Interaction of proteases from Babesia bovis, the etiological agent of cattle babebiosis, with protease inhibitors from vector tick Rhiphicephallus (Boophilus) microplus, and its potential for vaccination.

Abstract

The parasite pathogen Babesia bovis is one of etiological agent responsible for causing tick pathogen diseases. Recent reports of resistance to current cattle babesiosis drugs have determined the necessity to seek new antibabesiosis drug targets. The knowledge of Babesia bovis genome has revealed putative proteins, which could be also attractive targets, being the proteases an interesting group that represents approximately 2% of the total protein-coding genes in the parasite genome. Several studies have revealed that Babesia proteases are involved in parasite infection and development. Serine and cysteine-like proteases are abundant families with several physiology roles that could contribute to the pathogenesis of apicomplexa parasites. On the other hand, several protease inhibitors have been found in Rhiphicephallus (Boophilus) microplus, the most significantvector of babebiosis established in tropical and subtropical countries. These molecules have showninteresting features and they could be active against Babesia serine-subtilisin and/or cysteine-like proteases that are potential antibabesiosis drug targets. The proposed of this research is the obtaining of recombinant serine-subtilisin and/or cysteine like-proteases from Babesia bovis. In addition, study the interaction of parasite proteases with protease inhibitors from tick R. microplus, BmSI and Bmcystatin-1 characterized by our group and evaluation of proteases as antigen in bovine immunization.