Adam R, Kaltmann B, Rudin W, Friedrich T, Marti T, Lucius R
Division of Parasitology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
J Biol Chem. 1996 Jan 19;271(3):1441-7. doi: 10.1074/jbc.271.3.1441.
Acanthocheilonema viteae is a parasitic nematode of rodents. We identified the chitinase of A. viteae infective stage larvae (L3) as the main target of the humoral immune response of jirds, which were protected against challenge infection after vaccination with irradiation attenuated L3. The cDNA of the L3 chitinase has been sequenced, and the deduced amino acid sequence shows significant homologies to chitinases of Brugia malayi microfilariae, insects, yeast, bacteria, and Streptomyces sp. The protein has been characterized by monoclonal antibodies and substrate activity gels. The chitinase of L3 may contribute to degrading the nematode cuticle during molting and thus represents a target of protective immune responses in a phase where the parasite is highly vulnerable. In addition, it has been shown that a similar enzyme exists in uterine microfilariae, which probably has a role in casting the egg shell.
旋盘尾丝虫是啮齿动物的一种寄生线虫。我们鉴定出旋盘尾丝虫感染期幼虫（L3）的几丁质酶是沙鼠体液免疫反应的主要靶点，用辐照减毒的L3疫苗接种后，沙鼠可免受攻击感染。已对L3几丁质酶的cDNA进行了测序，推导的氨基酸序列与马来布鲁线虫微丝蚴、昆虫、酵母、细菌和链霉菌的几丁质酶有显著同源性。该蛋白已通过单克隆抗体和底物活性凝胶进行了表征。L3的几丁质酶可能有助于在蜕皮过程中降解线虫角质层，因此在寄生虫高度易受攻击的阶段代表了保护性免疫反应的一个靶点。此外，已表明子宫微丝蚴中存在一种类似的酶，其可能在蜕去卵壳中起作用。
