PMID: 9178264May 1, 1997Paper

Primary structure and biochemical properties of a variant-specific surface protein of Giardia

Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
P PapanastasiouPeter Köhler

Abstract

Trophozoites of Giardia duodenalis express at their cell surface variant-specific proteins (VSPs) that are believed to contribute to the protection of the parasite from immunological and other host defense mechanisms. In the present study, we have cloned and characterized the gene encoding a VSP (VSP4A1, originally designated CRISP-90) that is expressed by the sheep-derived Giardia variant clone O2-4A1. The gene was isolated by probing a genomic library with a near-full-length gene-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product. The VSP4A1 gene specifies a 70729 Da protein with features common to all previously reported VSPs, including a high cysteine and threonine content, a highly conserved hydrophobic carboxy-terminal domain and little similarity in the remaining polypeptide sequence. Comparison of the predicted sequence with the amino-terminal sequence of purified VSP4A1 revealed the absence of an amino-terminal hydrophobic extension from the mature protein. VSP4A1 purified from the O2-4A1 variant clone was found to undergo conformational changes resulting in the formation of two additional electrophoretic species. Free thiol groups were not detected in purified VSP4A1, indicating that all cysteine residues may be involve...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 15, 2003·Experimental Parasitology·Jasleen ShantSiddhartha Majumdar
Jan 30, 1999·International Journal for Parasitology·N Müller, B Gottstein
Mar 25, 2000·International Journal for Parasitology·R D Adam
Aug 5, 2000·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·A HiltpoldP Köhler
Jul 4, 2001·Clinical Microbiology Reviews·R D Adam
Jul 26, 2005·Infection and Immunity·Andrea S RopoloHugo D Lujan
Aug 14, 2008·Journal of Cell Science·Maria Carolina TouzTheodore Elliott Nash
Aug 28, 2009·Cellular Microbiology·Cesar G Prucca, Hugo D Lujan
Jul 28, 2016·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Samantha J EmeryPaul A Haynes

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