Parasites & Vectors (Sep 2020)

Teladorsagia circumcincta beta tubulin: the presence of the E198L polymorphism on its own is associated with benzimidazole resistance

  • María Martínez-Valladares,
  • Elora Valderas-García,
  • Javier Gandasegui,
  • Philip Skuce,
  • Alison Morrison,
  • Verónica Castilla Gómez de Agüero,
  • Maria Cambra-Pellejà,
  • Rafael Balaña-Fouce,
  • Francisco A. Rojo-Vázquez

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04320-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Background Benzimidazole resistance is associated with isotype-1 β-tubulin gene F200Y, E198A and F167Y SNPs. In this study, the recently described polymorphism E198L was reported and analysed in Teladorsagia circumcincta. Methods The benzimidazole phenotypic resistance was measured by the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and the egg hatch test (EHT) using a discriminating dose (DD) in 39 sheep flocks. Around 1000 larvae collected before and after treatment were used for DNA extraction. The resistant species identified in all flocks was T. circumcincta. The resistance alleles frequencies were measured for F200Y and E198A. A 371-bp fragment of the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene was analysed, including the three codons of interest, and a new pyrosequencing assay was designed for testing E198L. Results The percentage of resistant flocks was 35% by FECRT or 26% by EHT; however, F200Y and E198A SNPs were absent in T. circumcincta. The amplification of a 371-bp fragment confirmed the absence of F167Y and F200Y in 6 resistant flocks. Regarding codon 198, all samples after treatment carried a leucine (CTA). A pyrosequencing assay analysed the allele frequencies for the first two bases at codon 198 independently, G/C and A/T. The correlation between C and T frequencies was almost 1 (r = 0.929, P 0.720, P < 0.0001), although negatively associated with the FECRT and positively with the EHT. According to multivariate linear regression analysis, the T frequency was the most significant variable influencing the phenotypic resistance (FECRT or EHT; P < 0.0001). In the EHT, 67.1% of the phenotypic variability is associated with the T frequency but in the FECRT only 33.4%; therefore, the EHT using a DD seems to detect the genotypic resistance more accurately than the FECRT. Conclusions The E198L polymorphism can confer BZ resistance on its own in T. circumcincta.

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