The ClpB protein from Campylobacter jejuni: molecular characterization of the encoding gene and antigenicity of the recombinant protein.

The ClpB heat-shock protein is necessary for the survival of Escherichia coli cells upon sudden increase of temperature. Using a PCR-based genomic walking method, the nucleotide sequence of a clpB homolog from Campylobacter jejuni was determined. The clpB gene encodes a protein of 857 amino acid (aa) residues, with a predicted molecular mass of 95.3kDa. Alignment of the deduced aa sequence with other known bacterial ClpB proteins revealed overall identity from 47% (E. coli) to 61% (Helicobacter pylori). Within the clpB promoter region, as indicated by primer extension analysis, we identified a sequence identical to the E. coli sigma70 consensus promoter. Northern blot analysis confirmed that clpB is heat-inducible in C. jejuni. The ClpB protein, fused to a 6xHis tag, was synthesized in E. coli and purified by metal-affinity and size exclusion chromatography. In ELISA studies, IgA levels reactive to recombinant ClpB were significantly higher in sera of patients with prior C. jejuni infections than in sera obtained from healthy control persons.