Highly efficient protein expression of Plasmodium vivax surface antigen, Pvs25 by silkworm, Bombyx mori, and its biochemical analysis

Plasmodium vivax ookinete surface protein, Pvs25 is a transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidate for malaria. Pvs25 has four EGF-like domains containing 22 cysteine residues forming 11 intramolecular disulfide bonds and this structural feature makes recombinant expression of Pvs25 difficult. In this study, we report the high expression of recombinant Pvs25 as a soluble form in silkworm, Bombyx mori . The Pvs25 protein was purified from hemolymphs of larvae and pupae by affinity chromatography. In the Pvs25 expressed by silkworm, no isoform with inappropriate disulfide bonds was found, requiring no further purification step which is necessary in case of Pichia pastoris based expressions systems. The Pvs25 from silkworm were confirmed to be the molecularly uniform by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis analysis and size exclusion chromatography analysis. To examine the immunogenicity, the Pvs25 from B. mori , was administered to BALB/c mice by the subcutaneous (s.c.) route with the oil adjuvant. The Pvs25 produced by silkworm induced potent and robust immune response, and the induced antisera correctly recognized P. vivax ookinetes in vitro , demonstrating the potency of Pvs25 from silkworm as a TBV candidate for malaria. This is the first study that to construct a mass production system for malaria TBV antigens by the silkworm to the best of our knowledge.