Identification of a putative methyltransferase gene of Babesia bigemina as a novel molecular biomarker uniquely expressed in parasite tick stages

Parasites & Vectors
Gamila A R BohaligaMassaro W Ueti

Abstract

Bovine babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan pathogens of the genus Babesia such as B. bigemina and B. bovis. These tick-borne pathogens have a complex life-cycle involving asexual multiplication in vertebrate hosts and sexual reproduction in invertebrate vectors. In the tick midgut, extracellular Babesia parasites transform into gametes that fuse to form zygotes. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie formation of extracellular Babesia tick stages is an important step towards developing control strategies for preventing tick infection and subsequent parasite transmission. We induced B. bigemina sexual stages in vitro by exposing parasites to Tris 2-carboxyethyl phosphine (TCEP). Subsequently, we identified a novel putative methyltransferase gene (BBBOND_0204030) that is expressed uniquely in all B. bigemina tick stages but not in blood stages. In vitro TCEP-exposed B. bigemina presented diverse morphology including parasites with long projections, round forms and clusters of round forms indicative of sexual stage induction. We confirmed the development of sexual stages by detecting upregulation of previously defined B. bigemina sexual stage marker genes, ccp2 and 3, and their respective protein expression in TCEP-induced B....Continue Reading

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Datasets Mentioned

BETA
MH536857-MH536870

Methods Mentioned

BETA
scanning electron microscopy
PCR
electrophoresis
light microscopy
dissection

Software Mentioned

Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool
Rad CFX Manager
LAS
Bio
Clustal omega

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Babesiosis (ASM)

Babesiosis is caused by parasites of the genus babesia, which are transmitted in nature by the bite of an infected tick. Discover the latest research on babesiosis here.

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is caused by parasites of the genus babesia, which are transmitted in nature by the bite of an infected tick. Discover the latest research on babesiosis here.