Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39478572›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2024

Establishment of the auxin inducible degron system for Babesia duncani: a conditional knockdown tool to study precise protein regulation in Babesia spp.

Bo Chen, Qi Zhang, Sen Wang, Xing-Ai Guan, Wan-Xin Luo, Dong-Fang Li, Yue He, Shu-Jing Huang, Ya-Ting Zhou, Jun-Long Zhao and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in Parasites & vectors, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Bo ChenState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Qi ZhangState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Sen WangState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Xing-Ai GuanState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Wan-Xin LuoState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Dong-Fang LiState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Yue HeState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Shu-Jing HuangState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Ya-Ting ZhouState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Jun-Long ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Lan HeState Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China. helan@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities 2262022DKYJ001National Key Research and Development Program of China 2022YFD1801700National Natural Science Foundation of China 32172879Top-notch Young Talent Supporting Program 31930108
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBabesia duncani is a pathogen within the phylum Apicomplexa that causes human babesiosis. It poses a significant threat to public health, as it can be transmitted not only through tick bites but also via blood transfusion. Consequently, an understanding of the gene functions of this pathogen is necessary for the development of drugs and vaccines. However, the absence of conditional gene knockdown tools has hindered the research on this pathogen. The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a rapid, reversible conditional knockdown system widely used in gene function studies. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish the AID system in B. duncani to study essential gene functions.

methodsThe endogenous genes of the Skp1-Cullin-F-box (SCF) complex in B. duncani were identified and confirmed through multiple sequence alignment and conserved domain analysis. The expression of the F-box protein TIR1 from Oryza sativa (OsTIR1) was achieved by constructing a transgenic parasite strain using a homologous recombination strategy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) were used to confirm the correct monoclonal parasite strain. The degradation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) tagged with an AID degron was detected through western blot and live-cell fluorescence microscopy after treatment of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA).

resultsIn this study, Skp1, Cul1, and Rbx1 of the SCF complex in B. duncani were identified through sequence alignment and domain analysis. A pure BdTIR1 strain with expression of the OsTIR1 gene was constructed through homologous recombination and confirmed. This strain showed no significant differences from the wild type (WT) in terms of growth rate and proportions of different parasite forms. The eGFP tagged with an AID degron was successfully induced for degradation using 500 μM IAA. Grayscale analysis of western blot indicated a 61.3% reduction in eGFP expression levels, while fluorescence intensity analysis showed a 77.5% decrease in fluorescence intensity. Increasing the IAA concentration to 2 mM accelerated eGFP degradation and enhanced the extent of degradation.

conclusionsThis study demonstrated the functionality of the AID system in regulating protein levels by inducing rapid degradation of eGFP using IAA, providing an important research tool for studying essential gene functions related to invasion, egress, and virulence of B. duncani. Moreover, it also offers a construction strategy for apicomplexan parasites that have not developed an AID system.

Indexed as

BabesiaGene Knockdown TechniquesIndoleacetic AcidsAnimalsBabesiosisDegronsF-Box ProteinsGene Expression RegulationOryzaProtozoan ProteinsF-Box ProteinsIndoleacetic AcidsProtozoan ProteinsAuxin-inducible degronBabesia duncaniConditional knockdown systemProtein degradation

Identifiers

PMID39478572
PMCPMC11526643

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.