Molecular characterization of the kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 genes from the parasite Trypanosoma rangeli

• Published in: Parasitology Vol. 130; no. 6; pp. 643 - 651
• Main Authors: DIEZ, H., THOMAS, M. C., URUEÑA, C. P., SANTANDER, S. P., CUERVO, C. L., LÓPEZ, M. C., PUERTA, C. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.06.2005
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Amino acids; Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Chromosome Mapping; Chromosomes; Disease; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Genes; Invertebrates; kinetoplastid membrane protein-11; Membrane Glycoproteins - chemistry; Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics; molecular characterization; Molecular Sequence Data; Parasites; Proteins; Protozoan Proteins - chemistry; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Sequence Alignment; Trypanosoma - genetics; Trypanosoma - metabolism; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma rangeli; Vector-borne diseases; molecular characterization; Trypanosoma rangeli; kinetoplastid membrane protein-11; Trypanosoma cruzi; Kinetoplastida; Characterization; Protozoa; Membrane protein; Gene; Parasite
• ISSN: 0031-1820; 1469-8161
• DOI: 10.1017/S0031182004006936

Trypanosomatids are early divergent parasites which include several species of medical interest. Trypanosoma rangeli is not pathogenic for humans but shows a high immunological cross-reactivity with Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease that affects more than 17 million people throughout the world. Recent studies have suggested that T. cruzi KMP-11 antigen could be a good candidate for the induction of immunoprotective cytotoxic responses against T. cruzi natural infection. In the present paper the genes coding for the T. rangeli kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 have been characterized. The results show that the locus encoding this protein is formed by 4 gene units measuring 550 nucleotides in length, organized in tandem, and located in different chromosomes in KP1(+) and KP1(−) strains. The gene units are transcribed as a single mRNA of 530 nucleotides in length. Alignment of the T. rangeli KMP-11 deduced amino acid sequence with the homologous KMP-11 protein from T. cruzi revealed an identity of 97%. Interestingly, the T and B cell epitopes of the T. cruzi KMP-11 protein are conserved in the T. rangeli KMP-11 amino acid sequence.