Immunity Induced by Vaccination with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Salivary Gland Antigens Does Not Augment Protective Immunity Acquired Naturally by Exposing Rabbits to Adult Ticks

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Publication Date

12-17-2013

Abstract

The malaria parasite-resistance island (PRI) of the African mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae, was mapped to five genomic regions containing 80 genes, using coexpression patterns of genomic blocks. High-throughput sequencing identified 347 nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms within these genes in mosquitoes from malaria-endemic areas in Kenya. Direct association studies between nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms and Plasmodium falciparum infection identified three naturally occurring genetic variations in each of three genes (An. gambiae adenosine deaminase, fibrinogen-related protein 30, and fibrinogenrelated protein 1) that were associated significantly with parasite infection. A role for these genes in the resistance phenotype was confirmed by RNA interference knockdown assays. Silencing fibrinogen- related protein 30 increased parasite infection significantly, whereas ablation of fibrinogen-related protein 1 transcripts resulted in mosquitoes nearly free of parasites. The discovered genes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms are anticipated to be useful in the development of tools for malaria control in endemic areas in Africa.

Keywords

Chromosomal domains, Gene expression, Genomics, Synteny, Traits

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