Production of polyclonal IgY anti-Cryptosporidium parvum COPW6 protein in chickens (Gallus domesticus) for diagnostic purpose

• Grant number: 14/06363-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal researcher: Marcelo Vasconcelos Meireles
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Ferreira Marostica
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMVA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araçatuba. Araçatuba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. are protozoa which infect a wide variety of vertebrates. Cryptosporidium parvum has many animal hosts, including humans, and is a major etiological agent of diarrhea in ruminants. The Cryptosporidium oocysts wall proteins (COWP) are a group of proteins located on the surface of the oocyst wall and are involved in its structure and resistance of oocysts in environmental conditions. COWP proteins are potential targets for cloning and heterologous expression in E. coli, for the production of recombinant proteins useful for the development of diagnostic methods like enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and direct immunofluorescence assay (DIA), and also for isolation and purification of oocysts through immunological techniques. The aim of this study is the use of recombinant COWP6 of C. parvum to immunize laying hens in order to obtain IgY COWP6, aiming the development of diagnostic techniques like DIA for detection (COWP6 protein) of C. parvum oocysts. (AU)