Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1993 Jan 15;90(2):775-9.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.2.775.

Molecular characterization of a kinesin-related antigen of Leishmania chagasi that detects specific antibody in African and American visceral leishmaniasis

J M Burns Jr  1 , W G Shreffler, D R Benson, H W Ghalib, R Badaro, S G Reed
Affiliations

Molecular characterization of a kinesin-related antigen of Leishmania chagasi that detects specific antibody in African and American visceral leishmaniasis

J M Burns Jr et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

We report the cloning of a Leishmania chagasi antigen gene and an evaluation of leishmaniasis patient antibody responses to the recombinant protein, rK39. rK39 contains a 39-amino acid repeat that is part of a 230-kDa protein predominant in L. chagasi tissue amastigotes. Sequence analyses showed this protein, LcKin, to be related to the kinesin superfamily of motor proteins. Southern blot analyses demonstrated LcKin-related sequences in seven species of Leishmania, with conservation of the repeat between L. chagasi and Leishmania donovani. Serological evaluation revealed that 98% (56 of 57) of Brazilian and 100% (52 of 52) of Sudanese visceral leishmaniasis patients have high antibody levels to the rK39 repeat. Detectable anti-K39 antibody was virtually absent in cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis patients and in individuals infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. The data show that rK39 may replace crude parasite antigens as a basis for serological diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. J Infect Dis. 1988 Jun;157(6):1212-20 - PubMed
    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Apr;85(8):2444-8 - PubMed
    1. Prog Allergy. 1988;41:173-92 - PubMed
    1. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1988 Sep;30(3):259-70 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 1989 Mar 10;56(5):879-89 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data