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Characterization of a major Mycoplasma penetrans lipoprotein and of its gene
S Ferris1, H L Watson, O Neyrolles
1Institut Pasteur, Departement du SIDA et des Retrovirus, Unité d'Oncologie Virale et URA CNRS 1157, Paris, France.
Abstract:
A novel mycoplasmal species designated as Mycoplasma penetrans has been isolated recently from patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. p35, a major antigen extracted from the membrane of this mycoplasma using Triton X-114 has been found to be a lipoprotein. After proteolytic treatment of p35, the sequence of one of the resulting peptides was determined and a corresponding oligonucleotide was deduced. Using this oligonucleotide as a probe the p35 gene was cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed an amino-terminal signal peptide with a potential acylation site which would result in a 35.3 kDa mature product. In addition, the p35 gene was followed by an open reading frame with a corresponding polypeptide partially homologous to p35, in particular to the N-terminus region.
Insights
Researchers identified Mycoplasma penetrans in HIV patients. They cloned and sequenced the p35 gene, revealing a lipoprotein antigen with a signal peptide, crucial for understanding mycoplasma infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- A novel mycoplasmal species, Mycoplasma penetrans, has been isolated from patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
- The p35 protein, a major membrane antigen of Mycoplasma penetrans, has been identified as a lipoprotein.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and sequence the gene encoding the p35 antigen of Mycoplasma penetrans.
- To elucidate the molecular characteristics and potential processing of the p35 lipoprotein.
Main Methods:
- Proteolytic digestion of the p35 antigen.
- Peptide sequencing and oligonucleotide probe design.
- Gene cloning and DNA sequencing of the p35 gene.
Main Results:
- The p35 gene was successfully cloned and sequenced.
- Sequence analysis revealed an N-terminal signal peptide with a potential acylation site, predicting a mature p35 product of 35.3 kDa.
- An adjacent open reading frame encoding a partially homologous polypeptide was identified.
Conclusions:
- The p35 antigen is a lipoprotein encoded by a gene with specific molecular features.
- The findings provide insights into the structure and potential function of Mycoplasma penetrans antigens.
- Further research can explore the role of p35 in HIV-associated mycoplasmal infections.