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Background: The allergen Der p 3 is underrepresented in house dust mite (HDM) extracts probably due to autolysis. Recombinant stable molecule of the allergen is thus needed to improve the diagnosis of allergy and the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy. Objective: The current study reports the immunological characterization of two recombinant molecules of the HDM allergen Der p 3 as useful tools for diagnosis and immunotherapy. Methods: Recombinant mature (rDer p 3) and immature (proDer p 3) Der p 3 and their corresponding S196A mutants were produced in Pichia pastoris and purified. The stability, IgE-binding capacity and allergenicity of the different proteins were analysed and compared with those of the major mite allergen Der p 1 used as a reference. Additionally, the immunogenicity of the different allergens was evaluated in a murine model of Der p 3 sensitization. Results: Compared to the IgE reactivity to recombinant and natural Der p 3 (nDer p 3), the mean IgE binding of patient's sera to rDer p 3-S196A (50%) was higher. The poorly binding to nDer p 3 or rDer p 3 was due to autolysis of the allergen. Contrary to Der p 3, proDer p 3 displayed very weak IgE reactivity, as measured by sandwich ELISA and competitive inhibition, rat basophil leukaemia degranulation and human basophil activation assays. Moreover, proDer p 3 induced a TH1-biased immune response that prevented allergic response in mice but retained Der p 3-specific T-cell reactivity. Conclusion: rDer p 3-S196A should be used for the diagnosis of HDM allergy elicited by Der p 3, and proDer p 3 may represent a hypoallergen of Der p 3., SCOPUS: ar.j, FLWIN, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The Trypanosoma brucei homolog of the RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) subunit RPB9 was cloned and characterized. Contrary to what occurs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in T. brucei this protein was found to be essential since the knock down of its expression by RNAi led to lethality in both bloodstream and procyclic forms of the parasite. As expected, TbRPB9 knock down specifically inhibited transcription by RNA Pol II, but not by RNA Pol I and III. TbRPB9 was used as bait to isolate the RNA Pol II core complex by tandem affinity purification. Nine subunits homologous to the other eukaryotic RNA Pol II, namely RPB1, RPB2, RPB3, RPB4, RPB5, RPB6, RPB7, RPB8 and RPB11, were identified in the purified complex. Interestingly, the RPB5 homolog associated with RNA Pol II was different from the one previously found in RNA Pol I. Analysis of the genome database revealed the presence of genes for all purified subunits plus RPB10. As in the case of TbRPB5, two genes coding for different isoforms of TbRPB6 were identified, suggesting the existence of polymerase-specific isoforms for both TbRPB5 and TbRPB6., Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The Trypanosoma brucei homologue of the RNA polymerase I (RNA Pol I) subunit Rpa12p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned and characterized. This protein did not appear to be essential for growth in either bloodstream or procyclic forms of the parasite. Trypanosomes expressing a C-terminal tagged version of TbRPA12 were generated in order to purify RNA Pol I from both developmental stages. Tandem affinity purification (TAP) revealed a number of proteins associating with TbRPA12, some of which appeared to be stage-specific. Mass spectrometry allowed the identification of four subunits in addition to TbRPA12, namely TbRPA1, TbRPA2, TbRPC40 and one isoform of TbRPB5 (Tb1RPB5), as well as an unknown 30kDa protein and histones H2A and H3. Whereas these studies demonstrated that TbRPA1 was phosphorylated, no evidence for phosphorylation of TbRPA2 was found., Journal Article, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Le trypanosome est le parasite responsable de la maladie du sommeil chez l’homme et de la Nagana chez le bétail. Afin d’échapper au système immunitaire de son hôte mammifère, il remplace périodiquement la protéine VSG (Variant Surface Glycoprotein) présente en 10 millions d’exemplaires à sa surface. Ce mécanisme a pour nom la variation antigénique. Pour être exprimé, le gène de VSG (VSG) doit se trouver en fin d’un site d’expression (ES) particulier. Cet ES est polycistronique, télomérique et transcrit par une ARN polymérase de type ribosomique (Pol I). 20 à 40 ESs similaires et un millier de VSGs sont recensés dans le génome du trypanosome. Cependant, un seul ES est totalement transcrit (actif) et un seul VSG est exprimé. La variation antigénique est donc possible par deux mécanismes: soit l’activation d’un autre ES, soit le remplacement du VSG dans l’ES actif. La base de ce système est l’activation d’un seul ES à la fois (contrôle monoallélique).Au laboratoire, un modèle a été proposé où la transcription s’initie au niveau de tous les ESs mais n’aboutit au VSG que dans le cas de l’ES actif (Vanhamme et al. 2000). Dans ce cas uniquement, le transcrit primaire subit une maturation correcte (épissage et polyadénylation) et est exporté dans le cytoplasme. Etant donné que des transcrits Pol I subissent une maturation identique à des transcrits Pol II, la régulation s’effectuerait par recrutement d’une machinerie d’élongation/maturation de l’ARN de type Pol II (Pol II « RNA factory »). Cette dernière serait uniquement localisée au niveau de l’ES actif dans le compartiment nucléaire appelé ES body (Navarro and Gull, 2001).Durant cette thèse, diverses stratégies ont été élaborées pour tester la validité du modèle. La première visait à comparer l’état de maturation d’un ES en fonction de son activité. Nos résultats ont appuyé l’idée que les transcrits d’ESs ayant subi une maturation correcte provenaient préférentiellement de l’ES actif mais le(s) facteur(s) en qua, Doctorat en sciences, Spécialisation biologie moléculaire, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Panning and screening of various phage display libraries with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the O-chain of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Brucella sp. allowed the identification of peptidic mimotopes of some O-chain epitopes. Four mAbs were tested. The A76-12G12 mAb, which is specific for LPS of all strains of Brucella, either A- or M-dominant, did not yield any peptidic mimotope, despite a specific yield enrichment during the rounds of panning. The B66-4F9 mAb, that recognises an epitope common to both Brucella sp. and Yersinia enterocilitca O:9 strains, allowed the selection of only one phage clone that was shown to be an antigenic but not immunogenic mimotope. The B66-2C8 and A15-6B3 mAbs, respectively, specific for the LPS of A-dominant and M-dominant Brucella sp. yielded several sequences, which allowed the determination of consensus sequences. These consensus will be of high interest for the construction of second generation libraries. For the best binding peptides, competition with LPS for the binding to the mAb is detected, which suggests that the peptides bind to the paratope of the mAb. The phages selected from the libraries were used to immunise mice, and a weak antibody response directed against LPS has been observed for some peptides. These data suggest that a subset of the selected peptides are immunogenic mimotopes of the LPS epitopes., info:eu-repo/semantics/published