title: Expression of sheep pathogen Babesia sp. Xinjiang rhoptry-associated protein 1 and evaluation of its diagnostic potential by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: Ovine babesiosis is one of the most important tick-borne haemoparasitic diseases of small ruminants. The ovine parasite Babesia sp. Xinjiang is widespread in China. In this study, recombinant full-length XJrRAP-1aα2 (rhoptry-associated protein 1aα2) and C-terminal XJrRAP-1aα2 CT of Babesia sp. Xinjiang were expressed and used to evaluate their diagnostic potential for Babesia sp. Xinjiang infections by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Purified XJrRAP-1aα2 was tested for reactivity with sera from animals experimentally infected with Babesia sp. Xinjiang and other haemoparasites using Western blotting and ELISA. The results showed no cross-reactivities between XJrRAP-1aα2 CT and sera from animals infected by other pathogens. High level of antibodies against RAP-1a usually lasted 10 weeks post-infection (wpi). A total of 3690 serum samples from small ruminants in 23 provinces located in 59 different regions of China were tested by ELISA. The results indicated that the average positive rate was 30·43%, and the infections were found in all of the investigated provinces. This is the first report on the expression and potential use of a recombinant XJrRAP-1aα2 CT antigen for the development of serological assays for the diagnosis of ovine babesiosis, caused by Babesia sp. Xinjiang.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingli
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4782-5611
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jifei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peifa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bintao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianxun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province,Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science,Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D001403:Babesia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D034561:Sheep, Domestic
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C097551:rhoptry-associated protein-1, Babesia
keywords: 
                 Babesia sp. Xinjiang; expression; rhoptry-associated protein; serodiagnosis