Perkinsus marinus is a parasitic protozoan that infects bivalve mollusks such as oysters, clams, and mussels, causing the disease known as “dermo.” The parasite has been found to produce several surface antigens, which are important for the host-parasite interaction and the pathogenesis of the disease. One of the most studied antigens is the merozoite surface antigen, a protein that is expressed on the surface of the parasite during the intraerythrocytic stage. Other surface proteins produced by P. marinus include merozoite surface protein (3, 3B, and 3g), mature-parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen, and ring-infested erythrocyte surface antigen. Understanding the role of these antigens is important for developing effective strategies for the control of the disease caused by P. marinus.

The merozoite surface antigen is a glycoprotein that is involved in the invasion of host cells and is highly conserved among Perkinsus species. The merozoite surface protein (3, 3B, and 3g) is another important surface antigen that is involved in host-parasite interactions and has been found to elicit an immune response in infected oysters. The mature-parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen and the ring-infested erythrocyte surface antigens are important in the pathogenesis of Perkinsus marinus and are involved in the adhesion and invasion of host cells.

Understanding the role of these antigens in the biology of Perkinsus marinus is critical for developing effective strategies for the control and prevention of this disease in bivalves.

Perkinsus marinus cDNA and recombinant antigen can be used in applications such as diagnostic assays, vaccine development, and gene expression studies.

Diagnostic Assays: The cDNA and recombinant antigens can be used to develop diagnostic assays that can detect the presence of the parasite in a sample. This can be used to identify and monitor the progression of the disease in infected hosts.

Vaccine Development: The cDNA and recombinant antigens can be used to develop a vaccine against the parasite. This can help to reduce the incidence of disease in susceptible hosts.

Gene Expression Studies: The cDNA and recombinant antigens can be used to examine the expression of genes related to the parasite in order to gain a better understanding of the biology of the organism. This can help to identify new targets for drug development and possible treatments for the disease.

The use of recombinant proteins/cDNA in academic research and therapeutic applications has skyrocketed. However, in heterologous expression systems, successful recombinant protein expression is dependent on a variety of factors, including codon preference, RNA secondary structure, and GC content. When compared to pre-optimization, more and more experimental results demonstrated that the expression level was dramatically increased, ranging from two to hundred times depending on the gene. Bioclone has created a proprietary technology platform that has resulted in the creation of over 6,000 artificially synthesized codon-optimized cDNA clones (cloned in E. coli expression Vector), which are ready for production of the recombinant proteins.