Serodiagnosis of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis by using novel combinations of immunoreactive recombinant proteins.

ABSTRACT: A panel of seven recombinant antigens, derived from Ehrlichia phagocytophila (the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), was evaluated by class-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for utility in the diagnosis of the infection. Fourteen genomic fragments, obtained by serologic expression screening, contained open reading frames (ORFs) encoding 16 immunodominant antigens. Eleven of these antigens were members of the major surface protein (MSP) multigene family. Alignment of their predicted protein sequences revealed a pattern of conserved sequences, which contained short direct repeats, flanking a variable region. In addition, two genomic clones contained two and three MSP ORFs, respectively, indicating that these genes are clustered in tandem copies. The implications fo

SUBMITTER: Lodes MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC88172 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature