CLONING AND SEQUENCE-ANALYSIS OF THE SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI MEMBRANE GLYCOPROTEIN ANTIGEN GENE GP22

A family of Schistosoma mansoni proteins (18-22 kDa, pl 5.3-5.8) are biosynthesized in juvenile worms and immunoprecipitated by antibodies uniquely present in protective Fischer rat antiserum. A cDNA clone, lambda-gt11-40, expressing epitopes common to this protein family was used to obtain a genomic DNA clone, by hybridization with a lambda-gt11-40 oligonucleotide probe. In the 1.37 kb of genomic DNA sequenced, an open reading frame of 182 amino acids was identified on the strand corresponding to lambda-gt11-40 coding sequences [1], and those of identical independently isolated cDNA clones defining a 25-kDa surface membrane glycoprotein [2,3]. The new S. mansoni gene is termed GP22. There are two candidate promoters, confirmed by primer extension studies with worm RNA. Promoter 1 (P1) is preceded by a G + C-rich region and potential CAAT sequences, and is to the 5'-side of P2. Transcription from P1 is initiated at 2 different sites, apparently producing mRNAs with different translation start sites (ATG). Decoding these mRNAs yields protein products of 182 (P1), 175 (P1), 140 (P2) and 136 (P2) amino acids. The polypeptides share the following features: a hydrophobic segment near the carboxy terminus sufficient to span a lipid bilayer, with a consensus sequence for thio-esterification by a fatty acid; an external domain containing 2 potential N-linked glycosylation sites; and a candidate leucine-zipper motif, suggesting the protein may exist as a dimer on the worm surface. While sharing these common features in their carboxy terminal regions, the three proteins differ in the length and properties of their amino termini. The 140-amino acid protein has a short hydrophobic amino terminus, while the 175- and 182-amino acid proteins have more extensive hydrophobic sequences, each preceded by a hydrophilic amino terminal sequence. The heterogeneity observed in 2-dimensional gels of the antigen may be explained in part by the size and charge differences among the proteins deduced from the sequence and transcription pattern of this gene. The possibility of stage-specific regulated expression of this candidate vaccine antigen family is an attractive concept, potentially accounting for the phenomenon of concomitant immunity observed in the rat and perhaps other schistosome hosts.