Establishment of a stable transfection and gene targeting system in Babesia divergens.

ABSTRACT: Babesia divergens is an emerging tick-borne pathogen considered as the principal causative agent of bovine babesiosis in Europe with a notable zoonotic risk to human health. Despite its increasing impact, considerable gaps persist in our understanding of the molecular interactions between this parasite and its hosts. In this study, we address the current limitation of functional genomic tools in B. divergens and introduce a stable transfection system specific to this parasite. We define the parameters for a drug selection system hdhfr-WR99210 and evaluate different transfection protocols for highly efficient generation of transgenic parasites expressing GFP. We proved that plasmid delivery into bovine erythrocytes prior to their infection is the most optimal transfecti

SUBMITTER: Cubillos EFG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10753763 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature