Korean Lepr Bull.  2000 Jun;33(1):107-113.

Identification of regulatory sequence within the promoter of M.leprae-specific 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s)

• Kim MJ
• Kim YK
• Chae GT

Abstract

A central question to the pathogenesis of leprosy is how Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, survives and replicates within macrophages. 18-kDa protein of M. leprae, a major antigen, is found in solely M.leprae and contains T-cell antigenic epitopes and has been implicated in survival of M. leprae within macrophages and ultimately in pathogenesis. The latter is supported further by a recent finding that 18-kDa gene is activated during intracellular growth. To further understand M. leprae-specific 18-kDa gene expression regulation mechanism during intracellular growth, the present studies have been undertaken. To examine the presence of a regulatory sequence(s) in the promoter of 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s) in M. leprae cell lysate, a gel mobility shift assay was performed. A 350-bp sequence containing the promoter of 18-kDa gene resulted in a protein-DNA complex formation with increasing amounts of M. leprae crude lysate. However, the protein-DNA complex formation was not detected in the presence of a nonspecific carrier, salmon sperm DNA.

MeSH Terms

DNA
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
Epitopes
Gene Expression Regulation
Leprosy
Macrophages
Mycobacterium leprae
Salmon
Spermatozoa
T-Lymphocytes
DNA
Epitopes