Extraction, Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of Mycoplasma genitalium MG428 Protein

Background: Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted human pathogen, causing numerous reproductive tract diseases in both genders. MG428 is a positive regulator of surface exposure protein gene recombination and an alternative sigma factor of M. genitalium. Objectives: We extracted and cloned the MG428 gene and bioinformatics analyzed its protein structure in this study. Methods: We designed specific primers based on the MG428 gene sequence of M. genitalium. The MG428 gene was amplified using PCR techniques and ligated into the pGEM-T easy vector. The positive clones were verified by DNA sequencing. The MG428 protein biological characteristics and structure was analysed by biological characteristics. Results: The MG428 gene of M. genitalium has a length of 513 bp and encodes 171 amino acids. No coiled-coil conformation, possible transmembrane helices, or signal peptide was found in the MG428 protein. The MG428 protein was located in the nucleoid of bacteria, and its 3D structure was similar to that of the sigma-H factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A total of 14 B cell epitopes in MG428 were predicted. Conclusions: We successfully cloned the MG428 protein of M. genitalium and predicted its structure and function. The results of this study could provide a research direction for medicine screening against M. genitalium.