Molecular Cloning and Variability of a Subolesin Recombinant Peptide from a Mexican Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Microplus Tick Strain

Abstract

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is the most important health problem for livestock at tropical and subtropical areas. Because of its hematofagous behavior, pathogen transmission, acaricide resistance, environmental impact and public health, new strategies for tick control are required. Vaccines, constitute a cost-effective and environment friendly alter- native. The Bm86 tick antigen, originally identified in R. microplus, is the constituent of the only commercialized anti-tick vaccine. Nowadays, tick subolesin has been considered an important candidate. The aim of this study was to clone and charac- terize a recombinant peptide derived from the gen Sub in order to express it in Escherichia coli. The recombinant peptide was labeled with a polihistidine tag and identified by a monoclonal antibody against the tag after PAGE separation, purified by Ni affinity chromatography, and analyzed by the cluster analysis of variations with regards to ten different tick strains including Mexican ticks. Analysis of variations show, different clusters suggesting regional specific variations among Mexican strains, with probable implications on regional variability on protection efficiency. The tick protective antigen, subolesin, is a promising antigen and the use of immunogenic peptides predicted from in silico analysis approached in this study can be an alternative to improve the efficiency of tick vaccines in the future.