Expression of sex-specific molecular markers by Babesia bovis gametes.

Background: Bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis is one of the most important tick-borne diseases of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. Babesia bovis parasites have a complex lifecycle, including development within the mammalian host and tick vector. In the tick midgut, extracellular Babesia parasites transform into gametes that fuse to form zygotes.

Differential paired stage-specific expression of Babesia bovis cysteine-rich GCC2/GCC3 domain family proteins (BboGDP) during development within Rhipicephalus microplus.

Background: Babesia bovis, an intra-erythrocytic apicomplexan parasite, is one of the causative agents of bovine babesiosis, the most important tick-borne disease of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. Babesia bovis has a complex life-cycle that includes sexual development within the tick vector. The development of a transmission blocking vaccine to control bovine babesiosis requires the identification of antigens displayed on the surface of the parasite during its development within tick vectors.

Thrombospondin-Related Anonymous Protein (TRAP) Family Expression by Life Stages within the Mammalian Host and Tick Vector.

The tick-transmitted disease bovine babesiosis causes significant economic losses in many countries around the world. Current control methods include modified live-attenuated vaccines that have limited efficacy. Recombinant proteins could provide effective, safe, and low-cost alternative vaccines.

A Transfected Parasite Line Expressing eGFP Is Able to Complete the Full Life Cycle of the Parasite in Mammalian and Tick Hosts.

Bovine babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan pathogens of the genus , including . This protozoan parasite has a complex life cycle involving dynamic changes to its transcriptome during the transition between the invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Studying the role of genes upregulated by tick stage parasites has been hindered by the lack of appropriate tools to study parasite gene products in the invertebrate host.

Infection of Primary Midgut Cell Culture Is Dependent on Fucosylated Glycans.

Tick midgut is the primary infection site required by tick-borne pathogens to initiate their development for transmission. Despite the biological significance of this organ, cell cultures derived exclusively from tick midgut tissues are unavailable and protocols for generating primary midgut cell cultures have not been described. To study the mechanism of -tick cell interactions, we successfully developed an primary midgut cell culture system.

Unraveling the Complexity of the Rhomboid Serine Protease 4 Family of Using Bioinformatics and Experimental Studies.

Babesia bovis, a tick-transmitted apicomplexan protozoon, infects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. In the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, rhomboid serine protease 4 (ROM4) fulfills an essential role in host cell invasion. We thus investigated B.

Vaccination of cattle with synthetic peptides corresponding to predicted extracellular domains of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus aquaporin 2 reduced the number of ticks feeding to repletion.

Background: There have been ongoing efforts to identify anti-tick vaccine targets to protect cattle from infestation with cattle fever ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Two commercial vaccines based on the tick gut protein Bm86 have had variable effectiveness, which has led to poor acceptance, and numerous studies have attempted to identify vaccine antigens that will provide more consistently effective protection. Transcriptomic analysis of R.

Differential expression of calcium-dependent protein kinase 4, tubulin tyrosine ligase, and methyltransferase by xanthurenic acid-induced Babesia bovis sexual stages.

Background: Babesia bovis is one of the most significant tick-transmitted pathogens of cattle worldwide. Babesia bovis parasites have a complex lifecycle, including development within the mammalian host and tick vector. Each life stage has developmental forms that differ in morphology and metabolism.

Identification of proteins expressed by Babesia bigemina kinetes.

Background: Babesia bigemina is an apicomplexan parasite transovarially transmitted via Rhipicephalus ticks that infect red blood cells and causes bovine babesiosis, a poorly controlled severe acute disease in cattle. New methods of control are urgently needed, including the development of transmission blocking vaccines (TBV). Babesia bigemina reproduces sexually in the gut of adult female R.

Silencing expression of the Rhipicephalus microplus vitellogenin receptor gene blocks Babesia bovis transmission and interferes with oocyte maturation.

Background: Rhipicephalus microplus is an efficient biological vector of Babesia bovis, a causative agent of bovine babesiosis. Babesia bovis is passed transovarially to the next generation of ticks, which then transmit the parasite to naïve animals. Due to the importance of the R.

Identification of a putative methyltransferase gene of Babesia bigemina as a novel molecular biomarker uniquely expressed in parasite tick stages.

Background: Bovine babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan pathogens of the genus Babesia such as B. bigemina and B. bovis.

Molecular detection and characterization of Theileria spp. infecting cattle in Sennar State, Sudan.

Tropical theileriosis is a serious animal disease transmitted by tick vectors. The agents of theileriosis are obligate intracellular parasites that cause mild to severe disease in the mammalian host. Tropical theileriosis has been recognized as a burden to the development of the dairy industry in Sudan and causes major economic losses.

The Babesia bovis hap2 gene is not required for blood stage replication, but expressed upon in vitro sexual stage induction.

Babesia bovis, is a tick borne apicomplexan parasite responsible for important cattle losses globally. Babesia parasites have a complex life cycle including asexual replication in the mammalian host and sexual reproduction in the tick vector. Novel control strategies aimed at limiting transmission of the parasite are needed, but transmission blocking vaccine candidates remain undefined.

Targeted silencing of the Aquaporin 2 gene of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus reduces tick fitness.

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that can affect human and animal health both directly by blood-feeding and indirectly by transmitting pathogens. The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is one of the most economically important ectoparasites of bovines worldwide and it is responsible for the transmission of the protozoan Babesia bovis, the etiological agent of bovine babesiosis. Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins implicated in physiological mechanisms of osmoregulation.