Contruction of the Genetic Engineering Strain Expressed Nontoxic ST1-LTB Fusion Protein Against Enterotoxigenic Eschenichia coli

Thermostable enterotoxinⅠ(ST1)mutant genes and thermolabile enterotoxin B subunit(LTB)genes were amplified by PCR from plasmids of Eschenichia coli C83902.The recombinant expression plasmid pZST3LTB containing ST1-LTB fusion gene was constructed by recombinant DNA technique and then transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).The ST1-LTB fusion protein was highly expressed in recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pZST3LTB)and the fusion protein was about 38.53% of total cellular protein by SDS-PAGE and thin-layer gel scanning analysis.More important,mice immunized with crude preparation containing the fusion protein inclusion bodies or inactivated recombinant strain produced antibodies that were able to recognize ST1 in vitro.These sera antibodies were able to neutralize the biological activity of native ST1 in the suckling mouse assay.Hence the ST1-LTB fusion protein was nontoxic and immunogenic,the constructed recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pZST3LTB)could be used as a candidate of vaccine strain.