Identification of the cross-reactive and species-specific antigens between Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites by a proteomics approach.

The characterization of the cross-reactive and species-specific antigens of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii is important in the exploration to determine the common mechanisms of parasite-host interaction and to improve the serological diagnosis; it is also useful for the selection of the cross-reactive antigens that could be used in the development of vaccines or drugs for controlling the diseases caused by these two parasites. In this study, cross-reactive and species-specific antigens between N. caninum and T.

Short report: prevalence of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in northern Egypt.

In view of the worldwide importance of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum and the limited data on the seroprevalence of these parasites in Egypt, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum antibodies in rabbits, cattle, and humans.

Effects of a transferring antibody against Neospora caninum infection in a murine model.

We investigated the roles of a transferring antibody against Neospora caninum infection based on a murine model using recombinant vaccinia virus carrying NcSRS2 gene. Higher levels of anti-NcSRS2 antibody were detected in surviving offspring from vaccinated dams than controls while the transferring anti-NcSAG1 antibody was detected in the surviving offspring from unvaccinated dams. After mating, the female mice with transferring antibody against N.

Functional analysis of protein disulfide isomerases in blood feeding, viability and oocyte development in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks.

Three protein disulfide isomerases from Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks (designated as HlPDI-1, HlPDI-2, and HlPDI-3) were previously identified. In order to further analyze their biological functions, the dsRNA of each HlPDI gene and one dsRNA combination of HlPDI-1/HlPDI-3 were separately injected into female ticks. Reduction of gene and protein expression of HlPDIs by RNA interference (RNAi) was demonstrated by real-time PCR, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.

Gene silencing of ribosomal protein P0 is lethal to the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis.

Ribosomal protein P0 has been demonstrated to be a multifunctional protein in the large subunit of eukaryotic ribosome. In this study, a gene encoding ribosomal protein P0 termed HlP0 was isolated from a full-length salivary gland cDNA library previously constructed from the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. The full-length cDNA of the HlP0 gene is 1141 bp, with an open reading frame (ORF) of 963 bp.

Dense-granule protein NcGRA7, a new marker for the serodiagnosis of Neospora caninum infection in aborting cows.

To investigate whether the production of an antigen-specific antibody is associated with Neospora caninum-induced bovine abortion, 62 serum samples were tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using the recombinant antigens NcSAG1, NcSRS2, and NcGRA7. Our study suggested that NcGRA7 would be a new marker for the serodiagnosis of N. caninum infection resulting in abortion.

Identification of three protein disulfide isomerase members from Haemaphysalis longicornis tick.

Three genes encoding putative protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) were isolated from the Haemaphysalis longicornis EST database and designed as HlPDI-1, HlPDI-2, and HlPDI-3. All three PDI genes contain two typical PDI active sites CXXC and encode putative 435, 499, and 488 amino acids, respectively. The recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli all show PDI activities, and the activities were inhibited by a PDI-specific inhibitor, zinc bacitracin.