Expression analysis of heat shock protein 20 and rhoptry-associated protein 1a in sexual stages and kinetes of Babesia bigemina.
Heat shock protein 20 (HSP-20) and rhoptry-associated protein 1a (RAP-1a) are two proteins considered as candidates to be included in vaccines or diagnostics methods for the control of bovine babesiosis. It has been hypothesized that both genes have a basic function in the cellular physiology of erythrocyte-infecting stages; it is not known if they have a functional role in tick stages. The objective of this work was to analyze whether hsp-20 and rap-1a are expressed in sexual stages and kinetes of Babesia bigemina. Purified RNA from sexual stages and kinetes was analyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR with specific primers for hsp-20 or rap-1a. Expression analysis was carried out using an indirect immunofluorescence test with specific antibodies against HSP-20 and RAP-1a. Results obtained by RT-PCR showed amplicons for hsp-20 and rap-1a in sexual stages and kinetes. Positive signals were also detected when sexual stages and kinetes were analyzed with specific antibodies for HSP-20 and RAP-1a. The results obtained here confirm the hypothesis that the genes hsp-20 and rap-1a from B. bigemina are expressed in sexual stages and kinetes and stress the importance of these proteins in the cellular physiology of tick stages.
Vichido
Rodrigo
R
Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Parasitologia, Veterinaria-Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Jiutepec, Morelos, México.
Falcon
Alfonso
A
Ramos
Juan A
JA
Alvarez
Antonio
A
Figueroa
Julio V
JV
Norimine
Junzo
J
Brown
Wendy C
WC
Castro
Luis A
LA
Mosqueda
Juan
J
D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D017931:DNA Primers; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins