Open AccessImmunological purification and partial characterization of variant-specific antigen messenger RNA of Trypanosoma brucei brucei
Author(s) -
M Lheureux,
M Lheureux,
T. Vervoort,
N Van Meirvenne,
Maurice Steinert
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/7.3.595
Subject(s) - trypanosoma brucei , biology , messenger rna , rna , antigen , virology , kinetoplastida , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics , immunology , protozoal disease , malaria
Polyadenylated RNA isolated from total polyribosomes of two variable antigen types (VATs) of T. brucei brucei were shown to program the synthesis, in mRNA-dependant reticulocyte lysates, of a wide variety of polypeptides. After immunoprecipitation of these cell-free products with an homologous antiserum raised against purified variant-specific surface antigen (VSSA), a major electrophoretic band was apparent on fluorography. It was confirmed that this band corresponds to the variable antigen since only an excess of purified homologous antigen will provoke competition. The apparent molecular weight of the in vitro synthesized antigen is about 63,000 daltons. The VSSA mRNA has been found in membrane-bound polyribosomes and a 15 fold immunological purification of this mRNA has been obtained, using partially purified anti-VSSA IgG in conjunction with inactivated Staphylococcus aureus.