Dictyocaulus viviparus: isolation and characterization of a recombinant antigen with potential for immunodiagnosis

Crude adult worm antigen of Dictyocaulus viviparus was examined for specific antigens by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting using sera from cattle experimentally infected with D. viviparus, vaccinated with a normal or a reduced dosage of the commercial lungworm vaccine, and helminth-free cattle. A D. viviparus-specific region M(r) 18,000 was identified and isolated. A lambda ZAP II cDNA expression library consisting of 4.4 x 10(5) recombinant clones (88% of the total number of clones) was constructed from D. viviparus adult worm mRNA. Rabbit antiserum to the M(r) 18,000 antigen was used to screen the cDNA library and eight positive clones were picked and allocated to the same antigenic family by sibling analysis. All clones were subcloned into the plasmid pGEX-2T, and the clone with highest expression yields was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein (DvGST3-14) or, after cleavage with thrombin, as pure recombinant parasite protein (Dv3-14). The native parasite antigen encoded by the clone was identified. The immunodiagnostic potential of the recombinant proteins was assessed by immunoblotting.