ANALYSIS OF STAGE-SPECIFIC AND SHARED ANTIGENS DERIVED FROM RHIPICEPHALUS-SANGUINEUS BY ELECTROPHORESIS AND WESTERN BLOTTING

We carried out an SDS-PAGE analysis of antigens of Rhipicephalus sangu ineus using extracts of eggs (EE), larvae (LE), nymphs (NE), male sali vary glands (MSGE), male midguts (MME), female salivary glands (FSGE) and female midguts (FME). Under non-reducing conditions a common band of about 205 kDa was observed, EE, LE and NE extracts showed groups of bands between 150 and 75 kDa. A protein pattern was observed in FSGE extract with a group of bands between 75 and 50 kDa and four bands bet ween 15 and 6.5 kDa. In this case an apparently exclusive band of mole cular weight about 25 kDa was observed. Under reducing conditions simi larities between LE and NE extracts increased, separating from the EE pattern. On the other hand, we have determined the presence of stage-s pecific and common antigens on EE, LE, NE, MSGE, MME, FSGE and FME ext racts of R. sanguineus by means of immunoblots using polyclonal sera o f rabbits infested with larvae, nymphs or adults of this tick. EE extr act was only recognized by the anti-larva sera. Higher reactivity was observed when the extracts were tested with anti-adult sera, In these experiments a very prominent band of molecular weight about 45 kDa was detected. This band was not observed under reducing conditions. Highe r reactivity with anti-adult sera was observed against FSGE extract.