[Production and molecular characterization of Plasmodium falciparum recombinant circumsporozoite protein with 37 NANP and 4 NVDP epitopes]. / 37 NANP ve 4 NVDP epitoplu Plasmodium falciparum rekombinant circumsporozoite proteinin ekspresyonu ve moleküler karakterizasyonu.

Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, the leading cause of death amongst the parasitic diseases. The disease is transmitted to human by the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, there were an estimated 214 million malaria cases and estimated 438.000 deaths occurred worldwide, in 2015. It is observed that 90% of all the deaths due to malaria occur in Africa. 78% of these cases were children who are under five years old. Intensive malaria interventions helped to reduce malaria incidence by 37% between 2000 and 2015. Malaria is a curable disease if diagnosed and treated promptly and correctly. Drug resistance has developed against almost all anti-malarial drugs and an effective vaccine against malaria has not been developed yet. Vaccine studies initiated 40 years ago by sterile immunity against falciparum malaria through immunization by exposure to 1000 irradiated mosquitoes. Complex structures, complicated life cycles and various antigenic structures of Plasmodium species make vaccination studies difficult. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP), the most extensively studied protein is also present in the content of the vaccine candidate RTS,S which is currently closest to get license. CSP was the first described Plasmodium antigen because of its important role during initiation of the parasitic infection. CSP is the major surface coat protein of Plasmodium parasite. CSP is a soluble protein and recombinant form of the CSP can be produced in Escherichia coli. NANP repeat region is a target site for host antibodies. Recently many DNA, RNA and protein vaccine candidates are being developed against malaria. According to WHO, in the next 20 years period, malaria vaccine can be developed. In this study we aimed to produce recombinant CSP (rCSP). Initially, P.falciparum CSP gene was amplified by PCR. CSP gene was cloned in to the pJET cloning vector. The gene subcloned to the pET100 protein expression vector. E.coli cells were used for protein expression. After this process, purification and endotoxin removal protocols were performed. As a result, 1182 bp CSP gene was obtained from P.falciparum genomic DNA. Accuracy of cloning and DNA sequence of the CSP gene was determined with DNA sequence analysis. The gene sequence was recorded to the GenBank with a registration no KT315396. rCSP was expressed in E.coli cells. The existence of rCSP was verifiedwith Western Blot method and was purified and removed from endotoxins. rCSP aminoacid sequence and 3D shape was obtained.We believe that the production of recombinant CSP will enable us to contribute to the further malaria vaccine studies in our laboratory and country.

Microbiota: In Health and in Sickness, From Birth to Death.

Microorganisms colonize tissues and organs such as the skin and gastrointestinal, respiratory, and genitourinary systems. These microorganisms are generally called as "human microbiota". Human microbiota mostly consists of commensal microorganisms. The commensal microorganisms located on and in the human body are bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and parasites. The microbiota genome is 100 times bigger in size than the human genome. Although the human genome is stationary, microbial genome has a compatible flexible variability during human life. As well as 2-year-old child and newborn, adult and adolescent, the elderly and pregnant woman have a different microbiota. Microbiota and the microbiota genome can be changed by personal and household diet, antibiotic use, mode of delivery, and hygiene within days or even hours, depending on such as these factors. The human immune system and microbiota grow up, develop, and mature as childhood friends by playing with each other from birth to death. Association between microbiota and human is not just related to childhood-it continues with health and disease, until death separates them. This review focused on the roles of microbiota in parasitology, autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases, and cancer treatment in detail. In addition, inflammatory and immunoregulatory roles of microbiota on the intestinal immune system and how innate and adaptive immune systems regulate microbiota and its content were explained.

[The Epidemiology of Malaria in Kayseri Between 2001 and 2013]. / 2001-2013 Yillari Arasinda Kayseri'de Sitma Epidemiyolojisi.

OBJECTIVE: Malaria is the primary parasitic cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. As a result of the expansion of international travel in recent years, imported malaria cases especially are increasing in our country. Likewise, while there were more domestic cases earlier in Kayseri, more imported cases were seen in recent years. In our study, the epidemiology of malaria cases between the years of 2001-2013 is intended to be done with the data obtained from the Provincial Health Directorate. METHODS: The data was performed retrospectively. RESULTS: Considering the last 12 years of data; a total of 34,459 blood samples were analyzed and 47 of these cases were found to be malaria, 21 cases were domestic and others were imported cases of malaria. P. vivax was detected in all domestic cases. While one of the imported cases have been identified as P. malariae, others were P. falciparum. CONCLUSION: We believe that our study of the epidemiological data would be beneficial for taking preventive cautions and fight against malaria.

[Cloning of Blastocystis sp subtype 3 small-subunit ribosomal DNA]. / Blastocystis sp. Subtip 3 Small-subunit Ribozomal Geninin Klonlanmasi

OBJECTIVE: Different sub-types or genetic variations of Blastocystis sp. are thought to play a role in the differential symptoms caused by the parasite or asymptomatic cases. In this study, it was aimed to clone a fragment of SSUrDNA gene of Blastocystis from a patient in order to define its phylogenetic subtype. METHODS: In this study, DNA isolation from the stool of a Blastocystis infected patient was performed. Blastocystis specific primers were used to amplify a SSUrDNA genomic fragment. The amplified DNA fragment was cloned into a plasmid and sequenced using plasmid specific primers. The obtained DNA sequence was analyzed using BLAST and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the software MEGA. RESULTS: It was found that the Blastocystis isolate in our study is subtype 3. CONCLUSION: Cloning and sequencing of the target genomic region is suggested for phylogenetic analysis studies.