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Nucleotide sequence analysis and serologic characterization of the Mycobacterium intracellulare homologue of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 19 kDa antigen
Author(s) -
Nair Jaygopal,
Rouse David A.,
Morris Sheldon L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1992.tb00863.x
Subject(s) - biology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , nucleic acid sequence , mycobacterium , antigen , gene , mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , tuberculosis , sequence analysis , microbiology and biotechnology , southern blot , virology , serology , antibody , genetics , bacteria , medicine , pathology
Summary Disseminated Mycobacterium avium/Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) disease is a frequent complication in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this report, we present the nucleotide sequence of the M. intracellulare MI22 gene. Computer sequence comparisons reveal that the MI22 gene, which encodes a serologically active protein, has 78% DNA sequence identity and 77% protein sequence identity with the seroreactive 19 kDa Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoprotein antigen. Southern blot hybridizations indicate that an MI22 gene probe binds similar—‐sized restriction fragments in M. tuberculosis and M. intracellulare genomic DNA. In addition, immunoblot analyses demonstrate that MI22 is recognized by sera from tuberculosis patients. These data further support the existence of 19 kDa MAC and M. tuberculosis protein homologues. Phase partitioning experiments and the presence of a consensus lipid modification site in the deduced MI22 protein sequence strongly suggest that MI22 is also a lipoprotein. Comparative analyses of these mycobacterial antigenic homologues may provide the basis for the design of species‐specific diagnostic reagents.