Ranjan Ramasamy

An epitope recognised by inhibitory monoclonal antibodies that react with a 51 kilodalton merozoite surface antigen in Plasmodium falciparum

Monoclonal antibodies designated 8G10/48 and 9E3/48 raised against mature asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum inhibit parasite growth in vitro. Both antibodies bind to an epitope which includes the linear sequence Ser Thr Asn Ser and which is present in a cDNA clone from a P. falciparum expression library. These antibodies recognise a glycosylated antigen of approximately 51 kDa which is located on the merozoite surface membrane.

Anti‐mosquito antibodies decrease the reproductive capacity of Aedes aegypti

Abstract. Aedes aegypti (L.) fed on rabbits immunized with mosquito antigens showed a reduction in fecundity in the first oviposition and decreased viability of the progeny. Feeding behaviour of mosquitoes was not affected and no significant mortality was observed due to the presence of anti‐mosquito antibodies in the bloodmeal. Antibodies were detected in the oocytes of mosquitoes 48 h after the bloodmeal. The role of specific antibodies in influencing fecundity is discussed.

Anti-mosquito antibodies reduce the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti to arbovirus infection

ABSTRACT. Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquitoes showed a significant reduction in susceptibility to infection with Ross River virus and Murray Valley encephalitis virus when they were fed on a blood‐virus mixture containing rabbit antibodies to mosquito midgut components. Presence of the antibodies did not demonstrably affect virus titres in infected mosquitoes, nor the transmission of virus from infected mosquitoes to vertebrates.

Fecundity of Anopheles tessellatus reduced by the ingestion of murine anti-mosquito antibodies

Abstract. High titres of antibodies to antigens derived from head/thorax, midgut or abdomen of Anopheles tessellatus were produced in inbred mice. These antibodies, when ingested in a bloodmeal, reduced the fecundity of An.tessellatus by up to 29% in different experiments. It is postulated that antibodies directed against antigens shared between the head/thorax, abdomen and midgut tissues are involved in the reduction of fecundity.

Isolation and partial characterisation of a 26 kilodalton antigen from Plasmodium falciparum recognised by an inhibitory monoclonal antibody

A 26 kDa protein, present in trophozoites and schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum, has been identified as the target of a monoclonal antibody that weakly inhibits parasite growth in vitro. The antigen has been purified to homogeneity by immuno-affinity chromatography and electrophoresis. The sequence of 19 amino acids at the N-terminus of the protein has been determined.

Mosquito Vitellin: Structural and Functional Studies with Monoclonal Antibodies

Two monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), that react in an enzyme linked immunoabsorbant assay, were generated against Aedes aegypti vitellin. One of these Mabs, VIIG9 that reacted predominantly with a 64 kDa component of Ae. aegypti yolk protein, also recognized 68 kDa and 66 kDa components in the yolk proteins of Culex sitiens and Cx. annulirostris, respectively. Mab VIIG9 has been used to detect vitellin or vitellin precursors in gravid female and non-blood fed nulliparous female mosquitoes as a possible age grading method. The presence of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to vitellin in the blood meal did not affect the fecundity of Ae. aegypti.RésuméDeux anticorps monoclones (Mabs), qui reagissent dans un essai enzyme lie et immunoabsorbant, ont ete generes contre Aedes aegypti vitelline. L’un de ces Mabs, V11G9 qui a reagi d’une maniere predominante avec un constituant 64 kDa de proteine de vitellus de Ae. aegypti a egalement reconnu les constituants 68kDa et 66 kDa dans les proteines de vitellus de Culex sitiens et de Cx. annulirostris respectivement. On s’est servi de Mab VIIG9 pour decouvrir la vitelline ou les precurseurs de la vitelline dans des femelles pleines et des moustiques femelles non nourries de sang et nullipares comme une methode possible de classer l’age. La presence d’anticorps polyclones et monoclones a la vitelline dans le sang absorbe n’a pas eu d’effect sur la fecondite de Ae. aegypti.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Anopheles tessellatus midgut

The production of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against antigen derived from the midgut ofAnopheles tessellatus is described. Three cloned Mabs examined were found to be directed against conformational epitopes on midgut antigens. Ingestion of these Mabs in a bloodmeal did not affect mosquito mortality or fecundity. The intake of the Mabs, when compared to normal mouse IgG, with a bloodmeal containingPlasmodium v i v a gametocytes did not reduce the suscept~bility of the mosquito to parasite infection.