TRANSIENT EXPRESSION OF A GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN GENE IN BABESIA BOVIS

Abstract

In hemoprotozoa, gene transfer technology provides an important tool to aid in the functional study of parasite genes. In this study, a transfer vector containing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene laid between the Toxoplasma gondii GRA1 promoter region and the GRA2 polyA signal region was constructed and transfected into the in vitro culture of Babesia bovis by the electroporation method. On the first and second days post-transfection, clear positive fluorescences were detected in some parasite bodies, indicating the successful expression of the EGFP gene controlled by the GRA-1 promoter in B. bovis. However, the positive parasites were not ubiquitous and finally disappeared until the forth day post-transfection. This is the first time that the expression of a foreign gene has been reported in the Babesia parasite.