Open AccessIdentification and sequence analysis of Treponema pallidum tprJ , a member of a polymorphic multigene family
Author(s) -
Stamm Lola V.,
Greene Shermalyn R.,
Bergen Heather L.,
Hardham John M.,
Barnes Natalie Y.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1998.tb13312.x
Subject(s) - treponema , biology , gene , genetics , nucleic acid sequence , peptide sequence , homology (biology) , genomic dna , open reading frame , sequence analysis , microbiology and biotechnology , treponema denticola , virology , syphilis , bacteria , porphyromonas gingivalis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Tn phoA mutagenesis was used to identify genes encoding exported proteins in a genomic DNA library of Treponema pallidum , the syphilis agent. The nucleotide sequence of an open reading frame ( tprJ ) that encodes a 755‐amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 81.1 kDa was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of TprJ has homology to the major surface protein of Treponema denticola , a periodontal pathogen. Southern hybridization and genomic DNA sequence analysis indicate that tprJ is a member of a polymorphic multigene family. RT‐PCR data showed that tprJ is expressed in treponemes during syphilitic infection. A putative tprJ gene was sequenced from T. pertenue , the closely related yaws agent. The deduced amino acid sequence of T. pertenue TprJ is 87.3% identical to that of T . pallidum TprJ. This is the first report of significant sequence differences within homologous genes of T. pallidum and T. pertenue .