摘要Objective:To identify a full length cDNA sequence of a novel tetraspanin(TSP) homologue from Spirometra erinaceieuropaeiand to predict the structure and function of its encoding protein using bioinformatics methods.Methods: Using theNCBI,EMBI, Expasy and other online sites, the open reading frame(ORF), conserved domain, physical and chemical parameters, signal peptide, transmembrane domain, epitope, topological structures of the protein sequences were predicted. And VectorNTI software was used for multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree construction.Results:The target sequence was1 132 bp length with a681bp biggestORFencoding226 amino acids protein with typicalTSP conserved domain. It was confirmed as full length cDNA ofTSP16 fromSpirometra erinaceieuropaei and named asSeTSP16 (GenBank accession number:JF728872). The predicted molecular weight and isoelectric point of the deduced protein were24 750.5 Da and7.88 Da, respectively. Compared withTSP16s fromSchistosoma japonicum andSchistosoma mansoni, it showed similarity of59% and59%, respectively.SeTSP16contained four transmembrane domains(TM1-4), intracellular N and C-termini, one short small extracellular loop and one large extracellular loop. Four major epitopes that were significant different from the corresponding epitope regions ofTSP16 from Schistosoma mansoni andSchistosoma japonicum were predicted.Conclusions:The full length cDNA sequences ofSeTSP16 are identified. It encodes a transmembrane protein which might be an ideal diagnosis antigen and target molecule for antiparasitic drugs.