Subtyping Cryptosporidium xiaoi, a Common Pathogen in Sheep and Goats

Pathogens

Yaqiong Guo¹  Yaoyu Feng¹  Lihua Xiao¹  Sheng Guo¹  Yingying Fan¹  Fang Yang¹  Xitong Huang¹  Na Li¹  Xin Yang² 

[1] Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China;College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China;

关键词: Cryptosporidium xiaoi;    60-kDa glycoprotein;    gp60;    subtyping;    genetic diversity;    host adaptation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/pathogens10070800

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Cryptosporidiosis is a significant cause of diarrhea in sheep and goats. Among the over 40 established species of Cryptosporidium, Cryptosporidium xiaoi is one of the dominant species infecting ovine and caprine animals. The lack of subtyping tools makes it impossible to examine the transmission of this pathogen. In the present study, we identified and characterized the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene by sequencing the genome of C. xiaoi. The GP60 protein of C. xiaoi had a signal peptide, a furin cleavage site of RSRR, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor, and over 100 O-glycosylation sites. Based on the gp60 sequence, a subtyping tool was developed and used in characterizing C. xiaoi in 355 positive samples from sheep and goats in China. A high sequence heterogeneity was observed in the gp60 gene, with 94 sequence types in 12 subtype families, namely XXIIIa to XXIIIl. Co-infections with multiple subtypes were common in these animals, suggesting that genetic recombination might be responsible for the high diversity within C. xiaoi. This was supported by the mosaic sequence patterns among the subtype families. In addition, a potential host adaptation was identified within this species, reflected by the exclusive occurrence of XXIIIa, XXIIIc, XXIIIg, and XXIIIj in goats. This subtyping tool should be useful in studies of the genetic diversity and transmission dynamics of C. xiaoi.

【 授权许可】

Unknown