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Vaccination of cattle against the Boophilus microplus using a mucin‐like membrane glycoprotein
Author(s) -
McKENNA ROBERT V.,
RIDING GEORGE A.,
JARMEY JANINE M.,
PEARSON ROGER D.,
WILLADSEN PETER
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3024.1998.00149.x
Subject(s) - biology , vaccination , antigen , immunity , glycoprotein , mucin , virology , immunology , antigenic variation , immune system , parasite hosting , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , world wide web , computer science
An antigen, BMA7, which induced partial immunity against tick infestation has been isolated from Boophilus microplus using two different protein fractionation protocols, accompanied by vaccination and parasite challenge trials. The antigen is a 63 kDa glycoprotein isolated from semi‐engorged adult female ticks. Though significant, the induced immunity is less striking than that previously reported for antigen Bm86 from the same parasite. However, co‐vaccination with Bm86 and BMA7 can enhance immunity over that seen with a commercial vaccine based on Bm86 alone. Limited peptide sequence information shows significant variation in the BMA7 protein occurs. The antigen has approximately 36 kDa of glycosylation, in both N‐linked and O‐linked oligosaccharides. There is evidence that both polypeptide and oligosaccharide are antigenic, but the chemical nature of the protective antigenic sites is not clear. There is little or no immunological response to the antigen during natural infestation with parasites, suggesting the antigen is ‘concealed’ and protective immunity dependent on artificial vaccination. The antigen has some similarities with the vertebrate mucins. It is widely distributed in tick tissues and membrane bound but its function is currently unknown .