Differential transcriptional expression by Babesia bovis during parasite development within bovine erythrocytes and tick hemolymph

Babesia parasites transition between a mammalian host, where they cause babesiosis, and the tick vector that transmits them. This transition provides an environmental signal resulting in altered gene expression allowing the completion of the parasite's life cycle. A comparison of the different life stages that occur within mammalian and tick hosts can provide insight into the adaptation of Babesia to these different environments. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to compare gene expression between Babesia bovis blood stages and tick derived kinetes. Overall design: Parasite mRNA profiling of three biological replicates from bovine host and tick vector