The African buffalo parasite Theileria. sp. (buffalo) can infect and immortalize XXXX leukocytes and encodes divergent orthologues of  Theileria parva antigen genes.

@entity11250 @entity12110 @entity291 @entity12354
African Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is the wildlife reservoir of multiple species within the @entity12354 , including @entity11250 which causes @entity12110 in @entity291 . A parasite, which has not yet been formally named, known as Theileria sp. (buffalo) has been recognized as a potentially distinct species based on rDNA sequence, since 1993. We demonstrate using reverse line blot (RLB) and sequencing of 18S rDNA genes, that in an area where buffalo and @entity291 co-graze and there is a heavy tick challenge, T. sp. (buffalo) can frequently be isolated in culture from @entity291 leukocytes. We also show that T. sp. (buffalo), which is genetically very closely related to @entity11250 , according to 18s rDNA sequence, has a conserved orthologue of the polymorphic immunodominant molecule (PIM) that forms the basis of the diagnostic ELISA used for @entity11250 serological detection. Closely related orthologues of several CD8 T cell target antigen genes are also shared with @entity11250 . By contrast, orthologues of the @entity11250 p104 and the p67 sporozoite surface antigens could not be amplified by PCR from T. sp. (buffalo), using conserved primers designed from the corresponding @entity11250 sequences. Collectively the data re-emphasise doubts regarding the value of rDNA sequence data alone for defining apicomplexan species in the absence of additional data. 'Deep 454 pyrosequencing' of DNA from two Theileria sporozoite stabilates prepared from Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks fed on buffalo failed to detect T. sp. (buffalo). This strongly suggests that R.  appendiculatus may not be a vector for T. sp. (buffalo). Collectively, the data provides further evidence that T. sp. (buffalo). is a distinct species from @entity11250 .
