Immunodominant Major Outer Membrane Proteins of Ehrlichia chaffeensis Are Encoded by a Polymorphic Multigene Family

• DOI: 10.1128/iai.66.1.132-139.1998
• Publication Date: 2019-12-31T15:19:59Z
• Authors: Norio Ohashi; Ning Zhi; Yilan Zhang; Yasuko Rikihisa
• Keywords: Ehrlichia chaffeensis; Hypervariable region; Southern blot

ABSTRACT Several immunodominant major proteins ranging from 23 to 30 kDa were identified in the outer membrane fractions of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and canis . The N-terminal amino acid sequence a 28-kDa protein E. (one proteins) was determined. gene ( p28 ), almost full length, encoding cloned by PCR with primers designed based on consensus between C termini Cowdria ruminantium MAP-1 Anaplasma marginale MSP-4 proteins. overexpressed, antibody recombinant raised rabbit. serum patient infected reacted protein, three (29, 28, 25 kDa) , 30-kDa Immunoelectron microscopy rabbit revealed that antigenic epitope exposed surface Southern blot analysis 32 P-labeled probe multiple copies genes homologous genome. Six sequenced genomic DNA using same probe. open reading frames these tandemly arranged intergenic spaces. They nonidentical contained semivariable region hypervariable regions predicted molecules. One encoded an internal identical chemically determined 23-kDa Immunization P28 protected mice infection These findings suggest 30-kDa-range represent family antigenically related single family.