RECOMBINANT PROTEIN USEFUL FOR THE DETECTION OF TSUTSUGAMUSHI INFECTION, GENE ENCODING THE SAME, AND DIAGNOSTIC KIT USING THE SAME

摘要

PURPOSE: A recombinant protein useful for the detection of tsutsugamushi infection, a gene encoding the same, and a diagnostic kit using the same are provided, which recombinant protein has high antigenicity, and is easily cloned into an expression vector and easily cultured, so that the recombinant protein can be mass-produced. CONSTITUTION: The recombinant protein or a mutant which has the surface antigen activity of Orientia tsutsugamushi Pajoo and has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or has 90% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 is provided. A gene encoding the recombinant protein or mutant has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. An expression vector p56kDa contains the gene of SEQ ID NO:2. A transformed host cell, Escherichia coli NIH/BL/56kDa-ET15B(KCCM 10489) is produced by transforming the host cell with the expression vector p56kDa. The method for producing the recombinant protein or mutant comprises culturing the Escherichia coli NIH/BL/56kDa-ET15B(KCCM 10489) and separating the recombinant protein or mutant from the cultured medium.