[Prokaryotic expression of Bm86 gene of Boophilus microplus and optimization of the expression condition]

Mi-Ling Ma1, Gui-Quan Guan, You-Quan Li

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China.

Insights

Researchers successfully cloned and expressed the Boophilus microplus Bm86 gene in E. coli. The resulting Bm86-GST fusion protein was highly expressed and recognized by specific antibodies, aiding in tick vaccine development.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Recombinant Protein Expression
  • Immunology

Context:

  • Boophilus microplus is a significant cattle tick pest.
  • The Bm86 gene encodes a surface protein crucial for tick resistance.
  • Developing effective vaccines against ticks is essential for livestock health.

Purpose:

  • To clone and express the Bm86 gene from Boophilus microplus.
  • To produce a recombinant Bm86-GST fusion protein in E. coli.
  • To confirm the identity and expression level of the recombinant protein.

Summary:

  • Specific primers were used to clone the Bm86 gene from Boophilus microplus.
  • The cloned gene was subcloned into a prokaryotic expression vector (pGEX-4T-1) and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3).
  • High-level expression of the Bm86-GST fusion protein (Mr 94,000) was achieved using 1 mmol/L IPTG at 37°C for 8 hours, reaching 29% of total E. coli proteins. Western blotting confirmed the protein's identity using anti-B. microplus serum.

Impact:

  • This study provides a foundation for developing subunit vaccines against Boophilus microplus.
  • The successful expression of Bm86-GST facilitates further research into tick control strategies.
  • The recombinant protein can be used for diagnostic and immunological studies related to cattle tick infestations.

Related Concept Videos