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Lu Y, Xu Y, Yu C, Cheng S, Xia Q, Bin Z. Key molecules regulating the blood meals of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) revealed by transcriptomics. VETERINARY RESEARCH FORUM : AN INTERNATIONAL QUARTERLY JOURNAL 2024; 15:171-179. [PMID: 38770198 PMCID: PMC11102794 DOI: 10.30466/vrf.2024.2011271.4007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Rhipicephalus sanguineus, a repulsive obligate blood feeder, is a three-host tick inflicting tremendous damage. Blood-sucking initiates tick-pathogen-host interactions along with alterations in the expression levels of numerous bioactive ingredients. Key molecules regulating blood meals were identified using the transcriptomic approach. A total number of 744 transcripts showed statistically significantly differential expression including 309 significantly upregulated transcripts and 435 significantly downregulated transcripts in semiengorged female ticks compared to unfed ticks, all collected in 2021. The top 10 differentially upregulated transcripts with explicit functional annotations included turripeptide OL55-like protein, valine tRNA ligase-like protein and ice-structuring glycoprotein-like protein. The top 10 differentially down-regulated transcripts were uncharacterized proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed four associated terms in the cellular component category and 16 in the molecular function category among the top 20 terms. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in GO terms ID 0000323 (lytic vacuole) and ID 0005773 (vacuole). The top 20 enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways included metabolism, cellular processes, organismal systems and human diseases. The DEGs were enriched in the KEGG term ID: ko-04142 (lysosome pathway) associated with intracellular digestion in the tick midgut epithelium. Molecular markers annotated via comparative transcriptomic profiling were expected to be candidate markers for the purpose of tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Lu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China;
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China;
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Yijia Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Chenghang Yu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China;
| | - Shi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Qianfeng Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
| | - Zheng Bin
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China;
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Lu S, Martins LA, Kotál J, Ribeiro JMC, Tirloni L. A longitudinal transcriptomic analysis from unfed to post-engorgement midguts of adult female Ixodes scapularis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11360. [PMID: 37443274 PMCID: PMC10345007 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38207-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The hematophagy behavior has evolved independently several times within the Arthropoda phylum. Interestingly, the process of acquiring a blood meal in ticks is considerably distinct from that observed in other blood-feeding arthropods. Instead of taking seconds to minutes to complete a blood meal, an adult female Ixodes scapularis tick can remain attached to its host for numerous days. During this extended feeding period, the tick undergoes drastic morphological changes. It is well established that the tick midgut plays a pivotal role not only in blood meal digestion but also in pathogen acquisition and transmission. However, our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in these events remains limited. To expedite tick research, we conducted a comprehensive longitudinal RNA-sequencing of the tick midgut before, during, and after feeding. By collecting ticks in different feeding stages (unfed, slow feeding, rapid feeding, and early post-detached), we obtained a comprehensive overview of the transcripts present in each stage and the dynamic transcriptional changes that occur between them. This provides valuable insights into tick physiology. Additionally, through unsupervised clustering, we identified transcripts with similar patterns and stage-specific sequences. These findings serve as a foundation for selecting targets in the development of anti-tick control strategies and facilitate a better understanding of how blood feeding and pathogen infection impact tick physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Larissa A Martins
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Neuroimmunology Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Jan Kotál
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA.
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Li H, Mo J, Wang X, Pan B, Xu S, Li S, Zheng X, Lu W. IPS (In-Plant System) Delivery of Double-Stranded Vitellogenin and Vitellogenin receptor via Hydroponics for Pest Control in Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119497. [PMID: 37298448 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Diaphorina citri, a vector of citrus huanglongbing (HLB) disease, frequently leads to HLB outbreaks and reduces Rutaceae crop production. Recent studies have investigated the effects of RNA interference (RNAi) targeting the Vitellogenin (Vg4) and Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) genes, which are involved in egg formation in this pest, providing a theoretical foundation for developing new strategies to manage D. citri populations. This study presents RNAi methods for Vg4 and VgR gene expression interference and reveals that dsVgR is more effective than dsVg4 against D. citri. We demonstrated that dsVg4 and dsVgR persisted for 3-6 days in Murraya odorifera shoots when delivered via the in-plant system (IPS) and effectively interfered with Vg4 and VgR gene expression. Following Vg4 and VgR gene expression interference, egg length and width in the interference group were significantly smaller than those in the negative control group during the 10-30-day development stages. Additionally, the proportion of mature ovarian eggs in the interference group was significantly lower than that in the negative control group at the 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30-day developmental stages. DsVgR notably suppresses oviposition in D. citri, with fecundity decreasing by 60-70%. These results provide a theoretical basis for controlling D. citri using RNAi to mitigate the spread of HLB disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailin Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Junlan Mo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Biqiong Pan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Shu Xu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Shuangrong Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xialin Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Wen Lu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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Wang N, Wang H, Ji A, Li N, Chang G, Liu J, Agwunobi DO, Wang H. Proteomic changes in various organs of Haemaphysalis longicornis under long-term starvation. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010692. [PMID: 35994434 PMCID: PMC9394840 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann), a tick of public health and veterinary importance, spend the major part of their life cycle off-host, especially the adult host-seeking period. Thus, they have to contend with prolonged starvation. Here, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of tick starvation endurance in the salivary glands, midguts, ovaries, and Malpighian tubules of starved H. longicornis ticks using the data-independent acquisition quantitative proteomic approach to study the proteome changes. Essential synthases such as glutamate synthase, citrate synthase, and ATP synthase were up-regulated probably due to increased proteolysis and amino acid catabolism during starvation. The up-regulation of succinate dehydrogenase, ATP synthase, cytochrome c oxidase, and ADP/ATP translocase closely fits with an increased oxidative phosphorylation function during starvation. The differential expression of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, thioredoxin, and peroxiredoxin indicated fasting-induced oxidative stress. The up-regulation of heat shock proteins could imply the activation of a protective mechanism that checks excessive protein breakdown during starvation stress. The results of this study could provide useful information about the vulnerabilities of ticks that could aid in tick control efforts. Ticks are a common blood-sucking parasite, which spread many pathogens that cause serious diseases such as Lyme disease to people. Ixodid ticks can take up to three blood meals in their life. During the long process of waiting for their host in the wild, they have evolved a strong ability to tolerate hunger, which should not take more than a year. To study these tenacious molecular regulatory mechanisms, we conducted the DIA quantitative proteomics technology to perform large-scale protein quantitative research on various tissues of Haemaphysalis longicornis starved for a long time. Through the analysis of thousands of proteins produced by the performed research, the results showed that many proteins in the ticks starved for a long time had expressed quantitative changes such as the increased expression of some synthase enzymes. The large amount of data provided by this study can help to better understand the molecular mechanism of ticks’ long-term hunger tolerance. Although this study focuses on finding possible mechanisms for tick starvation resistance at the protein level, the current findings may well have a bearing on research about special activities such as ultra long-distance space travel in the dormant state of the human body in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningmei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Han Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Aimeng Ji
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Ning Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Guomin Chang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
- * E-mail: (JL); (DOA); (HW)
| | - Desmond O. Agwunobi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
- * E-mail: (JL); (DOA); (HW)
| | - Hui Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
- * E-mail: (JL); (DOA); (HW)
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Kuniyori M, Sato N, Yokoyama N, Kawazu SI, Xuan X, Suzuki H, Fujisaki K, Umemiya-Shirafuji R. Vitellogenin-2 Accumulation in the Fat Body and Hemolymph of Babesia-Infected Haemaphysalis longicornis Ticks. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:908142. [PMID: 35800383 PMCID: PMC9253295 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.908142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Babesia spp. invades into tick oocytes and remains in the offspring. The transovarial transmission phenomenon of Babesia in ticks has been demonstrated experimentally, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Babesia invasion into oocytes occurs along with the progression of oogenesis. In the present study, to find the key tick factor(s) for Babesia transmission, we focused on molecules involved in yolk protein precursor (vitellogenin, Vg) synthesis and Vg uptake, which are crucial events in tick oogenesis. With a Haemaphysalis longicornis tick–Babesia ovata experimental model, the expression profiles of Akt, target of rapamycin, S6K, GATA, and Vg, Vg synthesis-related genes, and Vg receptor (VgR) and autophagy-related gene 6 (ATG6), Vg uptake-related genes, were analyzed using real-time PCR using tissues collected during the preovipositional period in Babesia-infected ticks. The expression levels of H. longicornis Vg-2 (HlVg-2) and HlVg-3 decreased in the fat body of Babesia-infected ticks 1 day after engorgement. In the ovary, HlVg-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in Babesia-infected ticks than in uninfected ticks 1 and 2 days after engorgement and decreased 3 days after engorgement. HlVgR expression was significantly lower in Babesia-infected ticks than in uninfected ticks 2 and 4 days after engorgement. HlATG6 had a lower gene expression in Babesia-infected ticks compared to uninfected ticks 2 days after engorgement. Additionally, western blot analysis using protein extracts from each collected tissue revealed that H. longicornis Vg-2 (HlVg-2) accumulate in the fat body and hemolymph of Babesia-infected ticks. These results suggest that Vg uptake from the hemolymph to the ovary was suppressed in the presence of B. ovata. Moreover, HlVg-2 knockdown ticks had a lower detection rate of B. ovata DNA in the ovary and a significant reduction of B. ovata DNA in the hemolymph compared with control ticks. Taken together, our results suggest that accumulated HlVg-2 is associated with Babesia infection or transmission in the tick body. These findings, besides previous reports on VgR, provide important information to elucidate the transovarial transmission mechanisms of pathogens in tick vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maki Kuniyori
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Nariko Sato
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Shin-ichiro Kawazu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Kozo Fujisaki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- *Correspondence: Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji,
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The current strategies and underlying mechanisms in the control of the vector tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis: Implications for future integrated management. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Li HL, Wang XY, Zheng XL, Lu W. Research Progress on Oviposition-Related Genes in Insects. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:6047614. [PMID: 33367730 PMCID: PMC7759734 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Oviposition-related genes have remained a consistent focus of insect molecular biology. Previous research has gradually clarified our mechanistic understanding of oviposition-related genes, including those related to oviposition-gland-related genes, oogenesis-related genes, oviposition-site-selection-related genes, and genes related to ovulation and hatching. Moreover, some of this research has revealed how the expression of single oviposition-related genes affects the expression of related genes, and more importantly, how individual node genes function to link the expression of upstream and downstream genes. However, the research to date is not sufficient to completely explain the overall interactions among the genes of the insect oviposition system. Through a literature review of a large number of studies, this review provides references for future research on oviposition-related genes in insects and the use of RNAi or CRISPR/Cas9 technology to verify the functions of oviposition-related genes and to prevent and control harmful insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Lin Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiao-Yun Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xia-Lin Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Wen Lu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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Zheng W, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Zhang Q, Okado K, Adjou Moumouni PF, Suzuki H, Chen H, Liu M, Xuan X. Porin Expression Profiles in Haemaphysalis longicornis Infected With Babesia microti. Front Physiol 2020; 11:502. [PMID: 32508681 PMCID: PMC7249857 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The porin gene is widely disseminated in various organisms and has a pivotal role in the regulation of pathogen infection in blood-sucking arthropods. However, to date, information on the porin gene from the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick, an important vector of human and animal diseases, remains unknown. In this study, we identified the porin gene from H. longicornis and evaluated its expression levels in Babesia microti-infected and -uninfected H. longicornis ticks at developmental stages. We also analyzed porin functions in relation to both tick blood feeding and Babesia infection and the relationship between porin and porin-related apoptosis genes such as B-cell lymphoma (Bcl), cytochrome complex (Cytc), caspase 2 (Cas2), and caspase 8 (Cas8). The coding nucleotide sequence of H. longicornis porin cDNA was found to be 849 bp in length and encoded 282 amino acids. Domain analysis showed the protein to contain six determinants of voltage gating and two polypeptide binding sites. Porin mRNA levels were not significantly different between 1-day-laid and 7-day-laid eggs. In the nymphal stage, higher porin expression levels were found in unfed, 12-h-partially-fed (12 hPF), 1-day-partially-fed (1 dPF), 2 dPF nymphs and nymphs at 0 day post-engorgement (0 dAE) vs. nymphs at 2 dAE. Cytc and Cas2 mRNA levels were higher in 2 dPF nymphs in contrast to nymphs at 2 dAE. Porin expression levels appeared to be higher in the infected vs. uninfected nymphs during blood feeding except at 1 dPF and 0–1 dAE. Especially, the highest B. microti burden negatively affected porin mRNA levels in both nymphs and female adults. Porin knockdown affected body weight and Babesia infection levels and significantly downregulated the expression levels of Cytc and Bcl in H. longicornis female ticks. In addition, this study showed that infection levels of the B. microti Gray strain in nymphal and female H. longicornis peaked at or around engorgement from blood feeding to post engorgement. Taken together, the research conducted in this study suggests that H. longicornis porin might interfere with blood feeding and B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqing Zheng
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal-origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, China
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Qian Zhang
- The Ophthalmology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Kiyoshi Okado
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Paul Franck Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Haiying Chen
- The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal-origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, China
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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9
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Zheng W, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Chen S, Okado K, Adjou Moumouni PF, Suzuki H, Yang S, Liu M, Xuan X. Identification of Haemaphysalis longicornis Genes Differentially Expressed in Response to Babesia microti Infection. Pathogens 2020; 9:E378. [PMID: 32423088 PMCID: PMC7281432 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9050378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis is a tick and a vector of various pathogens, including the human pathogenetic Babesia microti. The objective of this study was to identify female H. longicornis genes differentially expressed in response to infection with B. microti Gray strain by using a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) procedure. A total of 302 randomly selected clones were sequenced and analyzed in the forward subtracted SSH cDNA library related to Babesia infection, and 110 clones in the reverse cDNA library. Gene ontology assignments and sequence analyses of tick sequences in the forward cDNA library showed that 14 genes were related to response to stimulus or/and immune system process, and 7 genes had the higher number of standardized sequences per kilobase (SPK). Subsequent real-time PCR detection showed that eight genes including those encoding for Obg-like ATPase 1 (ola1), Calreticulin (crt), vitellogenin 1 (Vg1) and Vg2 were up-regulated in fed ticks. Compared to uninfected ticks, infected ticks had six up-regulated genes, including ola1, crt and Vg2. Functional analysis of up-regulated genes in fed or Babesia-infected ticks by RNA interference showed that knockdown of crt and Vg2 in infected ticks and knockdown of ola1 in uninfected ticks accelerated engorgement. In contrast, Vg1 knockdown in infected ticks had delayed engorgement. Knockdown of crt and Vg1 in infected ticks decreased engorged female weight. Vg2 knockdown reduced B. microti infection levels by 51% when compared with controls. The results reported here increase our understanding of roles of H. longicornis genes in blood feeding and B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqing Zheng
- The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial key Laboratory of Animal-Origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Honggutan New District, Nanchang 330038, China; (W.Z.); (S.C.)
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Shengen Chen
- The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial key Laboratory of Animal-Origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Honggutan New District, Nanchang 330038, China; (W.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Kiyoshi Okado
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Paul Franck Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Shu Yang
- The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial key Laboratory of Animal-Origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Honggutan New District, Nanchang 330038, China; (W.Z.); (S.C.)
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; (K.O.); (P.F.A.M.); (H.S.); (M.L.)
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Malik MI, Nawaz M, Wang Y, Zhang H, Cao J, Zhou Y, Hassan IA, Islam MN, Anwar MN, Zhou J. Localized expression and inhibition effect of miR-184 on blood digestion and oviposition in Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae). Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:500. [PMID: 31653232 PMCID: PMC6814974 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3754-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Ixodidae) is widely distributed in East Asia, China, Australia and New Zealand. It can transmit many infectious pathogens, including the causative agents of human rickettsiosis, bovine theileriosis, bovine babesiosis and canine babesiosis. Therefore, a greater understanding of H. longicornis biology might aid in the development of more effective control measures against the tick and tick-borne pathogens. METHODS We analyzed the expression of miR-184 in different developmental stages and various tissues of H. longicornis using real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Antagomir (Ant-184) was used to knock-down miR-184, whilst Ms-Ant and non-injected ticks were used as the negative and blank controls, respectively. We used online software tools (RNAhybrid and TargetScan) to predict the putative target genes of miR-184. RESULTS The expression of miR-184 was highest in unfed nymphs and lowest in unfed larvae. The tissue distribution of miR-184 showed abundant expression in the midgut. To investigate the probable roles of miR-184, antagomir (Ant-184) was used to knock-down miR-184 (t(4) = 12.32, P = 0.0002). After inhibiting miR-184, other biological factors were examined in each group. The engorged body weight was significantly reduced in the treated group (Ant-184) in contrast to control groups (t(22) = 2.19, P = 0.0388). The mean duration of the egg-laying days was significantly increased (33.5 ± 1.91) and the number of eggs (t(10) = 3.147, P = 0.0137), and egg mass (t(10) = 3.4472, P = 0.0063) were significantly reduced in the treated group. During oviposition, eggs were monitored and in half of the ticks of the Ant-184 group the eggs were completely desiccated, lacked embryo development and did not hatch. We analyzed the expression of Vg proteins (Vg1, Vg2, Vg3) in semi-engorged ticks, engorged ticks, ticks at day 2 after engorgement and egg stage in Ant-184, non-injected and Ms-Ant groups, and found significant variation. CONCLUSIONS This study provides information on the role of miR-184 in H. longicornis ticks. The data suggest that miR-184 targets Vg proteins and affects blood digestion and oviposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Irfan Malik
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Mohsin Nawaz
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Ibrahim A. Hassan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Md. Nazrul Islam
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Muhammad Naveed Anwar
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
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