title: The identification of a VDAC-like protein involved in the interaction of Babesia bigemina sexual stages with Rhipicephalus microplus midgut cells.
abstract: We investigated the interaction of Rhipicephalus microplus midgut cells with Babesia bigemina sexual stages using a proteomic approach. A polypeptide from the R. microplus midgut that binds to proteins from B. bigemina sexual stages was identified and sequenced. Combining 2D overlay and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) techniques, we determined that this polypeptide corresponds to a mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC). The vdac gene encoding the sequenced polypeptide was identified and sequenced. This is the first report of a VDAC-like protein in R. microplus, and a possible role for this protein in the B. bigemina infection process is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo Núm. 290, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, delegación Benito Juárez, México DF, CP 03100, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Hernández
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mosqueda
authors.forename: María Elizbeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Sánchez
authors.forename: Alfonso Falcón
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Hernández
authors.forename: Minerva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camacho-Nuez
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001403:Babesia / Q000502:physiology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D040901:Proteomics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology*; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels