Detection of tick blood parasites in Egypt using PCR assay II- Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato

The prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.], the etiologic agent of Lyme borrelosis [LB], was determined for the first time in Egypt by using polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. Questing 5243 hard and soft ticks were collected from animal farms throughout Giza Governorate. DNA from 500 individual tick species was extracted and PCR was performed. Primers verified from the sequence of German strain Pko of Borrelia afzelii were used. Fragments of 642 bp were generated and sequenced. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.] was 28 % of examined soft and hard ticks. High infection rate [66%] of B. burgdorferi s.l. was observed in both nymph and adult soft ticks Ornithodoros savignyi. Besides, the role of hard ticks as potential vectors of Lyme disease in Egypt, where the infection rate was between 0.0-50.0%. Sequence analysis of PCR product of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato shares high degree of similarity in sequence compared to similar species in GenBank

Isolation and molecular characterization of the bactrocera zonata [saund.] sex-lethal [SxL] gene homologue of the ceratitis capitata

The fruit fly Bactrocera zonata [Dacus zonata] is a serious pest of fruits in many parts of the world. B. zonata larvae feed exclusively on fruits, causing severe damage to crops. B.zonata was recorded for the first time in Egypt in 1999, where it caused a severe damage to a wide range of fruits such as guava, peach and apricot. This work includes the isolation and molecular characterization of the fruit fly B. zonata sex-lethal [Bz SxL] gene homologs to the C. capitata SxL [CcSxl] gene. Investigation of the effect of Gamma radiation on the expression of B. zonata SxL gene had been performed. Mature pupae 2 days before eclosion, were irradiated at 100, 120, 150 GY gamma irradiation. Total RNA has been isolated from every irradiated dose. Fragments of the Bz SxL were recoverd with RT-PCR and sequenced. Irradiated and non-irradiated B. zonata SxL gene [Bz SxL] express the same pattern of transcripts, which encode for a single common polypeptide in both male and female flies. The sequenced fragment of irradiated female with 150 GY dose revealed some sequence mutations. The gene shares a high degree of similarity in sequence compared to C. capitata orthologous and does not appear to play a key regulatory role in the sex determining cascade