title: Identification of ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 of Neospora caninum as a potential common vaccine candidate for the control of both neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.
abstract: The characterization of the cross-reactive antigens of two closely related apicomplexan parasites, Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii, is important to elucidate the common mechanisms of parasite-host interactions. In this context, a gene encoding N. caninum ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 (NcP0) was identified by immunoscreening of a N. caninum tachyzoite cDNA expression library with antisera from mice immunized with T. gondii tachyzoites. The NcP0 was encoded by a gene with open reading frame of 936 bp, which encoded a protein of 311 amino acids. The NcP0 gene existed as a single copy in the genome and was interrupted by a 432 bp intron. The NcP0 showed 94.5% amino acid identity to T. gondii P0 (TgP0). Anti-recombinant NcP0 (rNcP0) sera recognized a native parasite protein with a molecular mass of 34 kDa in Western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the NcP0 was localized to the surface of N. caninum tachyzoites. A purified anti-rNcP0 IgG antibody inhibited the growth of N. caninum and T. gondii in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that P0 is a cross-reactive antigen between N. caninum and T. gondii and a potential common vaccine candidate to control both parasites.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Houshuang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Eung-goo
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Muller K A
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Compaore
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kawase
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Xuenan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xuan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D015723:Gene Library; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018688:Neospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C054675:ribosomal protein P0