Molecular Cloning, Expression and Characterization of Para Flagellar Rod Protein 1 of Trypanosoma evansi

Background: Antigenic variation allows the trypanosomes to evade the potentially destructive host immune response and is an important reason for failure to develop a protective vaccine. Among the non-variant structural proteins, paraflagellar rod protein (PFR) is a prospective vaccine target owing to its role in the active movement of the parasite. Methods: The PFR1 gene was cloned in pET-32a expression vector and after confirmation by restriction digestion, expressed as a Histidine-tagged fusion protein, in BL21 DE3 strain of E. coli. The expressed protein was affinity purified and then renatured. The immunoreactivity of the expressed recombinant protein was shown by western blot analysis using the specific serum. The experiment was carried out during 2013-14 at Division of Parasitology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, U.P., India. Results: The results of sequencing, restriction digestion analysis, and PCR reaction revealed that cloning of PFR1 gene in pET-32a expression vector and the results of SDS PAGE and Western blot further confirmed its homogeneity and purity. The in silico Te-PFR1 (T. evansi PFR1) nucleotides sequence analysis revealed its close homology with the other members of the order Kinetoplastida. Conclusion: We report here the molecular cloning, heterologous expression, and characterization of PFR1, a constituent protein of PFR. Due to its conserved nature, the PFR1 protein could be a prospective vaccine target against multiple Trypanosoma species

Curbing a Menace

45-46SINCE time immemorial millions and millions of people have been dying due to the menacing activity of a moving bombshell that transmits some of the world’s worst life threatening and devastating diseases. This living jeopardy had once become the nightmare of one of the greatest scientists, Sir Ronald Ross (Nobel prize winner for Physiology in the year 1902). It is none other than the deadly mosquito. Mosquitoes transmit many parasitic and viral diseases like Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue, Filariasis, Westnile fever etc that are on the rise in many tropical and subtropical countries. Over the past few decades efforts have been made to develop mosquito control strategies by targeting the larval or the adult stages and use of biological agents and genetic engineering techniques against the disease-transmitting mosquitoes

Mechanism of Immunity to Tick infestation in Livestock

Immunological interaction at the tick host interface involves both innate and acquired host defenses against infestation and Immunomodulatory countermeasures by thetick. Acquired resistance to tick infestation involves humoral and cellular immlmoregulatory effector pathways. Tick-borne disease-causing agentspr exploit tick suppression of host defenses during transmission and initiation of infection. Because of the public health importance of ticks and tick-borne diseases, it is crucial that we understand these interactions and exploit them in novel immunological control. [Vet. World 2011; 4(3.000): 131-135

Simultaneous Infestation of a Buffalo calf with Ascaris and strogyloides: A case study

Toxocara vitulorum occurs in the small intestine of Indian buffalo, and is found in many places of world. Small intestinal infestation with Strongyloides papillosus occurs in ruminants. However, we diagnosed a nondescript Indian buffalo calf infested simultaneously with Toxocara vitulorum and Strongyloides papillosus and treated it with standard regimen and found the subject cured. [Vet. World 2011; 4(7.000): 322-323

Nanobiotechnology: A voyage to future?

Nanobiotechnology is an emerging field that is potentially changing the way we treat diseases through drug delivery and tissue engineering. Methods of targeting nanoparticles to specific sites of the body while avoiding capture by vital organs are major hurdles that need to be answered. Whether actual or perceived, the potential health hazards associated with the production, distribution and use of nanomaterial must be balanced by the overall benefit that nanobiotech-nology has to offer biomedical science such as therapeutic and diagnostic applications. It would be difficult to deny the potential benefits of nanobiotechnology and stop development of research related to it since it has already begun to penetrate many different fields of research. However, nanobiotechnology can be developed using guidelines to insure that the technology does not become too potentially harmful. As Richard Feynmann has rightly predicted that “There is plenty of room at the bottom” to modify and enhance existing technologies by manipulating material properties at the nanoscale, therefore with sufficient time and research nanobiotechnology based early detection, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases may become a reality. Nanobiotechnology may bring immense paradigm shift that we would wonder that how did we live without it? [Vet. World 2010; 3(3.000): 145-147

Important hemoprotozoan diseases of livestock: Challenges in current diagnostics and therapeutics: An update

Hemoprotozoan parasites pose a serious threat to the livestock population in terms of mortality, reduced milk yield and lowered draft power. Diagnosis of these diseases often poses a challenging task. Needless to say that impact of disease in health and productivity is huge though a fair economic assessment on the quantum of economic loss associated is yet to be worked out from India. The diagnosis of hemoprotozoan infections largely depends on various laboratory-based diagnostic methods as the clinical manifestations are often inconspicuous and non-specific. Traditional diagnostic methods rely on microscopical demonstration of infective stages in blood or tissue fluids. However, it is laborious, lesser sensitive, and cannot differentiate between morphologically similar organisms. Recent development in the technologies has opened new avenues for improvement in the accurate diagnosis of parasitic infections. Serological tests are simple, fast but lack specificity. With advent of molecular techniques, as DNA hybridization assays, polymerase chain reaction and its modifications ensure the detection of infection in the latent phase of the disease. Nucleic acid-based assays are highly sensitive, free from immunocompetence and can differentiate between morphologically similar parasites. With the advent of newer diagnostics complemented with traditional ones will be of huge help for targeted selective treatment with better chemotherapeutic agents

Nutritional stretegies to prevent Urolithiasis in Animals

Urolithiasis is a common problem in both ruminants and non-ruminants and nutrition plays a significant role in predisposing urolithiasis. The nutritional factors mainly influence urinary constituents and pH, which affect stone nucleation and growth. While surgery can render a patient stone-free, non-operative treatment modalities are required to prevent and reduce the risk of recurrent urolithiasis. Moreover, long-term pharmacological therapy and its potential side effects often lead to subsequent failure. In this regard, nutritional management is the best preventive strategy against urolithiasis. [Vet. World 2011; 4(3.000): 142-144