches with a number of integral membrane proteins involved in the transport of small molecules through the cellular membrane. Am ong these are a human and a murine protein involved in melanin biosynt hesis. The 38L protein might play a role in the hypopigmentation obser ved in leprosy patients.