Sequence and immunologic conservation of Anaplasma marginale OmpA within strains from Ghana as compared to the predominant OmpA variant
Date
2019-07-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Plos One
Abstract
A primary challenge in developing effective vaccines against obligate, intracellular, bacterial
tick-borne pathogens that establish persistent infection is the identification of antigens that
cross protect against multiple strains. In the case of Anaplasma marginale, the most prevalent
tick-borne pathogen of cattle found worldwide, OmpA is an adhesin and thus a promising
vaccine candidate. We sequenced ompA from cattle throughout Ghana naturally
infected with A. marginale in order to determine the degree of variation in this gene in an
area of suspected high genetic diversity. We compared the Ghanaian sequences with those
available from N. America, Mexico, Australia and Puerto Rico. When considering only
amino acid changes, three unique Ghanaian OmpA variants were identified. In comparison,
strains from all other geographic regions, except one, shared a single OmpA variant, Variant
1, which differed from the Ghanaian variants. Next, using recombinant OmpA based on Variant
1, we determined that amino acid differences in OmpA in Ghanaian cattle as compared
to OmpA Variant 1 did not alter the binding capacity of antibody directed against OmpA Variant
1, supporting the value of OmpA as a highly conserved vaccine candidate.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
effective vaccines, Anaplasma marginale OmpA, Ghanaian cattle, amino acid
Citation
Futse JE, Buami G, Kayang BB, Koku R, Palmer GH, Grac¸a T, et al. (2019) Sequence and immunologic conservation of Anaplasma marginale OmpA within strains from Ghana as compared to the predominant OmpA variant. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0217661. https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0217661