IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A 14-KILODALTON BRUCELLA-ABORTUS PROTEIN REACTIVE WITH ANTIBODIES FROM NATURALLY AND EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED HOSTS AND T-LYMPHOCYTES FROM EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED BALB C MICE/

A low-molecular-weight recombinant Brucella abortus protein reactive w ith antibodies from a variety of naturally and experimentally infected hosts and T lymphocytes from experimentally infected mice was identif ied and given the designation BA14K. The gene encoding BA14K was clone d and characterized, and the predicted amino acid sequence of this imm unoreactive protein showed no significant homology with previously des cribed proteins. Sequences homologous to the cloned fragment encoding BA14K were identified by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNAs from r epresentatives of all of the currently recognized Brucella species. St udies employing BA14K should contribute to our efforts to better under stand the antigenic specificity of protective immunity to brucellosis.