Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification and real-time PCR for the detection of Leptospira interrogans / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To compare the sensitivity and specificity of Leptospira interrogans using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and real-time PCR technology, then looking for a rapid,sensitive and specific methods for the detection of Leptospira interrogans. MethodsIn accordance with lipL41 gene from Leptospira interrogans, primers for LAMP and real-time PCR were designed and used to detect Leptospira interrogans in cultured 15 reference strains of 15 serogroups in China, then compared the sensitivity and specificity of the two methods in the detection of Leptospira interrogans. ResultsThe LAMP reaction could be completed within 30 min, and whole process of it less than 60 min. The whole real-time PCR reaction could be finished at about 60 min. Both of them had the same detection sensitivity and specificity,the lower detection limits in the reactions was approximately 100 copies and there was no false positive occurred. ConclusionBoth LAMP and real-time PCR were time-saving and had the same sensitivity and specificity. But LAMP reaction could be done under a constant temperature conditions, and need not a special expensive equipment. Therefore, as a sensitive and specific method for quantifying Leptospira interrogans,the LAMP assay was more rapidly and convenient than conventional methods.

Construction of the fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL41/2 from Leptospira interrogans and the immuno-reactivity of its expressed products / 中国人兽共患病学报

In the present study, the fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL41/2 from Leptospira interrogans was constructed by using PCR with linking primers, expressed in prokaryotic expression system. And the immuno-reactivity of its expressed product was determined. Meanwhile, SDS-PAGE and BioRad agarose image analyzer system was used to examine the expression output of the target recombinant protein rLipL32/1-LipL41/2, and the immune-reactivity of this recombinant protein was identified by Western blot assay. ELISA was used to detect the level of antibodies against the recombinant proteins in sera of patients with leptospirosis. It was demonstrated that the percentages of similarity in nucleotide and the putative amino acid sequences of the fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL41/2 with the corresponding sequences previously reported were 99. 9% and 98. 9%respectively. The expression output of the target recombinant protein was approximately 10% of the total bacterial proteins.Both the rabbit antisera against rLipL32/1 and rLip41/2 could recognize and combine to the recombinant fusion protein rLip32/1-Lip41/2 as well. The positive rates of antibodies in 228 leptospirosis patients with the recombinant proteins rLip32/1,rLip41/2 and rLip32/1-Lip41.2 were 97.4%, 78. 5% and 99. 1% respectively. The results of the present study leads to the conclusion that the fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL41/3 with its prokaryotic expression system is successively constructed and the expressed recombinant protein shows excellent immuno-reactivity, thus suggesting that it may be used as the antigenic candidate for the development of the leptospiral genus-specific engineering vaccine and for the preparation of diagnostic kits.