title: RAP-1a is the main rhoptry-associated-protein-1 (RAP-1) recognized during infection with Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (B. motasi-like phylogenetic group), a pathogen of sheep in China.
abstract: Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) is one of the parasites isolated from infected sheep in China that belongs to the B. motasi-like phylogenetic group. The rhoptry-associated-protein 1 (rap-1) locus in this group consists of a complex organization of 12 genes of three main types: 6 rap-1a variants intercalated with 5 identical copies of rap-1b and a single 3' ending rap-1c gene. In the present study, transcription analysis performed by standard RT-PCR demonstrated that the three different rap-1 gene types and the four rap-1a variants were transcribed by the parasite cultivated in vitro. Peptides, specific for each rap-1 type gene, were selected in putative linear B-epitopes and used to raise polyclonal rabbit antisera. Using these sera, the same expression pattern of RAP-1 proteins was found in parasites cultivated in vitro or collected from acute infection whereas only RAP-1a67 was detectable in merozoite extracts. However, ELISA performed with recombinant RAP-1a67, RAP-1b or RAP-1c and sera from infected sheep demonstrated that RAP-1a67 is the main RAP-1 recognized during infection, even if some infected sheep also recognized RAP-1b and/or RAP-1c.
authors.affiliation: BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France; State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Biology, LVRI, Lanzhou, China. Electronic address: niuqingli@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Qingli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonsergent
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR 1268 Biopolymers-Interactions-Assemblies, F-44316 Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rogniaux
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Biology, LVRI, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malandrin
authors.affiliation: BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France. Electronic address: emmanuelle.moreau@oniris-nantes.fr.
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moreau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D002681:China; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000662:veterinary; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C097551:rhoptry-associated protein-1, Babesia
keywords: Babesia; Immune escape; Protein expression; rap-1