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van der Walt M, Möller DS, van Wyk RJ, Ferguson PM, Hind CK, Clifford M, Do Carmo Silva P, Sutton JM, Mason AJ, Bester MJ, Gaspar ARM. QSAR Reveals Decreased Lipophilicity of Polar Residues Determines the Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptide Activity. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:26030-26049. [PMID: 38911757 PMCID: PMC11191095 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has increased rapidly, causing daunting morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional antibiotics due to their broad range of targets and low tendency to elicit resistance. However, potent antimicrobial activity is often accompanied by excessive cytotoxicity toward host cells, leading to a halt in AMP therapeutic development. Here, we present multivariate analyses that correlate 28 peptide properties to the activity and toxicity of 46 diverse African-derived AMPs and identify the negative lipophilicity of polar residues as an essential physiochemical property for selective antimicrobial activity. Twenty-seven active AMPs are identified, of which the majority are of scorpion or frog origin. Of these, thirteen are novel with no previously reported activities. Principal component analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) reveal that overall hydrophobicity, lipophilicity, and residue side chain surface area affect the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of an AMP. This has been well documented previously, but the present QSAR analysis additionally reveals that a decrease in the lipophilicity, contributed by those amino acids classified as polar, confers selectivity for a peptide to pathogen over mammalian cells. Furthermore, an increase in overall peptide charge aids selectivity toward Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, while selectivity toward Gram-positive bacteria is obtained through an increased number of small lipophilic residues. Finally, a conservative increase in peptide size in terms of sequence length and molecular weight also contributes to improved activity without affecting toxicity. Our findings suggest a novel approach for the rational design or modification of existing AMPs to increase pathogen selectivity and enhance therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandelie van der Walt
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Dalton S. Möller
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Rosalind J. van Wyk
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Philip M. Ferguson
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte K. Hind
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Clifford
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebe Do Carmo Silva
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - J. Mark Sutton
- Antimicrobial
Discovery Development and Diagnostics, Vaccine Evaluation and Development
Centre, UK Health Security Agency, Salisbury SP4 0JG, United Kingdom
| | - A. James Mason
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Megan J. Bester
- Department
of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Anabella R. M. Gaspar
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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Park SE, Kim JC, Im Y, Kim JS. Pathogenesis and defense mechanism while Beauveria bassiana JEF-410 infects poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280410. [PMID: 36800366 PMCID: PMC9937463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae), is a major pest that causes great damage to chicken egg production. In one of our previous studies, the management of red mites using entomopathogenic fungi was evaluated, and the acaricidal fungus Beauveria bassiana JEF-410 was selected for further research. In this study, we tried to elucidate the pathogenesis of B. bassiana JEF-410 and the defense mechanisms of red mites at a transcriptome level. Red mites collected from a chicken farm were treated with B. bassiana JEF-410. When the mortality of infected red mites reached 50%, transcriptome analyses were performed to determine the interaction between B. bassiana JEF-410 and red mites. Uninfected red mites and non-infecting fungus served as controls. In B. bassiana JEF-410, up-regulated gene expression was observed in tryptophan metabolism and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Genes related to acetyl-CoA synthesis were up-regulated in tryptophan metabolism, suggesting that energy metabolism and stress management were strongly activated. Secondary metabolites associated with fungal up-regulated DEGs were related to the production of substances toxic to insects such as beauvericin and beauveriolide, efflux pump of metabolites, energy production, and resistance to stress. In red mites, physical and immune responses that strengthen the cuticle against fungal infection were highly up-regulated. From these gene expression analyses, we identified essential factors for fungal infection and subsequent defenses of red mites. These results will serve as a strong platform for explaining the interaction between B. bassiana JEF-410 and red mites in the stage of active infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Eun Park
- Department of Agricultural Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Jong-Cheol Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Yeram Im
- Department of Agricultural Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Jae Su Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
- Department of Agricultural Convergence Technology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
- * E-mail:
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Wu J, Zhou X, Chen Q, Chen Z, Zhang J, Yang L, Sun Y, Wang G, Dai J, Feng T. Defensins as a promising class of tick antimicrobial peptides: a scoping review. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:71. [PMID: 35725522 PMCID: PMC9208123 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-00996-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are hematophagous parasites that transmit an extensive range of pathogens to their vertebrate hosts. Ticks can destroy invading microorganisms or alleviate infection via their rudimentary but orchestrated innate immune system. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important components of tick innate immunity. Among these humoral effector molecules, defensins are well-studied and widely identified in various species of Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks). This review was aimed at presenting the characterization of tick defensins from structure-based taxonomic status to antimicrobial function. Main text All published papers written in English from 2001 to May 2022 were searched through PubMed and Web of Science databases with the combination of relevant terms on tick defensins. Reports on identification and characterization of tick defensins were included. Of the 329 entries retrieved, 57 articles were finally eligible for our scoping review. Tick defensins mainly belong to the antibacterial ancient invertebrate-type defensins of the cis-defensins superfamily. They are generally small, cationic, and amphipathic, with six cysteine residues forming three intra-molecular disulfide bonds. Tick defensins primarily target membranes of a variety of pathogens, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. Since tick defensins have a high degree of variability, we summarize their common biological properties and enumerate representative peptides. Along with the various and potent antimicrobial activities, the role of tick defensins in determining vector competence is discussed. Conclusions Due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, tick defensins are considered novel candidates or targets for controlling infectious diseases. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wu
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xia Zhou
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Chen
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lele Yang
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yuxuan Sun
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Guohui Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.
| | - Jianfeng Dai
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Tingting Feng
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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Wang T, Wang T, Zhang M, Shi X, Zhang M, Wang H, Yang X, Yu Z, Liu J. The Ovarian Development Genes of Bisexual and Parthenogenetic Haemaphysalis longicornis Evaluated by Transcriptomics and Proteomics. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:783404. [PMID: 34977217 PMCID: PMC8714755 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.783404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick Haemaphysalis longicornis has two reproductive groups: a bisexual group (HLBP) and a parthenogenetic group (HLPP). The comparative molecular regulation of ovarian development in these two groups is unexplored. We conducted transcriptome sequencing and quantitative proteomics on the ovaries of HLBP and HLPP, in different feeding stages, to evaluate the molecular function of genes associated with ovarian development. The ovarian tissues of HLBP and HLPP were divided into three feeding stages (early-fed, partially-fed and engorged). A total of 87,233 genes and 2,833 proteins were annotated in the ovary of H. longicornis in the different feeding stages. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of functional pathway analysis indicated that Lysosome, MAPK Signaling Pathway, Phagosome, Regulation of Actin Cytoskeleton, Endocytosis, Apoptosis, Insulin Signaling Pathway, Oxidative Phosphorylation, and Sphingolipid Metabolism were most abundant in the ovary of H. longicornis in the different feeding stages. Comparing the DEGs between HLBP and HLPP revealed that the ABC Transporter, PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway and cAMP Signaling Pathway were the most enriched and suggested that the functions of signal transduction mechanisms may have changed during ovarian development. The functions of the annotated proteome of ovarian tissues were strongly correlated with the transcriptome annotation results, and these were further validated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In the HLBP, the expression of cathepsin L, secreted proteins and glycosidase proteins was significantly up-regulated during feeding stages. In the HLPP, the lysozyme, yolk proteins, heat shock protein, glutathione S transferase, myosin and ATP synthase proteins were up-regulated during feeding stages. The significant differences of the gene expression between HLBP and HLPP indicated that variations in the genetic background and molecular function might exist in the two groups. These results provide a foundation for understanding the molecular mechanism and exploring the functions of genes in the ovarian development of different reproductive groups of H. longicornis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhong Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Tongxuan Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xinyue Shi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Aguilar-Díaz H, Quiroz-Castañeda RE, Salazar-Morales K, Cossío-Bayúgar R, Miranda-Miranda E. Tick Immunobiology and Extracellular Traps: An Integrative Vision to Control of Vectors. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111511. [PMID: 34832666 PMCID: PMC8621429 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that infest a diverse number of vertebrate hosts. The tick immunobiology plays a significant role in establishing and transmitting many pathogens to their hosts. To control tick infestations, the acaricide application is a commonly used method with severe environmental consequences and the selection of tick-resistant populations. With these drawbacks, new tick control methods need to be developed, and the immune system of ticks contains a plethora of potential candidates for vaccine design. Additionally, tick immunity is based on an orchestrated action of humoral and cellular immune responses. Therefore, the actors of these responses are the object of our study in this review since they are new targets in anti-tick vaccine design. We present their role in the immune response that positions them as feasible targets that can be blocked, inhibited, interfered with, and overexpressed, and then elucidate a new method to control tick infestations through the development of vaccines. We also propose Extracellular Traps Formation (ETosis) in ticks as a process to eliminate their natural enemies and those pathogens they transmit (vectorial capacity), which results attractive since they are a source of acting molecules with potential use as vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Aguilar-Díaz
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Rosa Estela Quiroz-Castañeda
- Unidad de Anaplasmosis, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico;
| | - Karina Salazar-Morales
- Centro de Investigaciones Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico;
| | - Raquel Cossío-Bayúgar
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
| | - Estefan Miranda-Miranda
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
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6
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Li F, Gao Z, Wang K, Zhao Y, Wang H, Zhao M, Zhao Y, Bai L, Yu Z, Yang X. A novel defensin-like peptide contributing to antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity of the tick Dermacentor silvarum (Acari: Ixodidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:271-283. [PMID: 33452939 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-020-00584-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are the most diverse groups of antimicrobial peptides in invertebrate animals. In ticks, defensins show great potential as targets for tick control, and display future prospect for therapeutic drug development. In the present study, a novel defensin-like gene (Ds-defensin) contributing to the antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity of the tick Dermacentor silvarum was characterized. The full-length of the Ds-defensin gene was 382 bp, which displayed tissue-specific expression and was highly abundant in the salivary glands and carcasses of the adults. It encodes a 71-amino acid defensin-like protein, and the protein precursor is characterized by a 22-amino acid signal peptide and a 34-amino acid mature peptide. The peptide displayed potent activity against most of the tested gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, S. carnosus and Nocardia asteroides, and one tested gram-negative bacterium, Psychrobacter faecalis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the cell wall and surface of treated bacteria became rough and gradually formed pores after a 30-min exposure to the Ds-defensin peptide. Additionally, the peptide also showed significant antioxidant capacity. The above results implied that the defensin-like peptide may play an important role in tick defense and the interaction with microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjiao Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Zhihua Gao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Kuang Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Yinan Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Meichen Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Yawen Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Lingqian Bai
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China.
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China.
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7
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Pereira De Oliveira R, Hutet E, Lancelot R, Paboeuf F, Duhayon M, Boinas F, Pérez de León AA, Filatov S, Le Potier MF, Vial L. Differential vector competence of Ornithodoros soft ticks for African swine fever virus: What if it involves more than just crossing organic barriers in ticks? Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:618. [PMID: 33298119 PMCID: PMC7725119 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04497-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several species of soft ticks in genus Ornithodoros are known vectors and reservoirs of African swine fever virus (ASFV). However, the underlying mechanisms of vector competence for ASFV across Ornithodoros species remain to be fully understood. To that end, this study compared ASFV replication and dissemination as well as virus vertical transmission to descendants between Ornithodorosmoubata, O. erraticus, and O. verrucosus in relation to what is known about the ability of these soft tick species to transmit ASFV to pigs. To mimic the natural situation, a more realistic model was used where soft ticks were exposed to ASFV by allowing them to engorge on viremic pigs. Methods Ornithodoros moubata ticks were infected with the ASFV strains Liv13/33 (genotype I) or Georgia2007/1 (genotype II), O. erraticus with OurT88/1 (genotype I) or Georgia2007/1 (genotype II), and O. verrucosus with Ukr12/Zapo (genotype II), resulting in five different tick–virus pairs. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays targeting the VP72 ASFV gene was carried out over several months on crushed ticks to study viral replication kinetics. Viral titration assays were also carried out on crushed ticks 2 months post infection to confirm virus survival in soft ticks. Ticks were dissected. and DNA was individually extracted from the following organs to study ASFV dissemination: intestine, salivary glands, and reproductive organs. DNA extracts from each organ were tested by qPCR. Lastly, larval or first nymph-stage progeny emerging from hatching eggs were tested by qPCR to assess ASFV vertical transmission. Results Comparative analyses revealed higher rates of ASFV replication and dissemination in O. moubata infected with Liv13/33, while the opposite was observed for O. erraticus infected with Georgia2007/1 and for O. verrucosus with Ukr12/Zapo. Intermediate profiles were found for O. moubata infected with Georgia2007/1 and for O. erraticus with OurT88/1. Vertical transmission occurred efficiently in O. moubata infected with Liv13/33, and at very low rates in O. erraticus infected with OurT88/1. Conclusions This study provides molecular data indicating that viral replication and dissemination in Ornithodoros ticks are major mechanisms underlying ASFV horizontal and vertical transmission. However, our results indicate that other determinants beyond viral replication also influence ASFV vector competence. Further research is required to fully understand this process in soft ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Pereira De Oliveira
- UMR Animals, Health, Territories, Risks and Ecosystems (ASTRE), French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France.,UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Swine Virology and Immunology Unit, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Ploufragan, France
| | - Evelyne Hutet
- Swine Virology and Immunology Unit, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Ploufragan, France
| | - Renaud Lancelot
- UMR Animals, Health, Territories, Risks and Ecosystems (ASTRE), French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France.,UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Paboeuf
- Swine Virology and Immunology Unit, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Ploufragan, France
| | - Maxime Duhayon
- UMR Animals, Health, Territories, Risks and Ecosystems (ASTRE), French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France.,UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Fernando Boinas
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, Lisbon, 1300-477, Portugal
| | - Adalberto A Pérez de León
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, US Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Kerrville, TX, USA
| | - Serhii Filatov
- National Scientific Center Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine (NSC IECVM), Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Marie-Frédérique Le Potier
- Swine Virology and Immunology Unit, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Ploufragan, France
| | - Laurence Vial
- UMR Animals, Health, Territories, Risks and Ecosystems (ASTRE), French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France. .,UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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8
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Armstrong BA, Kneubehl AR, Mitchell RD, Krishnavajhala A, Teel PD, Pérez de León AA, Lopez JE. Differential Expression of Putative Ornithodoros turicata Defensins Mediated by Tick Feeding. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:152. [PMID: 32477960 PMCID: PMC7232577 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Additional research on soft ticks in the family Argasidae is needed to bridge the knowledge gap relative to hard ticks of the family Ixodidae; especially, the molecular mechanisms of Ornithodoros biology. Ornithodoros species are vectors of human and animal pathogens that include tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes and African swine fever virus. Soft tick vector-pathogen interactions involving components of the tick immune response are not understood. Ticks utilize a basic innate immune system consisting of recognition factors and cellular and humoral responses to produce antimicrobial peptides, like defensins. In the present study, we identified and characterized the first putative defensins of Ornithodoros turicata, an argasid tick found primarily in the southwestern United States and regions of Latin America. Four genes (otdA, otdB, otdC, and otdD) were identified through sequencing and their predicted amino acid sequences contained motifs characteristic of arthropod defensins. A phylogenetic analysis grouped these four genes with arthropod defensins, and computational structural analyses further supported the identification. Since pathogens transmitted by O. turicata colonize both the midgut and salivary glands, expression patterns of the putative defensins were determined in these tissues 1 week post engorgement and after molting. Defensin genes up-regulated in the tick midgut 1 week post blood feeding were otdA and otdC, while otdD was up-regulated in the midgut of post-molt ticks. Moreover, otdB and otdD were also up-regulated in the salivary glands of flat post-molt ticks, while otdC was up-regulated within 1 week post blood-feeding. This work is foundational toward additional studies to determine mechanisms of vector competence and pathogen transmission from O. turicata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Armstrong
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alexander R Kneubehl
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Robert D Mitchell
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Kerrville, TX, United States
| | - Aparna Krishnavajhala
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Pete D Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Adalberto A Pérez de León
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Kerrville, TX, United States
| | - Job E Lopez
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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9
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Contreras G, Shirdel I, Braun MS, Wink M. Defensins: Transcriptional regulation and function beyond antimicrobial activity. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 104:103556. [PMID: 31747541 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are one the largest group of antimicrobial peptides and are part of the innate defence. Defensins are produced by animals, plants and fungi. In animals and plants, defensins can be constitutively or differentially expressed both locally or systemically which confer defence before and a stronger response after infection. Immune signalling pathways regulate the gene expression of defensins. These pathways include cellular receptors, which recognise pathogen-associated molecular patterns and are found both in plants and animals. After recognition, signalling pathways and, subsequently, transcriptional factors are activated. There is an increasing number of novel functions in defensins, such as immunomodulators and immune cell attractors. Identification of defensin triggers could help us to elucidate other new functions. The present article reviews the different elicitors of defensins with a main focus on human, fish and marine invertebrate defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Contreras
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Iman Shirdel
- Marine Sciences Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran
| | - Markus Santhosh Braun
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Wink
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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10
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Kim TK, Tirloni L, Pinto AFM, Diedrich JK, Moresco JJ, Yates JR, da Silva Vaz I, Mulenga A. Time-resolved proteomic profile of Amblyomma americanum tick saliva during feeding. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007758. [PMID: 32049966 PMCID: PMC7041860 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Amblyomma americanum ticks transmit more than a third of human tick-borne disease (TBD) agents in the United States. Tick saliva proteins are critical to success of ticks as vectors of TBD agents, and thus might serve as targets in tick antigen-based vaccines to prevent TBD infections. We describe a systems biology approach to identify, by LC-MS/MS, saliva proteins (tick = 1182, rabbit = 335) that A. americanum ticks likely inject into the host every 24 h during the first 8 days of feeding, and towards the end of feeding. Searching against entries in GenBank grouped tick and rabbit proteins into 27 and 25 functional categories. Aside from housekeeping-like proteins, majority of tick saliva proteins belong to the tick-specific (no homology to non-tick organisms: 32%), protease inhibitors (13%), proteases (8%), glycine-rich proteins (6%) and lipocalins (4%) categories. Global secretion dynamics analysis suggests that majority (74%) of proteins in this study are associated with regulating initial tick feeding functions and transmission of pathogens as they are secreted within 24–48 h of tick attachment. Comparative analysis of the A. americanum tick saliva proteome to five other tick saliva proteomes identified 284 conserved tick saliva proteins: we speculate that these regulate critical tick feeding functions and might serve as tick vaccine antigens. We discuss our findings in the context of understanding A. americanum tick feeding physiology as a means through which we can find effective targets for a vaccine against tick feeding. The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is a medically important species in US that transmits 5 of the 16 reported tick-borne disease agents. Most recently, bites of this tick were associated with red meat allergies in humans. Vaccination of animals against tick feeding has been shown to be a sustainable and an effective alternative to current acaricide based tick control method which has several limitations. The pre-requisite to tick vaccine development is to understand the molecular basis of tick feeding physiology. Toward this goal, this study has identified proteins that A. americanum ticks inject into the host at different phases of its feeding cycle. This data set has identified proteins that A. americanum inject into the host within 24–48 h of feeding before it starts to transmit pathogens. Of high importance, we identified 284 proteins that are present in saliva of other tick species, which we suspect regulate important role(s) in tick feeding success and might represent rich source target antigens for a tick vaccine. Overall, this study provides a foundation to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating tick feeding physiology.
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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
- Foundation Peptide Biology Lab, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, Californai, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jolene K. Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James J. Moresco
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - John R. Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, 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:
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11
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Cabezas-Cruz A, Tonk M, Bleackley MR, Valdés JJ, Barrero RA, Hernández-Jarguín A, Moutailler S, Vilcinskas A, Richard-Forget F, Anderson MA, Rodriguez-Valle M. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of defensins from the Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:101269. [PMID: 31445875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tick innate immunity involves humoral and cellular responses. Among the humoral effector molecules in ticks are the defensins which are a family of small peptides with a conserved γ-core motif that is crucial for their antimicrobial activity. Defensin families have been identified in several hard and soft tick species. However, little is known about the presence and antimicrobial activity of defensins from the Australian paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus. In this study the I. holocyclus transcriptome was searched for the presence of defensins. Unique and non-redundant defensin sequences were identified and designated as holosins 1 - 5. The antimicrobial activity of holosins 2 and 3 and of the predicted γ-cores of holosins 1-4 (HoloTickCores 1-4), was assessed using Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as the fungus Fusarium graminearum and the yeast Candida albicans. All holosins had molecular features that are conserved in other tick defensins. Furthermore holosins 2 and 3 were very active against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria grayi. Holosins 2 and 3 were also active against F. graminearum and C. albicans and 5 μM of peptide abrogate the growth of these microorganisms. The activity of the synthetic γ-cores was lower than that of the mature defensins apart from HoloTickCore 2 which had activity comparable to mature holosin 2 against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. This study reveals the presence of a multigene defensin family in I. holocyclus with wide antimicrobial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, 94700, France.
| | - Miray Tonk
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Mark R Bleackley
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - James J Valdés
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Roberto A Barrero
- Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | | | - Sara Moutailler
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, 94700, France
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse 2, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Marilyn A Anderson
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Manuel Rodriguez-Valle
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Sun T, Pan W, Song Y, Zhang J, Wang J, Dai J. Functional characterization of two defensins, HlDFS1 and HlDFS2, from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:455. [PMID: 28969703 PMCID: PMC5625651 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2397-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are second to mosquitoes as vectors of human arthropod-borne diseases. Ticks rely heavily on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to defend against microbes and defensins are major components of innate immunity in ticks. Results Two novel defensin genes, named HlDFS1 and HlDFS2, were identified from a cDNA library of the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis collected in southeast China. The peptides encoded by both genes shares typical features of type-2 arthropod defensin superfamily. The expressions of both genes increased in ticks during blood-feeding. The synthetic minimum functional peptides HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 exhibit bactericidal activity to some drug resistant bacteria. HlDFS1, but not HlDFS2, showed inhibitory activity against fungus Candida albicans. HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 had no significant hemolysis effect on human erythrocytes at low concentrations and did not impair mammalian cell survival. Finally, HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 significantly protected mice against lethal infection by Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus. Conclusions HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 are two novel functional defensins from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. They showed bactericidal activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and significantly protect mice against lethal bacterial infection. Thus, HlDFS1 and HlDFS2 can be introduced to the medical field as new drug candidates with antibacterial activity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2397-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ta Sun
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Pan
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhui Song
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingpin Zhang
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianfeng Dai
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Oleaga A, Obolo-Mvoulouga P, Manzano-Román R, Pérez-Sánchez R. A proteomic insight into the midgut proteome of Ornithodoros moubata females reveals novel information on blood digestion in argasid ticks. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:366. [PMID: 28764815 PMCID: PMC5540513 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2300-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata is the main African vector of the human relapsing fever agent Borrelia duttoni and the African swine fever virus. Together with saliva, the tick midgut forms part of the host-tick-pathogen interface, and numerous midgut proteins play key functions in the blood digestion-related process and the infection and transmission of pathogens. This work explores the composition of the midgut proteome of unfed and fed O. moubata females with the aim to complete the biological information already obtained from the midgut transcriptome and provide a more robust and comprehensive perspective of this biological system. Methods Midgut tissues taken from females before feeding and 48 h after feeding were subjected to LC/MS-MS analysis. After functional characterization and classification of the proteins identified, the differences in the proteome between unfed and fed females were analysed and discussed. Additionally, a detailed analysis of particular groups of proteins that are involved in the processes of nutrient digestion and responses to the oxidative stress was carried out. Results 1491 non-redundant tick proteins were identified: 1132 of them in the midgut of unfed ticks, 1138 in the midgut of fed ticks, and up to 779 shared by both physiological conditions. Overall, the comparative analysis of the midgut proteomes of O. moubata females before and after feeding did not reveal great differences in the number or class of proteins expressed, enzymatic composition or functional classification. Conclusions The hemoglobinolytic system in ixodids and argasids is very similar in spite of the fact that they display very different feeding and reproductive strategies. Although the main source of nutrients in ticks are proteins, lipids and carbohydrates also constitute significant nutritional sources and play an important part in the process of blood digestion. The genes and proteins involved in intracellular transport mechanisms, defensive responses, detoxifying responses and stress responses seem to be closely regulated, highlighting the complexity and importance of these processes in tick biology, which in turn assigns them a great interest as targets for therapeutic and immunological interventions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2300-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Oleaga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Prosper Obolo-Mvoulouga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
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14
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Oleaga A, Obolo-Mvoulouga P, Manzano-Román R, Pérez-Sánchez R. Functional annotation and analysis of the Ornithodoros moubata midgut genes differentially expressed after blood feeding. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:693-708. [PMID: 28528879 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata is the main vector of the African swine fever and the human relapsing fever in Africa. As part of the host-parasite-pathogen interface, the tick midgut expresses key proteins for tick survival and tick-borne pathogen transmission. Accordingly, midgut proteins are potential targets for the development of new drugs and vaccines aimed at tick control, and obtaining proteomic and transcriptomic data from the O. moubata midgut would facilitate the identification of such target candidates. With this aim, we have assembled and characterized the midgut transcriptome of O. moubata females before and 48h after a blood meal, and identified the genes that are differentially expressed in the midgut after feeding. Overall, 23,863 transcripts were obtained, and of them, 9,164 were identified and annotated. The most represented molecular functions were catalytic and binding activities, and the most represented biological processes were metabolic, cellular and single-organism processes. KEGG analysis of the annotated sequences assigned up to 3,053 of them to 130 active pathways, among which, the top 30 pathways were mostly metabolic routes. Differential expression analysis between unfed and fed ticks detected 8,026 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs), 4,093 up-regulated and 3,933 down-regulated, respectively. The biological significance of these DEGs was further investigated using the KEEG, Pfam and GO databases. The functional groups of the genes/proteins predicted to be involved in the processes of blood digestion, nutrient transport and metabolism, and in responses related to defence and oxidative stress are discussed in more detail. This work reports the first midgut transcriptome analysis of an argasid tick species, and provides a wealth of novel molecular information about the argasid machinery involved in blood feeding and digestion. This information represents a starting point for the development of alternative strategies for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Oleaga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Prosper Obolo-Mvoulouga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitology Laboratory, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
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15
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Martins LA, Galletti MFBDM, Ribeiro JM, Fujita A, Costa FB, Labruna MB, Daffre S, Fogaça AC. The Distinct Transcriptional Response of the Midgut of Amblyomma sculptum and Amblyomma aureolatum Ticks to Rickettsia rickettsii Correlates to Their Differences in Susceptibility to Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:129. [PMID: 28503490 PMCID: PMC5409265 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia rickettsii is a tick-borne obligate intracellular bacterium that causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). In Brazil, two species of ticks in the genus Amblyomma, A. sculptum and A. aureolatum, are incriminated as vectors of this bacterium. Importantly, these two species present remarkable differences in susceptibility to R. rickettsii infection, where A. aureolatum is more susceptible than A. sculptum. In the current study, A. aureolatum and A. sculptum ticks were fed on suitable hosts previously inoculated with R. rickettsii, mimicking a natural infection. As control, ticks were fed on non-infected animals. Both midgut and salivary glands of all positively infected ticks were colonized by R. rickettsii. We did not observe ticks with infection restricted to midgut, suggesting that important factors for controlling rickettsial colonization were produced in this organ. In order to identify such factors, the total RNA extracted from the midgut (MG) was submitted to next generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The majority of the coding sequences (CDSs) of A. sculptum differentially expressed by infection were upregulated, whereas most of modulated CDSs of A. aureolatum were downregulated. The functional categories that comprise upregulated CDSs of A. sculptum, for instance, metabolism, signal transduction, protein modification, extracellular matrix, and immunity also include CDSs of A. aureolatum that were downregulated by infection. This is the first study that reports the effects of an experimental infection with the highly virulent R. rickettsii on the gene expression of two natural tick vectors. The distinct transcriptional profiles of MG of A. sculptum and A. aureolatum upon infection stimulus strongly suggest that molecular factors in this organ are responsible for delineating the susceptibility to R. rickettsii. Functional studies to determine the role played by proteins encoded by differentially expressed CDSs in the acquisition of R. rickettsii are warranted and may be considered as targets for the development of strategies to control the tick-borne pathogens as well as to control the tick vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa A Martins
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria F B de Melo Galletti
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - José M Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesRockville, MD, USA
| | - André Fujita
- Departamento de Ciência da Computação, Instituto de Matemática e Estatística, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sirlei Daffre
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andréa C Fogaça
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
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16
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Miyoshi N, Isogai E, Hiramatsu K, Sasaki T. Activity of tick antimicrobial peptide from Ixodes persulcatus (persulcatusin) against cell membranes of drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 2016; 70:142-146. [PMID: 27531221 DOI: 10.1038/ja.2016.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Persulcatusin (IP), which is an antimicrobial peptide found in Ixodes persulcatus midgut, is active against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Multidrug-resistant bacteria in particular methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) are a worldwide clinical concern. In the present study, to explore the potential of IP as a new agent against multidrug-resistant S. aureus infections, we evaluated the antimicrobial activity of IP against multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains by MIC90, morphological observation with scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the calcein leakage assay of membrane integrity. Among the six antimicrobial peptides used in this study, IP exhibited the lowest MIC90 values for both vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant S. aureus strains. The IP MIC90 against a VISA strain was equivalent to vancomycin, while the MIC90 against VRSA was relatively low. SEM observations indicated that bacterial cells exposed to IP were crumpled and showed prominent structural changes. Moreover, IP influenced the cell membranes of both MRSA and VRSA in a mere 5 min, leading to leakage of the preloaded calcein. Although a VISA strain was resistant to the action of IP on cell membrane, the MIC90 of IP was lower than that of Nisin, suggesting that IP had another bactericidal mechanism in addition to cell membrane attack. Our results indicate that the synthetic tick antimicrobial peptide, IP exhibits strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains, including VRSA, via both cell membrane attack and another unknown mechanism. IP represents a promising candidate for a new anti-VRSA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhide Miyoshi
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Emiko Isogai
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Keiichi Hiramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Sasaki
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
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Abstract
Relapsing fever spirochetes are tick- and louse-borne pathogens that primarily afflict those in impoverished countries. Historically the pathogens have had a significant impact on public health, yet currently they are often overlooked because of the nonspecific display of disease. In this review, we discuss aspects of relapsing fever (RF) spirochete pathogenesis including the: (1) clinical manifestation of disease; (2) ability to diagnose pathogen exposure; (3) the pathogen’s life cycle in the tick and mammal; and (4) ecological factors contributing to the maintenance of RF spirochetes in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Job E. Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030 TX, USA; (A.K.); (M.N.G.)
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030 TX, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-832-824-0557
| | - Aparna Krishnavahjala
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030 TX, USA; (A.K.); (M.N.G.)
| | - Melissa N. Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030 TX, USA; (A.K.); (M.N.G.)
| | - Sergio Bermudez
- Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, P.O. Box 816-02593, City of Panama, Panama;
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18
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Miyoshi N, Saito T, Ohmura T, Kuroda K, Suita K, Ihara K, Isogai E. Functional structure and antimicrobial activity of persulcatusin, an antimicrobial peptide from the hard tick Ixodes persulcatus. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:85. [PMID: 26873587 PMCID: PMC4752739 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1360-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered promising candidates for the development of novel anti-infective agents. In arthropods such as ticks, AMPs form the first line of defense against pathogens in the innate immune response. Persulcatusin (IP) was found in the Ixodes persulcatus midgut, and its amino acid sequence was reported. However, the complete structure of IP has not been identified. We evaluated the relation between structural features and antimicrobial activity of IP, and its potential as a new anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) agent. Methods The structure of IP was predicted using homology modeling and molecular dynamics. IP and other tick AMPs were synthesized using a solid-phase method and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA were used for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test and short-time killing assay of IP and other tick peptides. The influence of IP on mammalian fibroblasts and colon epithelial cells and each cell DNA and its hemolytic activity towards human erythrocytes were also examined. Results In the predicted IP structure, the structure with an S-S bond was more stable than that without an S-S bond. The MIC after 24 h of incubation with IP was 0.156–1.25 μg/mL for MSSA and 0.625–2.5 μg/mL for MRSA. Compared with the mammalian antimicrobial peptide and other tick peptides, IP was highly effective against MRSA. Moreover, IP showed a dose-dependent bactericidal effect on both MSSA and MRSA after 1 h of incubation. IP had no observable effect on mammalian cell growth or morphology, on each cell DNA and on human erythrocytes. Conclusions We predicted the three-dimensional structure of IP and found that the structural integrity was maintained by three S-S bonds, which were energetically important for the stability and for forming α helix and β sheet. IP has cationic and amphipathic properties, which might be related to its antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of IP against MRSA was stronger than that of other antimicrobial peptides without apparent damage to mammalian and human cells, demonstrating its possible application as a new anti-MRSA medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhide Miyoshi
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori Amamiya-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Saito
- Dassault Systemes Biovia K.K, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | | | - Kengo Kuroda
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori Amamiya-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan.
| | - Kazumasa Suita
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori Amamiya-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan.
| | - Kohei Ihara
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori Amamiya-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan.
| | - Emiko Isogai
- Department of Animal Microbiology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori Amamiya-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan.
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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: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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.
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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:
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20
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Malan M, Serem JC, Bester MJ, Neitz AWH, Gaspar ARM. Anti-inflammatory and anti-endotoxin properties of peptides derived from the carboxy-terminal region of a defensin from the tick Ornithodoros savignyi. J Pept Sci 2015; 22:43-51. [PMID: 26662999 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are small cationic peptides that possess a large spectrum of bioactivities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Several antimicrobial peptides are known to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in vitro and to protect animals from sepsis. In this study, the cellular anti-inflammatory and anti-endotoxin activities of Os and Os-C, peptides derived from the carboxy-terminal of a tick defensin, were investigated. Both Os and Os-C were found to bind LPS in vitro, albeit to a lesser extent than polymyxin B and melittin, known endotoxin-binding peptides. Binding to LPS was found to reduce the bactericidal activity of Os and Os-C against Escherichia coli confirming the affinity of both peptides for LPS. At a concentration of 25 µM, the nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity of Os was higher than glutathione, a known NO scavenger. In contrast, Os-C showed no scavenging activity. Os and Os-C inhibited LPS/IFN-γ induced NO and TNF-α production in RAW 264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with no cellular toxicity even at a concentration of 100 µM. Although inhibition of NO and TNF-α secretion was more pronounced for melittin and polymyxin B, significant cytotoxicity was observed at concentrations of 1.56 µM and 25 µM for melittin and polymyxin B, respectively. In addition, Os, Os-C and glutathione protected RAW 264.7 cells from oxidative damage at concentrations as low as 25 µM. This study identified that besides previously reported antibacterial activity of Os and Os-C, both peptides have in addition anti-inflammatory and anti-endotoxin properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Malan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - June C Serem
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Megan J Bester
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Albert W H Neitz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Anabella R M Gaspar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
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Tonk M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Valdés JJ, Rego ROM, Grubhoffer L, Estrada-Peña A, Vilcinskas A, Kotsyfakis M, Rahnamaeian M. Ixodes ricinus defensins attack distantly-related pathogens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 53:358-365. [PMID: 26255244 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are ubiquitous components of eukaryotic innate immunity. Defensins are a well-known family of antimicrobial peptides, widely distributed in ticks, insects, plants and mammals, showing activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast and protozoan parasites. Ixodes ricinus is the most common tick species in Europe and is a vector of pathogens affecting human and animal health. Recently, six defensins (including two isoforms) were identified in I. ricinus. We investigated the evolution of the antimicrobial activity of I. ricinus defensins. Among the five unique defensins, only DefMT3, DefMT5 and DefMT6 showed in vitro antimicrobial activity. Each defensin was active against rather distantly-related bacteria (P < 0.05), significantly among Gram-negative species (P < 0.0001). These three defensins represent different clades within the family of tick defensins, suggesting that the last common ancestor of tick defensins may have had comparable antimicrobial activity. Differences in electrostatic potential, and amino acid substitutions in the β-hairpin and the loop bridging the α-helix and β-sheet may affect the antimicrobial activity in DefMT2 and DefMT7, which needs to be addressed. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the γ-core motif of selected defensins (DefMT3, DefMT6, and DefMT7) was also tested. Interestingly, compared to full length peptides, the γ-core motifs of these defensins were effective against less species of bacteria. However, the antifungal activity of the γ-core was higher than full peptides. Our results broaden the scope of research in the field of antimicrobial peptides highlighting the overlooked ability of arthropod defensins to act against distantly-related microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miray Tonk
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), INSERM U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France.
| | - James J Valdés
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394 Giessen, Germany; Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Michalis Kotsyfakis
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394 Giessen, Germany; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain.
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22
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Tonk M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Valdés JJ, Rego ROM, Chrudimská T, Strnad M, Šíma R, Bell-Sakyi L, Franta Z, Vilcinskas A, Grubhoffer L, Rahnamaeian M. Defensins from the tick Ixodes scapularis are effective against phytopathogenic fungi and the human bacterial pathogen Listeria grayi. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:554. [PMID: 25443032 PMCID: PMC4269947 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0554-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ixodes scapularis is the most common tick species in North America and a vector of important pathogens that cause diseases in humans and animals including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Tick defensins have been identified as a new source of antimicrobial agents with putative medical applications due to their wide-ranging antimicrobial activities. Two multigene families of defensins were previously reported in I. scapularis. The objective of the present study was to characterise the potential antimicrobial activity of two defensins from I. scapularis with emphasis on human pathogenic bacterial strains and important phytopathogenic fungi. METHODS Scapularisin-3 and Scapularisin-6 mature peptides were chemically synthesised. In vitro antimicrobial assays were performed to test the activity of these two defensins against species of different bacterial genera including Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Listeria spp. as well as Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa along with two plant-pathogenic fungi from the genus Fusarium. In addition, the tissue-specific expression patterns of Scapularisin-3 and Scapularisin-6 in I. scapularis midgut, salivary glands and embryo-derived cell lines were determined using PCR. Finally, tertiary structures of the two defensins were predicted and structural analyses were conducted. RESULTS Scapularisin-6 efficiently killed L. grayi, and both Scapularisin-3 and Scapularisin-6 caused strong inhibition (IC50 value: ~1 μM) of the germination of plant-pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium graminearum. Scapularisin-6 gene expression was observed in I. scapularis salivary glands and midgut. However, Scapularisin-3 gene expression was only detected in the salivary glands. Transcripts from the two defensins were not found in the I. scapularis tick cell lines ISE6 and ISE18. CONCLUSION Our results have two main implications. Firstly, the anti-Listeria and antifungal activities of Scapularisin-3 and Scapularisin-6 suggest that these peptides may be useful for (i) treatment of antibiotic-resistant L. grayi in humans and (ii) plant protection. Secondly, the antimicrobial properties of the two defensins described in this study may pave the way for further studies regarding pathogen invasion and innate immunity in I. scapularis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miray Tonk
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain. .,Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), INSERM U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France.
| | - James J Valdés
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Tereza Chrudimská
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Strnad
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Radek Šíma
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Zdeněk Franta
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394, Giessen, Germany. .,Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse, D-35394, Giessen, Germany. .,Institute for Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
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23
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Chrudimská T, Čeřovský V, Slaninová J, Rego ROM, Grubhoffer L. Defensin from the ornate sheep tick Dermacentor marginatus and its effect on Lyme borreliosis spirochetes. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 46:165-70. [PMID: 24747431 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Revised: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Expression of the previously reported defensin of the tick Dermacentor marginatus (defDM) was analysed in different organs by RT-PCR. mRNA of the defDM gene was detected in the hemolymph, midgut and salivary glands. Moreover defDM was isolated from the tick hemolymph using RP-HPLC and its sequence was determined by mass spectrometry and Edman degradation. Synthetic peptide was used for determining biological activities. The results showed an anti-Gram-positive bacterial role for the defensin. As D. marginatus ticks appear not to be vectors of the Lyme disease agent of the complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, we tested the influence of defDM on Borrelia afzelii. There is a very clear borrelicidal activity of the defensin, which is concentration dependent and suggests a possible role in the clearing of Borrelia ingested by D. marginatus ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Chrudimská
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Václav Čeřovský
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Slaninová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Smith AA, Pal U. Immunity-related genes in Ixodes scapularis--perspectives from genome information. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:116. [PMID: 25202684 PMCID: PMC4141456 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis, commonly known as the deer tick, transmits a wide array of human and animal pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi. Despite substantial advances in our understanding of immunity in model arthropods, including other disease vectors, precisely how I. scapularis immunity functions and influences persistence of invading pathogens remains largely unknown. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the recently sequenced I. scapularis genome for the occurrence of immune-related genes and related pathways. We will also discuss the potential influence of immunity-related genes on the persistence of tick-borne pathogens with an emphasis on the Lyme disease pathogen B. burgdorferi. Further enhancement of our knowledge of tick immune responses is critical to understanding the molecular basis of the persistence of tick-borne pathogens and development of novel interventions against the relevant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of MarylandCollege Park, MD, USA
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25
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Gene discovery and differential expression analysis of humoral immune response elements in female Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:388. [PMID: 25145345 PMCID: PMC4158122 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Female Culicoides sonorensis midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of pathogens that impact livestock and wildlife in the United States. Little is known about their biology on a molecular-genetic level, including components of their immune system. Because the insect immune response is involved with important processes such as gut microbial homeostasis and vector competence, our aims were to identify components of the midge innate immune system and examine their expression profiles in response to diet across time. METHODS In our previous work, we de novo sequenced and analyzed the transcriptional landscape of female midges under several feeding states including teneral (unfed) and early and late time points after blood and sucrose. Here, those transcriptomes were further analyzed to identify insect innate immune orthologs, particularly humoral immune response elements. Additionally, we examined immune gene expression profiles in response to diet over time, on both a transcriptome-wide, whole-midge level and more specifically via qRTPCR analysis of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression in the alimentary canal. RESULTS We identified functional units comprising the immune deficiency (Imd), Toll and JAK/STAT pathways, including humoral factors, transmembrane receptors, signaling components, transcription factors/regulators and effectors such as AMPs. Feeding altered the expression of receptors, regulators, AMPs, prophenoloxidase and thioester-containing proteins, where blood had a greater effect than sucrose on the expression profiles of most innate immune components. qRTPCR of AMP genes showed that all five were significantly upregulated in the alimentary canal after blood feeding, possibly in response to proliferating populations of gut bacteria. CONCLUSIONS Identification and functional insight of humoral/innate immune components in female C. sonorensis updates our knowledge of the molecular biology of this important vector. Because diet alone influenced the expression of immune pathway components, including their effectors, subsequent study of the role of innate immunity in biological processes such as gut homeostasis and life history are being pursued. Furthermore, since the humoral response is a key contributor in gut immunity, manipulating immune gene expression will help in uncovering genetic components of vector competence, including midgut barriers to infection. The results of such studies will serve as a platform for designing novel transmission-blocking strategies.
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Tonk M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Valdés JJ, Rego ROM, Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Bell-Sakyi L, de la Fuente J, Grubhoffer L. Identification and partial characterisation of new members of the Ixodes ricinus defensin family. Gene 2014; 540:146-52. [PMID: 24607035 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2013] [Revised: 01/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The hard-bodied tick Ixodes ricinus (castor bean tick) is the most common tick species in Europe. I. ricinus is a vector of the causative agents of diseases that affect humans and animals including tick-borne encephalitis, borreliosis, tick-borne fever and babesiosis. The innate immune system provides ticks with quite an efficient defence against some pathogenic microorganisms in the event of their penetration into the tick body or through the blood meal. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute an important feature of the tick immune system. Defensins are a well-known class of AMPs. Members of the defensin family of proteins have been reported in several tick species. So far, only two defensins had been identified from I. ricinus. In this study, we report the identification of six novel putative defensins from I. ricinus at the genomic and transcriptional levels. At the genomic level they show differences with one being intronless, while others contain two introns. The expression pattern of these molecules in the salivary glands, midgut, ovary, Malpighian tubules, haemolymph and the tick cell line IRE/CTVM19 was determined. Some of them are tissue specific while others seem to be ubiquitous. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses show that these novel members of the I. ricinus defensin family differ phylogenetically and structurally; nevertheless, the cysteine pattern is highly conserved among the family members. Finally, antimicrobial-peptide prediction tools were used to predict putative antimicrobial activity of our defensins. They show putative antimicrobial activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria. This study displays the diversity of the defensin family in the tick I. ricinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miray Tonk
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - James J Valdés
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Nataliia Rudenko
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | | | - José de la Fuente
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; SaBio, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre of the AS CR, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Hajdušek O, Síma R, Ayllón N, Jalovecká M, Perner J, de la Fuente J, Kopáček P. Interaction of the tick immune system with transmitted pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:26. [PMID: 23875177 PMCID: PMC3712896 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous arachnids transmitting a wide variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and protozoans to their vertebrate hosts. The tick vector competence has to be intimately linked to the ability of transmitted pathogens to evade tick defense mechanisms encountered on their route through the tick body comprising midgut, hemolymph, salivary glands or ovaries. Tick innate immunity is, like in other invertebrates, based on an orchestrated action of humoral and cellular immune responses. The direct antimicrobial defense in ticks is accomplished by a variety of small molecules such as defensins, lysozymes or by tick-specific antimicrobial compounds such as microplusin/hebraein or 5.3-kDa family proteins. Phagocytosis of the invading microbes by tick hemocytes is likely mediated by the primordial complement-like system composed of thioester-containing proteins, fibrinogen-related lectins and convertase-like factors. Moreover, an important role in survival of the ingested microbes seems to be played by host proteins and redox balance maintenance in the tick midgut. Here, we summarize recent knowledge about the major components of tick immune system and focus on their interaction with the relevant tick-transmitted pathogens, represented by spirochetes (Borrelia), rickettsiae (Anaplasma), and protozoans (Babesia). Availability of the tick genomic database and feasibility of functional genomics based on RNA interference greatly contribute to the understanding of molecular and cellular interplay at the tick-pathogen interface and may provide new targets for blocking the transmission of tick pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Hajdušek
- Biological Centre ASCR, Institute of Parasitology České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Gene expression profiling of adult female tissues in feeding Rhipicephalus microplus cattle ticks. Int J Parasitol 2013; 43:541-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Revised: 12/02/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Prinsloo L, Naidoo A, Serem J, Taute H, Sayed Y, Bester M, Neitz A, Gaspar A. Structural and functional characterization of peptides derived from the carboxy-terminal region of a defensin from the tick Ornithodoros savignyi. J Pept Sci 2013; 19:325-32. [PMID: 23553969 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Tick defensins may serve as templates for the development of multifunctional peptides. The purpose of this study was to evaluate shorter peptides derived from tick defensin isoform 2 (OsDef2) in terms of their antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities. We compared the structural and functional properties of a synthetic peptide derived from the carboxy-terminal of the parent peptide (Os) to that of an analogue in which the three cysteine residues were omitted (Os-C). Here, we report that both peptides were bactericidal (MBC values ranging from 0.94-15 µg/ml) to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, whereas the parent peptide only exhibited Gram-positive antibacterial activity. The Os peptide was found to be two-fold more active than Os-C against three of the four tested bacteria but equally active against Staphylococcus aureus. Os showed rapid killing kinetics against both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, whereas Os-C took longer, suggesting different modes of action. Scanning electron microscopy showed that in contrast to melittin for which blebbing of bacterial surfaces was observed, cells exposed to either peptide appeared flattened and empty. Circular dichroism data indicated that in a membrane-mimicking environment, the cysteine-containing peptide has a higher α-helical content. Both peptides were found to be non-toxic to mammalian cells. Moreover, the peptides displayed potent antioxidant activity and were 12 times more active than melittin. Multifunctional peptides hold potential for a wide range of clinical applications and further investigation into their mode of antibacterial and antioxidant properties is therefore warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lezaan Prinsloo
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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Dermacentor andersoni transmission of Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida reflects bacterial colonization, dissemination, and replication coordinated with tick feeding. Infect Immun 2011; 79:4941-6. [PMID: 21930762 DOI: 10.1128/iai.05676-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks serve as biological vectors for a wide variety of bacterial pathogens which must be able to efficiently colonize specific tick tissues prior to transmission. The bacterial determinants of tick colonization are largely unknown, a knowledge gap attributed in large part to the paucity of tools to genetically manipulate these pathogens. In this study, we demonstrated that Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida, for which a complete two-allele transposon mutant library has been constructed, initially infects the midguts of 100% of acquisition-fed Dermacentor andersoni nymphs, with stable colonization and replication during a subsequent molt. Increased dissemination to and marked replication within the salivary gland was closely linked to a second (transmission) feed and culminated in secretion of bacteria into the saliva and successful transmission. Simultaneous testing of multiple mutants resulted in total bacterial levels similar to those observed for single mutants. However, there was evidence of a bottleneck during colonization, resulting in a founder effect in which the most successful mutant varied when comparing individual ticks. Thus, it is essential to assess mutant success at the level of the tick population rather than in individual ticks. The ability of F. tularensis subsp. novicida to recapitulate the key physiological events by which bacteria colonize and are transmitted by ixodid ticks provides a new genome-wide approach to identify the required pathogen molecules and pathways. The identification of specific genes and, more importantly, conserved pathways that function at the tick-pathogen interface will accelerate the development of new methods to block transmission.
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Lopez JE, Mccoy BN, Krajacich BJ, Schwan TG. Acquisition and subsequent transmission of Borrelia hermsii by the soft tick Ornithodoros hermsi. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2011; 48:891-895. [PMID: 21845950 DOI: 10.1603/me10283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne relapsing fever is caused by spirochetes within the genus Borrelia. The hallmark of this disease is recurrent febrile episodes and high spirochete densities in mammalian blood resulting from immune evasion. Between episodes of spirochetemia when bacterial densities are low, it is unknown whether ticks can acquire the spirochetes, become colonized by the bacteria, and subsequently transmit the bacteria once they feed again. We addressed these questions by feeding ticks, Omnithodoros hermsi Wheeler (Acari: Argasidae),daily on an infected mouse during low andhigh levels of spirochete infections. This study demonstrates that spirochete acquisition by the tick vector can occur during low levels of mammalian infection and that once a spirochetemic threshold is attained within the blood, nearly 100% of ticks become colonized by Borrelia hermsii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Job E Lopez
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, USA.
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Chrudimská T, Slaninová J, Rudenko N, Růžek D, Grubhoffer L. Functional characterization of two defensin isoforms of the hard tick Ixodes ricinus. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:63. [PMID: 21504572 PMCID: PMC3102633 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune system of ticks is stimulated to produce many pharmacologically active molecules during feeding and especially during pathogen invasion. The family of cationic peptides - defensins - represents a specific group of antimicrobial compounds with six conserved cysteine residues in a molecule. RESULTS Two isoforms of the defensin gene (def1 and def2) were identified in the European tick Ixodes ricinus. Expression of both genes was induced in different tick organs by a blood feeding or pathogen injection. We have tested the ability of synthetic peptides def1 and def2 to inhibit the growth or directly kill several pathogens. The antimicrobial activities (expressed as minimal inhibition concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration values) against Gram positive bacteria were confirmed, while Gram negative bacteria, yeast, Tick Borne Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses were shown to be insensitive. In addition to antimicrobial activities, the hemolysis effect of def1 and def2 on human erythrocytes was also established. CONCLUSIONS Although there is nothing known about the realistic concentration of defensins in I. ricinus tick body, these results suggest that defensins play an important role in defence against different pathogens. Moreover this is a first report of a one amino acid substitution in a defensins molecule and its impact on antimicrobial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Chrudimská
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, České Buděovice, Czech Republic.
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A Kunitz protease inhibitor from Dermacentor variabilis, a vector for spotted fever group rickettsiae, limits Rickettsia montanensis invasion. Infect Immun 2010; 79:321-9. [PMID: 20956566 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00362-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A defining facet of tick-Rickettsia symbioses is the molecular strategy employed by each partner to ensure its own survival. Ticks must control rickettsial colonization to avoid immediate death. In the current study, we show that rickettsial abundance in the tick midgut increases once the expression of a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor from the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) (DvKPI) is suppressed by small interfering RNA (siRNA). A series of in vitro invasion assays suggested that DvKPI limits rickettsial colonization during host cell entry. Interestingly, we observed that DvKPI associates with rickettsiae in vitro as well as in the tick midgut. Collectively, our data demonstrate that DvKPI limits host cell invasion by Rickettsia montanensis, possibly through an association with the bacterium.
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Baumann T, Kuhn-Nentwig L, Largiadèr CR, Nentwig W. Expression of defensins in non-infected araneomorph spiders. Cell Mol Life Sci 2010; 67:2643-51. [PMID: 20358249 PMCID: PMC11115936 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0354-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2009] [Revised: 02/18/2010] [Accepted: 03/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Defensins are a major family of antimicrobial peptides found throughout the phylogenetic tree. From the spider species: Cupiennius salei, Phoneutria reidyi, Polybetes pythagoricus, Tegenaria atrica, and Meta menardi, defensins belonging to the 'ancestral' class of invertebrate defensins were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequences contain the characteristic six cysteines of this class of defensins and reveal precursors of 60 or 61 amino acid residues. The mature peptides consist of 37 amino acid residues, showing up to 70% identities with tick and scorpion defensins. In C. salei, defensin mRNA was found to be constitutively expressed in hemocytes, ovaries, subesophageal nerve mass, hepatopancreas, and muscle tissue. This is the first report presenting and comparing antimicrobial peptides belonging to the family of defensins from spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Baumann
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Kuhn-Nentwig
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Carlo R. Largiadèr
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, INO F, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Nentwig
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Lu X, Che Q, Lv Y, Wang M, Lu Z, Feng F, Liu J, Yu H. A novel defensin-like peptide from salivary glands of the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis. Protein Sci 2010; 19:392-7. [PMID: 20027626 DOI: 10.1002/pro.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A novel defensin-like antimicrobial peptide named longicornsin was isolated from the salivary glands of the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, using a 10-kDa cut-off Centriprep filter and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Its amino acid sequence was determined as DFGCGQGMIFMCQRRCMRLYPGSTGFCRGFRCMCDTHIPLRPPFMVG by Edman degradation. The cDNA encoding longicornsin was cloned by cDNA library screening. The predicted protein from the cDNA sequence was composed of 78 amino acids including a mature longicornsin. It showed similarity with defensin-like peptides from other ticks by BLAST search. Different from most other tick defensin-like peptides, longicornsin had a C-terminal extension. Purified longicornsin exerted potent antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. Interestingly, it even showed strong antimicrobial ability against drug-resistant microorganisms and Helicobacter pylori. The results of this study indicated that longicornsin is a potential candidate for novel antimicrobial drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Lu
- Key Laboratory of Microbiological Engineering of Agricultural Environment, Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095 China
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Kopáček P, Hajdušek O, Burešová V, Daffre S. Tick Innate Immunity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-8059-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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37
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RAHMAN MM, TSUJI N, BOLDBAATAR D, BATTUR B, LIAO M, UMEMIYA-SHIRAFUJI R, YOU M, TANAKA T, FUJISAKI K. Structural Characterization and Cytolytic Activity of a Potent Antimicrobial Motif in Longicin, a Defensin-Like Peptide in the Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. J Vet Med Sci 2010; 72:149-56. [DOI: 10.1292/jvms.09-0167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Naotoshi TSUJI
- National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural Research Organization
| | | | - Banzragch BATTUR
- Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University
| | - Min LIAO
- Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University
| | | | - Myungjo YOU
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University
| | - Tetsuya TANAKA
- Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University
| | - Kozo FUJISAKI
- Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University
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Saito Y, Konnai S, Yamada S, Imamura S, Nishikado H, Ito T, Onuma M, Ohashi K. Identification and characterization of antimicrobial peptide, defensin, in the taiga tick, Ixodes persulcatus. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2009; 18:531-539. [PMID: 19604312 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2009.00897.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes persulcatus is the primary vector for human tick-borne diseases in Japan. A cDNA library was constructed from whole body homogenates of fed nymphs of I. persulcatus. From this library, one cDNA encoding defensin-like antimicrobial peptide was identified. The amino-acid sequence showed high similarity to those of the defensins of other ticks and arthropods. I. persulcatus defensin mRNA transcripts were detected at all life cycle stages of fed ticks and found to be predominantly expressed in the midguts of adult female ticks, but not in the salivary glands, a finding corroborated by Western blotting analysis. To investigate the function of I. persulcatus defensin, we examined its antibacterial activity by evaluation of growth of several bacterial strains in the presence of the synthetic peptide. The defensin from I. persulcatus markedly inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium renale, but not Gram-negative bacteria except Escherichia coli O157. In conclusion, these results suggest that I. persulcatus defensin may be playing a significant role in the defence against microbes from bloodmeals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Saito
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
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Esteves E, Fogaça AC, Maldonado R, Silva FD, Manso PPA, Pelajo-Machado M, Valle D, Daffre S. Antimicrobial activity in the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus eggs: Cellular localization and temporal expression of microplusin during oogenesis and embryogenesis. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2009; 33:913-919. [PMID: 19454333 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2009.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2008] [Revised: 02/18/2009] [Accepted: 02/26/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Arthropods display different mechanisms to protect themselves against infections, among which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play an important role, acting directly against invader pathogens. We have detected several factors with inhibitory activity against Candida albicans and Micrococcus luteus on the surface and in homogenate of eggs of the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. One of the anti-M. luteus factors of the egg homogenate was isolated to homogeneity. Analysis by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) revealed that it corresponds to microplusin, an AMP previously isolated from the cell-free hemolymph of R. (B.) microplus. Reverse transcription (RT) quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) showed that the levels of microplusin mRNA gradually increase along ovary development, reaching an impressive highest value three days after the adult females have dropped from the calf and start oviposition. Interestingly, the level of microplusin mRNA is very low in recently laid eggs. An enhance of microplusin gene expression in eggs is observed only nine days after the onset of oviposition, achieving the highest level just before the larva hatching, when the level of expression decreases once again. Fluorescence microscopy analysis using an anti-microplusin serum revealed that microplusin is present among yolk granules of oocytes as well as in the connecting tube of ovaries. These results, together to our previous data, suggest that microplusin may be involved not only in protection of adult female hemocele, but also in protection of the female reproductive tract and embryos, what points this AMP as a considerable target for development of new methods to control R. (B.) microplus as well as the vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Esteves
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
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40
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Francischetti IMB, Sa-Nunes A, Mans BJ, Santos IM, Ribeiro JMC. The role of saliva in tick feeding. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2009; 14:2051-88. [PMID: 19273185 PMCID: PMC2785505 DOI: 10.2741/3363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 376] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
When attempting to feed on their hosts, ticks face the problem of host hemostasis (the vertebrate mechanisms that prevent blood loss), inflammation (that can produce itching or pain and thus initiate defensive behavior on their hosts) and adaptive immunity (by way of both cellular and humoral responses). Against these barriers, ticks evolved a complex and sophisticated pharmacological armamentarium, consisting of bioactive lipids and proteins, to assist blood feeding. Recent progress in transcriptome research has uncovered that hard ticks have hundreds of different proteins expressed in their salivary glands, the majority of which have no known function, and include many novel protein families (e.g., their primary structure is unique to ticks). This review will address the vertebrate mechanisms of these barriers as a guide to identify the possible targets of these large numbers of known salivary proteins with unknown function. We additionally provide a supplemental Table that catalogues over 3,500 putative salivary proteins from various tick species, which might assist the scientific community in the process of functional identification of these unique proteins. This supplemental file is accessble fromhttp://exon.niaid.nih.gov/transcriptome/tick_review/Sup-Table-1.xls.gz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo M B Francischetti
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda MD, USA
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41
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Kocan KM, de la Fuente J, Manzano-Roman R, Naranjo V, Hynes WL, Sonenshine DE. Silencing expression of the defensin, varisin, in male Dermacentor variabilis by RNA interference results in reduced Anaplasma marginale infections. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2008; 46:17-28. [PMID: 18523848 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9159-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2007] [Accepted: 05/13/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides, including defensins, are components of the innate immune system in ticks that have been shown to provide protection against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Varisin, one of the defensins identified in Dermacentor variabilis, was shown to be produced primarily in hemocytes but transcript levels were also expressed in midguts and other tick cells. In this research, we studied the role of varisin in the immunity of ticks to the gram-negative cattle pathogen, Anaplasma marginale. Expression of the varisin gene was silenced by RNA interference (RNAi) in which male ticks were injected with varisin dsRNA and then allowed to feed and acquire A. marginale infection on an experimentally-infected calf. Silencing expression of varisin in hemocytes, midguts and salivary glands was confirmed by real time RT-PCR. We expected that silencing of varisin would increase A. marginale infections in ticks, but the results demonstrated that bacterial numbers, as determined by an A. marginale msp4 quantitative PCR, were significantly reduced in the varisin-silenced ticks. Furthermore, colonies of A. marginale in ticks used for RNAi were morphologically abnormal from those seen in elution buffer injected control ticks. The colony shape was irregular and in some cases the A. marginale appeared to be free in the cytoplasm of midgut cells. Some ticks were found to be systemically infected with a microbe that may have been related to the silencing of varisin. This appears to be the first report of the silencing of expression of a defensin in ticks by RNAi that resulted in reduced A. marginale infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Kocan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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42
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Fernandes EKK, Bittencourt VREP. Entomopathogenic fungi against South American tick species. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2008; 46:71-93. [PMID: 18563593 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2007] [Accepted: 05/20/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are parasites of serious concern for humans, domesticated animals and wild animals. Despite scientific advances, in South America the principal control method for ticks is the use of chemical acaricides. Indiscriminate use of these products causes environmental pollution, food contamination and development of tick resistance to acaricides. In vitro studies and field trials have demonstrated that pathogenic fungal isolates not only cause mortality of many tick species, but also reduce subsequent generations due to effects on their reproductive efficacy. Accordingly, this review presents results of several studies which were conducted in South America. Furthermore, it outlines current information on fungal pathogens of ticks and discusses the need to develop and implement effective strategies for use of entomopathogenic fungi to control ticks in the near future.
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Hynes WL, Stokes MM, Hensley SM, Todd SM, Sonenshine DE. Using RNA interference to determine the role of varisin in the innate immune system of the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2008; 46:7-15. [PMID: 18506584 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-008-9158-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2008] [Accepted: 05/06/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are an important component of the innate immune system of ticks. These small peptides are produced by various genera of ticks, and expressed in various tissues. In this study we used RNA interference to silence the expression of the defensin varisin produced by the hemocytes of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. Ticks were injected with double stranded varisin RNA prior to being placed on a rabbit. After feeding, the ticks were removed, bled, and the hemolymph plasma and hemocytes separated. Hemocytes were screened for the presence (or absence) of both varisin transcript and peptide. Varisin peptide was below detectable levels and the transcript showed a greater than 99% knockdown. The antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph plasma was reduced 2-4 fold compared to that of control injected ticks indicating varisin accounts for a large portion of the antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne L Hynes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0266, USA.
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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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Li C, Haug T, Styrvold OB, Jørgensen TØ, Stensvåg K. Strongylocins, novel antimicrobial peptides from the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2008; 32:1430-1440. [PMID: 18656496 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2008.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2008] [Revised: 06/18/2008] [Accepted: 06/29/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Sea urchins possess an innate immune system and are regarded as a potential source for the discovery of new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here we report the purification and characterization of two novel antibacterial peptides (5.6 and 5.8kDa) from coelomocyte extracts of the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. These are the first reported AMPs isolated from sea urchins. The cDNA encoding the peptides and genomic sequences was isolated and sequenced. The two peptides (named strongylocins 1 and 2) have putative isoforms (1b and 2b), similar to two putative proteins from the purple sea urchin S. purpuratus. The native strongylocins are cationic, defensin-like peptides (cysteine-rich), but show no similarity to other known AMPs concerning the cysteine distribution pattern. Strongylocin 1 consists of 83 amino acids that include a preprosequence of 35 amino acids, whereas strongylocins 2a and 2b are composed of 89 and 90 amino acids, respectively, where 38 amino acids represent a preprosequence. No introns were found in the cloned gene of strongylocin 1b, whereas three introns and four exons were found in strongylocins 1a and 2a/b. The latter gene organization was also found in genes coding for putative strongylocins in S. purpuratus. The molecular mass difference between the native peptide and the deduced strongylocin 2 suggests that the first amino acid is bromotryptophan. The native peptides display potent activities against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Li
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø, Breivika, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the salivary glands of the tick Amblyomma cajennense (Acari: Ixodidae). Toxicon 2008; 51:823-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2007.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2007] [Revised: 12/11/2007] [Accepted: 12/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Liu Z, Liu H, Liu X, Wu X. Purification and cloning of a novel antimicrobial peptide from salivary glands of the hard tick, Ixodes sinensis. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2007; 149:557-61. [PMID: 18295522 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2007.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2007] [Revised: 10/09/2007] [Accepted: 10/10/2007] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A novel antimicrobial peptide named as ixosin-B was isolated from the salivary glands of the hard tick, Ixodes sinensis, by gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Its amino acid sequence was determined as QLKVDLWGTRSGIQPEQHSSGKSDVRRWRSRY by Edman degradation. The cDNA encoding ixosin-B was cloned by cDNA library screening. The predicted protein from the cDNA sequence composed of 89 amino acids including mature ixosin-B. Purified ixosin-B exerted its antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. No similarity was found by BLAST search to any database entries and, thus, our findings describe a novel antimicrobial peptide. It is also the fourth family of antimicrobial peptide from hard ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
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Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Grubhoffer L. Gene organization of a novel defensin of Ixodes ricinus: first annotation of an intron/exon structure in a hard tick defensin gene and first evidence of the occurrence of two isoforms of one member of the arthropod defensin family. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2007; 16:501-7. [PMID: 17651239 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2007.00745.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (defensins) are effectors of the immune system. Herein, we describe a novel Ixodes ricinus defensin gene(s), analyse its structure and compare it with other known antimicrobial peptides from different tick species. For the first time, an intron/exon structure is discovered in a hard-tick defensin gene. The intron/exon genomic organization of the gene is similar to the organization in Ornithodoros moubata, but not to that of the intronless defensins of Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis. The analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences of different recombinants from the I. ricinus cDNA library reveals the presence of two defensin isoforms with three amino acid substitutions. Whether or not these substitutions affect the biological properties of the peptides is currently unknown. The expression of the defensin gene is strongly induced in the tick midgut after infection with Borrelia burgdorferi.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Rudenko
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia and Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology AS CR, Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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Tsuji N, Battsetseg B, Boldbaatar D, Miyoshi T, Xuan X, Oliver JH, Fujisaki K. Babesial vector tick defensin against Babesia sp. parasites. Infect Immun 2007; 75:3633-40. [PMID: 17485458 PMCID: PMC1932947 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00256-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2007] [Revised: 03/17/2007] [Accepted: 04/26/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides are major components of host innate immunity, a well-conserved, evolutionarily ancient defensive mechanism. Infectious disease-bearing vector ticks are thought to possess specific defense molecules against the transmitted pathogens that have been acquired during their evolution. We found in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis a novel parasiticidal peptide named longicin that may have evolved from a common ancestral peptide resembling spider and scorpion toxins. H. longicornis is the primary vector for Babesia sp. parasites in Japan. Longicin also displayed bactericidal and fungicidal properties that resemble those of defensin homologues from invertebrates and vertebrates. Longicin showed a remarkable ability to inhibit the proliferation of merozoites, an erythrocyte blood stage of equine Babesia equi, by killing the parasites. Longicin was localized at the surface of the Babesia sp. parasites, as demonstrated by confocal microscopic analysis. In an in vivo experiment, longicin induced significant reduction of parasitemia in animals infected with the zoonotic and murine B. microti. Moreover, RNA interference data demonstrated that endogenous longicin is able to directly kill the canine B. gibsoni, thus indicating that it may play a role in regulating the vectorial capacity in the vector tick H. longicornis. Theoretically, longicin may serve as a model for the development of chemotherapeutic compounds against tick-borne disease organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naotoshi Tsuji
- Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
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Zhou J, Liao M, Ueda M, Gong H, Xuan X, Fujisaki K. Sequence characterization and expression patterns of two defensin-like antimicrobial peptides from the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Peptides 2007; 28:1304-10. [PMID: 17521774 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2007] [Revised: 04/30/2007] [Accepted: 04/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Two cDNAs encoding defensin-like antimicrobial peptides were cloned and sequenced from the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. The full-length cDNA of Hlgut-defensin (H. longicornis midgut defensin) is 333bp, encoding an expected protein with 73 amino acids. The full-length cDNA of Hlsal-defensin (H. longicornis salivary gland defensin) is 382bp, encoding an expected protein with 81 amino acids. The antibacterial activities of the synthetic peptides based on the Hlgut-defensin and Hlsal-defensin sequences were tested against a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Using real-time PCR, the tissue-specific expression of two defensin-like peptides were determined and it was also found that the gene transcripts of Hlgut-defensin and Hlsal-defensin were significantly induced by a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlin Zhou
- Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Korimoto 1-21-24, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
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