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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242008
Title: Babesia bovis: Transcriptional analysis of rRNA gene unit expression

Author
item LAUGHERY, JACOB - Washington State University
item LAU, AUDREY - Washington State University
item White, Stephen
item Freeman, Jeanne
item Suarez, Carlos

Submitted to: Experimental Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2009
Publication Date: 9/1/2009
Citation: Laughery, J.M., Lau, A.O., White, S.N., Howell, J.M., Suarez, C.E. 2009. Babesia bovis: Transcriptional analysis of rRNA gene unit expression. Experimental Parasitology. 123(1):45-50.

Interpretive Summary: The complex life cycle of Babesia bovis includes erythrocytic stages in the bovine host and other stages occurring inside its common tick vector Rhipicephalus microplus. In related apicomplexa, changing environmental conditions affect the expression of ribosomal RNA, but it remained unknown whether the polymorphic A, B, and C rRNA coding units of B. bovis are differentially expressed. This study analyses the pattern of expression of the A, B, and C rRNA coding units of B. bovis in different life stages, and demonstrates that differential expression of rRNA is possible for B. bovis.

Technical Abstract: The complex life cycle of Babesia bovis includes erythrocytic stages in the bovine host and other stages occurring inside its common tick vector Rhipicephalus microplus. In related apicomplexa, changing environmental conditions affect the expression of ribosomal RNA, but it remained unknown whether the polymorphic A, B, and C rRNA coding units of B. bovis are differentially expressed. Northern blot analysis 24confirmed that polymorphic regions in the B. bovis 18s and ITS-2 rRNA coding units are transcribed. Then, rRNA transcript expression profiles were compared by analyzing cDNA libraries generated from total RNA 18s and ITS-2 expression profiles indicate that rRNA unit B is almost exclusively expressed in cultured parasites while units A, B, and C are co-transcribed in the in vivo total RNA sources. Collectively, the data indicate that differential transcription of rRNA occurs in B. bovis, depending on the life stage of the parasite and on the environment.