Localisation of linear epitopes at the carboxy-terminal end of the mycobacterial 71 kDa heat shock protein.

Four distinct linear epitopes localized within species-specific sequences at the carboxy-terminal end of the 71 kDa heat shock protein of M. tuberculosis have been identified by scanning 94 overlapping peptides with 13 human sera. One epitope ("C") of entirely M. tuberculosis-specific core sequence (GEAGPG) has been found immunogenic in smear-negative tuberculosis, but not in non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases. This peptide appears to be a valuable candidate for further serodiagnostic evaluation.