Functional characterization of Babesia bovis proteins expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes- Toward identification of novel vaccine and therapeutic candidates

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15983
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 42020:Veterinary medical science-related
• Research Institution: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (2020-2021); Nagasaki University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Hakimi Hassan 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 特任研究員 (80745183)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: Babesia bovis / バベシア / ウシ / 赤血球

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Babesiosis has great economic impact on livestock industry in tropical and subtropical regions in the world. Combination of novel drug and vaccine intervention are required to better control the disease. Using proteomics we identified 3 novel exported proteins: The first two protein (Bb60 and Bb11920) with 10 transmembrane regions that were expressed in spherical bodies and on the surface of infected red blood cells (iRBCs). Development of Blasticidin S (BS) resistance resulted in downregulation of one major expressing gene of mtm, suggesting an association with BS uptake. Induced knockdown of the third exported protein, Bb4280, resulted in decreased growth rate, reduced ridge numbers on the erythrocyte surface, mislocalized VESA1 that is a ligand for cytoadhesion, and abrogated cytoadhesion to endothelial cells, suggesting that this protein is a novel virulence factor for B. bovis. We named this protein VESA1-export associated protein (BbVEAP).

Free Research Field

獣医寄生虫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によりバベシア・ボビスにおいて3つの新規赤血球修飾分子を発見した。これらの分子は原虫の栄養取り込みに関わると推定されるものや、脳性バベシア症と呼ばれる致死的な症状に関与するものであることが明らかとなった。今後研究を進めることで、これらの分子は薬剤やワクチンの標的分子となる可能性がある。