Efficient use of a small genome to generate antigenic diversity in tick-borne ehrlichial pathogens


Autoria(s): Brayton, Kelly A.; Knowles, Donald P.; McGuire, Travis C.; Palmer, Guy H.
Data(s)

27/03/2001

Resumo

Ehrlichiae are responsible for important tick-transmitted diseases, including anaplasmosis, the most prevalent tick-borne infection of livestock worldwide, and the emerging human diseases monocytic and granulocytic ehrlichiosis. Antigenic variation of major surface proteins is a key feature of these pathogens that allows persistence in the mammalian host, a requisite for subsequent tick transmission. In Anaplasma marginale pseudogenes for two antigenically variable gene families, msp2 and msp3, appear in concert. These pseudogenes can be recombined into the functional expression site to generate new antigenic variants. Coordinated control of the recombination of these genes would allow these two gene families to act synergistically to evade the host immune response.

Identificador

/pmc/articles/PMC31191/

/pubmed/11274438

http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.071056298

Idioma(s)

en

Publicador

The National Academy of Sciences

Direitos

Copyright © 2001, The National Academy of Sciences

Palavras-Chave #Biological Sciences
Tipo

Text