Plasmodium falciparum complementary DNA clones expressed in Escherichia coli encode many distinct antigens

Abstract

A library of cDNA clones expressing antigens of the asexual blood-stages of Plasmodium falciparum (isolate FCQ27/PNG) was constructed in the bacteriophage vector λgt11-Amp3. Clones expressing P. falciparum antigens (as polypeptides fused to β-galactosidase) were selected by their reactivity in an in situ colony immunoassay with affinity-purified malaria antibodies. A detailed analysis of 78 antigen-positive clones selected from approximately 10,000 recombinant clones has shown them to correspond to many different parasite antigens. cDNA hybridization studies on this array of 78 antigen-positive clones have so far identified 18 families of sibling clones with 22 clones as yet unassigned, the ..