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Identification of conserved peptides containing B‐cell epitopes of Babesia bovis AMA ‐1 and their potential as diagnostics candidates
Author(s) -
Barreda Dante,
HidalgoRuiz Mario,
HernandezOrtiz Ruben,
Ramos Juan Alberto,
GalindoVelasco Edelmira,
Mosqueda Juan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
transboundary and emerging diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.392
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1865-1682
pISSN - 1865-1674
DOI - 10.1111/tbed.13213
Subject(s) - babesia bovis , epitope , biology , antibody , in silico , antigen , peptide , babesia , parasite hosting , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , apicomplexa , biochemistry , immunology , world wide web , gene , computer science , plasmodium falciparum , malaria
The apical membrane antigen 1 ( AMA ‐1) is a protein of the micronemes that is present in all organisms of the phylum Apicomplexa; it has been shown that AMA ‐1 plays an essential role for parasite invasion to target cells. It has been reported that AMA ‐1 is conserved among different isolates of Babesia ; however, it is unknown whether the protein contains conserved B‐cell epitopes and whether these epitopes are recognized by antibodies from cattle in endemic areas. In this research, using an in silico analysis, four peptides were designed containing exposed and conserved linear B‐cell epitopes from the extracellular region of Babesia bovis AMA ‐1. The selected peptides were chemically synthesized, and then each peptide was emulsified and used to immunize two bovines per peptide. The antibodies produced against these peptides were able to recognize intra‐erythrocytic parasites in an IFAT , except peptide 4, which was insoluble. The synthetic peptides were covalently fixed to the wells of an ELISA plate and incubated with sera from B. bovis naturally infected cattle. Peptides P2 AMA and P3 AMA were recognized by the sera of naturally infected cattle from different regions of Mexico. Statistical analysis showed that the ELISA test for peptides P2 AMA and P3 AMA had a concordance of 91.2% and 61.1% compared to the IFAT , a sensitivity of 94.56% and 71.74%, and a specificity of 76.19% and 14.2%, respectively. The presence of antibodies in bovine sera from endemic areas that bind to the identified peptides indicates that AMA ‐1 from B. bovis has conserved B‐cell epitopes involved in the immune response under natural conditions. However, to propose their use as vaccine or diagnostics candidates, a further characterization of the humoral immune response elicited in cattle by these peptides is needed.