Expression of human serum albumin--L7/L12 (Brucella abortus ribosomal protein) fusion protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Brucella abortus is a facultative intracellular gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes abortion in pregnant cattle and undulant fever in humans. The immunogenic B. abortus ribosomal protein L7/L12 is a promising candidate antigen for the development of subunit vaccines against brucellosis. It has already been expressed in several bacteria and has been used as DNA vaccine. In order to construct yeast expressing vector for the tHSA-L7/L12 fusion protein, the l7/l12 ribosomal gene was amplified by PCR. The expression plasmid pYtHSA-L7/L12 was constructed by inserting the L7/L12 gene into the pYHSA5 shuttle vector (containing inulinase signal sequence, HSA gene and Gal10 promoter). The recombinant vector was transformed into S. cerevisiae and was then induced by galactose. The secreted recombinant fusion protein was detected in supernatant by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by western blot analysis using anti-HSA and anti-L7/L12 antibodies. Fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography and its amount was approximately 500 microg/liter.