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Microbial Genomics logo Microbial Genomics

Volume 11, Issue 11

Comparative genomic analysis of five spp. in rabbits provides insights into coccidian tissue tropism Open Access

Abstract

spp. are common coccidian parasites of a wide range of vertebrates, causing diarrhoea, poor weight gain and significant mortality in domestic animals and birds. However, there is a paucity of genomic data on these important pathogens. Of the 11 common species in rabbits, only invades biliary epithelial cells rather than the intestine, and the determinants of coccidian tissue tropism remain unclear. In this study, we sequenced the genomes of five common rabbit species, including , , , and . Comparative genomic analysis reveals that the genome of appears more compact than the genomes of intestinal species. It shows reductions in the numbers of rhoptry proteins, dense granule proteins, microneme adhesive repeats and TA4 surface antigens, suggesting that surface and invasion-associated proteins may be involved in the tissue tropism of spp. In addition, -specific motifs are identified in a cluster of hypothetical surface antigens. These data provide not only new insights into the biological characteristics of coccidia but also valuable resources for functional research and drug and vaccine development.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): comparative genomics , Eimeria , invasion mechanism , rabbits , surface antigens and tissue tropism
Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Specific University Discipline Construction Project (Award 2023B10564003)
    • Principal Award Recipient: LihuaXiao
  • 111 Center Project (Award D20008)
    • Principal Award Recipient: LihuaXiao
  • China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Award 2023M731144)
    • Principal Award Recipient: TianpengWang
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (Award 2022YFD1800200)
    • Principal Award Recipient: LihuaXiao
  • Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (Award 2024B1515020116)
    • Principal Award Recipient: YaqiongGuo
© 2025 The Authors
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
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2025-11-27
2025-12-16

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Comparative genomic analysis of five Eimeria spp. in rabbits provides insights into coccidian tissue tropism
M Gen 11, 001576 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001576
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001576
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001576
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