Characterization of microRNAs in Neospora caninum isolates with differential phenotype by quantitative realtime PCR.

LÓPEZ ARIAS, L.S.; CAMPERO, L.M.; DELLARUPE, A.; RAMBEAUD, M.; VENTURINI, M.C.; MANACORDA, C.; FARBER, M.; WILKOWSKY, S

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias- XXIX Reunión de la Sociedad Argentina de Protozoología (SAP).; 2017

Neospora caninum, a major cause of abortion in cattle, is an obligate intracellular parasite phylogenetically related to Toxoplasma gondii. A wide range of N. caninum isolates with specific host preferences and differential virulence has been characterized. Small non-coding RNAs play an important role in parasites, as regulatory molecules associated with physiology, infection and manipulation of immune response. Previous studies in T. gondii revealed the existence of a large repertoire of miRNAs, some of which were associated with virulent strains. In this regard, our aim was to explore the presence of miRNAs in N. caninum and the potential association with different strain phenotypes using real time PCR.