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Perez-Soria MME, López-Díaz DG, Jiménez-Ocampo R, Aguilar-Tipacamú G, Ueti MW, Mosqueda J. Immunization of cattle with a Rhipicephalus microplus chitinase peptide containing predicted B-cell epitopes reduces tick biological fitness. Parasitology 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38311342 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000143] [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] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus, the cattle fever tick, is the most important ectoparasite impacting the livestock industry worldwide. Overreliance on chemical treatments for tick control has led to the emergence of acaricide-resistant ticks and environmental contamination. An immunological strategy based on vaccines offers an alternative approach to tick control. To develop novel tick vaccines, it is crucial to identify and evaluate antigens capable of generating protection in cattle. Chitinases are enzymes that degrade older chitin at the time of moulting, therefore allowing interstadial metamorphosis. In this study, 1 R. microplus chitinase was identified and its capacity to reduce fitness in ticks fed on immunized cattle was evaluated. First, the predicted amino acid sequence was determined in 4 isolates and their similarity was analysed by bioinformatics. Four peptides containing predicted B-cell epitopes were designed. The immunogenicity of each peptide was assessed by inoculating 2 cattle, 4 times at 21 days intervals, and the antibody response was verified by indirect ELISA. A challenge experiment was conducted with those peptides that were immunogenic. The chitinase gene was successfully amplified and sequenced, enabling comparison with reference strains. Notably, a 99.32% identity and 99.84% similarity were ascertained among the sequences. Furthermore, native protein recognition was demonstrated through western blot assays. Chitinase peptide 3 reduced the weight and oviposition of engorged ticks, as well as larvae viability, exhibiting a 71% efficacy. Therefore, chitinase 3 emerges as a viable vaccine candidate, holding promise for its integration into a multiantigenic vaccine against R. microplus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Gustavo López-Díaz
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, QT, Mexico
- Master's Program in Sustainable Animal Health and Production, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, QT, Mexico
| | | | - Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacamú
- CA Salud Animal y Microbiologia Ambiental, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, QT, Mexico
| | - Massaro W Ueti
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington, 99164, USA
| | - Juan Mosqueda
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, QT, Mexico
- CA Salud Animal y Microbiologia Ambiental, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, QT, Mexico
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Ma H, Ai J, La Y, Zhao X, Zeng A, Qin Q, Feng S, Kang M, Sun Y, Li J. Hemalin vaccination modulates the host immune response and reproductive cycle of Haemaphysalis longicornis. Vet Parasitol 2023; 323:110051. [PMID: 37866015 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis can transmit high varieties of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs), and a primary strategy for preventing the transmission of those TBPs is to control ticks. Hemalin, a thrombin inhibitor of the Kunitz-type family and a crucial component in H. longicornis feeding process has been isolated from parthenogentic ticks. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of a recombinant Hemalin (rHlHemalin) vaccination as an anti-tick vaccine against H. longicornis in rabbits to find a new candidate for an effective tick control. In this study, mouse splenocytes were isolated and used to investigate immune responses after rHlHemalin stimulation. The rabbits were vaccinated with the rHlHemalin protein. After tick challenges, body weight at engorgement, egg mass, and the reproductive cycle of H. longicornis were evaluated. To confirm the vaccination, the passive immunization tests of α-rHlHemalin sera were performed. The results showed that the rHlHemalin protein could stimulate cytokine production in mouse splenocytes. Vaccination assay revealed that the periods from tick infestations to egg-hatch in the vaccination group were significantly longer than those in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) group (P = 0.0003). In addition, the tick body weight at engorgement (P = 0.0019) and egg mass at 10 days after oviposition (P = 0.0232) were higher than those in the PBS group. These findings were consistent with the current passive immunization results and suggest rHlHemalin vaccination extended the reproductive cycle in H. longicornis but did not decrease the body weight at engorgement or weight of egg mass. Therefore, it is debatable whether Hemalin vaccination is highly-effective anti-tick vaccine or not. However, due to the importance of thrombin inhibitors in tick blood feeding and blood digestion, additional inhibitor-based vaccines should be developed aiming to find an effective and environmentally friendly biological strategy to combat ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejia Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Jingkai Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Yansha La
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Xinyuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Ankang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Qi Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Shangjiali Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Ming Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Yali Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogen Diagnosis for Animal Diseases and Green Technical Research for Prevention and Control, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Jixu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogen Diagnosis for Animal Diseases and Green Technical Research for Prevention and Control, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.
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3
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Kwofie KD, Hernandez EP, Anisuzzaman, Kawada H, Koike Y, Sasaki S, Inoue T, Jimbo K, Mikami F, Ladzekpo D, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Yamaji K, Tanaka T, Matsubayashi M, Alim MA, Dadzie SK, Iwanaga S, Tsuji N, Hatta T. RNA activation in ticks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9341. [PMID: 37291173 PMCID: PMC10250327 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA activation (RNAa) is a burgeoning area of research in which double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) or small activating RNAs mediate the upregulation of specific genes by targeting the promoter sequence and/or AU-rich elements in the 3'- untranslated region (3'-UTR) of mRNA molecules. So far, studies on the phenomenon have been limited to mammals, plants, bacteria, Caenorhabditis elegans, and recently, Aedes aegypti. However, it is yet to be applied in other arthropods, including ticks, despite the ubiquitous presence of argonaute 2 protein, which is an indispensable requirement for the formation of RNA-induced transcriptional activation complex to enable a dsRNA-mediated gene activation. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time the possible presence of RNAa phenomenon in the tick vector, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick). We targeted the 3'-UTR of a novel endochitinase-like gene (HlemCHT) identified previously in H. longicornis eggs for dsRNA-mediated gene activation. Our results showed an increased gene expression in eggs of H. longicornis endochitinase-dsRNA-injected (dsHlemCHT) ticks on day-13 post-oviposition. Furthermore, we observed that eggs of dsHlemCHT ticks exhibited relatively early egg development and hatching, suggesting a dsRNA-mediated activation of the HlemCHT gene in the eggs. This is the first attempt to provide evidence of RNAa in ticks. Although further studies are required to elucidate the detailed mechanism by which RNAa occurs in ticks, the outcome of this study provides new opportunities for the use of RNAa as a gene overexpression tool in future studies on tick biology, to reduce the global burden of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi Dadzie Kwofie
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Emmanuel Pacia Hernandez
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Anisuzzaman
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Hayato Kawada
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yuki Koike
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Sana Sasaki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takahiro Inoue
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Kei Jimbo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Fusako Mikami
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Danielle Ladzekpo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Environmental Parasitology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Kayoko Yamaji
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan
| | - Makoto Matsubayashi
- Department of Veterinary Immunology, Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Md Abdul Alim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Samuel Kweku Dadzie
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Shiroh Iwanaga
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CIDER), Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Naotoshi Tsuji
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hatta
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
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Antunes S, Domingos A. Tick Vaccines and Concealed versus Exposed Antigens. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030374. [PMID: 36986295 PMCID: PMC10056810 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-tick vaccines development mainly depends on the identification of suitable antigens, which ideally should have different features. These should be key molecules in tick biology, encoded by a single gene, expressed across life stages and tick tissues, capable of inducing B and T cells to promote an immunological response without allergenic, hemolytic, and toxic effects; and should not be homologous to the mammalian host. The discussion regarding this subject and the usefulness of “exposed” and “concealed” antigens was effectively explored in the publication by Nuttall et al. (2006). The present commentary intends to debate the relevance of such study in the field of tick immunological control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Liu L, Yan F, Zhang L, Wu ZF, Duan DY, Cheng TY. Protein profiling of hemolymph in Haemaphysalis flava ticks. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:179. [PMID: 35610668 PMCID: PMC9128142 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05287-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tick hemolymph bathes internal organs, acts as an exchange medium for nutrients and cellular metabolites, and offers protection against pathogens. Hemolymph is abundant in proteins. However, there has been limited integrated protein analysis in tick hemolymph thus far. Moreover, there are difficulties in differentiating tick-derived proteins from the host source. The aim of this study was to profile the tick/host protein components in the hemolymph of Haemaphysalis flava. Methods Hemolymph from adult engorged H. flava females was collected by leg amputation from the Erinaceus europaeus host. Hemolymph proteins were extracted by a filter-aided sample preparation protocol, digested by trypsin, and assayed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). MS raw data were searched against the UniProt Erinaceidae database and H. flava protein database for host- and tick-derived protein identification. Protein abundance was further quantified by intensity-based absolute quantification (iBAQ). Results Proteins extracted from hemolymph unevenly varied in size with intense bands between 100 and 130 kDa. In total, 312 proteins were identified in the present study. Therein 40 proteins were identified to be host-derived proteins, of which 18 were high-confidence proteins. Top 10 abundant host-derived proteins included hemoglobin subunit-α and subunit-β, albumin, serotransferrin-like, ubiquitin-like, haptoglobin, α-1-antitrypsin-like protein, histone H2B, apolipoprotein A-I, and C3-β. In contrast, 169 were high-confidence tick-derived proteins. These proteins were classified into six categories based on reported functions in ticks, i.e., enzymes, enzyme inhibitors, transporters, immune-related proteins, muscle proteins, and heat shock proteins. The abundance of Vg, microplusin and α-2-macroglobulin was the highest among tick-derived proteins as indicated by iBAQ. Conclusions Numerous tick- and host-derived proteins were identified in hemolymph. The protein profile of H. flava hemolymph revealed a sophisticated protein system in the physiological processes of anticoagulation, digestion of blood meal, and innate immunity. More investigations are needed to characterize tick-derived proteins in hemolymph. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05287-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Fen Yan
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Zhi-Feng Wu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - De-Yong Duan
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors (RCPV), College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China.
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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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Fractionation of tick saliva reveals proteins associated with the development of acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis. Vaccine 2020; 38:8121-8129. [PMID: 33168347 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases pose a global medical problem. As transmission of tick-borne pathogens to their hosts occurs during tick feeding, development of vaccines thwarting this process could potentially prevent transmission of multiple tick-borne pathogens. The idea of tick vaccines is based on the phenomenon of acquired tick immunity, rejection of ticks feeding on hosts which were repeatedly infested by ticks. Recently, we demonstrated that saliva of the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis, which is the main vector of tick-borne pathogens in northeast USA, is sufficient for induction of tick immunity in the guinea pig model and that immunity directed against tick glycoproteins is important in this phenomenon. Nevertheless, immunity elicited against individual tick salivary antigens, which have been identified and tested so far, provided only modest tick rejection. We therefore now tested fractions of tick saliva produced by liquid chromatography for their ability to induce tick immunity in the guinea pig model. Immunization with all individual fractions elicited antibodies that reacted with tick saliva, however only some fractions displayed the ability to induce robust protective tick immunity. Mass spectrometry analysis led to identification of 24 proteins present only in saliva fractions which were able to induce tick immunity, suggesting suitable candidates for development of a tick vaccine.
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de la Fuente J, Lima-Barbero JF, Prado E, Pacheco I, Alberdi P, Villar M. Anaplasma pathogen infection alters chemical composition of the exoskeleton of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:253-257. [PMID: 33489003 PMCID: PMC7790738 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are arthropod ectoparasites and vectors of pathogens affecting human and animal health worldwide. The exoskeleton is a structure that protect arthropods from natural threats such as predators and diseases. Both structural proteins and chemical elements are components of the exoskeleton. However, the chemical composition and effect of pathogen infection on tick exoskeleton properties has not been characterized. In this study, we characterized the chemical composition of tick exoskeleton and the effect of Anaplasma pathogen infection on the chemical elements of the exoskeleton and selected structural proteins. The chemical composition was characterized ventral, dorsal upper and dorsal lower regions of tick exoskeleton by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy and compared between infected and uninfected ticks. The levels of selected structural proteins were analyzed in infected and uninfected I. scapularis salivary glands by immunofluorescence analysis. The results showed that tick exoskeleton contains chemical elements also found in other arthropods. Some of the identified elements such as Mg and Al may be involved in tick exoskeleton stabilization through biomineralization of structural proteins that may be overrepresented in response to pathogen infection. These results suggested that pathogen infection alters the chemical composition of tick exoskeleton by mechanisms still to be characterized and with tick species and exoskeleton region-specific differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - José Francisco Lima-Barbero
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Eduardo Prado
- Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. Camilo José Cela 10, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Iván Pacheco
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
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Giachetto PF, Cunha RC, Nhani A, Garcia MV, Ferro JA, Andreotti R. Gene Expression in the Salivary Gland of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Fed on Tick-Susceptible and Tick-Resistant Hosts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:477. [PMID: 32039052 PMCID: PMC6985549 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of cattle tick fixation largely depends on the secretion of substances that alter the immune response of the host. The majority of these substances are expressed by the parasite salivary gland and secreted in tick saliva. It is known that hosts can mount immune responses against ticks and bovine European breeds, and bovine industrial crossbreeds are more susceptible to infestations than are Bos indicus cattle. To identify candidates for the development of novel control strategies for the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, a salivary gland transcriptome analysis of engorged females fed on susceptible or resistant hosts was performed. Using RNA-Seq, transcriptomes were de novo assembled and produced a total of 235,451 contigs with 93.3% transcriptome completeness. Differential expression analysis identified 137 sequences as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ticks raised on tick-susceptible or tick-resistant cattle. DEGs predicted to be secreted proteins include innexins, which are transmembrane proteins that form gap junction channels; the transporters Na+/dicarboxylate, Na+/tricarboxylate, and phosphate transporter and a putative monocarboxylate transporter; a phosphoinositol 4-phosphate adaptor protein; a cysteine-rich protein containing a trypsin inhibitor-like (TIL) domain; a putative defense protein 3 containing a reeler domain; and an F-actin-uncapping protein LRRC16A with a CARMIL_C domain; these genes were upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle. DEGs predicted to be non-secreted proteins included a small heat shock protein and the negative elongation factor B-like, both acting in a coordinated manner to increase HSP transcript levels in the salivary glands of the ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; the 26S protease regulatory subunit 6B and another chaperone with similarity to calnexin, also upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; an EF-hand calcium binding protein and a serine carboxypeptidase (SCP), both involved in the blood coagulation cascade and upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; and two ribosomal proteins, the 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 and the 60S ribosomal protein L19. These results help to characterize cattle tick salivary gland gene expression in tick-susceptible and tick-resistant hosts and suggest new putative targets for the control of tick infestations, as those genes involved in the mechanism of stress response during blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodrigo Casquero Cunha
- Bolsista do CNPq (157460/2018-5), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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Pérez-Sánchez R, Manzano-Román R, Obolo-Mvoulouga P, Oleaga A. In silico selection of functionally important proteins from the mialome of Ornithodoros erraticus ticks and assessment of their protective efficacy as vaccine targets. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:508. [PMID: 31666116 PMCID: PMC6822432 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3768-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New candidate protective antigens for tick vaccine development may be identified by selecting and testing antigen candidates that play key biological functions. After blood-feeding, tick midgut overexpresses proteins that play essential functions in tick survival and disease transmission. Herein, Ornithodoros erraticus midgut transcriptomic and proteomic data were examined in order to select functionally significant antigens upregulated after feeding to be tested as vaccine candidate antigens. METHODS Transcripts annotated as chitinases, tetraspanins, ribosomal protein P0 and secreted proteins/peptides were mined from the recently published O. erraticus midgut transcriptome and filtered in a second selection step using criteria based on upregulation after feeding, predicted antigenicity and expression in the midgut proteome. Five theoretical candidate antigens were selected, obtained as recombinant proteins and used to immunise rabbits: one chitinase (CHI), two tetraspanins (TSPs), the ribosomal protein P0 (RPP0) and one secreted protein PK-4 (PK4). RESULTS Rabbit vaccination with individual recombinant candidates induced strong humoral responses that mainly reduced nymph moulting and female reproduction, providing 30.2% (CHI), 56% (TSPs), 57.5% (RPP0) and 57.8% (PK4) protection to O. erraticus infestations and 19.6% (CHI), 11.1% (TSPs), 0% (RPP0) and 8.1% (PK4) cross-protection to infestations by the African tick Ornithodoros moubata. The joint vaccine efficacy of the candidates was assessed in a second vaccine trial reaching 66.3% protection to O. erraticus and 25.6% cross-protection to O. moubata. CONCLUSIONS These results (i) indicate that argasid chitinases and RPP0 are promising protective antigens, as has already been demonstrated for ixodid chitinases and RPP0, and could be included in vaccines targeting multiple tick species; (ii) reveal novel protective antigens tetraspanins and secreted protein PK-4, never tested before as protective antigens in ticks; and (iii) demonstrate that multi-antigenic vaccines increased vaccine efficacy compared with individual antigens. Lastly, our data emphasize the value of the tick midgut as a source of protective candidate antigens in argasids for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain.,Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Prosper Obolo-Mvoulouga
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ana Oleaga
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
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Feng LL, Liu L, Cheng TY. Proteomic analysis of saliva from partially and fully engorged adult female Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2019; 78:443-460. [PMID: 31175473 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-019-00390-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus salivary gland secretes a number of complex bioactive proteins during feeding. These components are important in feeding and affect anti-coagulation, anti-inflammation and also have anti-microbial effects. In this study, tick saliva was collected from partially engorged female (PEF) and fully engorged female (FEF) ticks. Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify and quantify R. microplus salivary proteins. A total of 322 unique peptides were detected and 151 proteins were characterized in both PEF and FEF. Of these, 41 proteins are considered as high-confidence proteins. Fifteen high-confidence proteins were upregulated and six high-confidence proteins were downregulated (p < 0.05; PEF:FEF ratio ≥ 1.2 or PEF:FEF ratio ≤ 0.83); 17 high-confidence proteins are slightly changed (PEF:FEF ratio > 0.83 and < 1.2). These high-confidence proteins are involved in several physiological roles, including egg development, transportation of proteins, immunity and anti-microorganism, anti-coagulant, and adhesion. In comparison with PEF, the number of upregulated proteins exceeded the number of proteins downregulated. Salivary protein may be induced by the blood-meal and these proteins contribute to successful feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Li Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Hunan Colaborative Innovation Center of Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China
- Hunan Colaborative Innovation Center of Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
- Hunan Colaborative Innovation Center of Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Ren Q, Chen Z, Luo J, Liu G, Guan G, Liu Z, Liu A, Li Y, Niu Q, Liu J, Yang J, Han X, Yin H, Luo J. Laboratory evaluation of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in the control of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis in China. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2016; 69:233-238. [PMID: 27071674 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis, a prevalent tick species in China, is an ectoparasite that preferentially infests small ruminants and can transmit Theileria sp. and Babesia sp. In this study, we evaluated the pathogenicity of individual and mixed infections of the fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to H. qinghaiensis nymphs. The estimated LC50 for ticks immersed in solutions of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae and a mixture thereof were: 5.88056 × 10(4), 2.65 × 10(4), and 2.85 × 10(4) conidia mL(-1) respectively, and the nymphal mortality ranged from 52 to 100 %. Thus, these results suggest a potential approach for the biocontrol of H. qinghaiensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyun Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ze Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Aihong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Youquan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Junlong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueqing Han
- Institute of Animal Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine (CAIQ), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, People's Republic of China.
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Kim YH, Slam MS, You MJ. Proteomic screening of antigenic proteins from the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae). THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2015; 53:85-93. [PMID: 25748713 PMCID: PMC4384799 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.1.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2014] [Revised: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Proteomic tools allow large-scale, high-throughput analyses for the detection, identification, and functional investigation of proteome. For detection of antigens from Haemaphysalis longicornis, 1-dimensional electrophoresis (1-DE) quantitative immunoblotting technique combined with 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) immunoblotting was used for whole body proteins from unfed and partially fed female ticks. Reactivity bands and 2-DE immunoblotting were performed following 2-DE electrophoresis to identify protein spots. The proteome of the partially fed female had a larger number of lower molecular weight proteins than that of the unfed female tick. The total number of detected spots was 818 for unfed and 670 for partially fed female ticks. The 2-DE immunoblotting identified 10 antigenic spots from unfed females and 8 antigenic spots from partially fed females. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) of relevant spots identified calreticulin, putative secreted WC salivary protein, and a conserved hypothetical protein from the National Center for Biotechnology Information and Swiss Prot protein sequence databases. These findings indicate that most of the whole body components of these ticks are non-immunogenic. The data reported here will provide guidance in the identification of antigenic proteins to prevent infestation and diseases transmitted by H. longicornis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Ha Kim
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosafety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Korea
| | - Mohammad Saiful Slam
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosafety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Korea ; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur-5200, Bangladesh
| | - Myung-Jo You
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosafety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Korea
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Kim TK, Curran J, Mulenga A. Dual silencing of long and short Amblyomma americanum acidic chitinase forms weakens the tick cement cone stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 217:3493-503. [PMID: 25189365 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.107979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study demonstrates that Amblyomma americanum (Aam) constitutively and ubiquitously expresses the long (L) and short (S) putative acidic chitinases (Ach) that are distinguished by a 210 base pair (bp) deletion in AamAch-S. Full-length AamAch-L and AamAch-S cDNA are 1959 and 1718 bp long, containing 1332 and 1104 bp open reading frames that code for 443 and 367 amino acid residues proteins with the former predicted to be extracellular and the latter intracellular. Both AamAch-L and AamAch-S mRNA are expressed in multiple organs as revealed by qualitative RT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that AamAch-L mRNA was downregulated in the mid-gut, but was unchanged in the salivary gland and in other organs in response to feeding. Of significant interest, AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S functions are probably associated with formation and/or maintenance of stability of A. americanum tick cement cone. Dual RNA interference silencing of AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S mRNA caused ticks to loosely attach onto host skin as suggested by bleeding around tick mouthparts and ticks detaching off host skin with a light touch. AamAch-L may apparently encode an inactive chitinase as indicated by Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant AamAch-L failing to hydrolyse chitinase substrates. Unpublished related work in our laboratory, and published work by others that found AamAch-L in tick saliva, suggest that native AamAch-L is a non-specific immunoglobulin binding tick saliva protein in that rAamAch-L non-specifically bound rabbit, bovine and chicken non-immune sera. We discuss findings in this study with reference to advancing knowledge on tick feeding physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae K Kim
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Janet Curran
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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15
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Insect-Derived Chitinases. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2013; 136:19-50. [DOI: 10.1007/10_2013_207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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16
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Vu Hai V, Almeras L, Audebert S, Pophillat M, Boulanger N, Parola P, Raoult D, Pages F. Identification of salivary antigenic markers discriminating host exposition between two European ticks: Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Dermacentor reticulatus. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 36:39-53. [PMID: 23040662 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2012.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
To succeed blood meal, ticks inject salivary proteins to mammalian hosts, eliciting an antibody response against these foreign antigens. Although this immune response has been proposed as a surrogate marker of exposure to tick bites, identification of the corresponding antigens remains elusive. For this aim, a comparison by immunoblots of the kinetic IgG responses to protein salivary gland extracts from two European tick species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus or Dermacentor reticulatus, in rabbits was performed. A singularity in the immune patterns was observed according to rabbit exposure status and depending on the antigen source. Six and five bands were found specifically associated to R. sanguineus and to D. reticulatus exposures, respectively. The identity of these salivary antigenic proteins was determined using an original immunoproteomic approach. The utilization of these tick salivary proteins as biomarker candidates to discriminate R. sanguineus and/or D. reticulatus tick exposure or to develop anti-tick vaccines is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinh Vu Hai
- Unité des Rickettsies, WHO Collaborative Center for Rickettsial and Other Arthropod-Borne Bacterial Diseases, Unité de Recherche des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergente, UMR CNRS IRD, IFR, Institut Hospitalier Universitaire Marseille, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
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Arakane Y, Muthukrishnan S. Insect chitinase and chitinase-like proteins. Cell Mol Life Sci 2010; 67:201-16. [PMID: 19816755 PMCID: PMC11115512 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-009-0161-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2009] [Revised: 09/21/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Insect chitinases belong to family 18 glycosylhydrolases that hydrolyze chitin by an endo-type of cleavage while retaining the anomeric beta-(1-->4) configuration of products. There are multiple genes encoding chitinases and chitinase-like proteins in all insect species studied using bioinformatics searches. These chitinases differ in size, domain organization, physical, chemical and enzymatic properties, and in patterns of their expression during development. There are also differences in tissue specificity of expression. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, insect chitinases and chitinase-like proteins have been classified into several different groups. Results of RNA interference experiments demonstrate that at least some of these chitinases belonging to different groups serve non-redundant functions and are essential for insect survival, molting or development. Chitinases have been utilized for biological control of insect pests on transgenic plants either alone or in combination with other insecticidal proteins. Specific chitinases may prove to be useful as biocontrol agents and/or as vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Arakane
- Department of Biochemistry, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702 USA
| | - Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan
- Department of Biochemistry, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702 USA
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