• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.439-448
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• 2023

Tick infestation causes a significant threat to human and animal health, requiring effective immunological control methods. This study aimed to investigate the potential of recombinant Haemaphysalis longicornis enolase protein for tick vaccine development. The exact mechanism of the recently identified enolase protein from the H. longicornis Jeju strain remains poorly understood. Enolase plays a crucial role in glycolysis, the metabolic process that converts glucose into energy, and is essential for the motility, adhesion, invasion, growth, and differentiation of ticks. In this study, mice were immunized with recombinant enolase, and polyclonal antibodies were generated. Western blot analysis confirmed the specific recognition of enolase by the antiserum. The effects of immunization on tick feeding and attachment were assessed. Adult ticks attached to the recombinant enolase-immunized mice demonstrated longer attachment time, increased bloodsucking abilities, and lower engorgement weight than the controls. The nymphs and larvae had a reduced attachment rate and low engorgement rate compared to the controls. Mice immunized with recombinant enolase expressed in Escherichia coli displayed 90% efficacy in preventing tick infestation. The glycolytic nature of enolase and its involvement in crucial physiological processes makes it an attractive target for disrupting tick survival and disease transmission. Polyclonal antibodies recognize enolase and significantly reduce attachment rates, tick feeding, and engorgement. Our findings indicate that recombinant enolase may be a valuable vaccine candidate for H. longicornis infection in experimental murine model.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.845-851
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• 2009

A vector harboring double cassettes; a heterologous gene expression cassette of pHCE-InaN-antigen and a ghost formation cassette of pAPR-cI-E lysis 37 SDM was constructed and introduced to E. coli DH5a. For the production of a bacterial ghost vaccine, bacterial ghosts from E. coli / Streptococcus iniae with four different types of antigens - enolase, GAPDH, sagA and piaA - were produced by the optimization of fermentation parameters such as a glucose concentration of 1 g/l, agitation of 300 rpm and aeration of 1 vvm. Efficiency of ghost bacteria formation was evaluated with cultures of OD$_{600}$=1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. The efficiency of the ghost bacteria formation was 99.54, 99.67, 99.99 and 99.99% with inductions at OD$_{600}$=3.0, 1.0, 2.0 and 1.0 for E. coli/S. iniae antigens enolase, piaA, GAPDH and sagA, respectively. Ghost bacteria as a vaccine was harvested by centrifugation. The antigen protein expressions were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis, and the molecular weights of the enolase, piaA, GAPDH and sagA were 78, 26, 67 and 26 kDa, respectively. The molecular weights of the expressed antigens were consistent with theoretical sizes obtained from the amino acid sequences.