Expression of Plasmodium falciparum C-terminal region of merozoite surface protein (PfMSP1 19), a potential malaria vaccine candidate, in tobacco

• Published in: Plant science (Limerick) 2002-03, Vol.162 (3), p.335-343
• Main Authors: Ghosh, Sagar, Malhotra, Pawan, Lalitha, P.V, Guha-Mukherjee, Sipra, Chauhan, V.S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrobacterium; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic engineering; Genetic technics; Malaria vaccine candidate; Merozoite surface antigen; merozoite surface protein; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Nicotiana tabacum; PfMSP1 19; Plant produced vaccine; Plasmodium falciparum; Protozoa; Transgenic animals and transgenic plants; Transgenic plants; Tropical medicine; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies
• ISSN: 0168-9452; 1873-2259
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9452(01)00555-6

A gene encoding the C-terminal region of a major surface antigen of Plasmodium falciparum referred as PfMSP1 19, a leading vaccine candidate for malaria, was cloned in plant transformation vector pBI121. Tobacco leaves were transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens carrying the vector and kanamycin resistant plants were regenerated. The Pfmsp1 19 gene, in the transformed plants was identified by polymerase chain reaction amplification, Southern and northern hybridisation techniques. Expression of PfMSP1 19 protein was analysed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Immunoblot assay, which indicated that transformed plants expressed MSP1 19 and displayed structural and immunological characteristics identical to the Escherichia coli expressed protein. This result is a step forward towards the development of an edible and low cost subunit vaccine against malaria, which is a fatal disease of the developing countries.