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Identification and partial characterization of a 36 kDa surface protein on Neospora caninum tachyzoites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 1997

A. HEMPHILL ,
N. FUCHS ,
S. SONDA ,
B. GOTTSTEIN  and
B. HENTRICH
A. HEMPHILL
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
N. FUCHS
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
S. SONDA
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
B. GOTTSTEIN
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
B. HENTRICH
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland
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Abstract

Neospora caninum, the causative agent of neosporosis, is a recently identified apicomplexan parasite which is structurally and biologically closely related to, but antigenically distinct from, Toxoplasma gondii. Molecules associated with the surfaces of N. caninum tachyzoites are likely to participate in the host cell entry process, could be involved in the interaction of the parasite with the immune system, and they could influence the pathogenesis of neosporosis. Isolated N. caninum tachyzoites were extracted with the non-ionic detergent Triton X–114 and were further analysed using a polyclonal anti-N. caninum antiserum. Immunoblots revealed several reactive bands, 1 of which represented a glycoprotein of approximately 36 kDa (Nc-p36). This molecule was present in 2 isolates of Neospora (NC-1 and Liverpool), but was absent in Toxoplasma (RH-strain) tachyzoites. Immunofluorescence and pre-embedding immunogold transmission electron microscopy employing affinity-purified anti-Nc-p36 antibodies showed that the Nc-p36 is a cell surface-associated protein. Immunogold on-section labelling of LR-White-embedded parasites, fixed prior and at defined time-points after host cell entry, demonstrated the presence of this molecule on the surface as well as within the dense granules of N. caninum tachyzoites.

Keywords

Neospora caninumApicomplexainvasiondense granulescell surface molecules
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 115 , Issue 4 , October 1997 , pp. 371 - 380
Copyright
1997 Cambridge University Press

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