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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2001, p. 2603-2609, Vol. 39, No. 7
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.7.2603-2609.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Identification and Expression of a 50-Kilodalton
Surface Antigen of Babesia gibsoni and Evaluation of Its
Diagnostic Potential in an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Shinya
Fukumoto,
Xuenan
Xuan,
Yoshifumi
Nishikawa,
Noboru
Inoue,
Ikuo
Igarashi,
Hideyuki
Nagasawa,
Kozo
Fujisaki, and
Takeshi
Mikami*
National Research Center for Protozoan
Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary
Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080 to 8555, Japan
Received 8 January 2001/Returned for modification 20 March
2001/Accepted 8 April 2001
 |
ABSTRACT |
A cDNA expression library prepared from Babesia
gibsoni merozoite mRNA was screened with B.
gibsoni-infected dog serum. cDNA encoding a 50-kDa protein was
cloned and designated the P50 gene. The complete nucleotide sequence of
the P50 gene was 1,922 bp. Computer analysis suggested that the
sequence of the P50 gene contained an open reading frame of 1,401 bp
with a coding capacity of approximately 50 kDa. The complete genomic
nucleotide sequence of the P50 gene has been analyzed and shown to
contain a single intron of 37 bp. Southern blotting analysis indicated
that the P50 gene was present at a single copy in the B.
gibsoni genome. The native P50 protein of B.
gibsoni with a molecular mass of 50 kDa was identified by
Western blotting with anti-recombinant P50 mouse serum. Confocal laser
microscopic analysis showed that the P50 protein was located on the
surface of B. gibsoni merozoites. The recombinant P50
protein expressed by baculovirus in insect cells was used as the
antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ELISA was
able to differentiate between B. gibsoni-infected dog
serum and B. canis-infected dog serum or noninfected dog
serum. Furthermore, the antibody response against the recombinant P50
protein was maintained until the chronic stage of infection in
dogs experimentally infected with B. gibsoni was developed. These results demonstrate that the recombinant P50 protein
might be a useful diagnostic reagent for detection of antibodies to
B. gibsoni in dogs.
 |
INTRODUCTION |
Babesia gibsoni is a
tick-borne hemoprotozoan parasite which causes a piroplasmosis
in dogs. The disease is characterized by remittent fever, progressive
anemia, hemoglobinuria, and marked splenomegaly and hepatomegaly and
sometimes causes death. B. gibsoni infection is endemic in
many regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas (7, 21,
25). Recently, this disease has been found to occur
frequently in companion animals and has become a big problem clinically
(4, 10). In chronically infected dogs, the disease recurs
and causes advanced anemia after an operation or while a dog is on
immunosuppressive therapy. Therefore, the diagnosis and detection of
dogs that are carriers of this disease or that have a chronic form of
this disease are very important. Generally, the diagnosis of acute
babesiosis is carried out by detection of intraerythrocytic
Babesia organisms by microscopy of a Giemsa-stained thin
blood smear film. However, detection of intraerythrocytic
Babesia organisms is very difficult in dogs with inapparent
or chronic infection because of low levels of parasitemia.
Recently, it has become possible to detect Babesia infection
in an animal by PCR (6, 16) or indirectly by measurement of antibody levels by serological tests (20, 26). PCR
offers the advantages of high degrees of sensitivity and
specificity, but the disadvantage of the test is the requirement
for specialized laboratory equipment and facilities and well-trained
laboratory personnel. On the other hand, the indirect
fluorescent-antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) with whole parasite as the antigen have been used for
serological diagnosis of B. gibsoni infection (5, 6,
26). These tests are particularly useful for identification of
chronically infected dogs with significantly low levels of
parasitemia. In general, IFAT and ELISA for babesial parasites are
highly sensitive but only moderately specific because of antigenic
cross-reactions with other closely related Babesia species
(26). In addition, when whole parasites are used as antigens, their quantities can vary from batch to batch. Also, the
production of antigen for these tests requires experimentally infected
dogs, making production time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, the
serum from B. gibsoni-infected dogs sometimes cross-reacts with erythrocytes from healthy dogs or B. canis
(1, 2, 3, 26). Therefore, the development of a
high-quality system is required for the diagnosis of B. gibsoni infection.
In the present study, in order to isolate a large amount of antigen
that is significantly recognized by B. gibsoni-infected dog serum, we have screened a cDNA library
prepared from B. gibsoni merozoite mRNA with sera derived
from dogs experimentally infected with B. gibsoni and
identified a major surface antigen designated P50. Our data indicate
that the recombinant P50 protein expressed in insect cells by
baculovirus is a useful diagnostic reagent for the detection of
antibodies to B. gibsoni.
 |
MATERIALS AND METHODS |
Parasite.
A B. gibsoni strain isolated from a
hunting dog in the Hyougo Prefecture of Japan, designated strain NRCPD
(14), was used to experimentally infect splenectomized
beagles or SCID mice whose red blood cells were replaced by canine red
blood cells and was maintained in these animals as described
previously (12). The B. gibsoni-infected dog
erythrocytes were collected from the experimentally infected dog at
peak parasitemia (14%) and stored at
80°C.
Dogs.
One-year-old beagle dogs were used. The dogs were
confirmed to be free of natural B. gibsoni infection by
detection of specific antibody prior to use in the experiments.
Construction and immunoscreening of cDNA expression library.
Total RNA was prepared from B. gibsoni-infected dog
erythrocytes (erythrocyte volume, 10 ml; parasitemia, 14%) by acid
guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction methods
(8), and then polyadenylated RNA was purified with
Oligotex-dT 30 (Takara, Tokyo, Japan). The cDNA was synthesized by
using a Zap-cDNA synthesis kit, ligated to a
Zap II phage
expression vector, and packaged by using a Gigapack III packaging
system (Stratagene, San Diego, Calif.). The cDNA library
(105 PFU) was screened with serum from a B. gibsoni-infected dog. Immunoscreening of the cDNA expression
library was performed as described previously (13, 19).
cDNA sequencing.
Restriction enzyme-generated fragments for
sequencing were subcloned into pBluescript SK(+) vectors. Nucleotide
sequencing of both strands was performed with double-stranded plasmid
templates by the Taq polymerase cycle sequencing method with
Taq polymerase supplied by Applied Biosystems (Foster City,
Calif.), and then analyzed with a model 377A ABI sequencer (Applied
Biosystems). Sequence data were analyzed with a computer program
(MacVector, version 6.5.3; Oxford Molecular, Hunt Valley, Calif.).
Isolation of the P50 genomic clone.
As shown in Table
1, two sets of oligonucleotide primers
derived from P50 cDNA were used. The nucleotide sequences of each primer, including an EcoRI restriction enzyme site and their
corresponding positions on cDNA, are indicated in Table 1. The
amplified products were inserted into the EcoRI site of
pBluescript SK(+) and sequenced with M13 reverse and universal primers
as described above.
Northern and Southern blotting.
Northern blotting and
Southern blotting were performed as described previously (11, 13,
18).
Expression of the P50 gene in Escherichia
coli
The P50 gene inserted into pBluescript SK(+) vectors
was subcloned into plasmid pGEMEX-2 (Promega, Madison, Wis.) of
the bacterial expression vector after digestion with
EcoRI and XhoI. The resulting plasmid,
pGEMEX-2/P50, was checked for accurate insertion by restriction enzyme
analysis. The recombinant protein was expressed as a fusion protein of
the bacteriophage T7 gene 10 protein in E. coli JM109 (DE3) according to the instructions of the manufacturer (Promega) and
designated the gene 10-P50 protein.
Production of anti-gene 10-P50 serum.
Antiserum against the
gene 10-P50 protein was produced in mice. One hundred micrograms of the
recombinant fusion protein in Freund's complete adjuvant (Difco
Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.) was intraperitoneally injected into mice
(BALB/c mice; age, 8 weeks). The same antigen in Freund's incomplete
adjuvant (Difco) was intraperitoneally injected into the mice on day 14 and again on day 28. Sera were collected from immunized mice 14 days
after the last immunization.
Expression of P50 gene in insect cells.
The entire P50 gene
in pBluescript SK(+) vectors was recovered after digestion with
EcoRI and XhoI, blunt ended with a Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase, and then ligated into the SmaI
site of baculovirus transfer vector pBacPAK8 (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.). The structure of recombinant plasmid pBP50 was checked by
restriction enzyme analysis. Construction of a recombinant baculovirus
carrying the P50 gene (AcP50) was performed as described previously
(22, 23, 24).
Production of anti-SfP50 serum.
Spodoptera
frugiperda (Sf9) cells infected with AcP50 (SfP50)
were cultured for 4 days and washed three times with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by centrifugation. The resulting pellets were frozen and
thawed three times. The cell lysate antigens were used for immunization
of mice as described above.
IFAT and confocal laser microscopic observation.
A thin
blood smear film of a B. gibsoni-infected blood sample
collected from a B. gibsoni-infected SCID mouse whose red
blood cells were replaced by canine red blood cells was fixed
with methanol for 20 min and incubated with anti-SfP50 serum at 37°C
for 1 h. The slide was washed with PBS for 10 min and incubated
with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated goat anti-mouse
immunoglobulin G antibody (Bethyl Laboratories) at 37°C for 1 h.
Then, the slide was washed with PBS for 10 min and incubated with
propidium iodide (Molecular Probes, Eugene, Oreg.) and RNase A
(50 µg/ml) for 10 min and mounted in 50% glycerol for confocal laser
microscopic observation.
Western blotting.
Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis and Western blotting were carried out as described
previously (15, 23).
ELISA.
Sf9 cells infected with AcP50 were cultured in TC-100
medium containing 10% fetal calf serum for 4 days. The cells were
centrifuged at 10,000 × g for 10 min after they were
washed two times with PBS and lysed with 1% Triton X-100. The
supernatant was dialyzed against antigen coating buffer (0.05 M
carbonate-bicarbonate buffer [pH 9.6]) and then used as the antigen
for ELISA. The ELISA was performed as described previously
(24).
Sera.
Serum samples from six dogs experimentally infected
with B. gibsoni (NRCPD strain) or a dog experimentally
infected with B. canis and negative serum samples from
healthy dogs were used. Eight serum samples from field dogs infected
with B. gibsoni were also used.
Nucleotide sequence accession number.
The sequence of the
P50 gene of B. gibsoni has been submitted to the DDBJ
database under accession no. AB051834.
 |
RESULTS |
Cloning and sequencing of P50 cDNA clones.
A total of 22 positive clones were obtained by immunoscreening of the cDNA expression
library prepared from B. gibsoni (105
PFU) with dog antisera raised against B. gibsoni. The insert sizes for these clones ranged from 1,500 to 2,500 bp. Phagemids were
excised from the clones and partially sequenced with M13 and universal
primers. The clones were categorized into eight groups, and two clones,
clones 1 and 20, from one group were chosen for further analysis. The
two clones with insert DNAs that were digested with
HindIII and subcloned into the HindIII
site of pBluescript SK(+) vectors were completely sequenced with M13
and universal primers. The cDNA sequence of clone 20 is shown in Fig.
1. Starting with methionine at position
28, a single open reading frame of 1,401 nucleotides was present. The
open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 466 amino acid residues,
with a size of 50 kDa, as calculated with a computer, and the gene was
designated P50. A computer-aided search of the GenBank databases by
BLAST analysis did not reveal any known homologous genes from other
species including protozoa.

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FIG. 1.
Nucleotide sequence of the coding region of the P50 cDNA
and its flanking sequences. The predicted amino acid is indicated below
each codon.
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|
Characterization of P50 gene.
A probe from a P50 cDNA clone
was hybridized to the total RNA isolated from B. gibsoni
merozoites by Northern blotting. The mRNA of the P50 gene is about 2.3 kb (data not shown).
A probe derived from the P50 cDNA clone was hybridized to
B. gibsoni DNA fragments by Southern blotting. Genomic DNA was
digested
with the restriction enzymes
EcoRI,
BamHI,
BglII, and
BclI. The
cDNA
sequence, which did not contain any
EcoRI or
BamHI sites,
contained only a single
BglII site
and a single
BclI site. Only
one band was obtained in
EcoRI and
BamHI digestions, and two bands
were
obtained in
BglII and
BclI digestions (data not
shown). These
results suggested that the P50 gene occurs as a single
copy in
the genome of
B. gibsoni. B. gibsoni genomic DNA was
amplified
by PCR with two sets of primers, namely, primers of groups I
and
II (Table
1). The resulting DNA fragments were ca. 1,300 and
500 bp. These amplified DNA fragments were molecularly cloned
into each
plasmid vector. The plasmids containing genes from each
representative
group were isolated and subjected to DNA sequencing
analysis.
Comparisons of the sequences of the plasmids with the
P50 cDNA revealed
interruption of the coding region by a 37-bp
intron, starting at
position 428 and ending at position 429 of
the P50 cDNA sequence (Fig.
2). The sequence of the splice junctions
of this intron was similar to those found in other species of
protozoan parasites (
9,
17).

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FIG. 2.
Structure and nucleotide sequence of the genomic P50
gene. The nucleotide sequence of the intron is shown.
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|
Expression of P50 in E. coli by pGEMEX-2
vector.
The P50 gene was ligated into the bacterial
expression vector pGEMEX-2, and then P50 was expressed as a
fusion protein with the bacteriophage T7 gene 10 protein in E. coli. The molecular masses of the gene 10 and the gene
10-P50 fusion proteins were estimated to be 35 and 85 kDa,
respectively, as expected (data not shown). Mice immunized with the
gene 10-P50 fusion protein induced specific antibodies against B. gibsoni by IFAT (data not shown).
Identification of native P50 protein.
The lysates of B. gibsoni-infected dog erythrocytes were analyzed by Western
blotting with mouse antisera against the gene 10-P50 protein. As shown
in Fig. 3, a specific band of 50 kDa was
detected in B. gibsoni-infected erythrocytes. In addition, the 50-kDa band was detected as a major antigen in Western blotting with B. gibsoni-infected dog serum (data not shown). To
determine the localization of the P50 protein in parasites, B. gibsoni merozoites were examined by IFAT with anti-SfP50 serum
(see below) with a confocal laser microscope. As shown in Fig.
4, the specific fluorescence was
localized on the parasite cell surface.

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FIG. 3.
Western blots of native P50 protein obtained with mouse
anti-gene 10-P50 serum. Lane 1, B. gibsoni-infected
erythrocytes; lane 2, erythrocytes from healthy dogs. The positions of
the molecular mass standards are indicated on the left.
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FIG. 4.
Localization of antigens recognized by anti-SfP50 mouse
serum in confocal laser micrographs. (A) Immunofluorescent staining of
B. gibsoni merozoites with anti-SfP50 mouse serum. (B)
Propidium iodide staining of B. gibsoni merozoite
nuclei. (C) The phase-contrast images of B. gibsoni
merozoites. (D) Panels A and B overlaid on panel C. The images were
derived from a single section.
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|
Expression of P50 in insect cells by recombinant baculovirus.
Sf9 cells were infected at 10 PFU/cell with AcP50 or with a control
recombinant baculovirus carrying the GFP gene (AcGFP). After 4 days of
incubation, cells infected with AcP50 were analyzed by Western blotting
with B. gibsoni-infected dog serum. As shown in Fig.
5, bands with molecular masses of 27 to
51 kDa were detected in both solubilized and unsolubilized fractions of
cells lysed with 1% Triton X-100. The smaller proteins (less than 51 kDa) found in infected cell extracts might be the degradation products of the 51-kDa protein. The molecular mass of the recombinant P50 protein was similar to that of the native P50 protein from B. gibsoni.

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FIG. 5.
Western blots of the recombinant P50 protein expressed
in insect cells with B. gibsoni-infected dog serum. Lane
1, solubilized fraction of AcP50-infected cells; lane 2, unsolubilized
fraction of AcP50-infected cells; lane 3, AcGFP-infected cells. The
positions of the molecular mass standards are indicated on the left.
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Diagnosis of B. gibsoni infection in dogs by ELISA
with recombinant P50 as antigen.
To evaluate whether recombinant
P50 expressed by baculovirus can be a suitable antigen for diagnosis of
B. gibsoni infection in dogs, the solubilized fraction from
AcP50-infected cells was tested by ELISA. As shown in Fig.
6, all serum samples from dogs experimentally infected with B. gibsoni were positive
(optical density, >0.1), whereas the serum samples from uninfected
dogs and B. canis-infected dogs were negative (optical
density, <0.1). A dog experimentally infected with B. gibsoni developed a significant antibody response to P50 antigen
by day 14, as determined by the ELISA (Fig.
7A). The antibody response was maintained
at high levels until 222 days postinfection, even if it became the
chronic stage of infection, which was characterized by a recovering
hematocrit rate and a significantly low level of parasitemia
(Fig. 7B). By IFAT with B. gibsoni-infected erythrocytes as
the antigen, antibodies to B. gibsoni were detected from 8 to 222 days postinfection (Fig. 7A). In addition, all eight serum
samples from field dogs infected with B. gibsoni were
positive by the ELISA (data not shown).

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FIG. 6.
Values from ELISA with recombinant P50 protein and
experimentally infected dog sera. Lane 1, sera from healthy dogs; lane
2, B. canis-infected dog sera; lane 3, B.
gibsoni-infected dog sera. OD415nm, optical density
at 415 nm.
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FIG. 7.
Detection of antibody to recombinant P50 in a dog
experimentally infected with B. gibsoni by ELISA and
IFAT (A). (B) Parasitemia and hematocrit (HCT) rates. IgG,
immunoglobulin G.
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 |
DISCUSSION |
In the present report we describe the cloning and molecular
characterization of a gene encoding a 50-kDa major surface antigen of
B. gibsoni. A cDNA expression library prepared from B. gibsoni merozoite mRNA was screened with serum from dogs
experimentally infected with B. gibsoni in order to identify
antigens that induce high-level antibody responses. This led to
the isolation of an antigen called P50, which exhibited strong
immunoreactivity with B. gibsoni-infected dog serum. The
cDNA encoded a polypeptide of 466 amino acid residues and of 50 kDa, as
calculated with a computer. The P50 gene is present at a single copy
and contains an intron of 37 bp. The size of the transcription product
of the P50 gene was about 2.3 kb, which was slightly larger than the size of the transcription product of the cDNA clone. This
result indicated that the P50 gene consists of a single transcription unit. The native protein encoded by the P50 gene, which has a molecular
mass of 50 kDa, was detected by Western blotting with anti-gene
10-recombinant P50 serum. The molecular mass of 50 kDa was identical to
the expected size obtained from the amino acid sequence.
In the host-parasite interaction, the surface proteins of parasite
cells are the main targets of host immune responses, and the surface
antigens of the parasites are therefore logical targets for use as
subunit vaccines and diagnostic reagents. In the present study, the P50
protein was identified as the major surface antigen on B. gibsoni merozoite cells. Therefore, the recombinant P50 protein
expressed by baculovirus was evaluated for its diagnostic potential in
an ELISA. The recombinant P50 protein had an apparent molecular mass of
51 kDa, which was similar to that of the native P50 protein of B. gibsoni. In addition, the recombinant P50 protein reacted strongly
with B. gibsoni-infected dog serum by Western blotting.
These results indicated that the P50 protein expressed in insect cells
is similar to the native P50 protein in terms of its molecular
structure and antigenicity. By the ELISA, only B. gibsoni-infected dog serum showed a strong reactivity to the recombinant P50 protein, but B. canis-infected dog serum and
serum from healthy dogs did not. The sequential serum samples derived from a dog experimentally infected with B. gibsoni became
positive at 14 days, and ELISA antibody titers increased thereafter
until 222 days postinfection. Sera obtained from the dog at the late stage of infection had stronger reactivity to the recombinant P50
protein than those from the dog at the early stage. In a comparison of
ELISA and IFAT, antibodies that recognized B. gibsoni were detected earlier by IFAT than by the ELISA. It may be because IFAT
detects many antibodies to different antigens, whereas the ELISA
detects limited antibodies to a single antigen. However, in the chronic
stages of infection, the antibody titers were almost the same by ELISA
and IFAT. This result suggested that the ELISA with the recombinant P50
protein as the antigen has a good potential to detect antibody in dogs
chronically infected with B. gibsoni. Furthermore, eight
samples from field dogs infected with B. gibsoni showed
strong reactivities to the recombinant P50 by ELISA. These results
indicated that the recombinant P50 protein expressed in insect cells is
suitable for detection of acute and chronic stages of B. gibsoni infection in dogs. Further studies by ELISA with the
recombinant P50 protein and large numbers of serum samples from
B. gibsoni-infected dogs in the field are necessary.
Recently, it was reported that B. gibsoni strains isolated
in North America and Asia belong to different species (27,
28); therefore, we should carry out experiments to confirm the
reactivity of the recombinant P50 protein with sera from B. gibsoni-infected dogs from North America.
In the present study, mice inoculated with both recombinant P50
expressed in E. coli and insect cells had high titers of
antibody against blood merozoites of B. gibsoni. Our next
step will be to implement immunization trials with dogs to determine
the potency of the recombinant P50 protein produced in E. coli and insect cells as a potential subunit vaccine to control
canine B. gibsoni infection.
 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENT |
This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education,
Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.
 |
FOOTNOTES |
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: National
Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of
Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido
080-8555, Japan. Phone: 81-155-49-5648. Fax: 81-155-49-5643.
E-mail: gen{at}obihiro.ac.jp.
 |
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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2001, p. 2603-2609, Vol. 39, No. 7
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.7.2603-2609.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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