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Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2024.

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Other Authors: Maritz-Olivier, Christine
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Maritz-Olivier, Christine
author_browse Maritz-Olivier, Christine
author_facet Maritz-Olivier, Christine
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/99711
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:40:07.894Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/99711 Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Maritz-Olivier, Christine elsjerabie@gmail.com Stutzer, Christian Rabie, Elsje Christine UCTD Sustainable development goals (SDGs) Subolesin Rhipicephalus microplus Major surface protein 4 (MSP4) Anaplasma phagocytophilum Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02 SDG-02: Zero hunger Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-15 SDG-15: Life on land Dissertation (MSc (Genetics))--University of Pretoria, 2024. Ticks are ectoparasites that impact livestock and transmit pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases that severely affect livestock industries. Consequently, the control of ticks and their tick-borne diseases is imperative. However, the current chemical tick control paradigm is marred by the increasing development of acaricide resistance and necessitates supplementary control strategies, such as vaccines. Subolesin is a promising tick vaccine candidate, however the mechanism through which this antigen elicits protection is still unknown. Consequently, the expression and diversity of Subolesin (and its many variants) in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from different tissues (ovary, gut and gland), life stages (larvae, nymph and adult) and several South African locations (Mpumalanga and a pathogen-free laboratory-strain) were elucidated for the first time on a RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequencing level. This study elucidates for the first time the gene structure of Subolesin in R. microplus. Furthermore, it was found that Subolesin has four potential mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) variants which could translate into three protein variants. Thus far, this finding is exclusive to R. microplus, as Subolesin in other tick species have been reported as a single mRNA and protein. Additionally, vaccines simultaneously targeting both the tick vector and pathogen with a single formulation is another ambitious goal, given the challenges with traditional subunit vaccines. Consequently, this study evaluated the immune profile elicited by vaccination with antigen coated Poly D-L-lactide-co-glycolide acid (PLGA) microparticles simultaneously targeting both the tick vector (Subolesin) and the tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum (MSP4) in a murine model. Sera results indicated that Subolesin antigens (soluble and adsorbed onto particles) were not immunogenic after ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) analysis and were consequently excluded from further analysis. Nevertheless, ELISA results demonstrated that all MSP4-receiving groups elicited a Th2 biased response in sera. Furthermore, this study offers the first insights into the T and B cell profile elicited by immunization with MSP4 in any animal model. Therefore, this study offers valuable insights into the design and application of future PLGA microparticle based vaccines for the control of ticks and A. phagocytophilum. National Research Foundation Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology (BGM) MSc (Genetics) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences SDG-02: Zero hunger SDG-15: Life on land 2024-12-02T14:22:58Z 2024-12-02T14:22:58Z 2025-04 2024-08 Dissertation * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/99711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.27240765.v1 https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.27240765 en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Subolesin
Rhipicephalus microplus
Major surface protein 4 (MSP4)
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
SDG-02: Zero hunger
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-15
SDG-15: Life on land
Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title_full Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title_fullStr Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title_full_unstemmed Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title_short Towards improving Subolesin and MSP-based vaccines targeting Rhipicephalus microplus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
title_sort towards improving subolesin and msp based vaccines targeting rhipicephalus microplus and anaplasma phagocytophilum
topic UCTD
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Subolesin
Rhipicephalus microplus
Major surface protein 4 (MSP4)
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
SDG-02: Zero hunger
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-15
SDG-15: Life on land
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/99711
https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.27240765