Chimeric recombinant antigens of
The invention described herein relates to a method for combining antigen fragments of Toxoplasma gondii proteins, in the form of chimeric fusion products, and their use as diagnostic and immunogenic agents.
1. A chimeric recombinant antigen containing a fusion of at least three different antigenic fragments of Toxoplasma gondii polypeptides, wherein said antigenic fragments are B-cell epitopes, which bind to Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies and wherein the chimeric recombinant antigen has an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 28, SEQ ID NO: 30 and SEQ ID NO: 32.
2. The chimeric recombinant antigen of claim 1 , wherein the Toxoplasma gondii -specific antibodies are extracted from sera of subjects who have been infected by Toxoplasma gondii.
3. A chimeric recombinant antigen encoded by a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under highly stringent hybridization conditions with a complement of a nucleotide sequence coding for the chimeric recombinant antigen according to claim 1 .
4. The chimeric recombinant antigen according to claim 1 , obtained by a process comprising culturing a host cell transformed with a vector comprising a nucleotide sequence that codes for the chimeric recombinant antigen of claim 1 or that hybridizes under highly stringent hybridization conditions with a complement of a nucleotide sequence coding for the chimeric recombinant antigen of claim 1 , and isolating the chimeric recombinant antigen from the cultured host cells.
5. A kit for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection, containing at least one chimeric recombinant antigen according to claim 1 .
6. The kit of claim 5 , wherein the kit is for the diagnosis of an acute and/or chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection.