Novel recombinant multiepitope proteins for the detection of anti-Cryptococcus antibodies. (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Serpa Brandão, Rafael Melo Santos; Faria, Angélica Rosa; de Andrade, Hélida Monteiro; Soares Martins, Liline Maria; da Silva, Adalberto Socorro; do Monte, Semiramis Jamil Hadad
• Is Part Of: Future microbiology. Volume 13:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 429
• Page End: 436
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: antigens -- cryptococcosis -- ELISA -- multiepitope protein -- serological diagnosis -- synthetic gene; Microbiology -- Research -- Periodicals; 616.9041
• DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-0913

Abstract

Aim: To produce and test recombinant multiepitope proteins as an alternative assay for the serological diagnosis of cryptococcosis.Materials & methods: Previously, synthetic peptides were used to detect anti- Cryptococcus antibodies, and in silico analyses showed that the union of peptides would improve the results. Here, the coding sequences of these peptides were assembled into synthetic genes. Four genes have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, producing recombinant multiepitope proteins: proteins A, B, C and D.Results: All constructs yielded good results; however, protein D showed the best results, with a sensitivity of 88.57% and specificity of 100%.Conclusion: The multiepitope proteins were shown to be potential antigens for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in an attempt to detect anti- Cryptococcus antibodies.