Expression in Escherichia coli of two Schistosoma mansoni genes that encode major antigens recognized by immune mice.

Two clones which contain genes encoding Schistosoma mansoni proteins recognized by immune mouse sera were chosen from cDNA lambda gt11 expression vector library by preselecting clones from the library with rabbit antisera against adult worm phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-soluble antigens. One clone, MAC 182, codes for part of a Mr 70 000 protein; the other clone, MAC 184, codes for a Mr 27 000 protein. The insert sizes of MAC 182 and MAC 184 are 400 bp and 800 bp, respectively. Both clones express S. mansoni beta-galactosidase fusion proteins as products of the construct. Antibodies from either chronically infected mice or mice vaccinated with irradiated cercariae recognize the MAC 182 fusion protein (MAC 182fp) but not the MAC 184 fusion protein (MAC 184fp). Rabbit antibodies prepared against MAC 182fp immunoprecipitate a Mr 70 000 in vitro translation product from adult mRNA and react in Western blot with a corresponding Mr 70 000 protein present in eggs, cercariae and adult worms but absent in schistosomula. Although the MAC 184fp is not recognized directly by chronic infection or vaccinated mouse antibodies, antisera prepared against the purified fusion protein immunoprecipitate a Mr 27 000 in vitro translation product which also reacts with mouse chronic infection sera. The same Mr 27 000 protein appears to be present in eggs, cercariae, schistosomula and adults as determined by Western blots with rabbit antisera against the MAC 184fp. These results suggest that the S. mansoni polypeptide encoded by the MAC 184 gene, when expressed within a fusion protein, fails to present epitopes normally recognized during natural infection. We propose that these epitopes are conformationally determined and are destroyed when the MAC 184 protein is expressed within beta-galactosidase. This abrogation of conformational epitopes may explain the failure of antibodies from chronically infected or vaccinated mice and rabbits to effectively recognize gene products of certain lambda gt11-fusion protein clones.