Antigenic sites of the muscle protein, paramyosin, in Caenorhabditis elegans determined with exon-expression plasmid.

Sonicated and restricted DNA fragments from plasmid clones containing the paramyosin gene, unc-15 in C. elegans were recloned into lac-z expression plasmid vectors. Numerous fragments were recovered which encoded paramyosin epitopes. These clones produced fusion protein which cross-reacted with a polyclonal and three monoclonal antibodies. The samples of sonicated fragments were also used for shot gun sequencing of the gene. Sequenced fragments were aligned with a computer analysis. Amino acid sequence of the expressed clones matched exactly to that of the exon.