U.S.-Venezuela Cooperative Science: Anaplasma Marginale Proteins and Attachment to Bovine Red Cell Ligands

该奖项将支持合作研究， Roger Laine教授和玛尔塔Ysern-Caldenty教授 西蒙·玻利瓦尔在委内瑞拉的加拉加斯。 研究的目的 是研究边缘无浆体的细胞表面蛋白， 与牛红细胞结合的微生物 类似于疟疾原生动物对红细胞的入侵。 的 研究人员计划研究这些分子实体， 这些微生物的细胞表面与牛红细胞， 以形成识别和结合对。 初步证据 表明这种结合对由一种复合碳水化合物组成， 和无形体上的结合蛋白 这项工作 将有助于进一步阐明这些结合背后的机制 交互. 委内瑞拉方面将提供生物技术方面的专门知识， 在美国方面， 有化学结构分析经验。 因为无形体 边缘病与牛红细胞的关系类似于疟疾 对人类红细胞的作用，所使用的技术和获得的知识， 使用牛红细胞的表面化学研究应该证明 有利于这两个领域的研究。

This award will support collaborative research between Prof. Roger Laine and Prof. Marta Ysern-Caldenty of the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas, Venezuela. The objective of the research is to study the cell surface proteins of Anaplasma marginale, a micro-organism that binds to bovine red cells with an end result similar to the invasion of red cells by malarial protozoans. The investigators plan to study the molecular entities that interact at the cell surfaces of these micro-organisms with bovine erythrocytes, to form a recognition and binding pair. Preliminary evidence indicates that this binding pair consists of a complex carbohydrate in the blood cell and a binding protein on the Anaplasma. This work will serve to further elucidate the mechanisms behind these binding interactions. The Venezuelan side will contribute expertise in the biological system under study while the U.S. side brings to bear their experience with chemical structural analysis. Because Anaplasma marginale has a similar relation to bovine red blood cells as malaria does to human red cells, the techniques used and knowledge gained in surface chemistry studies using bovine red blood cells should prove beneficial to research in both areas.