Stability and tick transmission phenotype of gfp-transformed Anaplasma marginale through a complete in vivo infection cycle.
We tested the stability and tick transmission phenotype of transformed Anaplasma marginale through a complete in vivo infection cycle. Similar to the wild type, the gfp-transformed A. marginale strain established infection in cattle, a natural reservoir host, and persisted in immune competent animals. The tick infection rates for the transformed A. marginale and the wild type were the same. However, there were significantly lower levels of the transformed A. marginale than of the wild type in the tick. Despite the lower levels of replication, ticks transmitted the transformant. Transformants can serve as valuable tools to dissect the molecular requirements of tick colonization and pathogen transmission.
Animal Disease Research Unit, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164-7030, USA. snoh@vetmed.wsu.edu
Susan M
SM
Noh
Massaro W
MW
Ueti
Guy H
GH
Palmer
Ulrike G
UG
Munderloh
Roderick F
RF
Felsheim
Kelly A
KA
Brayton
D042322:Anaplasma marginale / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013987:Ticks / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins