ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 24 February 2021 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.616343 Molecular Characterization and Immunological Evaluation of Truncated Babesia microti Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 as a Vaccine Candidate † † Yu chun Cai 1,2,3 , Chun li Yang 4 , Wei Hu 1,2,3,5, Peng Song 1,2,3, Bin Xu 1,2,3, Yan Lu 1,2,3, Lin Ai 1,2,3, Yan hong Chu 1,2,3, Mu xin Chen 1,2,3, Jia xu Chen 1,2,3* and Shao hong Chen1,2,3* 1 National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China, 2 Laboratory Edited by: of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China, 3 WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Wanderley De Souza, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 4 Department of Clinical Research, The 903rd Hospital of PLA, Hangzhou, China, 5 School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Brazil Shanghai, China Reviewed by: Junlong Zhao, Huazhong Agricultural University, Babesia microti is a protozoan that infects red blood cells. Babesiosis is becoming a new China global threat impacting human health. Rhoptry neck proteins (RONs) are proteins located Lan He, at the neck of the rhoptry and studies indicate that these proteins play an important role in Huazhong Agricultural University, China the process of red blood cell invasion. In the present study, we report on the bioinformatic *Correspondence: analysis, cloning, and recombinant gene expression of two truncated rhoptry neck Jia xu Chen proteins 2 (BmRON2), as well as their potential for incorporation in a candidate vaccine
[email protected] fl Shao hong Chen for babesiosis.