Lethal effect of heterologous Haemonchus contortus α- and β-tubulin expression in Leishmania tarentolae.

ABSTRACT: Benzimidazoles are widely used anthelmintics that target β-tubulin and disrupt microtubule formation, yet the precise mode of action and resistance mechanisms in parasitic nematodes remains incompletely understood. To investigate the processes, heterologous expression of Haemonchus contortus isotype-1 α-tubulin and isotype-1 β-tubulin linked to the selection markers nourseothricin and hygromycin, respectively, was attempted following integration into Leishmania tarentolae ssu(18S) loci. Transcription of both tubulin genes was confirmed by RT-PCR two days post-transfection. However, transgenic L. tarentolae failed to recover or enter exponential growth under antibiotic selection. In contrast, control constructs containing scrambled open reading frame integrated successfully and yielded viab

SUBMITTER: Borchert M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12806841 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature