title: Molecular cloning and characterization of arginine kinase gene of Toxocara canis.
abstract: Toxocara canis is an important gastrointestinal nematode of dogs and also a causative agent of visceral larva migrans in humans. Arginine kinase (AK) gene is one of the important biomolecule of phosphagen kinase of T. canis which is emerging as an exciting novel diagnostic target in toxocarosis. The present study was carried out to clone and characterize AK gene of T. canis for future utilization as a diagnostic molecule. Total RNA was extracted from intact adult worms and reverse transcription was done with oligo dT primers to obtain complementary DNA (cDNA). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using cDNA as template with specific primers which amplified a product of 1,202 bp. The amplicon was cloned into pDrive cloning vector and clone was confirmed by colony PCR and restriction endonuclease analysis. Sequence analysis of the gene showed 99.8 and 77.9 % homology with the published AK gene of T. canis (EF015466.1) and Ascaris suum respectively. Structural analysis shown that the mature AK protein consist of 400 amino acids with a molecular wt of 45360.73 Da. Further expression studies are required for producing the recombinant protein for its evaluation in the diagnosis of T. canis infection in humans as well as in adult dogs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: Shivani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Biotechnology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Harish
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sudhakar
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Shantaveer
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Madhu
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Public Health, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122 UP India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
keywords: Arginine kinase; Cloning; Toxocara canis