Authors : A. Ngakou , A. Ngakou and M.D. Achukwi
Abstract: A Cowdria ruminantium DNA fragment (4.2 Kb) cloned in a pGEM plasmid vector was 58 % sequenced, using a "primer walking strategy" in a thermo cycling silver sequencing technique. The aim of this experiment was to sequence the cloned insert and predict its immunogenic proteins by an in vitro transcription/translation assay. Incomplete nucleotide sequences of 1265 and 1201 base pairs in length were obtained, respectively from the 5� (T7 sequence) and 3� (Sp6 sequence) ends of the insert. These sequences were 70% A+T rich in composition. Homology search (BLAST) of the translated sequences against the genebank database identified significant similarities with two proteins of known functions from the T7 sequence and a non-specified cell division protein from the Sp6 sequence. Two major immunogenic proteins of 55 and 27 KDa were revealed by in vitro transcription/translation assay. Although the HW19 DNA fragment is incompletely sequenced, the two immunogenic proteins revealed may have a significant application for the development of improved serological diagnostic tests and/or subunit vaccine against heartwater.
A. Ngakou , A. Ngakou and M.D. Achukwi , 2006. Molecular Characterisation of a HW 19 Cowdria ruminantium DNA Fragment for Development of Serological Assays Against Heartwater. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 990-994.