MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS DES PROTEIN - AN IMMUNODOMINANT TARGET FORTHE HUMORAL RESPONSE OF TUBERCULOUS PATIENTS

The phoA gene fusion methodology permitted the identification of a new Mycobacterium tuberculosis exported protein, Des. This protein has si gnificant sequence similarities to plant acyl-acyl carrier protein des aturases, which are enzymes involved in general fatty acid biosynthesi s as well as in mycolic acid biosynthesis in mycobacteria. As shown by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay experiments, the D es protein is a major B-cell antigen that was recognized by all the tu berculous M. tuberculosis- and M. bovis-infected human patients tested .