Oncosphere antigen

Predicted Protein Structure and Function of Oncosphere Antigens.293... 

Table 15.2. Recombinant oncosphere antigens of taeniid cestodes, which have been shown to induce host-protective immune responses. ...

All of the oncosphere antigens cloned to date contain either one of two copies of a predicted Fnlll domain. These domains are widely distributed in eukaryotic proteins and occur also in some prokaryotic proteins (Bork and Doolittle, 1992). Approximately 2% of animal proteins include Fnlll domains. Many, but not all, of these proteins are extracellular and some have roles as adhesins. The structure of this 100 amino acid domain is highly conserved and consists of two layers with three p strands in one plane and four p strands in another (Potts and Campbell, 1996). Overall, amino acid sequence identity between different Fnlll domains is low, even between Fnlll repeat domains within fibronectin itself (Plaxco et al., 1997). Nevertheless, certain residues are highly conserved and maintain the tertiary structure of the proteins (Bork and Doolittle, 1992). Other conserved motifs such as an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif within a loop of some Fnlll domains is associated with proteins having cell adhesion properties, as discussed above (Ruoslahti and Pierschbacher, 1987 D Souza et al., 1991). 

Lightowlers, M.W., Rolfe, R. and Gauci, C.G. (1996b) Taenia saginata vaccination against cysticercosis in cattle with recombinant oncosphere antigens. Experimental Parasitology 84, 330-338. 

Lightowlers, M.W., Gauci, C.G., Chow, C., Drew, D.R., Gauci, S.M., Heath, D.D., Jackson, D.C., Dadley-Moore, D.L. and Read, A.J. (2003b) Molecular and genetic characterisation of the host-protective oncosphere antigens of taeniid cestode parasites. International Journal for Parasitology 33, 1207-1 21 7. 

Rajasekariah, G.R., Rickard, M.D. and O Donnell, I.J. (1985) Taenia pisiformis protective immunization of rabbits with solubilized oncospheral antigens. Experimental Parasitology 59, 321-327. 

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