Recombinant Treponema pallidum p17

Biomolecules

Treponema pallidum is a gram-negative spirochaete bacterium and is considered to be metabolically crippled. There are at least four known subspecies: T. pallidum pallidum, T. pallidum pertenue, T. pallidum carateum and T. pallidum endemicum. The helical structure of T. pallidum pallidum allows it to move in a corkscrew motion through viscous mediums such as mucus. Treponema pallidum sub sp. pallidum has one of the smallest bacterial genomes at 1.14 million base pairs (Mb) and has limited metabolic capabilities, reflecting its adaptation through genome reduction to the rich environment of mammalian tissue. The, E. coli, derived recombinant protein contains the T. Pallidum p17 immunodominant regions. The protein contains beta- galactosidase (114 kDa) fused at the N- terminus

Immunoreactive with sera of Trp. Pallidum infected individuals.