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Summary. The development of monoclonal antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques has made possible the detection of specific antigens at extremely low concentrations. Diagnosis of recalcitrant diseases such as melioidosis depends upon either early isolation and identification of the causative organism or the identification of a specific marker antigen, Pseudomonas pseudomallei exotoxin, in serum; the latter is better because it allows more rapid and simple diagnosis. A method of detecting exotoxin concentrations of > 16 ng/ml by an ELISA based on a monoclonal antitoxin is here described; it is significantly more sensitive than the mouse lethality test (lower threshold 30pg/ml) currently in use and an in-vitro cytotoxicity test (lower threshold 10 pg/ml) that we have developed and describe here.

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Plasmodium falciparum mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, a family of enzymes central to signal transduction processes including inflammatory responses, are a promising target for antimalarial drug development. Our study shows for the first time that the P. falciparum specific MAP kinase 2 (PfMAP2) is colocalized in the nucleus of all of the asexual erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum and is particularly elevated in its phosphorylated form. It was also discovered that PfMAP2 is expressed in its highest quantity during the early trophozoite (ring form) stage and significantly reduced in the mature trophozoite and schizont stages. Although the phosphorylated form of the kinase is always more prevalent, its ratio relative to the nonphosphorylated form remained constant irrespective of the parasites' developmental stage. We have also shown that the TSH motif specifically renders PfMAP2 genetically divergent from the other plasmodial MAP kinase activation sites using Neighbour Joining analysis. Furthermore, TSH motif-specific designed antibody is crucial in determining the location of the expression of the PfMAP2 protein. However, by using immunoelectron microscopy, PPfMAP2 were detected ubiquitously in the parasitized erythrocytes. In summary, PfMAP2 may play a far more important role than previously thought and is a worthy candidate for research as an antimalarial.