A recombinant beta-1,3-glucanosyltransferase homolog of Coccidioides posadasii protects mice against coccidioidomycosis.

ABSTRACT: Coccidioides posadasii is a fungal respiratory pathogen which is responsible for recurrent epidemics of San Joaquin Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) in desert regions of the southwestern United States. Numerous studies have revealed that the cell wall of the parasitic phase of the fungus is a reservoir of immunoreactive macromolecules and a potential source of a vaccine against this mycosis. A 495-bp fragment of a C. posadasii gene which encodes a putative wall-associated, glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored beta-1,3-glucanosyltransferase was identified by computational analysis of the partially sequenced genome of this pathogen. The translated, full-length gene (GEL1) showed high sequence homology to a reported beta-1,3-glucanosyltransferase of Aspergillus fumigatus (70% identity

SUBMITTER: Delgado N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC155699 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature