Article Abstract:
Immunoblotting and SDS-PAGE studies reveal that the 23 kDa cytosolic protein antigen of the vaccine candidate Mycobacterium habana is superoxide dismutase (SOD). The 18 N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme is similar to those of M. tuberculosis, M. leprae and human SODs. T cells of guinea-pigs and mice primed with M. habana recognize M. habana SOD. The enzyme also induces T lymphocyte proliferative responses similar to those induced by M. leprae in human tuberculoid leprosy patients and individuals exposed to environmental mycobacteria.
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Article Abstract:
Experiments were performed to show that the ability of galactose to induce galactokinase (galK) in Mycobacterium smegmatis depends on the presence of glutamate at low concentration. While rifampicin inhibits the glutamate-mediated expression of galK in the presence or absence of galactose, extracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate stimulates the expression of the enzyme in the presence of glutamate and galactose. Results indicate that two different promoters were involved in the expression of the galK gene.
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Article Abstract:
The nucleotide sequence of a 3.4 kbp region of the Mycobacterium leprae (M.leprae) genome is described. The presence of 38L protein in the membrane protein fraction of M.leprae was demonstrated by using antibodies against 38L protein. There is a wide similarity between 38L protein and integral membrane proteins involved in the transport of small molecules through the cellular membrane. The 38L protein may be involved in the hypopigmentation observed in leprosy patients.
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