Recombinant antigens expressed in Pichia pastoris for the diagnosis of sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Screening tests for gambiense sleeping sickness, such as the CATT/T. b. gambiense and a recently developed lateral flow tests, are hitherto based on native variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs), namely LiTat 1.3 and LiTat 1.5, purified from highly virulent trypanosome strains grown in rodents.

Methodology/principal findings

We have expressed SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) fusion proteins of the immunogenic N-terminal part of these antigens in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The secreted recombinant proteins were affinity purified with yields up to 10 mg per liter cell culture.

Conclusions/significance

The diagnostic potential of each separate antigen and a mixture of both antigens was confirmed in ELISA on sera from 88 HAT patients and 74 endemic non-HAT co

SUBMITTER: Roge S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4102443 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature