Resumen

BASABE, Liliana et al. Yield improvement of the sea lice MY32/Cr novel antigen production and IgM immune response characterization in Oreochromis niloticus as a modelRendimiento incrementado del nuevo antígeno MY32/Cr del piojo de mar y caracterización de la respuesta inmune de IgM en Oreochromis niloticus. Biotecnol Apl [online]. 2014, vol.31, n.1, pp.28-32. ISSN 1027-2852.

Sea lice cause over 300 million € annual losses in salmon aquaculture-leading countries and most treatments consist of chemicals, with their limitations regarding the generation of parasite resistance, environmental damage and high costs. Researches about fish vaccines against sea lice as a method for controlling parasites have been accomplished; however there is no commercial vaccine available up to date against this pest. It could be due to an insufficient immunological and protective response of the selected antigen or to the lack of appropriate/suitable process for its production with commercial perspectives. Previously, the gene coding for the akirin protein of Caligus rogercresseyi (MY32/Cr) was cloned. It was produced recombinant in Escherichia coli and it showed 57 % of protection in a vaccination-challenge experiment against sea lice infestation in salmon. In the present study, the MY32/Cr yield was improved up to four fold in fermentation process by testing different culture media. It was also studied the effect of this novel antigen, for a potential vaccine, on humoral immune response of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). It was observed that the immunization with MY32/Cr elicited a statistically significant IgM antibody response after a double injection of the recombinant protein. The process obtained is a suitable method, an essential tool as a first step to produce this recombinant antigen at commercial scale. The results suggest that the MY32/Cr protein may be used as a target to be tested in salmon, for developing of a vaccine to control sea lice infestations in fish; and that the administration of a single booster dose could be useful to improve antibody response.

Palabras clave : fish; heterologous expression; IgM; immunization; MY32; sea lice.

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