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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #168392
Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SYSTEM FOR BABESIA BOVIS STRAIN IDENTIFICATION USING MOLECULAR MARKERS

Author
item WILKOWSKY, S - INTA, ARGENTINA
item DOMINGUEZ, M - INTA, ARGENTINA
item FARBER, M - INTA, ARGENTINA
item ECHAIDE, I - INTA, ARGENTINA
item VALENTINI, I - INTA, ARGENTINA
item ALCARAZ, E - INTA, ARGENTINA
item CETRA, B - INTA, ARGENTINA
item Suarez, Carlos
item FLORIN-CHRISTENSEN, M - INTA, ARGENTINA

Submitted to: Biocell
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2003
Publication Date: 11/1/2003
Citation: Wilkowsky, S., Dominguez, M., Farber, M., Echaide, I., Valentini, I., Alcaraz, E., Cetra, B., Suarez, C.E., Florin-Christensen, M. 2003. Development of a new system for babesia bovis strain identification using molecular markers [abstract]. Biocell. 27:1-172.

Interpretive Summary: Prevention against the bovine hemoparasite Babesia bovis is achieved by vaccination with attenuated strains. Vaccine failures could be attributed to vaccine mishandling or to infection with field strains against which the vaccinial strains are not protective. Strain-specific molecular markers could be useful tools to discriminate this and, also, they could serve for epidemiological studies. The B. bovis Variable Merozoite Surface Antigen-2 (VMSA) family is encoded by five genes in the Mexican Mo7 strain, namely msa-1, -2a1, -2a2, -2b and -2c. Homologues of some of these genes are present in the Argentine strains R1A, S2P and M1A and the Texan strain T2B. We hypothesized that polymorphism among members of the VMSA family could be reflected in different restriction patterns. We found that all strains produced differential banding patterns. These data strongly suggest that these genes may be adequate molecular markers for strain comparison. Analysis of a larger number of samples from cattle from different regions of Argentina and its neighboring countries is now under way.

Technical Abstract: Prevention against the bovine hemoparasite Babesia bovis is achieved by vaccination with attenuated strains. Vaccine failures could be attributed to vaccine mishandling or to infection with field strains against which the vaccinial strains are not protective. Strain-specific molecular markers could be useful tools to discriminate this and, also, they could serve for epidemiological studies. The B. bovis Variable Merozoite Surface Antigen-2 (VMSA) family is encoded by five genes in the Mexican Mo7 strain, namely msa-1, -2a1, -2a2, -2b and -2c. Homologues of some of these genes are present in the Argentine strains R1A, S2P and M1A and the Texan strain T2B. We hypothesized that polymorphism among members of the VMSA family could be reflected in different restriction patterns. We tested our hypothesis by PCR-amplifying msa-2a1, a2 and b from DNA of the Mo7, R1A, S2P, M1A and T2B strains. PCR-products were digested with BsPMI and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining. The results showed that all strains produced differential banding patterns. These data strongly suggest that these genes may be adequate molecular markers for strain comparison. Analysis of a larger number of samples from cattle from different regions of Argentina and its neighboring countries is now under way.