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Antibody response to recombinant lambda gt11 fusion proteins in cytomegalovirus infection

M P Landini1, T Lazzarotto, A Ripalti

  • 1Medical Faculty, Institute of Microbiology, St. Orsola General Hospital, Bologna, Italy.

Significant epitopes of two of the major cytomegalovirus antigens, a nonstructural DNA-binding protein of 52 kilodaltons (kDa) and a structural phosphoprotein of 150 kDa, expressed as fusion proteins with the beta-galactosidase, were induced in Escherichia coli after infection with recombinant lambda gt11 clones. The epitopes were then used in immunoblotting to assay specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM in several groups of sera from long-term seropositive subjects and from patients undergoing primary or secondary virus infection. The data obtained showed that IgM reacting with the 52-kDa nonstructural antigen are linked to primary virus infection and can therefore be considered a serological marker of this infection.

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