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Zamiti S, Mhadhbi M, Dhibi M, Darghouth MA, Ben Said M. Development and field evaluation of PCR assays based on minimum length Bm86 cDNA fragments required for Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma tick species delineation. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1209210. [PMID: 37456966 PMCID: PMC10340088 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1209210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus ticks are important genera that can transmit diseases to both animals and humans, including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, tick-borne encephalitis, and several types of spotted fever. The accurate identification of tick species is essential for the effective control and prevention of tick-borne diseases. However, traditional identification methods based on morphology can be challenging and subjective, leading to errors. The development of DNA markers has provided more precise and efficient methods for tick species identification, but the currently available markers have limitations in their discriminatory power and sensitivity. To address this need for more sensitive and specific markers, this study aimed to identify two minimum sequence fragments required for tick Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus species identification using the Bm86 cDNA marker, which has previously been shown to be in perfect agreement with the current taxonomy of hard ticks based on its complete sequence. Methods Based on our in silico determination that a minimum sequence of 398 bp for Rhipicephalus spp. (from 1487 to 1884) and 559 bp for Hyalomma species (from 539 to 1097) was necessary for species delineation, two distinct PCR assays were developed to apply these sequences in practice. Results and discussion Discrimination between species within each genus was achieved through sequence homology and phylogenetic analysis following the sequencing of the two PCR products. Subsequently, their performance was evaluated by testing them on the field-collected ticks of the Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus genera obtained from various host animals in different geographic regions of Tunisia. The use of shorter partial sequences specific to the tick genera Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma, which target the tick's RNA banks, could represent a significant advance in the field of tick species identification, providing a sensitive and discriminatory tool for interspecific and intraspecific diversity analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Zamiti
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Moez Mhadhbi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Mokhtar Dhibi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Aziz Darghouth
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
- Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
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Ali A, Zeb I, Alouffi A, Zahid H, Almutairi MM, Ayed Alshammari F, Alrouji M, Termignoni C, Vaz IDS, Tanaka T. Host Immune Responses to Salivary Components - A Critical Facet of Tick-Host Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:809052. [PMID: 35372098 PMCID: PMC8966233 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.809052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick sialome is comprised of a rich cocktail of bioactive molecules that function as a tool to disarm host immunity, assist blood-feeding, and play a vibrant role in pathogen transmission. The adaptation of the tick's blood-feeding behavior has lead to the evolution of bioactive molecules in its saliva to assist them to overwhelm hosts' defense mechanisms. During a blood meal, a tick secretes different salivary molecules including vasodilators, platelet aggregation inhibitors, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory proteins, and inhibitors of complement activation; the salivary repertoire changes to meet various needs such as tick attachment, feeding, and modulation or impairment of the local dynamic and vigorous host responses. For instance, the tick's salivary immunomodulatory and cement proteins facilitate the tick's attachment to the host to enhance prolonged blood-feeding and to modulate the host's innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent advances implemented in the field of "omics" have substantially assisted our understanding of host immune modulation and immune inhibition against the molecular dynamics of tick salivary molecules in a crosstalk between the tick-host interface. A deep understanding of the tick salivary molecules, their substantial roles in multifactorial immunological cascades, variations in secretion, and host immune responses against these molecules is necessary to control these parasites. In this article, we reviewed updated knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying host responses to diverse elements in tick saliva throughout tick invasion, as well as host defense strategies. In conclusion, understanding the mechanisms involved in the complex interactions between the tick salivary components and host responses is essential to decipher the host defense mechanisms against the tick evasion strategies at tick-host interface which is promising in the development of effective anti-tick vaccines and drug therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Ismail Zeb
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafsa Zahid
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahdah Ayed Alshammari
- College of Sciences and Literature Microbiology, Nothern Border University, Rafha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alrouji
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Giachetto PF, Cunha RC, Nhani A, Garcia MV, Ferro JA, Andreotti R. Gene Expression in the Salivary Gland of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Fed on Tick-Susceptible and Tick-Resistant Hosts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:477. [PMID: 32039052 PMCID: PMC6985549 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of cattle tick fixation largely depends on the secretion of substances that alter the immune response of the host. The majority of these substances are expressed by the parasite salivary gland and secreted in tick saliva. It is known that hosts can mount immune responses against ticks and bovine European breeds, and bovine industrial crossbreeds are more susceptible to infestations than are Bos indicus cattle. To identify candidates for the development of novel control strategies for the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, a salivary gland transcriptome analysis of engorged females fed on susceptible or resistant hosts was performed. Using RNA-Seq, transcriptomes were de novo assembled and produced a total of 235,451 contigs with 93.3% transcriptome completeness. Differential expression analysis identified 137 sequences as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ticks raised on tick-susceptible or tick-resistant cattle. DEGs predicted to be secreted proteins include innexins, which are transmembrane proteins that form gap junction channels; the transporters Na+/dicarboxylate, Na+/tricarboxylate, and phosphate transporter and a putative monocarboxylate transporter; a phosphoinositol 4-phosphate adaptor protein; a cysteine-rich protein containing a trypsin inhibitor-like (TIL) domain; a putative defense protein 3 containing a reeler domain; and an F-actin-uncapping protein LRRC16A with a CARMIL_C domain; these genes were upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle. DEGs predicted to be non-secreted proteins included a small heat shock protein and the negative elongation factor B-like, both acting in a coordinated manner to increase HSP transcript levels in the salivary glands of the ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; the 26S protease regulatory subunit 6B and another chaperone with similarity to calnexin, also upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; an EF-hand calcium binding protein and a serine carboxypeptidase (SCP), both involved in the blood coagulation cascade and upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; and two ribosomal proteins, the 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 and the 60S ribosomal protein L19. These results help to characterize cattle tick salivary gland gene expression in tick-susceptible and tick-resistant hosts and suggest new putative targets for the control of tick infestations, as those genes involved in the mechanism of stress response during blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodrigo Casquero Cunha
- Bolsista do CNPq (157460/2018-5), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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Bensaoud C, Nishiyama MY, Ben Hamda C, Lichtenstein F, Castro de Oliveira U, Faria F, Loiola Meirelles Junqueira-de-Azevedo I, Ghedira K, Bouattour A, M'Ghirbi Y, Chudzinski-Tavassi AM. De novo assembly and annotation of Hyalomma dromedarii tick (Acari: Ixodidae) sialotranscriptome with regard to gender differences in gene expression. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:314. [PMID: 29793520 PMCID: PMC5968504 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2874-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hard ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites characterized by their long-term feeding. The saliva that they secrete during their blood meal is their crucial weapon against host-defense systems including hemostasis, inflammation and immunity. The anti-hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory activities carried out by tick saliva molecules warrant their pharmacological investigation. The Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 tick is a common parasite of camels and probably the best adapted to deserts of all hard ticks. Like other hard ticks, the salivary glands of this tick may provide a rich source of many compounds whose biological activities interact directly with host system pathways. Female H. dromedarii ticks feed longer than males, thereby taking in more blood. To investigate the differences in feeding behavior as reflected in salivary compounds, we performed de novo assembly and annotation of H. dromedarii sialotranscriptome paying particular attention to variations in gender gene expression. RESULTS The quality-filtered Illumina sequencing reads deriving from a cDNA library of salivary glands led to the assembly of 15,342 transcripts. We deduced that the secreted proteins included: metalloproteases, glycine-rich proteins, mucins, anticoagulants of the mandanin family and lipocalins, among others. Expression analysis revealed differences in the expression of transcripts between male and female H. dromedarii that might explain the blood-feeding strategies employed by both genders. CONCLUSIONS The annotated sialome of H. dromedarii helps understand the interaction of tick-host molecules during blood-feeding and can lead to the discovery of new pharmacologically active proteins of ticks of the genus Hyalomma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaima Bensaoud
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT03, Service d'entomologie médicale, 1002, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Milton Yutaka Nishiyama
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Cherif Ben Hamda
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT09, Laboratoire de Bioinformatique, Biomathematique et biostatiqtiques, 1002, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Flavio Lichtenstein
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Ursula Castro de Oliveira
- Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, CeTICS, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Faria
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil
| | | | - Kais Ghedira
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT09, Laboratoire de Bioinformatique, Biomathematique et biostatiqtiques, 1002, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Ali Bouattour
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT03, Service d'entomologie médicale, 1002, Tunis, Tunisie.
| | - Youmna M'Ghirbi
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, LR11IPT03, Service d'entomologie médicale, 1002, Tunis, Tunisie
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Verdes A, Simpson D, Holford M. Are Fireworms Venomous? Evidence for the Convergent Evolution of Toxin Homologs in Three Species of Fireworms (Annelida, Amphinomidae). Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:249-268. [PMID: 29293976 PMCID: PMC5778601 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphinomids, more commonly known as fireworms, are a basal lineage of marine annelids characterized by the presence of defensive dorsal calcareous chaetae, which break off upon contact. It has long been hypothesized that amphinomids are venomous and use the chaetae to inject a toxic substance. However, studies investigating fireworm venom from a morphological or molecular perspective are scarce and no venom gland has been identified to date, nor any toxin characterized at the molecular level. To investigate this question, we analyzed the transcriptomes of three species of fireworms-Eurythoe complanata, Hermodice carunculata, and Paramphinome jeffreysii-following a venomics approach to identify putative venom compounds. Our venomics pipeline involved de novo transcriptome assembly, open reading frame, and signal sequence prediction, followed by three different homology search strategies: BLAST, HMMER sequence, and HMMER domain. Following this pipeline, we identified 34 clusters of orthologous genes, representing 13 known toxin classes that have been repeatedly recruited into animal venoms. Specifically, the three species share a similar toxin profile with C-type lectins, peptidases, metalloproteinases, spider toxins, and CAP proteins found among the most highly expressed toxin homologs. Despite their great diversity, the putative toxins identified are predominantly involved in three major biological processes: hemostasis, inflammatory response, and allergic reactions, all of which are commonly disrupted after fireworm stings. Although the putative fireworm toxins identified here need to be further validated, our results strongly suggest that fireworms are venomous animals that use a complex mixture of toxins for defense against predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Verdes
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College Belfer Research Center, and The Graduate Center, Program in Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, City University of New York
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
- Departamento de Biología (Zoología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Danny Simpson
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine
| | - Mandë Holford
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College Belfer Research Center, and The Graduate Center, Program in Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, City University of New York
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
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Kuleš J, Horvatić A, Guillemin N, Galan A, Mrljak V, Bhide M. New approaches and omics tools for mining of vaccine candidates against vector-borne diseases. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2017; 12:2680-94. [PMID: 27384976 DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00268d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) present a major threat to human and animal health, as well as place a substantial burden on livestock production. As a way of sustainable VBD control, focus is set on vaccine development. Advances in genomics and other "omics" over the past two decades have given rise to a "third generation" of vaccines based on technologies such as reverse vaccinology, functional genomics, immunomics, structural vaccinology and the systems biology approach. The application of omics approaches is shortening the time required to develop the vaccines and increasing the probability of discovery of potential vaccine candidates. Herein, we review the development of new generation vaccines for VBDs, and discuss technological advancement and overall challenges in the vaccine development pipeline. Special emphasis is placed on the development of anti-tick vaccines that can quell both vectors and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josipa Kuleš
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Anita Horvatić
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Nicolas Guillemin
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Asier Galan
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Vladimir Mrljak
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Mangesh Bhide
- ERA Chair VetMedZg project, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia. and Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia and Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovakia Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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de la Fuente J, Contreras M. Tick vaccines: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2015; 14:1367-76. [DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.1076339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Molecular cloning of Ra-sHSPI, a novel member of the HSP20 family from Rhipicephalus annulatus salivary glands. Int J Biol Macromol 2014; 67:7-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2014.02.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Koči J, Simo L, Park Y. Autocrine/paracrine dopamine in the salivary glands of the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 62:39-45. [PMID: 24503219 PMCID: PMC4006075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is known to be the most potent activator of tick salivary secretion, which is an essential component of successful tick feeding. We examined the quantitative changes of catecholamines using a method coupling high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). We also investigated the levels of catecholamines conjugated to other molecules utilising appropriate methods to hydrolyse the conjugates. Three different biological samples, salivary glands, synganglia, ovaries and haemolymph were compared, and the largest quantity of DA was detected in salivary gland extracts (up to ∼100pg/tick), supporting the hypothesis that autocrine/paracrine dopamine activates salivary secretion. Quantitative changes of catecholamines in the salivary glands over the entire blood feeding duration were examined. The amount of dopamine in the salivary glands increased until the day 5 of feeding, at which the rapid engorgement phase began. We also detected a small but significant amount of norepinephrine in the salivary glands. Interestingly, saliva collected after induction of salivary secretion by the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine contained a large amount of DA sulphate with a trace amount of DA, suggesting a potential biological role of DA sulphate in tick saliva.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Koči
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, 123 Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Ladislav Simo
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, 123 Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, 123 Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
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Identification of Four Novel Rhipicephalus annulatus Upregulated Salivary Gland Proteins as Candidate Vaccines. Protein J 2013; 32:392-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s10930-013-9498-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Vu Hai V, Almeras L, Audebert S, Pophillat M, Boulanger N, Parola P, Raoult D, Pages F. Identification of salivary antigenic markers discriminating host exposition between two European ticks: Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Dermacentor reticulatus. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 36:39-53. [PMID: 23040662 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2012.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
To succeed blood meal, ticks inject salivary proteins to mammalian hosts, eliciting an antibody response against these foreign antigens. Although this immune response has been proposed as a surrogate marker of exposure to tick bites, identification of the corresponding antigens remains elusive. For this aim, a comparison by immunoblots of the kinetic IgG responses to protein salivary gland extracts from two European tick species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus or Dermacentor reticulatus, in rabbits was performed. A singularity in the immune patterns was observed according to rabbit exposure status and depending on the antigen source. Six and five bands were found specifically associated to R. sanguineus and to D. reticulatus exposures, respectively. The identity of these salivary antigenic proteins was determined using an original immunoproteomic approach. The utilization of these tick salivary proteins as biomarker candidates to discriminate R. sanguineus and/or D. reticulatus tick exposure or to develop anti-tick vaccines is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinh Vu Hai
- Unité des Rickettsies, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsial and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Unité de Recherche des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergente, UMR CNRS IRD, IFR, Institut Hospitalier Universitaire Marseille, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
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13
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Hughes AL, Friedman R. Distinctive amino acid composition profiles in salivary proteins of the tick Ixodes scapularis. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2011; 2:219-24. [PMID: 22108016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2011.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 08/15/2011] [Accepted: 09/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Bioinformatic analysis of the amino acid composition of proteins of the tick Ixodes scapularis showed that, in comparison to other secreted proteins, salivary proteins in general have higher frequencies of polar residues and lower frequencies of the non-polar residues leucine and valine. Computer prediction of linear B-cell epitopes showed that polar residues were associated with the presence of high-quality epitopes and that tick salivary proteins included significantly more proteins with predicted high-quality epitopes than did other secreted proteins. The results provided no evidence that salivary proteins as a whole have evolved characteristics minimizing their antigenicity to the vertebrate host. Certain salivary proteins may indeed have evolved low antigenicity, but the I. scapularis sialome include at least some apparently antigenic proteins that might be tested experimentally to determine whether they would be suitable candidates for anti-tick vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin L Hughes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
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Shahein YE, El-Rahim MTA, Hussein NA, Hamed RR, El-Hakim AE, Barakat MM. Molecular cloning of a small heat shock protein (sHSPII) from the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus salivary gland. Int J Biol Macromol 2010; 47:614-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2010.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2010] [Revised: 08/04/2010] [Accepted: 08/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Fry BG, Roelants K, Champagne DE, Scheib H, Tyndall JD, King GF, Nevalainen TJ, Norman JA, Lewis RJ, Norton RS, Renjifo C, de la Vega RCR. The Toxicogenomic Multiverse: Convergent Recruitment of Proteins Into Animal Venoms. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2009; 10:483-511. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev.genom.9.081307.164356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 587] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Throughout evolution, numerous proteins have been convergently recruited into the venoms of various animals, including centipedes, cephalopods, cone snails, fish, insects (several independent venom systems), platypus, scorpions, shrews, spiders, toxicoferan reptiles (lizards and snakes), and sea anemones. The protein scaffolds utilized convergently have included AVIT/colipase/prokineticin, CAP, chitinase, cystatin, defensins, hyaluronidase, Kunitz, lectin, lipocalin, natriuretic peptide, peptidase S1, phospholipase A2, sphingomyelinase D, and SPRY. Many of these same venom protein types have also been convergently recruited for use in the hematophagous gland secretions of invertebrates (e.g., fleas, leeches, kissing bugs, mosquitoes, and ticks) and vertebrates (e.g., vampire bats). Here, we discuss a number of overarching structural, functional, and evolutionary generalities of the protein families from which these toxins have been frequently recruited and propose a revised and expanded working definition for venom. Given the large number of striking similarities between the protein compositions of conventional venoms and hematophagous secretions, we argue that the latter should also fall under the same definition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan G. Fry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010 Australia
| | - Kim Roelants
- Unit of Ecology and Systematics, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Donald E. Champagne
- Department of Entomology and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | | | - Joel D.A. Tyndall
- National School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Glenn F. King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | | | - Janette A. Norman
- Sciences Department, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Raymond S. Norton
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3050, Victoria, Australia
| | - Camila Renjifo
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ricardo C. Rodríguez de la Vega
- Structural and Computational Biology/Gene Expression Units, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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Anderson JM, Sonenshine DE, Valenzuela JG. Exploring the mialome of ticks: an annotated catalogue of midgut transcripts from the hard tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). BMC Genomics 2008; 9:552. [PMID: 19021911 PMCID: PMC2644717 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2007] [Accepted: 11/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are obligate blood feeders. The midgut is the first major region of the body where blood and microbes ingested with the blood meal come in contact with the tick's internal tissues. Little is known about protein expression in the digestive tract of ticks. In this study, for analysis of global gene expression during tick attachment and feeding, we generated and sequenced 1,679 random transcripts (ESTs) from cDNA libraries from the midguts of female ticks at varying stages of feeding. Results Sequence analysis of the 1,679 ESTs resulted in the identification of 835 distinct transcripts, from these, a total of 82 transcripts were identified as proteins putatively directly involved in blood meal digestion, including enzymes involved in oxidative stress reduction/antimicrobial activity/detoxification, peptidase inhibitors, protein digestion (cysteine-, aspartic-, serine-, and metallo-peptidases), cell, protein and lipid binding including mucins and iron/heme metabolism and transport. A lectin-like protein with a high match to lectins in other tick species, allergen-like proteins and surface antigens important in pathogen recognition and/or antimicrobial activity were also found. Furthermore, midguts collected from the 6-day-fed ticks expressed twice as many transcripts involved in bloodmeal processing as midguts from unfed/2-day-fed ticks. Conclusion This tissue-specific transcriptome analysis provides an opportunity to examine the global expression of transcripts in the tick midgut and to compare the gut response to host attachment versus blood feeding and digestion. In contrast to those in salivary glands of other Ixodid ticks, most proteins in the D. variabilis midgut cDNA library were intracellular. Of the total ESTs associated with a function, an unusually large number of transcripts were associated with peptidases, cell, lipid and protein binding, and oxidative stress or detoxification. Presumably, this is consistent with their role in intracellular processing of the blood meal and response to microbial infections. The presence of many proteins with similar functions is consistent with the hypothesis that gene duplication contributed to the successful adaptation of ticks to hematophagy. Furthermore, these transcripts may be useful to scientists investigating the role of the tick midgut in blood-meal digestion, antimicrobial activity or the transmission of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Anderson
- Vector Molecular Biology Unit, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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Abstract
Ectoparasites of livestock are of great economic and social importance but their effective control remains difficult. The feasibility of vaccination as a novel control measure was established over a decade ago with the commercial release of a recombinant vaccine against the cattle tick Boophilus microplus. Since then, research has continued on ticks and other ectoparasites. While some ectoparasite species will undoubtedly be refractory to immunological control, for others there has been a steady accumulation of knowledge of partially protective antigens, now accelerating through the application of genomic technologies. Nevertheless, progress towards usable, commercially available vaccines has been limited by a number of factors. The number of highly effective antigens is still very small. Although some classes of antigen have been investigated in more detail than others, we have no systematic knowledge of what distinguishes an effective antigen. Much hope has been placed on the potential of multi-antigen mixtures to deliver the efficacy required of a successful vaccine but with little experimental evidence. The application of current knowledge across parasite and host species needs to be explored but little has been done. In most cases, the path to commercial delivery is uncertain. Although many constraints and challenges remain, the need for vaccines and our capacity to develop them can only increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Willadsen
- CSIRO Livestock Industries, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia QLD 4067 Australia.
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18
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Abstract
Ticks are distributed worldwide and impact human and animal health, as well as food animal production. Control of ticks has been primarily by application of acaricides, which has resulted in selection of resistant ticks and environmental pollution. Vaccines have been shown to be a feasible tick control method that offers a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to chemical control. However, identification of tick-protective antigens remains the limiting step in vaccine development. Tick antigens exposed naturally to the host during tick feeding and those concealed have both shown promise as candidate vaccine antigens. Development of vaccines against multiple tick species may be possible using highly conserved tick-protective antigens or by antigens showing immune cross-reaction to different tick species. Vaccines made from a combination of key protective antigens may greatly enhance vaccine efficacy. Preliminary studies have suggested the possibility of vaccine strategies directed toward both tick control and the blocking of pathogen transmission. Characterization of the tick genomes will have a great impact on the discovery of new protective antigens. The future of research directed toward tick vaccine development is exciting because of new and emerging technologies for gene discovery, and vaccine formulation and delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- J de la Fuente
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-2007, USA.
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Zhou J, Gong H, Zhou Y, Xuan X, Fujisaki K. Identification of a glycine-rich protein from the tick Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and evaluation of its vaccine potential against tick feeding. Parasitol Res 2006; 100:77-84. [PMID: 16802136 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-006-0243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2006] [Accepted: 04/27/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A cDNA coding a glycine-rich protein was identified from the Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides tick. The cDNA named here as RH50 was 1,823 bp, including a single open reading frame (ORF) of 1,518 nucleotides. The ORF encodes a polypeptide of 506 amino acid residues with a size of 50 kDa, as calculated by a computer. The predicted amino acid sequence of RH50 showed a low homology to sequences of some known extracellular matrix-like proteins. The native protein was identified in both the fed tick salivary gland lysates and extracts of cement material using the serum against the recombinant protein. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction results showed that RH50 mRNA was only transcribed in partially fed tick salivary glands, not in unfed tick salivary glands or partially fed tick midgut, fat body, or ovary. The differential expression of RH50 protein in fed tick salivary glands was confirmed by immunofluorescence. The low attachment rate both in the adult and nymphal tick, and the high mortality of immature ticks (nymph) feeding on recombinant RH50-immunized rabbits were found. These results show that the RH50 protein could be a useful candidate for anti-tick vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlin Zhou
- Shanghai Institute of Animal Parasitology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 3 Lane 345, Shilong Road, Shanghai, 200232, People's Republic of China.
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Nuttall PA, Trimnell AR, Kazimirova M, Labuda M. Exposed and concealed antigens as vaccine targets for controlling ticks and tick-borne diseases. Parasite Immunol 2006; 28:155-63. [PMID: 16542317 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2006.00806.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Tick vaccines derived from Bm86, a midgut membrane-bound protein of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, are currently the only commercially available ectoparasite vaccines. Despite its introduction to the market in 1994, and the recognized need for alternatives to chemical pesticides, progress in developing effective antitick vaccines (and ectoparasite vaccines in general) is slow. The primary rate-limiting step is the identification of suitable antigenic targets for vaccine development. Two sources of candidate vaccine antigens have been identified: 'exposed' antigens that are secreted in tick saliva during attachment and feeding on a host and 'concealed' antigens that are normally hidden from the host. Recently, a third group of antigens has been distinguished that combines the properties of both exposed and concealed antigens. This latter group offers the prospect of a broad-spectrum vaccine effective against both adults and immature stages of a wide variety of tick species. It also shows transmission-blocking and protective activity against a tick-borne pathogen. With the proliferation of molecular techniques and their application to vaccine development, there are high hopes for new and effective antitick vaccines that also control tick-borne diseases.
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Manzano-Román R, Encinas-Grandes A, Pérez-Sánchez R. Antigens from the midgut membranes of Ornithodoros erraticus induce lethal anti-tick immune responses in pigs and mice. Vet Parasitol 2006; 135:65-79. [PMID: 16169153 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2005] [Revised: 08/04/2005] [Accepted: 08/08/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Ornithodoros erraticus is an argasid tick that can transmit severe diseases such as human relapsing fever and African swine fever. In southern Europe O. erraticus lives in close association with swine on free-range pig farms. Application of acaricides for the eradication of O. erraticus from pig farms is inefficient. This is the reason why we tried to develop an anti-O. erraticus vaccine as alternative method of control. Accordingly, we were prompted to investigate the protective possibilities of a midgut membrane extract from the parasite (GME) that has not been studied hitherto. Administration of the GME with Freund's adjuvants (FAs) to pigs and mice induced a protective response able to kill 80% of the immature forms of the parasite in the first 72 h post-feeding and to reduce the fecundity of females by more than 50%. The action of the vaccine is the result of damage to the midgut wall of the argasid, and, in mice, it has been shown that this damage is mediated by activation of the complement system. In pigs, the administration of GME with alum, instead of with FAs, reduced the degree of protection. The protective antigens of the GME were expressed by all the developmental stages examined and are probably proteins from the luminal membrane of midgut epithelial cells. These antigens were seen to be more abundant in recently fed parasites than in fasting specimens, suggesting that their expression is induced after blood ingestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl Manzano-Román
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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