Open AccessCloning and Expression of Treponema pallidum Common Antigen (Tp-4) in Escherichia coli K12
Author(s) -
Peter Hindersson,
Jenny Dahl Knudsen,
N. H. Axelsen
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.352
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1465-2080
pISSN - 1350-0872
DOI - 10.1099/00221287-133-3-587
Subject(s) - treponema , escherichia coli , biology , cosmid , antigen , recombinant dna , cloning (programming) , clone (java method) , plasmid , molecular cloning , microbiology and biotechnology , immunogen , antiserum , escherichia , gene , virology , genetics , gene expression , antibody , monoclonal antibody , syphilis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , computer science , programming language
A library of Treponema pallidum DNA was constructed using a cosmid cloning system. Sixteen hundred Escherichia coli recombinant clones were generated covering the T. pallidum genome with a probability of 99%. Three hundred of the clones were screened for expression of T. pallidum antigens by a modified rocket immunoelectrophoresis technique using a polyspecific antiserum to T. pallidum. One clone was identified which produced the 'common antigen' (CA) of T. pallidum (Tp-4). CA shares epitopes with antigens present in more than 50 different bacterial species, but nothing is known about its structure, function and localization. The recombinant E. coli clone will be of value for a structural analysis of the CA gene.