A hybrid gene to express protein epitopes from both sporozoite and merozoite surface antigens of Plasmodium falciparum

Parasitology ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Holder ◽  
M. J. Lockyer ◽  
G. W. Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Surface Antigens ◽  
Repeat Sequence ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Surface Molecule ◽  
Hybrid Gene ◽  
Dna Coding ◽  
Hybrid Molecules ◽  
Sequence Encoding

SummaryThe DNA coding for parts of the repetitive amino acid sequence of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein has been spliced to a sequence encoding part of the precursor to the major merozoite surface antigens, to produce a hybrid gene. Expression in Escherichia coli produces a protein with antigenic determinants from both malaria proteins. Antibodies raised against the expressed material react with both a peptide derived from the circumsporozoite repeat sequence, and the merozoite surface molecule. Hybrid molecules of this type may be the basis of a malaria vaccine.

scholarly journals In silico characterisation of putative Plasmodium falciparum vaccine candidates in African malaria populations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Ajibola ◽  
M. F. Diop ◽  
A. Ghansah ◽  
L. Amenga-Etego ◽  
L. Golassa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Balancing Selection ◽  
Immune Recognition ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Vaccine Candidates ◽  
D Values ◽  
Tajima’S D

AbstractGenetic diversity of surface exposed and stage specific Plasmodium falciparum immunogenic proteins pose a major roadblock to developing an effective malaria vaccine with broad and long-lasting immunity. We conducted a prospective genetic analysis of candidate antigens (msp1, ama1, rh5, eba175, glurp, celtos, csp, lsa3, Pfsea, trap, conserved chrom3, hyp9, hyp10, phistb, surfin8.2, and surfin14.1) for malaria vaccine development on 2375 P. falciparum sequences from 16 African countries. We described signatures of balancing selection inferred from positive values of Tajima’s D for all antigens across all populations except for glurp. This could be as a result of immune selection on these antigens as positive Tajima’s D values mapped to regions with putative immune epitopes. A less diverse phistb antigen was characterised with a transmembrane domain, glycophosphatidyl anchors between the N and C- terminals, and surface epitopes that could be targets of immune recognition. This study demonstrates the value of population genetic and immunoinformatic analysis for identifying and characterising new putative vaccine candidates towards improving strain transcending immunity, and vaccine efficacy across all endemic populations.

scholarly journals A Plant-Produced Pfs25 VLP Malaria Vaccine Candidate Induces Persistent Transmission Blocking Antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum in Immunized Mice

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. e79538 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Mark Jones ◽  
Jessica A. Chichester ◽  
Vadim Mett ◽  
Jennifer Jaje ◽  
Stephen Tottey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Malaria Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Transmission Blocking ◽  
Malaria Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Blocking Antibodies

scholarly journals Extensive Antigenic Polymorphism within the Repeat Sequence of the Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Surface Protein 1 Block 2 Is Incorporated in a Minimal Polyvalent Immunogen

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 5928-5935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin K. A. Tetteh ◽  
David R. Cavanagh ◽  
Patrick Corran ◽  
Rosemary Musonda ◽  
Jana S. McBride ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Merozoite Surface Protein ◽  
Repeat Sequence ◽  
Allelic Polymorphism ◽  
Length Variation ◽  
Candidate Sequence ◽  
Merozoite Surface Protein 1 ◽  
Allelic Sequence

ABSTRACT Polymorphism in pathogen antigens presents a complex challenge for vaccine design. A prime example is the N-terminal block 2 region of the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), to which allele-specific antibodies have been associated with protection from malaria. In a Zambian population studied here, 49 of 91 alleles sampled were of the K1-like type (the most common of three block 2 types in all African populations), and most of these had unique sequences due to variation in tri- and hexapeptide repetitive motifs. There were significant negative correlations between allelic sequence lengths of different regions of the repeats, so the complete repeat sequence had less length variation than its component parts, suggesting a constraint on overall length. Diverse epitopes recognized by three murine monoclonal antibodies and 24 individual human sera were then mapped by using a comprehensive panel of synthetic peptides, revealing epitopes in all regions of the repeats. To incorporate these different epitopes in a single molecule, a composite sequence of minimal overall length (78 amino acids) was then designed and expressed as a recombinant antigen. More human immune sera reacted with this “K1-like Super Repeat” antigen than with proteins consisting of single natural allelic sequences, and immunization of mice elicited antibodies that recognized a range of five cultured parasite lines with diverse K1-like MSP1 block 2 repeat sequences. Thus, complex allelic polymorphism was deconstructed and a minimal composite polyvalent antigen was engineered, delivering a designed candidate sequence for inclusion in a malaria vaccine.

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