AUTHOR=Capelli-Peixoto Janaina , Saelao Perot , Johnson Wendell C. , Kappmeyer Lowell , Reif Kathryn E. , Masterson Hayley E. , Taus Naomi S. , Suarez Carlos E. , Brayton Kelly A. , Ueti Massaro W. 

TITLE=Comparison of high throughput RNA sequences between Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis revealed consistent differential gene expression that is required for the Babesia life cycle in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.1093338

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.1093338

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Bovine babesiosis caused by <italic>Babesia bigemina</italic> and <italic>Babesia bovis</italic> is an economically important disease that affects cattle worldwide. Both <italic>B. bigemina</italic> and <italic>B. bovis</italic> are transovarially transmitted by <italic>Rhipicephalus</italic> ticks. However, little is known regarding parasite gene expression during infection of the tick vector or mammalian host, which has limited the development of effective control strategies to alleviate the losses to the cattle industry. To understand <italic>Babesia</italic> gene regulation during tick and mammalian host infection, we performed high throughput RNA-sequencing using samples collected from calves and <italic>Rhipicephalus microplus</italic> ticks infected with <italic>B. bigemina</italic>. We evaluated gene expression between <italic>B. bigemina</italic> blood-stages and kinetes and compared them with previous <italic>B. bovis</italic> RNA-seq data. The results revealed similar patterns of gene regulation between these two tick-borne transovarially transmitted <italic>Babesia</italic> parasites. Like <italic>B. bovis</italic>, the transcription of several <italic>B. bigemina</italic> genes in kinetes exceeded a 1,000-fold change while a few of these genes had a &gt;20,000-fold increase. To identify genes that may have important roles in <italic>B. bigemina</italic> and <italic>B. bovis</italic> transovarial transmission, we searched for genes upregulated in <italic>B. bigemina</italic> kinetes in the genomic datasets of <italic>B. bovis</italic> and non-transovarially transmitted parasites, <italic>Theileria</italic> spp. and <italic>Babesia microti</italic>. Using this approach, we identify genes that may be potential markers for transovarial transmission by <italic>B. bigemina</italic> and <italic>B. bovis</italic>. The findings presented herein demonstrate common <italic>Babesia</italic> genes linked to infection of the vector or mammalian host and may contribute to elucidating strategies used by the parasite to complete their life cycle.</p>