Skip NavigationSkip to Content
Return Return to Search Results

Variation in the major surface glycoprotein genes in Pneumocystis jirovecii

  1. Author:
    Kutty, G.
    Maldarelli, F.
    Achaz, G.
    Kovacs, J. A.

  2. Author Address

    Kutty, Geetha, Kovacs, Joseph A.] Natl Inst Hlth, Ctr Clin, Dept Crit Care Med, Bethesda, MD USA. [Maldarelli, Frank] NCI, Natl Inst Hlth, HIV Drug Resistance Program, Frederick, MD 21701 USA. [Achaz, Guillaume] UMR 7138, Paris, France. [Achaz, Guillaume] Atelier Bioinformat, Paris, France. [Achaz, Guillaume] Univ Paris 06, Paris, France.
    1. Year: 2008
  2. Journal: Journal of Infectious Diseases
    1. 198
    2. 5
    3. Pages: 741-749
  4. Type of Article: Article
  1. Abstract:

    The genome of Pneumocystis, which causes life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients, contains a multicopy gene family that encodes the major surface glycoprotein (Msg). Pneumocystis can vary the expressed Msg, presumably as a mechanism to avoid host immune responses. Analysis of 24 msg-gene sequences obtained from a singlehumanisolate of Pneumocystis demonstrated that the sequences segregate into 2 branches. Results of a number of analyses suggest that recombination between msg genes is an important mechanism for generating msg diversity. Intrabranch recombination occurred more frequently than interbranch recombination. Restriction-fragment length polymorphism analysis of human isolates of Pneumocystis demonstrated substantial variation in the repertoire of the msg-gene family, variation that was not observed in laboratory isolates of Pneumocystis in rats or mice, this may be the result of examining outbred versus captive populations. Increased diversity in the Msg repertoire, generated in part by recombination, increases the potential for antigenic variation in this abundant surface protein.

    See More

  1. Keywords:

External Sources

  1. PMID: 18627244

Library Notes

  1. No notes added.
NCI at Frederick

You are leaving a government website.

This external link provides additional information that is consistent with the intended purpose of this site. The government cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal site.

Linking to a non-federal site does not constitute an endorsement by this institution or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the site. You will be subject to the destination site's privacy policy when you follow the link.

ContinueCancel