AUTHOR=Yamagishi Junya , Ceylan Onur , Xuan Xuenan , Sevinc Ferda 

TITLE=Whole genome sequence and diversity in multigene families of Babesia ovis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1194608

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1194608

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Ovine babesiosis, caused by <italic>Babesia ovis</italic>, is an acute, lethal, and endemic disease worldwide and causes a huge economic loss to animal industry. Pathogen genome sequences can be utilized for selecting diagnostic markers, drug targets, and antigens for vaccine development; however, those for <italic>B. ovis</italic> have not been available so far. In this study, we obtained a draft genome sequence for <italic>B. ovis</italic> isolated from an infected sheep in Turkey. The genome size was 7.81 Mbp with 3,419 protein-coding genes. It consisted of 41 contigs, and the N<sub>50</sub> was 526 Kbp. There were 259 orthologs identified among eight <italic>Babesia</italic> spp., <italic>Plasmodium falciparum</italic>, and <italic>Toxoplasma gondii</italic>. A phylogeny was estimated on the basis of the orthologs, which showed <italic>B. ovis</italic> to be closest to <italic>B. bovis.</italic> There were 43 <italic>ves</italic> genes identified using hmm model as well. They formed a discriminating cluster to other <italic>ves</italic> multigene family of <italic>Babesia</italic> spp. but showed certain similarities to those of <italic>B. bovis</italic>, <italic>B. caballi</italic>, and <italic>Babesia</italic> sp. Xinjiang, which is consistent with the phylogeny. Comparative genomics among <italic>B. ovis</italic> and <italic>B. bovis</italic> elucidated uniquely evolved genes in these species, which may account for the adaptation.</p>