Transcriptional Analysis of <i>p30</i> Major Outer Membrane Protein Genes of <i>Ehrlichia canis</i> in Naturally Infected Ticks and Sequence Analysis of <i>p30-10</i> of <i>E. canis</i> from Diverse Geographic Regions

Abstract

Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks transmit Ehrlichia canis, the etiologic agent of canine ehrlichiosis. In experimentally infected ticks, only p30-10 transcript was detected among 22 p30 paralogs encoding immunodominant major outer membrane P30 proteins of E. canis. The present study revealed transcription of p30-10 by E. canis in naturally infected ticks and sequence conservation of p30-10 genes for E. canis from diverse geographic regions.