研究実績の概要 |
Using proteomics we identified of 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). BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) searches in PiroplasmaDB clarified that these proteins encoded by a novel multigene family with 44 copies which we named as "mtm". Because another RBC-infecting parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, was shown to become blasticidin S (BS) resistant by decreasing anion channel activity on iRBC, we generated BS-resistant B. bovis to confirm whether this protein may serve as a channel. Development of BS resistance resulted in downregulation of one major expressing gene of mtm, suggesting an association with BS uptake. Episomal overexpression of downregulated mtm in the resistant line made these parasites more sensitive to BS, supporting our hypothesis on their role in BS uptake. Induced knockdown of the third exported protein, Bb4280, using the glmS riboswitch system resulted in decreased growth rate, reduced ridge numbers on the erythrocyte surface, mislocalized VESA1 (Variant Erythrocyte Surface Antigen 1) 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). Currently, we are identifying the interacting proteins with mtm and BbVEAP to gain more insights into functions of these protein during the erythrocytic stage of B. bovis.
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現在までの達成度 (区分) |
現在までの達成度 (区分)
3: やや遅れている
理由
Last year I moved from Nagasaki University to Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Transferring reagents, parasites, and stablishing the laboratory for performing experiments took several months which resulted in a delay of research progress.
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