title: Babesia bovis: evidence for selection of subpopulations during attenuation.
abstract: DNA probes were used to detect variation in subpopulations of virulent and serially passaged Babesia bovis. Two distinct patterns were evident after hybridization to genomic DNA; the first was a basic profile typical of virulent B. bovis and the second, a more variable array, was characteristic of B. bovis after various stages of attenuation. Tick transmission of avirulent B. bovis causes reversion to the virulent genomic pattern, suggesting that selective enrichment of a small residual subpopulation caused reversion to a virulent profile of subpopulations. Certain genomic fragments, predominant in either virulent or avirulent parasite forms, are putative "markers" or actual elements responsible for these biological characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Animal Research Institute, Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Timms
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Cowman
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D015342:DNA Probes; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012692:Serial Passage; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004247:DNA