This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yang, M. C. Articles by Cox, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yang, M. C. Articles by Cox, R. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect. Immun., 10 1997, 4068-4074, Vol 65, No. 10
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Mapping of a Coccidioides immitis-specific epitope that reacts with complement-fixing antibody

MC Yang, DM Magee and RA Cox
Department of Clinical Investigation, Texas Center for Infectious Disease, San Antonio 78223, USA.

We have previously cloned the cDNA fragment that encodes the complement fixation antigen of Coccidioides immitis. The recombinant protein was highly sensitive in detecting CF antibody in sera from patients with coccidioidomycosis but was not specific to C. immitis, as evidenced by its reactivity with sera from patients with histoplasmosis and, to lesser extent, blastomycosis. We undertook this study to determine if the epitope(s) that reacts with CF antibody is the same or differs from the epitopes that are shared with Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis. PCR-generated CF/chitinase cDNA fragments were cloned and examined for their reactivity in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using sera from patients with coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, or blastomycosis. A peptide domain comprised of amino acid residues 20 through 310 was shown to express an epitope(s) that is specific to anti-Coccidioides CF antibody. The peptide detected serum antibody in 21 (95%) of 22 patients with active coccidioidomycosis and was without reactivity with sera from 20 patients with histoplasmosis, 15 patients with blastomycosis, and 14 healthy subjects. Antibody titers to the recombinant peptide directly correlated with CF antibody titers (P < 0.01), and preadsorption of reference CF antiserum with the peptide ablated the reactivity of the antiserum in the immunodiffusion assay for CF antibody. The delineation of a recombinant peptide that has both sensitivity and specificity will provide a valuable tool for detecting CF antibody and for evaluating the role of CF antibody in the host response to C. immitis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Pounder, J. I., Hansen, D., Woods, G. L. (2006). Identification of Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Coccidioides Species by Repetitive-Sequence-Based PCR.. J. Clin. Microbiol. 44: 2977-2982 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yu, J.-J., Kirkland, T. N., Hall, L. K., Wopschall, J., Smith, R. C., Hung, C.-Y., Chen, X., Tarcha, E., Thomas, P. W., Cole, G. T. (2005). Characterization of a Serodiagnostic Complement Fixation Antigen of Coccidioides posadasii Expressed in the Nonpathogenic Fungus Uncinocarpus reesii. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 5462-5469 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yeo, S. F., Wong, B. (2002). Current Status of Nonculture Methods for Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infections. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 465-484 [Abstract] [Full Text]