1
|
Waldman J, Klafke GM, Tirloni L, Logullo C, da Silva Vaz I. Putative target sites in synganglion for novel ixodid tick control strategies. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102123. [PMID: 36716581 PMCID: PMC10033424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Acaricide resistance is a global problem that has impacts worldwide. Tick populations with broad resistance to all commercially available acaricides have been reported. Since resistance selection in ticks and their role in pathogen transmission to animals and humans result in important economic and public health burden, it is essential to develop new strategies for their control (i.e., novel chemical compounds, vaccines, biological control). The synganglion is the tick central nervous system and it is responsible for synthesizing and releasing signaling molecules with different physiological functions. Synganglion proteins are the targets of the majority of available acaricides. In this review we provide an overview of the mode-of-action and resistance mechanisms against neurotoxic acaricides in ticks, as well as putative target sites in synganglion, as a supporting tool to identify new target proteins and to develop new strategies for tick control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Waldman
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Marcondes Klafke
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor - Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Secretaria da Agricultura, Pecuária e Desenvolvimento Rural, Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, IBqM, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Waldman J, Xavier MA, Vieira LR, Logullo R, Braz GRC, Tirloni L, Ribeiro JMC, Veenstra JA, Silva Vaz ID. Neuropeptides in Rhipicephalus microplus and other hard ticks. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101910. [PMID: 35121230 PMCID: PMC9477089 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The synganglion is the central nervous system of ticks and, as such, controls tick physiology. It does so through the production and release of signaling molecules, many of which are neuropeptides. These peptides can function as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and/or neurohormones, although in most cases their functions remain to be established. We identified and performed in silico characterization of neuropeptides present in different life stages and organs of Rhipicephalus microplus, generating transcriptomes from ovary, salivary glands, fat body, midgut and embryo. Annotation of synganglion transcripts led to the identification of 32 functional categories of proteins, of which the most abundant were: secreted, energetic metabolism and oxidant metabolism/detoxification. Neuropeptide precursors are among the sequences over-represented in R. microplus synganglion, with at least 5-fold higher transcription compared with other stages/organs. A total of 52 neuropeptide precursors were identified: ACP, achatin, allatostatins A, CC and CCC, allatotropin, bursicon A/B, calcitonin A and B, CCAP, CCHamide, CCRFamide, CCH/ITP, corazonin, DH31, DH44, eclosion hormone, EFLamide, EFLGGPamide, elevenin, ETH, FMRFamide myosuppressin-like, glycoprotein A2/B5, gonadulin, IGF, inotocin, insulin-like peptides, iPTH, leucokinin, myoinhibitory peptide, NPF 1 and 2, orcokinin, proctolin, pyrokinin/periviscerokinin, relaxin, RYamide, SIFamide, sNPF, sulfakinin, tachykinin and trissin. Several of these neuropeptides have not been previously reported in ticks, as the presence of ETH that was first clearly identified in Parasitiformes, which include ticks and mites. Prediction of the mature neuropeptides from precursor sequences was performed using available information about these peptides from other species, conserved domains and motifs. Almost all neuropeptides identified are also present in other tick species. Characterizing the role of neuropeptides and their respective receptors in tick physiology can aid the evaluation of their potential as drug targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Waldman
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Marina Amaral Xavier
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Rezende Vieira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Raquel Logullo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gloria Regina Cardoso Braz
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - José Marcos C Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jan A Veenstra
- Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, UMR 5287 CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lu X, Zhang Z, Yuan D, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang H, da Silva Vaz I, Zhou J. The ecdysteroid receptor regulates salivary gland degeneration through apoptosis in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:612. [PMID: 34930413 PMCID: PMC8686549 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05052-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is well established that ecdysteroid hormones play an important role in arthropod development and reproduction, mediated by ecdysteroid receptors. Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods and vectors of pathogens. The salivary gland plays an essential role in tick growth and reproduction and in the transmission of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. During tick development, the salivary gland undergoes degeneration triggered by ecdysteroid hormones and activated by apoptosis. However, it is unknown how the ecdysteroid receptor and apoptosis regulate salivary gland degeneration. Here, we report the functional ecdysteroid receptor (a heterodimer of the ecdysone receptor [EcR] and ultraspiracle [USP]) isolated from the salivary gland of the tick Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and explore the molecular mechanism of ecdysteroid receptor regulation of salivary gland degeneration. Methods The full length of RhEcR and RhUSP open reading frames (ORFs) was obtained from the transcriptome. The RhEcR and RhUSP proteins were expressed in a bacterial heterologous system, Escherichia coli. Polyclonal antibodies were produced against synthetic peptides and were able to recognize recombinant and native proteins. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were used to detect the distribution of RhEcR, RhUSP, and RhCaspases in the R. haemaphysaloides organs. A proteomics approach was used to analyze the expression profiles of the ecdysteroid receptors, RhCaspases, and other proteins. To analyze the function of the ecdysteroid receptor, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to silence the genes in adult female ticks. Finally, the interaction of RhEcR and RhUSP was identified by heterologous co-expression assays in HEK293T cells. Results We identified the functional ecdysone receptor (RhEcR/RhUSP) of 20-hydroxyecdysone from the salivary gland of the tick R. haemaphysaloides. The RhEcR and RhUSP genes have three and two isoforms, respectively, and belong to a nuclear receptor family but with variable N-terminal A/B domains. The RhEcR gene silencing inhibited blood-feeding, blocked engorgement, and restrained salivary gland degeneration, showing the biological role of the RhEcR gene in ticks. In the ecdysteroid signaling pathway, RhEcR silencing inhibited salivary gland degeneration by suppressing caspase-dependent apoptosis. The heterologous expression in mammalian HEK293T cells showed that RhEcR1 interacts with RhUSP1 and induces caspase-dependent apoptosis. Conclusions These data show that RhEcR has an essential role in tick physiology and represents a putative target for the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05052-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zhipeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Dongqi Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hu S, Wang Y, Xu Z, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang H, Zhou J. Identification of the Bcl-2 and Bax homologs from Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and their function in the degeneration of tick salivary glands. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:386. [PMID: 34348769 PMCID: PMC8336254 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04879-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The salivary glands of female ticks degenerate rapidly by apoptosis and autophagy after feeding. Bcl-2 family proteins play an important role in the apoptosis pathways, but the functions of these proteins in ticks are unclear. We studied Bcl-2 and Bax homologs from Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and determined their functions in the degeneration of the salivary glands. Methods Two molecules containing conserved BH (Bcl-2 family homology) domains were identified and named RhBcl-2 and RhBax. After protein purification and mouse immunization, specific polyclonal antibodies (PcAb) were created in response to the recombinant proteins. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot were used to detect the presence of RhBcl-2 and RhBax in ticks. TUNEL assays were used to determine the level of apoptosis in the salivary glands of female ticks at different feeding times after gene silencing. Co-transfection and GST pull-down assays were used to identify interactions between RhBcl-2 and RhBax. Results The RT-qPCR assay revealed that RhBax gene transcription increased significantly during feeding at all tick developmental stages (engorged larvae, nymphs, and adult females). Transcriptional levels of RhBcl-2 and RhBax increased more significantly in the female salivary glands than in other tissues post engorgement. RhBcl-2 silencing significantly inhibited tick feeding. In contrast, RhBax interference had no effect on tick feeding. TUNEL staining showed that apoptosis levels were significantly reduced after interference with RhBcl-2 expression. Co-transfection and GST pull-down assays showed that RhBcl-2 and RhBax could interact but not combine in the absence of the BH3 domain. Conclusions This study identified the roles of RhBcl-2 and RhBax in tick salivary gland degeneration and finds that the BH3 domain is a key factor in their interactions. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04879-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanming Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zhengmao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tuerdi M, Hu S, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang H, Zhou J. Engorgement of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides ticks blocked by silencing a protein inhibitor of apoptosis. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 84:623-636. [PMID: 34136982 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00637-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) are regulators of cell death and may play a role in the salivary glands of ticks during blood-feeding. We cloned the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of the IAP gene in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (RhIAP). The RhIAP ORF of 1887 bp encodes a predicted protein of 607 amino acids, which contains three baculovirus IAP repeat domains and a RING finger motif. A real-time PCR assay showed that RhIAP mRNA was expressed in all the tick developmental stages (eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults) and in all tissues examined (midgut, ovary, salivary glands, fat body, and hemolymph). Western blot showed that the protein level of RhIAP in salivary glands increased during tick blood-feeding and decreased towards the end of tick engorgement. RhIAP gene silencing in vitro experiments with salivary glands demonstrated that RhIAP could be effectively knocked down within 48 h after dsRNA treatment, and as a consequence, salivary glands displayed apoptotic morphology. RhIAP gene silencing also inhibited tick blood-feeding and decreased the engorgement rate. These data suggest that RhIAP might be a suitable RNAi target for tick control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayinuer Tuerdi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shanming Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mitochondrion-Dependent Apoptosis Is Essential for Rickettsia parkeri Infection and Replication in Vector Cells. mSystems 2021; 6:6/2/e01209-20. [PMID: 33727398 PMCID: PMC8546998 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01209-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis is an innate immune response induced by infection in eukaryotes that contributes significantly to protection from pathogens. However, little is known about the role of apoptosis in the interactions of arthropod vectors with the rickettsiae that they transmit. Rickettsia spp. are vector-borne obligately intracellular bacteria and display different degrees of virulence in their eukaryotic hosts. In this study, we found that infection with Rickettsia parkeri (Rp) activated the apoptosis pathway in an Amblyomma americanum tick cell line (AAE2), as evidenced by the loss of phospholipid membrane asymmetry and DNA fragmentations. Additionally, infection with Rp also led to apoptosis activation in cell lines of different tick species. Interestingly, suppressing apoptosis decreased Rp infection and replication, while the activation of apoptosis increased Rp accumulation at the early stage of infection. Moreover, mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis was essential for Rp infection and replication in vector cells, and apoptosis induction required intracellular rickettsia replication. We further showed that Rp utilizes two different survival strategies to modulate apoptosis in the arthropod vectors and mammalian host cells. There was no direct correlation between apoptosis activation in vector cells and rickettsial pathogenicity. These novel findings indicate a possible mechanism whereby apoptosis facilitates infection and replication of a Rickettsia sp. in an arthropod vector. These results contribute to our understanding of how the vector's responses to pathogen infection affect pathogen replication and therefore transmission. IMPORTANCE Rickettsioses, infections caused by the genus Rickettsia, are among the oldest known infectious diseases. Ticks are essential arthropod vectors for rickettsiae, and knowledge about the interactions between ticks, their hosts, and pathogens is fundamental for identifying drivers of tick-borne rickettsioses. Despite the rapid development in apoptosis research with rickettsiae, little is known regarding the role of apoptosis in the interactions between Rickettsia spp., vertebrate hosts, and arthropod vectors. Here, we demonstrated that mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis is essential for rickettsial infection and replication in vector cells and that apoptosis induction requires intracellular rickettsial replication. However, rickettsial pathogenicity is not linked with apoptosis activation in tick cells. Our findings improve understanding of the apoptosis mechanism in arthropods exploited by rickettsiae and also the potential to discover specific targets for new vaccines and drugs to prevent or treat rickettsial infections.
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang Y, Zhang H, Luo L, Zhou Y, Cao J, Xuan X, Suzuki H, Zhou J. ATG5 is instrumental in the transition from autophagy to apoptosis during the degeneration of tick salivary glands. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009074. [PMID: 33513141 PMCID: PMC7875341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Female tick salivary glands undergo rapid degeneration several days post engorgement. This degeneration may be caused by the increased concentration of ecdysone in the hemolymph during the fast feeding period and both autophagy and apoptosis occur. In this work, we first proved autophagy-related gene (ATG) and caspase gene expression peaks during degeneration of the tick salivary glands. We explored the regulatory role of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides autophagy-related 5 (RhATG5) in the degeneration of tick salivary glands. During the fast feeding phase, RhATG5 was cleaved and both calcium concentration and the transcription of Rhcalpains increased in the salivary glands. Recombinant RhATG5 was cleaved by μ-calpain only in the presence of calcium; the mutant RhATG5191-199Δ was not cleaved. Treatment with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) led to programmed cell death in the salivary glands of unfed ticks in vitro, RhATG8-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was upregulated in ticks treated with low concentration of 20E. Conversely, RhATG8-PE decreased and Rhcaspase-7 increased in ticks treated with a high concentration of 20E and transformed autophagy to apoptosis. High concentrations of 20E led to the cleavage of RhATG5. Calcium concentration and expression of Rhcalpains were also upregulated in the tick salivary glands. RNA interference (RNAi) of RhATG5 in vitro inhibited both autophagy and apoptosis of the tick salivary glands. RNAi of RhATG5 in vivo significantly inhibited the normal feeding process. These results demonstrated that high concentrations of 20E led to the cleavage of RhATG5 by increasing the concentration of calcium and stimulated the transition from autophagy to apoptosis. Ticks are well-known pathogen vectors which transmitted virus, bacterial and protozoan. They are considered to be second only to mosquitoes as global vectors of human diseases. Most tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are transmitted to hosts through tick bites assisted by saliva. Control of ticks has been achieved primarily by the application of acaricides, a method that has drawbacks such as environmental contamination and selection of pesticide-resistant ticks. Understanding the tick physiological characteristics is the key step for this objective; however, there are knowledge gap remained in tick physiology. Tick salivary glands rapidly degenerate and disappear within 4 days post engorgement. In this research, we are focused on tick salivary glands rapidly degeneration within 4 days post engorgement, and made several highlights findings: The first work demonstrated that 20E promotes both autophagy and apoptosis during tick salivary gland degeneration; RhATG5 is the first reported ATG5 homologue in ticks; RhATG5 play an important role in both autophagy and apoptosis during the degeneration of tick salivary glands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sabadin GA, Salomon TB, Leite MS, Benfato MS, Oliveira PL, da Silva Vaz I. An insight into the functional role of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes in adult Rhipicephalus microplus female ticks. Parasitol Int 2020; 81:102274. [PMID: 33352319 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Ticks have developed physiological adaptations to transport, store, metabolize and secrete toxic components from the diet and environment. Different classes of enzymes are involved in these processes, however, the role of several of them is not yet characterized in Rhipicephalus microplus. In this context, this work investigated the action of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes, as well as the levels of essential cellular reductants in R. microplus partially engorged females (PEF) and fully engorged females (FEF). Results demonstrated that enzymes transcriptional levels and enzymatic activity from ovary and fat body were higher in PEF than in FEF, except for ovary Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which was the only enzyme showing highest activity in the FEF stage. These results indicated a higher demand for antioxidant potential in these organs at the initial feeding phase than during egg-laying. In midgut, however, there was more variability in the transcriptional levels and activity of the different enzymes between the PEF and FEF phases. Similar NADPH levels were found in PEF and FEF phases, suggesting a remarkable capacity to maintain a regular supply of reducing power, despite the developmental changes and large intake of heme and iron. However, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were variable between PEF and FEF when distinct organs were compared. Taken together, our data suggest a higher demand for reducing potential in FEF ticks. The silencing of catalase (CAT) or thioredoxin reductase (TRx) genes in females did not impair feeding, egg-laying capacity, or larvae hatching. CAT-silenced ticks had increased ovary peroxidase activity, a possible compensatory antioxidant mechanism. Altogether, the results shed light on the complexity of the antioxidant and detoxification enzyme system in ticks and its involvement in different physiological mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela A Sabadin
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago B Salomon
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Milane S Leite
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mara S Benfato
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Escobar-Chavarría O, Cossío-Bayúgar R, Ramírez-Noguera P, Prado-Ochoa MG, Velázquez-Sánchez AM, Muñoz-Guzmán MA, Angeles E, Alba-Hurtado F. In vivo and in vitro apoptosis induced by new acaricidal ethyl-carbamates in Rhipicephalus microplus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101603. [PMID: 33221619 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The ability of ethyl-4-bromophenylcarbamate (LQM 919) and ethyl-4-chlorophenylcarbamate (LQM 996) to induce in vivo apoptosis of Rhipicephalus microplus ovarian cells and in vitro apoptosis of tick and mammalian cell culture was evaluated. The ovaries of engorged females treated with 1 mg mL-1 LQM 919 or LQM 996 presented more (p < 0.001) peroxidase-TUNEL-positive labeled cells (apoptotic cells) in situ than their respective control groups, and this increase was time-dependent (p < 0.001). The majority of apoptotic cells were observed in the epithelium and ovarian pedicel. HepG2, Vero and Rm-sus cells, as well as cells from primary cultures of R. microplus salivary glands, intestine and ovaries were exposed to different concentrations of the ethyl-carbamates. Both ethyl-carbamates induced a concentration-dependent reduction in the viability of all cell types (p < 0.001). Exposure to the ethyl-carbamates increased caspase 3 activity (p < 0.01) in primary cultures and cell lines, except in HepG2 cells. Fluorescent TUNEL-positive cells were observed in all cell types treated with 600 μM LQM 919 or LQM 996. These results indicate that both ethyl-carbamates induce apoptosis of the ovarian, intestinal and salivary glands cells in R. microplus and strongly suggest that this is their main mechanism of acaricidal action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Escobar-Chavarría
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de la Producción y de la Salud Animal, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - R Cossío-Bayúgar
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Disciplinarias en Salud Animal e Inocuidad, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Mexico
| | - P Ramírez-Noguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - M G Prado-Ochoa
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - A M Velázquez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Química Medicinal, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - M A Muñoz-Guzmán
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - E Angeles
- Laboratorio de Química Medicinal, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - F Alba-Hurtado
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang Y, Hu S, Tuerdi M, Yu X, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Cao J, da Silva Vaz I, Zhou J. Initiator and executioner caspases in salivary gland apoptosis of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:288. [PMID: 32503655 PMCID: PMC7275347 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apoptosis is fundamental in maintaining cell balance in multicellular organisms, and caspases play a crucial role in apoptosis pathways. It is reported that apoptosis plays an important role in tick salivary gland degeneration. Several different caspases have been found in ticks, but the interactions between them are currently unknown. Here, we report three new caspases, isolated from the salivary glands of the tick Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. METHODS The full-length cDNA of the RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9 genes were obtained by transcriptome, and RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9 were expressed in E. coli; after protein purification and immunization in mice, specific polyclonal antibodies (PcAb) were created in response to the recombinant protein. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot were used to detect the existence of RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9 in ticks. TUNEL assays were used to determine the apoptosis level in salivary glands at different feeding times after gene silencing. The interaction between RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9 were identified by co-transfection assays. RESULTS The transcription of apoptosis-related genes in R. haemaphysaloides salivary glands increased significantly after tick engorgement. Three caspase-like molecules containing conserved caspase domains were identified and named RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9. RhCaspase8 and RhCaspase9 contain a long pro-domain at their N-terminals. An RT-qPCR assay demonstrated that the transcription of these three caspase genes increased significantly during the engorged periods of the tick developmental stages (engorged larval, nymph, and adult female ticks). Transcriptional levels of RhCaspases 7, 8 and 9 in salivary glands increased more significantly than other tissues post-engorgement. RhCaspase9-RNAi treatment significantly inhibited tick feeding. In contrast, knockdown of RhCaspase7 and RhCaspase8 had no influence on tick feeding. Compared to the control group, apoptosis levels were significantly reduced after interfering with RhCaspase 7, 8 and 9 expressions. Co-transfection assays showed RhCaspase7 was cleaved by RhCaspases 8 and 9, demonstrating that RhCaspases 8 and 9 are initiator caspases and RhCaspase7 is an executioner caspase. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify initiator and executioner caspases in ticks, confirm the interaction among them, and associate caspase activation with tick salivary gland degeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Shanming Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Mayinuer Tuerdi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Xinmao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS Brazil
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang F, Gong H, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhou J. Molecular characterization, tissue-specific expression, and RNA knockdown of the putative heat shock cognate 70 protein from Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:1363-1370. [PMID: 30891634 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06258-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Heat shock cognate 70-kDa protein (RH-Hsc70) was identified from a cDNA library synthesized from the sialotranscriptomes of unfed and fed Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. The RH-Hsc70 open reading frame is 1950 bp long and encodes a protein that is 649 amino acids in length, with a predicted molecular weight of 71.1 kDa and a theoretical pI of 5.43. RH-Hsc70 exhibits 98% amino acid identity with Hsc70 in Haemaphysalis flava and 83% identity with Hsc70 in arthropods and mammals. RH-Hsc70 was mainly expressed in nymphs and adult ticks, not in larvae. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that RH-Hsc70 mRNA expression was induced by blood feeding in adult ticks. In addition, RH-Hsc70 gene expression was higher in the ovaries of fed adult ticks than that in the midguts, salivary glands, and fat bodies of unfed or fed adult ticks. RH-Hsc70 gene knockdown inhibited tick blood feeding, significantly decreased tick engorgement rate, and increased tick death rate. These data illustrate the importance of RH-Hsc70 in tick blood feeding and aging, which makes it a promising candidate for the development of anti-tick vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
- College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Hanshan District, Handan, 056038, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang H, Zhang X, Wang X, Zhang B, Wang M, Yang X, Han X, Wang R, Ren S, Hu Y, Liu J. Comprehensive Analysis of the Global Protein Changes That Occur During Salivary Gland Degeneration in Female Ixodid Ticks Haemaphysalis longicornis. Front Physiol 2019; 9:1943. [PMID: 30723423 PMCID: PMC6349780 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are notorious blood-sucking arthropods that can spread a variety of pathogens and cause great harm to the health of humans, wildlife and domestic animals. The salivary glands of female ticks degenerate rapidly when the ticks reach critical weight or become engorged, which can be caused by hormones and by the synergistic effects of multiple proteins. To explore the complex molecular mechanisms of salivary gland degeneration in ticks, this study applies iTRAQ quantitative proteomic technology for the first time to study changes in protein expression in the salivary glands of female Haemaphysalis longicornis during the process of degeneration and to search for proteins that play an important role in salivary gland degeneration. It was found that the expression of some proteins associated with energy production was continuously down-regulated during salivary gland degeneration, while some proteins associated with DNA or protein degradation were consistently up-regulated. Furthermore, the expression of some proteins related to cell apoptosis or autophagy was also changed. These proteins were knocked down by RNAi to observe the phenotypic and physiological changes in female ticks. The results showed that the time required for engorgement and the mortality rates of the female ticks increased after RNAi of F0F1-type ATP synthase, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase, cytochrome C, or apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). The corresponding engorged weights, oviposition amounts, and egg hatching rates of the female ticks decreased after RNAi. Interference of the expression of AIF in engorged ticks by RNAi showed that the degeneration of salivary glands of female ticks was slowed down.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Baowen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Minjing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xuying Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shuguang Ren
- The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuhong Hu
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gajski G, Žegura B, Ladeira C, Pourrut B, Del Bo’ C, Novak M, Sramkova M, Milić M, Gutzkow KB, Costa S, Dusinska M, Brunborg G, Collins A. The comet assay in animal models: From bugs to whales – (Part 1 Invertebrates). MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2019; 779:82-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
14
|
Moura-Martiniano NO, Machado-Ferreira E, Gazêta GS, Soares CAG. Relative transcription of autophagy-related genes in Amblyomma sculptum and Rhipicephalus microplus ticks. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 73:401-428. [PMID: 29181673 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0193-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ticks endure stressful off-host periods and perform as vectors of a diversity of infectious agents, thus engaging pathways that expectedly demand for autophagy. Little is known of ticks' autophagy, a conserved eukaryotic machinery assisting in homeostasis processes that also participates in tissue-dependent metabolic functions. Here, the autophagy-related ATG4 (autophagin-1), ATG6 (beclin-1) and ATG8 (LC3) mRNAs from the human diseases vector Amblyomma sculptum and the cattle-tick Rhipicephalus microplus were identified. Comparative qPCR quantifications evidenced different transcriptional status for the ATG genes in the salivary glands (SG), ovaries and intestines of actively feeding ticks. These ATGs had increased relative transcription under nutrient-deprivation, as determined by validation tests with R. microplus embryo-derivative cells BME26 and A. sculptum SG explants incubations in HBSS. Starvation lead to 4-31.8× and ~ 60-500× increments on the ATGs mRNA loads in BME26 and A. sculptum SG explants, respectively. PI3K inhibitor 3MA treatment also affected ATGs expression in BME26. Some ATGs were more transcribed in the SGs than in the ovaries of cattle-ticks. Amblyomma sculptum/R. microplus interspecific comparisons showed that ATG4 and ATG6 were 0.18× less expressed in A. sculptum SGs, but ~ 10-100× more expressed in their ovaries when compared to R. microplus organs. ATG4 and ATG8a transcript loads were ~ 120× and ~ 40× higher, respectively, in A. sculptum intestines when compared to cattle-ticks of similar weight category. ATGs expression in A. sculptum intestines increased with tick weight, indicating Atgs contribution to intracellular blood digestion. Possible roles of the autophagy machinery and their organ-specific expression profile on vector biology are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole O Moura-Martiniano
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erik Machado-Ferreira
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto S Gazêta
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional em Vetores das Riquetsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Augusto Gomes Soares
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes e Simbiontes, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- , Ilha do Fundão, CCS, Bloco A, Lab. A2-120. Rua Professor Rodolpho Paulo Rocco S/N, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-617, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kim TK, Tirloni L, Pinto AFM, Moresco J, Yates JR, da Silva Vaz I, Mulenga A. Ixodes scapularis Tick Saliva Proteins Sequentially Secreted Every 24 h during Blood Feeding. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004323. [PMID: 26751078 PMCID: PMC4709002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis is the most medically important tick species and transmits five of the 14 reportable human tick borne disease (TBD) agents in the USA. This study describes LC-MS/MS identification of 582 tick- and 83 rabbit proteins in saliva of I. scapularis ticks that fed for 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h, as well as engorged but not detached (BD), and spontaneously detached (SD). The 582 tick proteins include proteases (5.7%), protease inhibitors (7.4%), unknown function proteins (22%), immunity/antimicrobial (2.6%), lipocalin (3.1%), heme/iron binding (2.6%), extracellular matrix/ cell adhesion (2.2%), oxidant metabolism/ detoxification (6%), transporter/ receptor related (3.2%), cytoskeletal (5.5%), and housekeeping-like (39.7%). Notable observations include: (i) tick saliva proteins of unknown function accounting for >33% of total protein content, (ii) 79% of proteases are metalloproteases, (iii) 13% (76/582) of proteins in this study were found in saliva of other tick species and, (iv) ticks apparently selectively inject functionally similar but unique proteins every 24 h, which we speculate is the tick's antigenic variation equivalent strategy to protect important tick feeding functions from host immune system. The host immune responses to proteins present in 24 h I. scapularis saliva will not be effective at later feeding stages. Rabbit proteins identified in our study suggest the tick's strategic use of host proteins to modulate the feeding site. Notably fibrinogen, which is central to blood clotting and wound healing, was detected in high abundance in BD and SD saliva, when the tick is preparing to terminate feeding and detach from the host. A remarkable tick adaptation is that the feeding lesion is completely healed when the tick detaches from the host. Does the tick concentrate fibrinogen at the feeding site to aide in promoting healing of the feeding lesion? Overall, these data provide broad insight into molecular mechanisms regulating different tick feeding phases. These data set the foundation for in depth I. scapularis tick feeding physiology and TBD transmission studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Antônio F. M. Pinto
- Centro de Pesquisas em Biologia Molecular e Funcional, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Tuberculose (INCT-TB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James Moresco
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - John R. Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tirloni L, Islam MS, Kim TK, Diedrich JK, Yates JR, Pinto AFM, Mulenga A, You MJ, Da Silva Vaz I. Saliva from nymph and adult females of Haemaphysalis longicornis: a proteomic study. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:338. [PMID: 26104117 PMCID: PMC4484640 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0918-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemaphysalis longicornis is a major vector of Theileria spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Coxiella burnetti in East Asian countries. All life stages of ixodid ticks have a destructive pool-feeding style in which they create a pool-feeding site by lacerating host tissue and secreting a variety of biologically active compounds that allows the tick to evade host responses, enabling the uptake of a blood meal. The identification and functional characterization of tick saliva proteins can be useful to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in tick development and to conceive new anti-tick control methods. METHODS H. longicornis tick saliva was collected from fully engorged nymphs and fully engorged adults induced by dopamine or pilocarpine, respectively. Saliva was digested with trypsin for LC-MS/MS sequencing and peptides were searched against tick and rabbit sequences. RESULTS A total of 275 proteins were identified, of which 135 were tick and 100 were rabbit proteins. Of the tick proteins, 30 proteins were identified exclusively in fully engorged nymph saliva, 74 in fully engorged adult females, and 31 were detected in both stages. The identified tick proteins include heme/iron metabolism-related proteins, oxidation/detoxification proteins, enzymes, proteinase inhibitors, tick-specific protein families, and cytoskeletal proteins. Proteins involved in signal transduction, transport and metabolism of carbohydrate, energy, nucleotide, amino acids and lipids were also detected. Of the rabbit proteins, 13 were present in nymph saliva, 48 in adult saliva, and 30 were present in both. The host proteins include immunoglobulins, complement system proteins, antimicrobial proteins, serum albumin, peroxiredoxin, serotransferrin, apolipoprotein, hemopexin, proteinase inhibitors, and hemoglobin/red blood cells-related products. CONCLUSIONS This study allows the identification of H. longicornis saliva proteins. In spontaneously detached tick saliva various proteins were identified, although results obtained with saliva of fully engorged ticks need to be carefully interpreted. However, it is interesting to note that proteins identified in this study were also described in other tick saliva proteomes using partially engorged tick saliva, including hemelipoprotein, proteases, protease inhibitors, proteins related to structural functions, transporter activity, metabolic processes, and others. In conclusion, these data can provide a deeper understanding to the biology of H. longicornis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Tirloni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Mohammad Saiful Islam
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.
| | - Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Antônio F M Pinto
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Centro de Pesquisas em Biologia Molecular e Funcional, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Tuberculose (INCT-TB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Myung-Jo You
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Itabajara Da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gomes H, Moraes J, Githaka N, Martins R, Isezaki M, Vaz IDS, Logullo C, Konnai S, Ohashi K. Vaccination with cyclin-dependent kinase tick antigen confers protection against Ixodes infestation. Vet Parasitol 2015; 211:266-73. [PMID: 26073111 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Among arthropods, ticks lead as vectors of animal diseases and rank second to mosquitoes in transmitting human pathogens. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) participate in cell cycle control in eukaryotes. CDKs are serine/threonine protein kinases and these catalytic subunits are activated or inactivated at specific stages of the cell cycle. To determine the potential of using CDKs as anti-tick vaccine antigens, hamsters were immunized with recombinant Ixodes persulcatus CDK10, followed by a homologous tick challenge. Though it was not exactly unexpected, IpCDK10 vaccination significantly impaired tick blood feeding and fecundity, which manifested as low engorgement weights, poor oviposition, and a reduction in 80% of hatching rates. These findings may underpin the development of more efficacious anti-tick vaccines based on the targeting of cell cycle control proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helga Gomes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda, NUPEM - UFRJ, Campus Macaé, Avenida São José do Barreto, São José do Barreto, Macaé, RJ CEP 27971-220, Brazil.
| | - Jorge Moraes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda, NUPEM - UFRJ, Campus Macaé, Avenida São José do Barreto, São José do Barreto, Macaé, RJ CEP 27971-220, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco H, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Naftaly Githaka
- Tick Vector Laboratory, International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Renato Martins
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Unidade de Experimentação Animal - CBB - UENF, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Horto, Campos dos Goytacazes RJ, CEP 28015-620, Brazil
| | - Masayoshi Isezaki
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia e Faculdade de Veterinária, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS C.P. 15005, CEP 91501-970, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Unidade de Experimentação Animal - CBB - UENF, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Horto, Campos dos Goytacazes RJ, CEP 28015-620, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohashi
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Histoarchitecture of the ovary of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus during pre- and postengorgement period. ScientificWorldJournal 2015; 2015:126584. [PMID: 25664337 PMCID: PMC4309210 DOI: 10.1155/2015/126584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The present communication describes the detailed day wise study of histological changes of the ovary of
Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus in the postengorgement period together with the systematic
classification of their oocytes. The ovary of R. (B.) annulatus is panoistic type with an asynchronous
development of oocytes. All the stages (II, III, IV, and V) of oocytes except stage I were similar to R. (B.) microplus.
The stage I oocytes showed basophilia, which was not reported earlier in other species of ticks. Day wise changes were in the form of presence of oogonia in
partially fed and day one engorged adults, considerable degeneration of oocytes on day two, emergence of new wave of oocytes on day three,
presence of mature oocytes up to day eight, and complete degeneration of ovarian tissue from day eight onwards. The degenerative changes
in the ovary appeared initially in the oocytes followed by germinal epithelium.
Collapse
|
19
|
Ullah SA, Kaufman WR. Salivary gland degeneration and ovarian development in the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles (Acari: Ixodidae). I. Post-engorgement events. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:569-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
20
|
Tirloni L, Reck J, Terra RMS, Martins JR, Mulenga A, Sherman NE, Fox JW, Yates JR, Termignoni C, Pinto AFM, da Silva Vaz I. Proteomic analysis of cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus saliva: a comparison between partially and fully engorged females. PLoS One 2014; 9:e94831. [PMID: 24762651 PMCID: PMC3998978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is one of the most harmful parasites affecting bovines. Similarly to other hematophagous ectoparasites, R. microplus saliva contains a collection of bioactive compounds that inhibit host defenses against tick feeding activity. Thus, the study of tick salivary components offers opportunities for the development of immunological based tick control methods and medicinal applications. So far, only a few proteins have been identified in cattle tick saliva. The aim of this work was to identify proteins present in R. microplus female tick saliva at different feeding stages. Proteomic analysis of R. microplus saliva allowed identifying peptides corresponding to 187 and 68 tick and bovine proteins, respectively. Our data confirm that (i) R. microplus saliva is complex, and (ii) that there are remarkable differences in saliva composition between partially engorged and fully engorged female ticks. R. microplus saliva is rich mainly in (i) hemelipoproteins and other transporter proteins, (ii) secreted cross-tick species conserved proteins, (iii) lipocalins, (iv) peptidase inhibitors, (v) antimicrobial peptides, (vii) glycine-rich proteins, (viii) housekeeping proteins and (ix) host proteins. This investigation represents the first proteomic study about R. microplus saliva, and reports the most comprehensive Ixodidae tick saliva proteome published to date. Our results improve the understanding of tick salivary modulators of host defense to tick feeding, and provide novel information on the tick-host relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Tirloni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - José Reck
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor, Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Renata Maria Soares Terra
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- CAPES, Ministério da Educação do Brasil, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - João Ricardo Martins
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor, Fundação Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nicholas E. Sherman
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jay W. Fox
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - John R. Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Antônio F. M. Pinto
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- CAPES, Ministério da Educação do Brasil, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Galay RL, Maeda H, Kawano S, Tanaka T, Fukumoto S, Suzuki H, Tsuji N, Fujisaki K. Expression analysis of autophagy-related genes in the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Vet Parasitol 2014; 201:169-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
22
|
de Abreu LA, Calixto C, Waltero CF, Della Noce BP, Githaka NW, Seixas A, Parizi LF, Konnai S, Vaz IDSJ, Ohashi K, Logullo C. The conserved role of the AKT/GSK3 axis in cell survival and glycogen metabolism in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus embryo tick cell line BME26. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1830:2574-82. [PMID: 23274741 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Revised: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 12/15/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tick embryogenesis is a metabolically intensive process developed under tightly controlled conditions and whose components are poorly understood. METHODS In order to characterize the role of AKT (protein kinase B) in glycogen metabolism and cell viability, glycogen determination, identification and cloning of an AKT from Rhipicephalus microplus were carried out, in parallel with experiments using RNA interference (RNAi) and chemical inhibition. RESULTS A decrease in glycogen content was observed when AKT was chemically inhibited by 10-DEBC treatment, while GSK3 inhibition by alsterpaullone had an opposing effect. RmAKT ORF is 1584-bp long and encodes a polypeptide chain of 60.1 kDa. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses showed significant differences between vertebrate and tick AKTs. Either AKT or GSK3 knocked down cells showed a 70% reduction in target transcript levels, but decrease in AKT also reduced glycogen content, cell viability and altered cell membrane permeability. However, the GSK3 reduction promoted an increase in glycogen content. Additionally, either GSK3 inhibition or gene silencing had a protective effect on BME26 viability after exposure to ultraviolet radiation. R. microplus AKT and GSK3 were widely expressed during embryo development. Taken together, our data support an antagonistic role for AKT and GSK3, and strongly suggest that such a signaling axis is conserved in tick embryos, with AKT located upstream of GSK3. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The AKT/GSK3 axis is conserved in tick in a way that integrates glycogen metabolism and cell survival, and exhibits phylogenic differences that could be important for the development of novel control methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Araujo de Abreu
- LQFPP, CBB and Unidade de Experimentação Animal, RJ, UENF, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Horto, CEP 28013-602, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bissinger BW, Donohue KV, Khalil SMS, Grozinger CM, Sonenshine DE, Zhu J, Roe RM. Synganglion transcriptome and developmental global gene expression in adult females of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2011; 20:465-491. [PMID: 21689185 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2011.01086.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
454 Pyrosequencing was used to characterize the expressed genes from the synganglion and associated neurosecretory organs of unfed and partially fed virgin and mated replete females of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. A total of 14,881 contiguous sequences (contigs) was assembled, with an average size of 229 bp. Gene ontology terms for Level 2 biological processes were assigned to 4366 contigs. Seven acetylcholinesterases, a muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor, two nicotinic ACh receptor β-subunits, two ACh unc-18 regulators, two dopamine receptors, two gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, two GABA transporters, two norepinephrine transporters and an octopamine receptor are described. Microarrays were conducted to examine global gene expression and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to verify expression of selected neuropeptides. Hierarchical clustering of all differentially expressed transcripts grouped part-fed and replete ticks as being more similar in terms of differentially expressed genes with unfed ticks as the outgroup. Nine putative neuropeptides (allatostatin, bursicon-β, preprocorazonin, glycoprotein hormone α, insulin-like peptide, three orcokinins, preprosulphakinin) and a gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor were differentially expressed, and their developmental expression and role in reproduction was investigated. The presence of eclosion hormone, corazonin and bursicon in the synganglion, which in insects regulate behaviour and cuticle development associated with moulting, suggest that this system may be used in ticks to regulate blood feeding, cuticle expansion and development related to female reproduction; adult ticks do not moult.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B W Bissinger
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7647, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Barrero RA, Keeble-Gagnère G, Zhang B, Moolhuijzen P, Ikeo K, Tateno Y, Gojobori T, Guerrero FD, Lew-Tabor A, Bellgard M. Evolutionary conserved microRNAs are ubiquitously expressed compared to tick-specific miRNAs in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:328. [PMID: 21699734 PMCID: PMC3141673 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 06/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that act as regulators of gene expression in eukaryotes modulating a large diversity of biological processes. The discovery of miRNAs has provided new opportunities to understand the biology of a number of species. The cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, causes significant economic losses in cattle production worldwide and this drives us to further understand their biology so that effective control measures can be developed. To be able to provide new insights into the biology of cattle ticks and to expand the repertoire of tick miRNAs we utilized Illumina technology to sequence the small RNA transcriptomes derived from various life stages and selected organs of R. microplus. RESULTS To discover and profile cattle tick miRNAs we employed two complementary approaches, one aiming to find evolutionary conserved miRNAs and another focused on the discovery of novel cattle-tick specific miRNAs. We found 51 evolutionary conserved R. microplus miRNA loci, with 36 of these previously found in the tick Ixodes scapularis. The majority of the R. microplus miRNAs are perfectly conserved throughout evolution with 11, 5 and 15 of these conserved since the Nephrozoan (640 MYA), Protostomian (620MYA) and Arthropoda (540 MYA) ancestor, respectively. We then employed a de novo computational screening for novel tick miRNAs using the draft genome of I. scapularis and genomic contigs of R. microplus as templates. This identified 36 novel R. microplus miRNA loci of which 12 were conserved in I. scapularis. Overall we found 87 R. microplus miRNA loci, of these 15 showed the expression of both miRNA and miRNA* sequences. R. microplus miRNAs showed a variety of expression profiles, with the evolutionary-conserved miRNAs mainly expressed in all life stages at various levels, while the expression of novel tick-specific miRNAs was mostly limited to particular life stages and/or tick organs. CONCLUSIONS Anciently acquired miRNAs in the R. microplus lineage not only tend to accumulate the least amount of nucleotide substitutions as compared to those recently acquired miRNAs, but also show ubiquitous expression profiles through out tick life stages and organs contrasting with the restricted expression profiles of novel tick-specific miRNAs.
Collapse
|
25
|
Lima CA, Torquato RJ, Sasaki SD, Justo GZ, Tanaka AS. Biochemical characterization of a Kunitz type inhibitor similar to dendrotoxins produced by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) hemocytes. Vet Parasitol 2010; 167:279-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
26
|
"Candidatus Midichloria" endosymbionts bloom after the blood meal of the host, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2008; 74:6138-40. [PMID: 18689508 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00248-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
"Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii," an intracellular symbiont of the tick Ixodes ricinus, is the only described organism able to invade the mitochondria of any multicellular organism. We used quantitative PCR to examine cycles of bacterial growth and death throughout the host's development and found that they correspond with the phases of engorgement and molt, respectively.
Collapse
|