Stimulation and quantification of Babesia divergens gametocytogenesis. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jalovecka, Marie; Bonsergent, Claire; Hajdusek, Ondrej; Kopacek, Petr; Malandrin, Laurence
• Is Part Of: Parasites & vectors. Volume 9:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Babesia divergens -- Gametocytes -- bdccp genes -- qRT-PCR -- Transmission; Parasitism -- Periodicals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Vector-pathogen relationships -- Periodicals; Animals as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; Insects as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1731-y
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-3305

Abstract

Abstract Background Babesia divergens is the most common blood parasite in Europe causing babesiosis, a tick-borne malaria-like disease. Despite an increasing focus onB. divergens, especially regarding veterinary and human medicine, the sexual development ofBabesia is poorly understood. Development ofBabesia sexual stages in the host blood (gametocytes) plays a decisive role in parasite acquisition by the tick vector. However, the exact mechanism of gametocytogenesis is still unexplained. Methods Babesia divergens gametocytes are characterized by expression ofbdccp1, bdccp2 andbdccp3 genes. Using previously described sequences ofbdccp1, bdccp2 andbdccp3, we have established a quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for detection and assessment of the efficiency ofB. divergens gametocytes production in bovine blood. We analysed fluctuations in expression ofbdccp genes during cultivation in vitro, as well as in cultures treated with different drugs and stimuli. Results We demonstrated that allB. divergens clonal lines tested, originally derived from naturally infected cows, exhibited sexual stages. Furthermore, sexual commitment was stimulated during continuous growth of the cultures, by addition of specific stress-inducing drugs or by alternating cultivation conditions. Expression ofbdccp genes was greatly reduced or even lost after long-term cultivation, suggesting possible problems in the artificial infections of ticks in feeding assays in vitro. Conclusions Our research provides insight into sexual development ofB. divergens and may facilitate the development of transmission models in vitro, enabling a more detailed understanding ofBabesia -tick interactions.