cDNA Cloning of Biologically Active Chicken Interleukin-18

By searching a chicken EST database, we identified a cDNA clone that appeared to contain the entire open reading frame (ORF) of chicken interleukin-18 (ChIL-18). The encoded protein consists of 198 amino acids and exhibits approximately 30% sequence identity to IL-18 of humans and various others mammals. Sequence comparisons reveals a putative caspase-1 cleavage site at aspartic acid 29 of the primary translation product, indicating that mature ChIL-18 might consist of 169 amino acids. Bacterially expressed ChIL-18 in which the N-terminal 29 amino acids of the putative precursor molecule were replaced by a histidine tag induced the synthesis of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in cultured primary chicken spleen cells, indicating that the recombinant protein is biologically active.