RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Small heat shock proteins are ubiquitous family of stress proteins, having a role in virulence and survival of the pathogen. M. leprae, the causative agent of leprosy is an uncultivable organism in defined media, hence the biology and function of proteins were examined by cloning M. leprae genes in heterologous hosts. The study on sHsp18 was carried out as the knowledge about the functions of this major immunodominant antigen of M. leprae is scanty. RESULTS: The gene encoding Mycobacterium leprae small heat shock protein (sHsp18) was amplified from biopsy material of leprosy patients, and cloned and expressed in E. coli. The localization and in vitro characterization of the protein are detailed in this report. Data show that major portion of the protein is localized in the outer membrane of E. coli. The purified sHsp18 functions as an efficient chaperone as shown by their ability to prevent thermal inactivation of restriction enzymes SmaI and NdeI. Physical interaction of the chaperone with target protein is also demonstrated. Size exclusion chromatography of purified protein shows that the protein can form multimeric complexes under in vitro conditions as is demonstrated for several small heat shock proteins. CONCLUSION: The small heat shock protein sHsp18 of M. leprae is a chaperone and shows several properties associated with other small heat shock proteins. Membrane association and in vitro chaperone function of sHsp18 shows that the protein may play a role in the virulence and survival of M. leprae in infected host.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Proteínas de Choque Térmico Pequenas/metabolismo , Hanseníase/microbiologia , Mycobacterium leprae/metabolismo , Proteínas da Membrana Bacteriana Externa/química , Proteínas da Membrana Bacteriana Externa/genética , Proteínas da Membrana Bacteriana Externa/metabolismo , Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Expressão Gênica , Proteínas de Choque Térmico Pequenas/química , Proteínas de Choque Térmico Pequenas/genética , Humanos , Chaperonas Moleculares/química , Chaperonas Moleculares/genética , Chaperonas Moleculares/metabolismo , Mycobacterium leprae/química , Mycobacterium leprae/genética , Ligação Proteica , Transporte ProteicoRESUMO
Mycobacteria belong to a genus which has membership ranging from saprophytes to deadly pathogens that cause several infectious diseases affecting a large population of the world. Among them, tuberculosis and leprosy are the major granulomatous mycobacterial diseases. While there are successes and failures in the fight against these infections, mechanisms of pathogenesis continue to be a challenge to clinicians and biologists alike. Though it is known that both host and bacterial factors are important in the pathogenicity versus protection, all the triggers and responses are not known. Among various bacterial factors, small heat shock proteins (sSHPs) could be important targets for drug development, immunomodulation and serodiagnosis. sSHPs are the molecular chaperones that are believed to act as mantle for the mycobacteria against host's immune attack and facilitate the survival of pathogen in host body. Best studied small heat shock proteins in M. tuberculosis are sSHP16.3 and Acr2 while in M. leprae, it is 18 kD protein antigen. In this review, works on various aspects of small heat shock proteins which fall in 10 to 19 kD range have been summarized and some thoughts about future road-map have been put into.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Choque Térmico Pequenas/fisiologia , Infecções por Mycobacterium/imunologia , Animais , Proteínas de Bactérias/fisiologia , Chaperoninas/fisiologia , Proteínas de Choque Térmico Pequenas/química , Humanos , alfa-Cristalinas/fisiologiaRESUMO
While it is well established that proximity to wetlands is a risk factor for contracting Buruli ulcer, it is not clear what proportion of a population living in an area where the etiologic agent, Mycobacterium ulcerans, is endemic is actually exposed to this disease. Immunological cross-reactivity among mycobacterial species complicates the development of a specific serological test. Among immunodominant proteins recognized by a panel of anti-M. ulcerans monoclonal antibodies, the M. ulcerans homologue of the M. leprae 18-kDa small heat shock protein (shsp) was identified. Since this shsp has no homologues in M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, we evaluated its use as a target antigen for a serological test. Anti-18-kDa shsp antibodies were frequently found in the sera of Buruli ulcer patients and of healthy household contacts but rarely found in controls from regions where the infection is not endemic. The results indicate that only a small proportion of M. ulcerans-infected individuals contract the clinical disease.