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Guizzo MG, Frantová H, Lu S, Kozelková T, Číhalová K, Dyčka F, Hrbatová A, Tonk-Rügen M, Perner J, Ribeiro JM, Fogaça AC, Zurek L, Kopáček P. The immune factors involved in the rapid clearance of bacteria from the midgut of the tick Ixodes ricinus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1450353. [PMID: 39193502 PMCID: PMC11347951 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1450353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods that transmit a wide range of pathogens to humans as well as wild and domestic animals. They also harbor a non-pathogenic microbiota, although our previous study has shown that the diverse bacterial microbiome in the midgut of Ixodes ricinus is quantitatively poor and lacks a core. In artificial infections by capillary feeding of ticks with two model bacteria (Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus and Gram-negative Pantoea sp.), rapid clearance of these microbes from the midgut was observed, indicating the presence of active immune mechanisms in this organ. In the current study, RNA-seq analysis was performed on the midgut of I. ricinus females inoculated with either M. luteus or Pantoea sp. or with sterile water as a control. While no immune-related transcripts were upregulated by microbial inoculation compared to that of the sterile control, capillary feeding itself triggered dramatic transcriptional changes in the tick midgut. Manual curation of the transcriptome from the midgut of unfed I. ricinus females, complemented by the proteomic analysis, revealed the presence of several constitutively expressed putative antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are independent of microbial stimulation and are referred to here as 'guard' AMPs. These included two types of midgut-specific defensins, two different domesticated amidase effector 2 (Dae2), microplusin/ricinusin-related molecules, two lysozymes, and two gamma interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductases (GILTs). The in vitro antimicrobial activity assays of two synthetic mature defensins, defensin 1 and defensin 8, confirmed their specificity against Gram-positive bacteria showing exceptional potency to inhibit the growth of M. luteus at nanomolar concentrations. The antimicrobial activity of midgut defensins is likely part of a multicomponent system responsible for the rapid clearance of bacteria in the tick midgut. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of other identified 'guard' AMPs in controlling microorganisms entering the tick midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Tereza Kozelková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Kristýna Číhalová
- Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Filip Dyčka
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Alena Hrbatová
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czechia
| | - Miray Tonk-Rügen
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - José M. Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Andrea C. Fogaça
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ludek Zurek
- Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Rosario-Cruz R, Domínguez-García DI, Almazán C, Rosario Dominguez F. A One Health Epidemiological Approach for Understanding Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2024; 24:473-477. [PMID: 38687338 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2023.0096] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The control and prevention of ticks and tick borne diseases (TBDs) is often difficult, since it is necessary to disrupt a complex transmission cycle, involving ticks and vertebrate hosts, which interact in a changing environment, driven by constant environmental and ecological changes. Our view is that factors driving the spread of R. microplus are complex and intrinsically interconnected, something that has often been ignored in control strategies. Results: The aim of this review is to analyze the importance of the epidemiological surveillance of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) for Public Health, with the One Health approach; emphasizing the knowledge, importance, and distribution of TTBDs. Conclusions: The key points for surveillance, and raising the scope and limitations of surveillance programs, to delay the emergence of acaricide resistance, to reduce toxic residues in food for human consumption and to protect animal, human, and environmental health, from a One Health perspective will require calling producers, veterinarians, academics, pharmaceutical industry, and decision makers to join efforts in order to mitigate the effects of ticks and TBDs affecting the cattle industry in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rosario-Cruz
- Biotechnology in Health and Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autónomous University of Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, México
| | - Delia Inés Domínguez-García
- Biotechnology in Health and Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autónomous University of Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, México
| | - Consuelo Almazán
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, College of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Fernando Rosario Dominguez
- Biotechnology in Health and Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Natural Sciences College, Autónomous University of Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, México
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Sun M, Wu F, Xu Z, Wang Y, Cao J, Zhou Y, Zhou J, Zhang H, Xu Q. The TCTP is essential for ovarian development and oviposition of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. Vet Parasitol 2024; 329:110212. [PMID: 38781831 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110212] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Tick infestations transmit various infectious agents and result in significant socioeconomic consequences. Currently, the primary focus of tick control efforts is identifying potential targets for immune intervention. In a previous study, we identified a highly conserved protein abundant in tick haemolymph extracellular vesicles (EVs) known as translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP). We have found that native TCTP is present in various tissues of the Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides tick, including salivary glands, midgut, ovary, and fat body. Notably, TCTP is particularly abundant in the tick ovary and its levels increase progressively from the blood-feeding stage to engorgement. When the TCTP gene was knocked down by RNAi, there was a noticeable delay in ovarian development, and the reproductive performance, in terms of egg quantity and survival, was also hindered. Our investigations have revealed that the observed effects in ovary and eggs in dsRNA-treated ticks are not attributable to cell death mechanisms like apoptosis and autophagy but rather to the reduction in the expression of vitellogenin (Vg1, Vg2, and Vg3) and ferritin (ferritin 1 and ferritin 2) proteins crucial for ovarian development and embryo survival in ticks. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis and structural comparisons of RhTCTP and its orthologues across various tick species, vertebrate hosts, and humans have shown that TCTP is conserved in ticks but differs significantly between ticks and their hosts, particularly in the TCTP_1 and TCTP_2 domains. Overall, TCTP plays a vital role in tick reproductive development and presents itself as a potential target for tick control in both humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Fei Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhengmao Xu
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- 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.
| | - Qianming Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
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4
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Hernandez JR, Xiong C, Pietrantonio PV. A fluorescently-tagged tick kinin neuropeptide triggers peristalsis and labels tick midgut muscles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10863. [PMID: 38740831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61570-w] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that require heme for their successful reproduction. During feeding they also acquire pathogens that are subsequently transmitted to humans, wildlife and/or livestock. Understanding the regulation of tick midgut is important for blood meal digestion, heme and nutrient absorption processes and for aspects of pathogen biology in the host. We previously demonstrated the activity of tick kinins on the cognate G protein-coupled receptor. Herein we uncovered the physiological role of the kinin receptor in the tick midgut. A fluorescently-labeled kinin peptide with the endogenous kinin 8 sequence (TMR-RK8), identical in the ticks Rhipicephalus microplus and R. sanguineus, activated and labeled the recombinant R. microplus receptor expressed in CHO-K1 cells. When applied to the live midgut the TMR-RK8 labeled the kinin receptor in muscles while the labeled peptide with the scrambled-sequence of kinin 8 (TMR-Scrambled) did not. The unlabeled kinin 8 peptide competed TMR-RK8, decreasing confocal microscopy signal intensity, indicating TMR-RK8 specificity to muscles. TMR-RK8 was active, inducing significant midgut peristalsis that was video-recorded and evaluated with video tracking software. The TMR-Scrambled peptide used as a negative control did not elicit peristalsis. The myotropic function of kinins in eliciting tick midgut peristalsis was established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Hernandez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
| | - Caixing Xiong
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
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5
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Wang Y, Xu Z, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Zhou J. Towards modelling tick-virus interactions using the weakly pathogenic Sindbis virus: Evidence that ticks are competent vectors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1334351. [PMID: 38567020 PMCID: PMC10985168 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1334351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Most tick-borne viruses (TBVs) are highly pathogenic and require high biosecurity, which severely limits their study. We found that Sindbis virus (SINV), predominantly transmitted by mosquitoes, can replicate in ticks and be subsequently transmitted, with the potential to serve as a model for studying tick-virus interactions. We found that both larval and nymphal stages of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides can be infected with SINV-wild-type (WT) when feeding on infected mice. SINV replicated in two species of ticks (R. haemaphysaloides and Hyalomma asiaticum) after infecting them by microinjection. Injection of ticks with SINV expressing enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (eGFP) revealed that SINV-eGFP specifically aggregated in the tick midguts for replication. During blood-feeding, SINV-eGFP migrated from the midguts to the salivary glands and was transmitted to a new host. SINV infection caused changes in expression levels of tick genes related to immune responses, substance transport and metabolism, cell growth and death. SINV mainly induced autophagy during the early stage of infection; with increasing time of infection, the level of autophagy decreased, while the level of apoptosis increased. During the early stages of infection, the transcript levels of immune-related genes were significantly upregulated, and then decreased. In addition, SINV induced changes in the transcription levels of some functional genes that play important roles in the interactions between ticks and tick-borne pathogens. These results confirm that the SINV-based transmission model between ticks, viruses, and mammals can be widely used to unravel the interactions between ticks and viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengmao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zedong Wang
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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6
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Velázquez-Sarmiento F, Rodríguez-Vivas RI, Alonso-Díaz MA, Fernández-Salas A, Romero-Salas D. METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE SENSU LATO NATIVE TO LIVESTOCK SOILS CAUSES HIGH MORTALITY ON RHIPICEPHALUS MICROPLUS LARVAE, ADULTS AND AFFECTS THEIR REPRODUCTION. J Parasitol 2024; 110:106-113. [PMID: 38503316 DOI: 10.1645/23-27] [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] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The acaricidal effect of 14 strains of Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato isolated from soil of livestock farms in the Mexican tropics was evaluated against larvae and engorged females, and during the laying and hatching of eggs of Rhipicephalus microplus (Ixodida: Ixodidae). For each fungal strain, the larvae mortality percentage was evaluated through a larval immersion test, while the reproductive efficiency indices in engorged females were measured using adult immersion tests at a dose of 1 × 108 conidia/ml. All strains of M. anisopliae (s.l.) proved to be highly effective against R. microplus larvae (66-100%) and engorged females (100%). The strains also showed a good effect in inhibiting egg laying (16.45-56.38%) and a moderate effect in decreasing egg hatching (5.24-32.68%). Two strains demonstrated to be effective against all development phases of R. microplus in an integrated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Velázquez-Sarmiento
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91710, Mexico
| | - R I Rodríguez-Vivas
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - M A Alonso-Díaz
- Centro de Enseñanza, Investigación y Extensión en Ganadería Tropical, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (CEIEGT-FMVZ-UNAM), Km. 5.5 Carretera Federal Tlapacoyan-Martínez de la Torre, Martínez de la Torre 93600, Mexico
| | - A Fernández-Salas
- Centro de Enseñanza, Investigación y Extensión en Ganadería Tropical, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (CEIEGT-FMVZ-UNAM), Km. 5.5 Carretera Federal Tlapacoyan-Martínez de la Torre, Martínez de la Torre 93600, Mexico
| | - D Romero-Salas
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91710, Mexico
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Xu Y, Wang J. The Vector Competence of Asian Longhorned Ticks in Langat Virus Transmission. Viruses 2024; 16:304. [PMID: 38400079 PMCID: PMC10893034 DOI: 10.3390/v16020304] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Haemaphysalis longicornis (the longhorned tick), the predominant tick species in China, serves as a vector for a variety of pathogens, and is capable of transmitting the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis. However, it is unclear how these ticks transmit TBEV. Langat virus (LGTV), which has a reduced pathogenicity in humans, has been used as a surrogate for TBEV. In this study, we aimed to investigate the vector competence of H. longicornis to transmit LGTV and demonstrate the efficient acquisition and transmission of LGTV between this tick species and mice. LGTV localization was detected in several tick tissues, such as the midgut, salivary glands, and synganglion, using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical staining with a polyclonal antibody targeting the LGTV envelope protein. We demonstrated the horizontal transmission of LGTV to different developmental stages within the same generation but did not see evidence of vertical transmission. It was interesting to note that we observed mice acting as a bridge, facilitating the transmission of LGTV to neighboring naïve ticks during blood feeding. In conclusion, the virus-vector-host model employed in this study provides valuable insights into the replication and transmission of LGTV throughout its life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jingwen Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China;
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8
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Urbanová V, Lu S, Kalinová E, Martins L, Kozelková T, Dyčka F, Ribeiro JM, Hajdušek O, Perner J, Kopáček P. From the fat body to the hemolymph: Profiling tick immune and storage proteins through transcriptomics and proteomics. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 165:104072. [PMID: 38185274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding arachnids that are known to transmit various pathogenic microorganisms to their hosts. During blood feeding, ticks activate their metabolism and immune system to efficiently utilise nutrients from the host's blood and complete the feeding process. In contrast to insects, in which the fat body is known to be a central organ that controls essential metabolic processes and immune defense mechanisms, the function of the fat body in tick physiology is still relatively unexplored. To fill this gap, we sought to uncover the repertoire of genes expressed in the fat body associated with trachea (FB/Tr) by analyzing the transcriptome of individual, partially fed (previtellogenic) Ixodes ricinus females. The resulting catalog of individual mRNA sequences reveals a broad repertoire of transcripts encoding proteins involved in nutrient storage and distribution, as well as components of the tick immune system. To gain a detailed insight into the secretory products of FB/Tr specifically involved in inter-tissue transport and humoral immunity, the transcriptomic data were complemented with the proteome of soluble proteins in the hemolymph of partially fed female ticks. Among these proteins, the hemolipoglyco-carrier proteins were predominant. When comparing immune peptides and proteins from the fat body with those produced by hemocytes, we found that the fat body serves as a unique producer of certain immune components. Finally, time-resolved transcriptional regulation of selected immune transcripts from the FB/Tr was examined in response to experimental challenges with model microbes and analyzed by RT-qPCR. Overall, our data show that the fat body of ticks, similar to insects, is an important metabolic tissue that also plays a remarkable role in immune defense against invading microbes. These findings improve our understanding of tick biology and its impact on the transmission of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eliška Kalinová
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Larissa Martins
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories - NIH/NIAID, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Tereza Kozelková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Dyčka
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - José M Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ondřej Hajdušek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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Kozelková T, Dyčka F, Lu S, Urbanová V, Frantová H, Sojka D, Šíma R, Horn M, Perner J, Kopáček P. Insight Into the Dynamics of the Ixodes ricinus Nymphal Midgut Proteome. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100663. [PMID: 37832788 PMCID: PMC10665701 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on blood and have an impressive ability to consume and process enormous amounts of host blood, allowing extremely long periods of starvation between blood meals. The central role in the parasitic lifestyle of ticks is played by the midgut. This organ efficiently stores and digests ingested blood and serves as the primary interface for the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. In this study, we used a label-free quantitative approach to perform a novel dynamic proteomic analysis of the midgut of Ixodesricinus nymphs, covering their development from unfed to pre-molt stages. We identified 1534 I. ricinus-specific proteins with a relatively low proportion of host proteins. This proteome dataset, which was carefully examined by manual scrutiny, allowed precise annotation of proteins important for blood meal processing and their dynamic changes during nymphal ontogeny. We focused on midgut molecules related to lipid hydrolysis, storage, and transport, opening a yet unexplored avenue for studying lipid metabolism in ticks. Further dynamic profiling of the tick's multi-enzyme digestive network, protease inhibitors, enzymes involved in redox homeostasis and detoxification, antimicrobial peptides, and proteins responsible for midgut colonization by Borrelia spirochetes promises to uncover new targets for targeting tick nymphs, the most critical life stage for transmission the pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Kozelková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Dyčka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Sojka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Šíma
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Bioptic Laboratory, Ltd, Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Horn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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10
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Scroggs SLP, Bird EJ, Molik DC, Nayduch D. Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Elicits Early Transcriptome Response in Culicoides sonorensis Cells. Viruses 2023; 15:2108. [PMID: 37896885 PMCID: PMC10612082 DOI: 10.3390/v15102108] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, or arboviruses, have evolved to successfully navigate both the invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, including their immune systems. Biting midges transmit several arboviruses including vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). To study the interaction between VSV and midges, we characterized the transcriptomic responses of VSV-infected and mock-infected Culicoides sonorensis cells at 1, 8, 24, and 96 h post inoculation (HPI). The transcriptomic response of VSV-infected cells at 1 HPI was significant, but by 8 HPI there were no detectable differences between the transcriptome profiles of VSV-infected and mock-infected cells. Several genes involved in immunity were upregulated (ATG2B and TRAF4) or downregulated (SMAD6 and TOLL7) in VSV-treated cells at 1 HPI. These results indicate that VSV infection in midge cells produces an early immune response that quickly wanes, giving insight into in vivo C. sonorensis VSV tolerance that may underlie their permissiveness as vectors for this virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L. P. Scroggs
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Edward J. Bird
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA;
| | - David C. Molik
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Dana Nayduch
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
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11
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Santos JHM, Siddle HV, Raza A, Stanisic DI, Good MF, Tabor AE. Exploring the landscape of Babesia bovis vaccines: progress, challenges, and opportunities. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:274. [PMID: 37563668 PMCID: PMC10413621 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05885-z] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine babesiosis, caused by different Babesia spp. such as B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, and B. major, is a global disease that poses a serious threat to livestock production. Babesia bovis infections are associated with severe disease and increased mortality in adult cattle, making it the most virulent agent of bovine babesiosis. Babesia bovis parasites undergo asexual reproduction within bovine red blood cells, followed by sexual reproduction within their tick vectors, which transmit the parasite transovarially. Current control methods, including therapeutic drugs (i.e., imidocarb) have been found to lead to drug resistance. Moreover, changing environmental factors add complexity to efficient parasite control. Understanding the fundamental biology, host immune responses, and host-parasite interactions of Babesia parasites is critical for developing next-generation vaccines to control acute disease and parasite transmission. This systematic review analyzed available research papers on vaccine development and the associated immune responses to B. bovis. We compiled and consolidated the reported vaccine strategies, considering the study design and rationale of each study, to provide a systematic review of knowledge and insights for further research. Thirteen studies published since 2014 (inclusive) represented various vaccine strategies developed against B. bovis such as subunit, live attenuated, and viral vector vaccines. Such strategies incorporated B. bovis proteins or whole live parasites with the latter providing the most effective prophylaxis against bovine babesiosis. Incorporating novel research approaches, such as "omics" will enhance our understanding of parasite vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Harvey M Santos
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Hannah V Siddle
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Ali Raza
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Danielle I Stanisic
- Griffith University, Institute for Glycomics, Southport, Qld, 4215, Australia
| | - Michael F Good
- Griffith University, Institute for Glycomics, Southport, Qld, 4215, Australia
| | - Ala E Tabor
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia.
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia.
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12
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Lyu B, Li J, Niemeyer B, Anderson DM, Beerntsen B, Song Q. Integrative analysis highlights molecular and immune responses of tick Amblyomma americanum to Escherichia coli challenge. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1236785. [PMID: 37583446 PMCID: PMC10424933 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1236785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites that can transmit various pathogens capable of causing life-threatening illnesses in people and animals, making them a severe public health threat. Understanding how ticks respond to bacterial infection is crucial for deciphering their immune defense mechanisms and identifying potential targets for controlling tick-borne diseases. In this study, an in-depth transcriptome analysis was used to investigate the molecular and immune responses of Amblyomma americanum to infection caused by the microinjection of Escherichia coli. With an abundance of differentially expressed genes discovered at different times, the analysis demonstrated significant changes in gene expression profiles in response to E. coli challenge. Notably, we found alterations in crucial immune markers, including the antimicrobial peptides defensin and microplusin, suggesting they may play an essential role in the innate immune response. Furthermore, KEGG analysis showed that following E. coli exposure, a number of key enzymes, including lysosomal alpha-glucosidase, fibroblast growth factor, legumain, apoptotic protease-activating factor, etc., were altered, impacting the activity of the lysosome, mitogen-activated protein kinase, antigen processing and presentation, bacterial invasion, apoptosis, and the Toll and immune deficiency pathways. In addition to the transcriptome analysis, we constructed protein interaction networks to elucidate the molecular interactions underlying the tick's response to E. coli challenge. Hub genes were identified, and their functional enrichment provided insights into the regulation of cytoskeleton rearrangement, apoptotic processes, and kinase activity that may occur in infected cells. Collectively, the findings shed light on the potential immune responses in A. americanum that control E. coli infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Lyu
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Jingjing Li
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Brigid Niemeyer
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Deborah M. Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Brenda Beerntsen
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Qisheng Song
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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Comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genome of Dermacentor steini from different regions in China. Parasitology 2023; 150:195-205. [PMID: 36482713 PMCID: PMC10090625 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022001639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are a group of blood-sucking ectoparasites that play an important role in human health and livestock production development as vectors of zoonotic diseases. The phylogenetic tree of single genes cannot accurately reflect the true kinship between species. Based on the complete mitochondrial genome analysis one can help to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among species. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Dermacentor steini (isolate Longyan) was sequenced and compared with the mitochondrial genes of 3 other Chinese isolates (Nanchang, Jinhua and Yingtan). In Dermacentor steini 4 isolates had identical or similar mitochondrial genome lengths and an overall variation of 0.76% between sequences. All nucleotide compositions showed a distinct AT preference. The most common initiation and stop codons were ATG and TAA, respectively. Fewer base mismatches were found in the tRNA gene of D. steini (isolate Longyan), and the vicinity of the control region and tRNA gene was a hot rearrangement region of the genus Dermacentor. Maximum likelihood trees and Bayesian trees indicate that D. steini is most closely related to Dermacentor auratus. The results enrich the mitochondrial genomic data of species in the genus Dermacentor and provide novel insights for further studies on the phylogeographic classification and molecular evolution of ticks.
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Hodosi R, Kazimirova M, Soltys K. What do we know about the microbiome of I. ricinus? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:990889. [PMID: 36467722 PMCID: PMC9709289 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.990889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
I. ricinus is an obligate hematophagous parasitic arthropod that is responsible for the transmission of a wide range of zoonotic pathogens including spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, Rickettsia spp., C. burnetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis, which are part the tick´s microbiome. Most of the studies focus on "pathogens" and only very few elucidate the role of "non-pathogenic" symbiotic microorganisms in I. ricinus. While most of the members of the microbiome are leading an intracellular lifestyle, they are able to complement tick´s nutrition and stress response having a great impact on tick´s survival and transmission of pathogens. The composition of the tick´s microbiome is not consistent and can be tied to the environment, tick species, developmental stage, or specific organ or tissue. Ovarian tissue harbors a stable microbiome consisting mainly but not exclusively of endosymbiotic bacteria, while the microbiome of the digestive system is rather unstable, and together with salivary glands, is mostly comprised of pathogens. The most prevalent endosymbionts found in ticks are Rickettsia spp., Ricketsiella spp., Coxiella-like and Francisella-like endosymbionts, Spiroplasma spp. and Candidatus Midichloria spp. Since microorganisms can modify ticks' behavior, such as mobility, feeding or saliva production, which results in increased survival rates, we aimed to elucidate the potential, tight relationship, and interaction between bacteria of the I. ricinus microbiome. Here we show that endosymbionts including Coxiella-like spp., can provide I. ricinus with different types of vitamin B (B2, B6, B7, B9) essential for eukaryotic organisms. Furthermore, we hypothesize that survival of Wolbachia spp., or the bacterial pathogen A. phagocytophilum can be supported by the tick itself since coinfection with symbiotic Spiroplasma ixodetis provides I. ricinus with complete metabolic pathway of folate biosynthesis necessary for DNA synthesis and cell division. Manipulation of tick´s endosymbiotic microbiome could present a perspective way of I. ricinus control and regulation of spread of emerging bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Hodosi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Soltys
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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15
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Immune defense mechanisms against a systemic bacterial infection in the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). J Invertebr Pathol 2022; 195:107850. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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16
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Yuan C, Yang Q, Wu J, Peng Y, Li Y, Xiong S, Zhou J, Wang M, Hu Z, Zou Z, Xia Q. Proteomics reveals the hemolymph components of partially fed Hyalomma asiaticum ticks. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102032. [PMID: 36088665 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Hemolymph infection facilitates pathogen invasion of internal tick tissues. However, the overall protein composition of the hemolymph has not been analyzed for any tick species. Here, a gel based liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was used to characterize the hemolymph proteome of Hyalomma asiaticum females during blood feeding. A total of 311 proteins were identified. Hemelipoglyco-carrier proteins, apolipophorin-like proteins, and intracellular proteins were the most abundant proteins. Thirteen immunity-related proteins were identified, including peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP), Thioester-containing proteins (TEPs), clip‑serine proteinases, serpins and Dome. The presence of hemocytin, proclotting enzyme homologs, serpins, TEPs, factor D-like protein and the lack of coagulin, hemocyanin, and prophenoloxidase suggest ticks may possess a unique coagulation system, which is largely different from that of insects. Taken together, the study revealed the constitution, level, and possible functions of global hemolymph proteins in H. asiaticum and could facilitate the discovery of new targets for control of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfei Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, School of Tropical Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 571199, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qingtai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jia Wu
- Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Mega-Science Center for Bio-Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yun Peng
- Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Mega-Science Center for Bio-Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Shirui Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, School of Tropical Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 571199, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Manli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhihong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Qianfeng Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, School of Tropical Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 571199, China.
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17
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Urbanová V, Kalinová E, Kopáček P, Šíma R. Experimental Infection of Mice and Ticks with the Human Isolate of Anaplasma phagocytophilum NY-18. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070820. [PMID: 35890063 PMCID: PMC9325317 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever (TBF) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) and is currently considered an emerging disease in the USA, Europe, and Asia. The increased prevalence of A. phagocytophilum as a human pathogen requires the detailed characterization of human isolates and the implementation of appropriate animal models. In this study, we demonstrated that the dynamics of infection with the human isolate of A. phagocytophilum NY-18 was variable in three different strains of mice (SCID, C3H/HeN, BALB/c). We further evaluated the ability of Ixodes ricinus to acquire and transmit A. phagocytophilum NY-18 and compared it with Ixodes scapularis. Larvae of both tick species effectively acquired the pathogen while feeding on infected mice. The infection rates then decreased during the development to nymphs. Interestingly, molted I. ricinus nymphs were unable to transmit the pathogen to naïve mice, which contrasted with I. scapularis. The results of our study suggest that I. ricinus is not a competent vector for the American human Anaplasma isolate. Further studies are needed to establish reliable transmission models for I. ricinus and European human isolate(s) of A. phagocytophilum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (V.U.); (E.K.); (P.K.)
| | - Eliška Kalinová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (V.U.); (E.K.); (P.K.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1645/31a, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (V.U.); (E.K.); (P.K.)
| | - Radek Šíma
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (V.U.); (E.K.); (P.K.)
- Bioptická Laboratoř, s.r.o., Mikulášské nám. 4, 32600 Plzeň, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
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Ambivalent Roles of Oxidative Stress in Triangular Relationships among Arthropod Vectors, Pathogens and Hosts. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11071254. [PMID: 35883744 PMCID: PMC9312350 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11071254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding arthropods, particularly ticks and mosquitoes are considered the most important vectors of arthropod-borne diseases affecting humans and animals. While feeding on blood meals, arthropods are exposed to high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) since heme and other blood components can induce oxidative stress. Different ROS have important roles in interactions among the pathogens, vectors, and hosts. ROS influence various metabolic processes of the arthropods and some have detrimental effects. In this review, we investigate the various roles of ROS in these arthropods, including their innate immunity and the homeostasis of their microbiomes, that is, how ROS are utilized to maintain the balance between the natural microbiota and potential pathogens. We elucidate the mechanism of how ROS are utilized to fight off invading pathogens and how the arthropod-borne pathogens use the arthropods’ antioxidant mechanism to defend against these ROS attacks and their possible impact on their vector potentials or their ability to acquire and transmit pathogens. In addition, we describe the possible roles of ROS in chemical insecticide/acaricide activity and/or in the development of resistance. Overall, this underscores the importance of the antioxidant system as a potential target for the control of arthropod and arthropod-borne pathogens.
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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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Abbas MN, Chlastáková A, Jmel MA, Iliaki-Giannakoudaki E, Chmelař J, Kotsyfakis M. Serpins in Tick Physiology and Tick-Host Interaction. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:892770. [PMID: 35711658 PMCID: PMC9195624 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.892770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva has been extensively studied in the context of tick-host interactions because it is involved in host homeostasis modulation and microbial pathogen transmission to the host. Accumulated knowledge about the tick saliva composition at the molecular level has revealed that serine protease inhibitors play a key role in the tick-host interaction. Serpins are one highly expressed group of protease inhibitors in tick salivary glands, their expression can be induced during tick blood-feeding, and they have many biological functions at the tick-host interface. Indeed, tick serpins have an important role in inhibiting host hemostatic processes and in the modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses of their vertebrate hosts. Tick serpins have also been studied as potential candidates for therapeutic use and vaccine development. In this review, we critically summarize the current state of knowledge about the biological role of tick serpins in shaping tick-host interactions with emphasis on the mechanisms by which they modulate host immunity. Their potential use in drug and vaccine development is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Ticks, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | | | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
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Hussain S, Perveen N, Hussain A, Song B, Aziz MU, Zeb J, Li J, George D, Cabezas-Cruz A, Sparagano O. The Symbiotic Continuum Within Ticks: Opportunities for Disease Control. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:854803. [PMID: 35369485 PMCID: PMC8969565 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.854803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Among blood-sucking arthropods, ticks are recognized as being of prime global importance because of their role as vectors of pathogens affecting human and animal health. Ticks carry a variety of pathogenic, commensal, and symbiotic microorganisms. For the latter, studies are available concerning the detection of endosymbionts, but their role in the physiology and ecology of ticks remains largely unexplored. This review paper focuses on tick endosymbionts of the genera Coxiella, Rickettsia, Francisella, Midichloria, and Wolbachia, and their impact on ticks and tick-pathogen interactions that drive disease risk. Tick endosymbionts can affect tick physiology by influencing nutritional adaptation, fitness, and immunity. Further, symbionts may influence disease ecology, as they interact with tick-borne pathogens and can facilitate or compete with pathogen development within the vector tissues. Rickettsial symbionts are frequently found in ticks of the genera of Ixodes, Amblyomma, and Dermacentor with relatively lower occurrence in Rhipicephalus, Haemaphysalis, and Hyalomma ticks, while Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) were reported infecting almost all tick species tested. Francisella-like endosymbionts (FLEs) have been identified in tick genera such as Dermacentor, Amblyomma, Ornithodoros, Ixodes, and Hyalomma, whereas Wolbachia sp. has been detected in Ixodes, Amblyomma, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus tick genera. Notably, CLEs and FLEs are obligate endosymbionts essential for tick survival and development through the life cycle. American dog ticks showed greater motility when infected with Rickettsia, indirectly influencing infection risk, providing evidence of a relationship between tick endosymbionts and tick-vectored pathogens. The widespread occurrence of endosymbionts across the tick phylogeny and evidence of their functional roles in ticks and interference with tick-borne pathogens suggests a significant contribution to tick evolution and/or vector competence. We currently understand relatively little on how these endosymbionts influence tick parasitism, vector capacity, pathogen transmission and colonization, and ultimately on how they influence tick-borne disease dynamics. Filling this knowledge gap represents a major challenge for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabir Hussain
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nighat Perveen
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abrar Hussain
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Baolin Song
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Muhammad Umair Aziz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jehan Zeb
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David George
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Olivier Sparagano
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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22
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Ring K, Couper LI, Sapiro AL, Yarza F, Yang XF, Clay K, Mateusiak C, Chou S, Swei A. Host blood meal identity modifies vector gene expression and competency. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2698-2711. [PMID: 35231145 PMCID: PMC9314864 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A vector's susceptibility and ability to transmit a pathogen—termed vector competency—determines disease outcomes, yet the ecological factors influencing tick vector competency remain largely unknown. Ixodes pacificus, the tick vector of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) in the western U.S., feeds on rodents, birds, and lizards. Rodents and birds are reservoirs for Bb and infect juvenile ticks, while lizards are refractory to Bb and cannot infect feeding ticks. Additionally, the lizard bloodmeal contains borreliacidal properties, clearing previously infected feeding ticks of their Bb infection. Despite I. pacificus feeding on a range of hosts, it is undetermined how the host identity of the larval bloodmeal affects future nymphal vector competency. We experimentally evaluate the influence of larval host bloodmeal on Bb acquisition by nymphal I. pacificus. Larval I. pacificus were fed on either lizards or mice and after molting, nymphs were fed on Bb‐infected mice. We found that lizard‐fed larvae were significantly more likely to become infected with Bb during their next bloodmeal than mouse‐fed larvae. We also conducted the first RNA‐seq analysis on whole‐bodied I. pacificus and found significant upregulation of tick antioxidants and antimicrobial peptides in the lizard‐fed group. Our results indicate that the lizard bloodmeal significantly alters vector competency and gene regulation in ticks, highlighting the importance of host bloodmeal identity in vector‐borne disease transmission and upends prior notions about the role of lizards in Lyme disease community ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacie Ring
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 93106
| | - Lisa I Couper
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 327 Campus Drive, Stanford, 94305
| | - Anne L Sapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, 94158
| | - Fauna Yarza
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, 94158
| | - X Frank Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635, Barnhill Drive, MS409J, 46202
| | - Keith Clay
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, 6823 Charles Avenue, New Orleans, 70118
| | - Chase Mateusiak
- Center for Genome Science and Systems Biology, 4515 McKinley Ave, St. Louis, 63110
| | - Seemay Chou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, 94158.,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, 94158
| | - Andrea Swei
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, 94132
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Schäfer M, Pfaff F, Höper D, Silaghi C. Early Transcriptional Changes in the Midgut of Ornithodoros moubata after Feeding and Infection with Borrelia duttonii. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030525. [PMID: 35336101 PMCID: PMC8948914 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on tick-pathogen-host interactions are helping to identify candidates for vaccines against ticks and tick-borne diseases and to discover potent bioactive tick molecules. The tick midgut is the main tissue involved in blood feeding and, moreover, the first organ to have contact with pathogens ingested through the blood meal. As little is known about the molecular biology of feeding and tick defence mechanisms against microorganisms, but important for understanding vector-pathogen interactions, we explored the early transcriptional changes in the midgut of Ornithodoros moubata after feeding and in response to challenge with the relapsing-fever spirochete Borrelia duttonii using the Ion S5XL platform. Besides transcripts with metabolic function and immune-related transcripts we discovered numerous putative and uncharacterized protein sequences. Overall, our analyses support previous studies and provides a valuable reference database for further functional proteomic analysis of midgut proteins of O. moubata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Schäfer
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
- Correspondence:
| | - Florian Pfaff
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.P.); (D.H.)
| | - Dirk Höper
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.P.); (D.H.)
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
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24
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Trzebny A, Liberska J, Slodkowicz-Kowalska A, Dabert M. Metabarcoding reveals low prevalence of microsporidian infections in castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus). Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:26. [PMID: 35033159 PMCID: PMC8760655 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05150-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microsporidia is a large group of eukaryotic obligate intracellular spore-forming parasites, of which 17 species can cause microsporidiosis in humans. Most human-infecting microsporidians belong to the genera Enterocytozoon and Encephalitozoon. To date, only five microsporidian species, including Encephalitozoon-like, have been found in hard ticks (Ixodidae) using microscopic methods, but no sequence data are available for them. Furthermore, no widespread screening for microsporidian-infected ticks based on DNA analysis has been carried out to date. Thus, in this study, we applied a recently developed DNA metabarcoding method for efficient microsporidian DNA identification to assess the role of ticks as potential vectors of microsporidian species causing diseases in humans. METHODS In total, 1070 (493 juvenile and 577 adult) unfed host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks collected at urban parks in the city of Poznan, Poland, and 94 engorged tick females fed on dogs and cats were screened for microsporidian DNA. Microsporidians were detected by PCR amplification and sequencing of the hypervariable V5 region of 18S rRNA gene (18S profiling) using the microsporidian-specific primer set. Tick species were identified morphologically and confirmed by amplification and sequencing of the shortened fragment of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (mini-COI). RESULTS All collected ticks were unambiguously assigned to I. ricinus. Potentially zoonotic Encephalitozoon intestinalis was identified in three fed ticks (3.2%) collected from three different dogs. In eight unfed host-seeking ticks (0.8%), including three males (1.1%), two females (0.7%) and three nymphs (0.7%), the new microsporidian sequence representing a species belonging to the genus Endoreticulatus was identified. CONCLUSIONS The lack of zoonotic microsporidians in host-seeking ticks suggests that I. ricinus is not involved in transmission of human-infecting microsporidians. Moreover, a very low occurrence of the other microsporidian species in both fed and host-seeking ticks implies that mechanisms exist to defend ticks against infection with these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Trzebny
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Justyna Liberska
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Slodkowicz-Kowalska
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine I, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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25
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Viglietta M, Bellone R, Blisnick AA, Failloux AB. Vector Specificity of Arbovirus Transmission. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:773211. [PMID: 34956136 PMCID: PMC8696169 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.773211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 25% of human infectious diseases are vector-borne diseases (VBDs). These diseases, caused by pathogens shared between animals and humans, are a growing threat to global health with more than 2.5 million annual deaths. Mosquitoes and ticks are the main vectors of arboviruses including flaviviruses, which greatly affect humans. However, all tick or mosquito species are not able to transmit all viruses, suggesting important molecular mechanisms regulating viral infection, dissemination, and transmission by vectors. Despite the large distribution of arthropods (mosquitoes and ticks) and arboviruses, only a few pairings of arthropods (family, genus, and population) and viruses (family, genus, and genotype) successfully transmit. Here, we review the factors that might limit pathogen transmission: internal (vector genetics, immune responses, microbiome including insect-specific viruses, and coinfections) and external, either biotic (adult and larvae nutrition) or abiotic (temperature, chemicals, and altitude). This review will demonstrate the dynamic nature and complexity of virus–vector interactions to help in designing appropriate practices in surveillance and prevention to reduce VBD threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Viglietta
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Bellone
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Adrien Albert Blisnick
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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26
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Wechtaisong W, Bonnet SI, Chomel BB, Lien YY, Chuang ST, Tsai YL. Investigation of Transovarial Transmission of Bartonella henselae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks Using Artificial Feeding. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122501. [PMID: 34946103 PMCID: PMC8705908 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a slow-growing, Gram-negative bacterium that causes cat scratch disease in humans. A transstadial transmission of the bacteria from larvae to nymphs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) ticks, suspected to be a potential vector of the bacteria, has been previously demonstrated. The present study aims to investigate transovarial transmission of B. henselae from R. sanguineus s.l. adults to their instars. Adult ticks (25 males and 25 females) were fed through an artificial feeding system on B. henselae-infected goat blood for 14 days, and 300 larvae derived from the experimentally B. henselae-infected females were fed on noninfected goat blood for 7 days. Nested PCR and culture were used to detect and isolate B. henselae in ticks and blood samples. Bartonella henselae DNA was detected in midguts, salivary glands, and carcasses of the semi-engorged adults and pooled tick feces (during feeding and post-feeding periods). After the oviposition period, B. henselae DNA was detected in salivary glands of females (33.3%), but not in pooled eggs or larvae derived from the infected females. However, B. henselae DNA was detected by nested PCR from the blood sample during larval feeding, while no viable B. henselae was isolated by culture. According to our findings, following infected blood meal, B. henselae could remain in the tick midguts, move to other tissues including salivary glands, and then be shed through tick feces with limited persistency. The presence of bacterial DNA in the blood during larval feeding shows the possibility of transovarial transmission of B. henselae in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wittawat Wechtaisong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France;
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bruno B. Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Yi-Yang Lien
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Shih-Te Chuang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-8-774-0226
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27
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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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28
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Retzinger AC, Retzinger GS. The Acari Hypothesis, II: Interspecies Operability of Pattern Recognition Receptors. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10091220. [PMID: 34578252 PMCID: PMC8468033 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091220] [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: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypersensitivity to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) is an informative example of a pathologic IgE-mediated process. By way of their saliva, ticks are able to sensitize humans to tick dietary elements that express α-gal. Mites, which along with ticks constitute the phyletic subclass Acari, feed on proteinaceous foodstuffs that represent most, if not all, human allergens. Given: (1) the gross nature of the pathophysiological reactions of allergy, especially anaphylaxis, (2) the allergenicity of acarian foodstuffs, and (3) the relatedness of ticks and mites, it has been hypothesized that human-acarian interactions are cardinal to the pathogenesis of allergy. In this report, a means by which such interactions contribute to that pathogenesis is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. Retzinger
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden Clark Medical Center, West Virginia University, Parkersburg, WV 26101, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Gregory S. Retzinger
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
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29
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Seasonal distribution of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) and detection of SFTS virus in Gyeongbuk Province, Republic of Korea, 2018. Acta Trop 2021; 221:106012. [PMID: 34126090 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The seasonal distribution of hard ticks was investigated in 2018 in Gyeongbuk Province, Republic of Korea. Ticks were assayed for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV). Ticks were collected monthly using CO2-baited traps from April to November in four habitats (grasslands, grave sites, hiking trails, and mixed forests). Based on morphological and molecular identification, Haemaphysalis longicornis was the most commonly collected species, followed by H. flava and Ixodes nipponensis. Ticks were more commonly collected in grassland habitats, followed by the grave sites, hiking trails, and mixed forests. Peak numbers of nymphs and adults of H. longicornis occurred in May and June, respectively, and Haemaphysalis larvae were collected from August to October. A total of 9/187 (4.8%) pools were positive for SFTSV between June and October in 2018. Phylogenetic analysis of partial fragments of the SFTSV obtained in this study showed that all positive virus samples clustered into genotype B.
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30
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Tuerdi M, Hu S, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang H, Zhou J. Engorgement of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides ticks blocked by silencing a protein inhibitor of apoptosis. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 84:623-636. [PMID: 34136982 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00637-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) are regulators of cell death and may play a role in the salivary glands of ticks during blood-feeding. We cloned the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of the IAP gene in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (RhIAP). The RhIAP ORF of 1887 bp encodes a predicted protein of 607 amino acids, which contains three baculovirus IAP repeat domains and a RING finger motif. A real-time PCR assay showed that RhIAP mRNA was expressed in all the tick developmental stages (eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults) and in all tissues examined (midgut, ovary, salivary glands, fat body, and hemolymph). Western blot showed that the protein level of RhIAP in salivary glands increased during tick blood-feeding and decreased towards the end of tick engorgement. RhIAP gene silencing in vitro experiments with salivary glands demonstrated that RhIAP could be effectively knocked down within 48 h after dsRNA treatment, and as a consequence, salivary glands displayed apoptotic morphology. RhIAP gene silencing also inhibited tick blood-feeding and decreased the engorgement rate. These data suggest that RhIAP might be a suitable RNAi target for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayinuer Tuerdi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shanming Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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31
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Unpacking the intricacies of Rickettsia-vector interactions. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:734-746. [PMID: 34162522 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Although Rickettsia species are molecularly detected among a wide range of arthropods, vector competence becomes an imperative aspect of understanding the ecoepidemiology of these vector-borne diseases. The synergy between vector homeostasis and rickettsial invasion, replication, and release initiated within hours (insects) and days (ticks) permits successful transmission of rickettsiae. Uncovering the molecular interplay between rickettsiae and their vectors necessitates examining the multifaceted nature of rickettsial virulence and vector infection tolerance. Here, we highlight the biological differences between tick- and insect-borne rickettsiae and the factors facilitating the incidence of rickettsioses. Untangling the complex relationship between rickettsial genetics, vector biology, and microbial interactions is crucial in understanding the intricate association between rickettsiae and their vectors.
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32
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Norte AC, Harris DJ, Silveira D, Nunes CS, Núncio MS, Martínez EG, Giménez A, de Sousa R, Lopes de Carvalho I, Perera A. Diversity of microorganisms in Hyalomma aegyptium collected from spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) in North Africa and Anatolia. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:1951-1962. [PMID: 34125999 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ticks carry a diverse community of microorganisms including non-pathogenic symbionts, commensals, and pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and fungi. The assessment of tick-borne microorganisms (TBM) in tortoises and their ticks is essential to understand their eco-epidemiology, and to map and monitor potential pathogens to humans and other animals. The aim of this study was to characterize the diversity of microorganisms found in ticks collected from the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) in North Africa and Anatolia. Ticks feeding on wild T. graeca were collected, and pathogens were screened by polymerase chain reaction using group-specific primers. In total, 131 adult Hyalomma aegyptium ticks were collected from 92 T. graeca in Morocco (n = 48), Tunisia (n = 2), Algeria (n = 70), and Turkey (n = 11). Bacteria and protozoa detected included Hemolivia mauritanica (22.9%), Midichloria mitochondrii (11.4%), relapsing-fever borreliae (8.4%), Ehrlichia spp. (7.6%), Rickettsia spp. (3.4%), Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (0.9%), Francisella spp. (0.9%), and Wolbachia spp. (0.8%). The characterization of Rickettsia included R. sibirica mongolitimonae (Algeria), R. aeschlimannii (Turkey), and R.africae (Morocco). Hemolivia mauritanica and Ehrlichia spp. prevalence varied significantly with the sampling region/country. We did not detect significant associations in microorganism presence within ticks, nor between microorganism presence and tick mitochondrial DNA haplogroups. This is the first report of Francisella persica-like, relapsing fever borreliae, M. mitochondrii, and Wolbachia spp. in H. aegyptium ticks collected from wild hosts from the South and Eastern Mediterranean region, and of R. sibirica mongolitimonae and R. africae in H. aegyptium from Algeria and Morocco, respectively. Given that T. graeca is a common species in commercial and non-commercial pet trade, the evaluation of the role of this species and its ticks as hosts for TBM is particularly relevant for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cláudia Norte
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - David James Harris
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Diogo Silveira
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Carolina Saramago Nunes
- Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Maria Sofia Núncio
- Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Eva Graciá Martínez
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain.,Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| | - Andrés Giménez
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain.,Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, Elche, Spain
| | - Rita de Sousa
- Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Isabel Lopes de Carvalho
- Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Ana Perera
- CIBIO/InBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
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Talactac MR, Hernandez EP, Hatta T, Yoshii K, Kusakisako K, Tsuji N, Tanaka T. The antiviral immunity of ticks against transmitted viral pathogens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 119:104012. [PMID: 33484780 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ticks, being obligate hematophagous arthropods, are exposed to various blood-borne pathogens, including arboviruses. Consequently, their feeding behavior can readily transmit economically important viral pathogens to humans and animals. With this tightly knit vector and pathogen interaction, the replication and transmission of tick-borne viruses (TBVs) must be highly regulated by their respective tick vectors to avoid any adverse effect on the ticks' biological development and viability. Knowledge about the tick-virus interface, although gaining relevant advances in recent years, is advancing at a slower pace than the scientific developments related to mosquito-virus interactions. The unique and complicated feeding behavior of ticks, compared to that of other blood-feeding arthropods, also limits the studies that would further elaborate the antiviral immunity of ticks against TBVs. Hence, knowledge of molecular and cellular immune mechanisms at the tick-virus interface, will further elucidate the successful viral replication of TBVs in ticks and their effective transmission to human and animal hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melbourne Rio Talactac
- Department of Clinical and Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cavite State University, Cavite, 4122, Philippines
| | - Emmanuel Pacia Hernandez
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hatta
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Kentaro Yoshii
- National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Kodai Kusakisako
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, 034-8628, Japan
| | - Naotoshi Tsuji
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.
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Karim S, Kumar D, Budachetri K. Recent advances in understanding tick and rickettsiae interactions. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12830. [PMID: 33713348 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are haematophagous arthropods with unique molecular mechanisms for digesting host blood meal while acting as vectors for various pathogens of public health significance. The tick's pharmacologically active saliva plays a fundamental role in modulating the host's immune system for several days to weeks, depending on the tick species. The vector tick has also developed sophisticated molecular mechanisms to serve as a competent vector for pathogens, including the spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. Evidence is still inadequate concerning tick-rickettsiae-host interactions and saliva-assisted transmission of the pathogen to the mammalian host. Rickettsia parkeri, of the SFG rickettsia, can cause a milder version of Rocky Mountain spotted fever known as American Boutonneuse fever. The Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) often transmits this pathogenic rickettsia in the USA. This review discusses the knowledge gap concerning tick-rickettsiae-host interactions by highlighting the SFG rickettsia and the Am maculatum model system. Filling this knowledge gap will provide a better understanding of the tick-rickettsiae-host interactions in disease causation, which will be crucial for developing effective methods for preventing tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Karim
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Biological. Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Biological. Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Biological. Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.,The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Tick defensin γ-core reduces Fusarium graminearum growth and abrogates mycotoxins production with high efficiency. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7962. [PMID: 33846413 PMCID: PMC8042122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86904-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum is a major fungal pathogen affecting crops of worldwide importance. F. graminearum produces type B trichothecene mycotoxins (TCTB), which are not fully eliminated during food and feed processing. Therefore, the best way to minimize TCTB contamination is to develop prevention strategies. Herein we show that treatment with the reduced form of the γ-core of the tick defensin DefMT3, referred to as TickCore3 (TC3), decreases F. graminearum growth and abrogates TCTB production. The oxidized form of TC3 loses antifungal activity, but retains anti-mycotoxin activity. Molecular dynamics show that TC3 is recruited by specific membrane phospholipids in F. graminearum and that membrane binding of the oxidized form of TC3 is unstable. Capping each of the three cysteine residues of TC3 with methyl groups reduces its inhibitory efficacy. Substitutions of the positively-charged residues lysine (Lys) 6 or arginine 7 by threonine had the highest and the lesser impact, respectively, on the anti-mycotoxin activity of TC3. We conclude that the binding of linear TC3 to F. graminearum membrane phospholipids is required for the antifungal activity of the reduced peptide. Besides, Lys6 appears essential for the anti-mycotoxin activity of the reduced peptide. Our results provide foundation for developing novel and environment-friendly strategies for controlling F. graminearum.
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36
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Fogaça AC, Sousa G, Pavanelo DB, Esteves E, Martins LA, Urbanová V, Kopáček P, Daffre S. Tick Immune System: What Is Known, the Interconnections, the Gaps, and the Challenges. Front Immunol 2021; 12:628054. [PMID: 33737931 PMCID: PMC7962413 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.628054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasitic arthropods that necessarily feed on the blood of their vertebrate hosts. The success of blood acquisition depends on the pharmacological properties of tick saliva, which is injected into the host during tick feeding. Saliva is also used as a vehicle by several types of pathogens to be transmitted to the host, making ticks versatile vectors of several diseases for humans and other animals. When a tick feeds on an infected host, the pathogen reaches the gut of the tick and must migrate to its salivary glands via hemolymph to be successfully transmitted to a subsequent host during the next stage of feeding. In addition, some pathogens can colonize the ovaries of the tick and be transovarially transmitted to progeny. The tick immune system, as well as the immune system of other invertebrates, is more rudimentary than the immune system of vertebrates, presenting only innate immune responses. Although simpler, the large number of tick species evidences the efficiency of their immune system. The factors of their immune system act in each tick organ that interacts with pathogens; therefore, these factors are potential targets for the development of new strategies for the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases. The objective of this review is to present the prevailing knowledge on the tick immune system and to discuss the challenges of studying tick immunity, especially regarding the gaps and interconnections. To this end, we use a comparative approach of the tick immune system with the immune system of other invertebrates, focusing on various components of humoral and cellular immunity, such as signaling pathways, antimicrobial peptides, redox metabolism, complement-like molecules and regulated cell death. In addition, the role of tick microbiota in vector competence is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa C. Fogaça
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Géssica Sousa
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel B. Pavanelo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eliane Esteves
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa A. Martins
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Sirlei Daffre
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Boulanger N, Wikel S. Induced Transient Immune Tolerance in Ticks and Vertebrate Host: A Keystone of Tick-Borne Diseases? Front Immunol 2021; 12:625993. [PMID: 33643313 PMCID: PMC7907174 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.625993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks and tick transmitted infectious agents are increasing global public health threats due to increasing abundance, expanding geographic ranges of vectors and pathogens, and emerging tick-borne infectious agents. Greater understanding of tick, host, and pathogen interactions will contribute to development of novel tick control and disease prevention strategies. Tick-borne pathogens adapt in multiple ways to very different tick and vertebrate host environments and defenses. Ticks effectively pharmacomodulate by its saliva host innate and adaptive immune defenses. In this review, we examine the idea that successful synergy between tick and tick-borne pathogen results in host immune tolerance that facilitates successful tick infection and feeding, creates a favorable site for pathogen introduction, modulates cutaneous and systemic immune defenses to establish infection, and contributes to successful long-term infection. Tick, host, and pathogen elements examined here include interaction of tick innate immunity and microbiome with tick-borne pathogens; tick modulation of host cutaneous defenses prior to pathogen transmission; how tick and pathogen target vertebrate host defenses that lead to different modes of interaction and host infection status (reservoir, incompetent, resistant, clinically ill); tick saliva bioactive molecules as important factors in determining those pathogens for which the tick is a competent vector; and, the need for translational studies to advance this field of study. Gaps in our understanding of these relationships are identified, that if successfully addressed, can advance the development of strategies to successfully disrupt both tick feeding and pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Boulanger
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle - UR7290, Early Bacterial Virulence, Group Borrelia, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.,Centre National de Référence Borrelia, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stephen Wikel
- Department of Medical Sciences, Frank H. Netter, M.D., School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, United States
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38
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Mahmood S, Sima R, Urbanova V, Trentelman JJA, Krezdorn N, Winter P, Kopacek P, Hovius JW, Hajdusek O. Identification of Tick Ixodes ricinus Midgut Genes Differentially Expressed During the Transmission of Borrelia afzelii Spirochetes Using a Transcriptomic Approach. Front Immunol 2021; 11:612412. [PMID: 33613535 PMCID: PMC7890033 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.612412] [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: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In Europe, Lyme borreliosis is predominantly caused by Borrelia afzelii and transmitted by Ixodes ricinus. Although Borrelia behavior throughout tick development is quite well documented, specific molecular interactions between Borrelia and the tick have not been satisfactorily examined. Here, we present the first transcriptomic study focused on the expression of tick midgut genes regulated by Borrelia. By using massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE), we searched for tick transcripts expressed differentially in the midgut of unfed, 24h-fed, and fully fed I. ricinus nymphs infected with B. afzelii. In total, we identified 553 upregulated and 530 downregulated tick genes and demonstrated that B. afzelii interacts intensively with the tick. Technical and biological validations confirmed the accuracy of the transcriptome. The expression of five validated tick genes was silenced by RNA interference. Silencing of the uncharacterized protein (GXP_Contig_30818) delayed the infection progress and decreased infection prevalence in the target mice tissues. Silencing of other genes did not significantly affect tick feeding nor the transmission of B. afzelii, suggesting a possible role of these genes rather in Borrelia acquisition or persistence in ticks. Identification of genes and proteins exploited by Borrelia during transmission and establishment in a tick could help the development of novel preventive strategies for Lyme borreliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sazzad Mahmood
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Radek Sima
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Veronika Urbanova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jos J A Trentelman
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Krezdorn
- GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Peter Winter
- GenXPro GmbH, Frankfurt Innovation Center Biotechnology, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Joppe W Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ondrej Hajdusek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
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39
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Apari P, Földvári G. Harm or protection? The adaptive function of tick toxins. Evol Appl 2021; 14:271-277. [PMID: 33664774 PMCID: PMC7896703 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of tick toxins is an old enigma that has intrigued scientists for a long time. The adaptive value of using deadly toxins for predatory animals is obvious: they try to kill the prey in the most effective way or protect themselves from their natural enemies. Ticks, however, are blood-sucking parasites, and it seems paradoxical that they have toxins similar to spiders, scorpions and snakes. Based on published data, here we examine the potential adaptive function of different types of toxins produced by soft and hard ticks. We hypothesize that there are diverse evolutionary roles behind (a) to attack and reduce the tick-transmitted pathogens inside the vertebrate host systemically to protect the tick, (b) to paralyse the host to stop grooming, (c) to speed up host heartbeat to improve blood supply and (d) to inhibit the process of necroptosis to prevent the rejection of hard ticks. We will provide published evidence that supports the above-mentioned hypotheses, and we will give an outlook how these new scientific results might be applied in modern pharmacology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Apari
- Institute of EvolutionCentre for Ecological ResearchBudapestHungary
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Institute of EvolutionCentre for Ecological ResearchBudapestHungary
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40
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Hernandez EP, Talactac MR, Vitor RJS, Yoshii K, Tanaka T. An Ixodes scapularis glutathione S-transferase plays a role in cell survival and viability during Langat virus infection of a tick cell line. Acta Trop 2021; 214:105763. [PMID: 33242485 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of diseases affecting both humans and animals. To be an efficient vector, ticks have to survive infection by pathogens such as the Langat virus (LGTV). One method utilized by ticks is their complex antioxidant mechanism. Included in the vast antioxidant processes are several enzymes involved in redox homeostasis. The ubiquitous glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) belong to the antioxidant family of enzymes. In this study, we evaluated the role of a GST during LGTV infection. ISE6 cells were infected with LGTV with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.01 and observed daily. The infection success was monitored via indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for LGTV for up to 4 days. The gene expression of IsGST1 was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using IsGST1 gene-specific primers. Knockdown of the IsGST1 gene with subsequent LGTV infection was also performed. Afterward, ISE6 cell mortality and viability were checked daily until the fourth day. The virus titer from supernatants of IsGST1-knockdown cells was quantified using a focus-formation assay. IFAT data showed that LGTV infects ISE6 cells in a time-dependent manner with increasing infection from day 0 to day 4. The IsGST1 genes showed an increasing expression until day 2 of infection, while decreased expression was observed from day 3 to day 4 post-infection. Knockdown of the IsGST1 resulted in increased mortality on the third day of infection, while the cell viability was also negatively affected by the knockdown of the IsGST1 genes from day 0 to day 4 post-infection. Knockdown of the IsGST1 genes also resulted in a decreased viral titer from the supernatants of the ISE6 cells infected with LGTV. Based on the results, GSTs are possibly utilized both by cells and the virus for mutual survival and proliferation.
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41
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Otranto D, Dantas-Torres F, Fourie JJ, Lorusso V, Varloud M, Gradoni L, Drake J, Geurden T, Kaminsky R, Heckeroth AR, Schunack B, Pollmeier M, Beugnet F, Holdsworth P. World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (W.A.A.V.P.) guidelines for studies evaluating the efficacy of parasiticides in reducing the risk of vector-borne pathogen transmission in dogs and cats. Vet Parasitol 2021; 290:109369. [PMID: 33548595 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
These guidelines are intended to provide an in-depth review of current knowledge and assist the planning and implementation of studies for evaluating the efficacy of parasiticides in reducing transmission of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) to dogs and cats. At present, the prevention of VBP transmission in companion animals is generally achieved through the administration of products that can repel or rapidly kill arthropods, thus preventing or interrupting feeding before transmission occurs. The present guidelines complement existing guidelines, which focus on efficacy assessment of parasiticides for the treatment, prevention and control of flea and tick infestations, but also give guidance for studies focused on other vectors (i.e. mosquitoes and phlebotomine sand flies). The efficacy of parasiticides in reducing VBP transmission can be evaluated through laboratory or field studies. As such, the present guidelines provide recommendations for these studies, representing a tool for researchers, pharmaceutical companies and authorities involved in the research, development and registration of products with claims for reducing VBP transmission in dogs and cats, respecting the overall principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement). Gaps in our current understanding of VBP transmission times are herein highlighted and the need for further basic research on related topics is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy.
| | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy; Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (Fiocruz-PE), Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - Vincenzo Lorusso
- Global Research and Intellectual Property, Vetoquinol, 37 Rue de la Victoire, 75009, Paris, France; School of Science, Engineering and Environment, Peel Building, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Jason Drake
- Elanco Animal Health, 2500 Innovation Way, Greenfield, IN, 46140, USA
| | - Thomas Geurden
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Hoge Wei 10, B-1930, Zaventem, Belgium
| | - Ronald Kaminsky
- ParaC-Consulting for Parasitology and Drug Discovery, 79685, Haeg-Ehrsberg, Germany
| | - Anja R Heckeroth
- MSD Animal Health Innovation GmbH, Zur Propstei, 55270, Schwabenheim, Germany
| | - Bettina Schunack
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH: an Elanco Animal Health Company, 51368, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Matthias Pollmeier
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH: an Elanco Animal Health Company, 51368, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Frédéric Beugnet
- Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health, 29 Av Tony Garnier, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Peter Holdsworth
- PAH Consultancy Pty Ltd, Wanniassa, 2903, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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42
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Hart CE, Thangamani S. Tick-virus interactions: Current understanding and future perspectives. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12815. [PMID: 33368375 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are the primary vector of arboviruses in temperate climates worldwide. They are both the vector of these pathogens to humans and an integral component of the viral sylvatic cycle. Understanding the tick-pathogen interaction provides information about the natural maintenance of these pathogens and informs the development of countermeasures against human infection. In this review, we discuss currently available information on tick-viral interactions within the broader scope of general tick immunology. While the tick immune response to several pathogens has been studied extensively, minimal work centres on responses to viral infection. This is largely due to the high pathogenicity of tick-borne viruses; this necessitates high-containment laboratories or low-pathogenicity substitute viruses. This has biased most research towards tick-borne flaviviruses. More work is required to fully understand the role of tick-virus interaction in sylvatic cycling and transmission of diverse tick-borne viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Edward Hart
- Institute for Global Health and Translational Science, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Institute for Global Health and Translational Science, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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43
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Milholland MT, Xu G, Rich SM, Machtinger ET, Mullinax JM, Li AY. Pathogen Coinfections Harbored by Adult Ixodes scapularis from White-Tailed Deer Compared with Questing Adults Across Sites in Maryland, USA. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 21:86-91. [PMID: 33316206 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2644] [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] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, can acquire and transmit tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) responsible for diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum [ANPH]), babesiosis (Babesia microti [BABE]), Lyme borreliosis (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [BBSL]), and the relatively novel relapsing fever-like illness, Borrelia miyamotoi (BMIY) disease in the northeastern United States. Coinfections with these pathogens are becoming increasingly more common in I. scapularis and their hosts, likely attributed to their shared enzootic cycles. Urban habitats are favorable to host species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and these ungulates are known to be important to I. scapularis for reproduction and dispersal in North America. To understand the relationship between TBPs, white-tailed deer, and I. scapularis, we sampled eight sites across central Maryland collecting I. scapularis using standard tick dragging/flagging methods and retrieved others from deer carcasses. Pathogenic TBP species in each tick were determined using qPCR. In total, 903 adult ticks (deer: n = 573; questing: n = 330) revealed landscape-level prevalence of ANPH (27.8%), BABE (1.3%), BBSL (14.6%), and BMIY (0.8%) as singular infections overall. However, secondary coinfections of ANPH and BBSL were highest (9.9%) in ticks feeding from deer while associations of BBSL and BABE (4.2%) were highest in questing ticks. Results from this study provide evidence suggesting that adult I. scapularis acquire pathogenic species through phenologically associated host use, and thus, subsequent infections found in adults may provide insights into coinfection relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Milholland
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland, USA.,AGNR-Environmental Science & Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Guang Xu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen M Rich
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Erika T Machtinger
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jennifer M Mullinax
- AGNR-Environmental Science & Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Y Li
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
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44
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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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Mechanisms Affecting the Acquisition, Persistence and Transmission of Francisella tularensis in Ticks. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111639. [PMID: 33114018 PMCID: PMC7690693 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 600,000 vector-borne disease cases were reported in the United States (U.S.) in the past 13 years, of which more than three-quarters were tick-borne diseases. Although Lyme disease accounts for the majority of tick-borne disease cases in the U.S., tularemia cases have been increasing over the past decade, with >220 cases reported yearly. However, when comparing Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) and Francisella tularensis (causative agent of tularemia), the low infectious dose (<10 bacteria), high morbidity and mortality rates, and potential transmission of tularemia by multiple tick vectors have raised national concerns about future tularemia outbreaks. Despite these concerns, little is known about how F. tularensis is acquired by, persists in, or is transmitted by ticks. Moreover, the role of one or more tick vectors in transmitting F. tularensis to humans remains a major question. Finally, virtually no studies have examined how F. tularensis adapts to life in the tick (vs. the mammalian host), how tick endosymbionts affect F. tularensis infections, or whether other factors (e.g., tick immunity) impact the ability of F. tularensis to infect ticks. This review will assess our current understanding of each of these issues and will offer a framework for future studies, which could help us better understand tularemia and other tick-borne diseases.
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Yuan C, Wu J, Peng Y, Li Y, Shen S, Deng F, Hu Z, Zhou J, Wang M, Zou Z. Transcriptome analysis of the innate immune system of Hyalomma asiaticum. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 177:107481. [PMID: 33035534 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are considered to be the second most important vectors of human infectious diseases. The innate immune system is the key factor that affects its vector competence. Hyalomma asiaticum is the primary vector of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). However, the immune system of H. asiaticum remains virtually unknown. Here, a high throughput full-length mRNA sequencing method was adopted to define the immunotranscriptome of H. asiaticum infected with the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana and gram-negative bacterium Enterobacter cloacae. The analysis yielded 22,300 isoforms with an average length of 3233 bps. In total, 68 potential immunity-related genes were identified based on similarity to the homologs known to be involved in immunity. These included most members of the Toll and JAK/STAT signaling pathways, but not the IMD signaling pathway. Moreover, two copies of Dicer-2 and five copies of Argonaute-2 were detected. These genes are postulated to be involved in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, which is an important defense against RNA viruses. Overall, this study provides the foundation for understanding the immune response of H. asiaticum to CCHFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jia Wu
- Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Mega-Science Center for Bio-Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yun Peng
- Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Mega-Science Center for Bio-Safety Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Shu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhihong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Manli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China.
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Wechtaisong W, Bonnet SI, Lien YY, Chuang ST, Tsai YL. Transmission of Bartonella henselae within Rhipicephalus sanguineus: Data on the Potential Vector Role of the Tick. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008664. [PMID: 33001978 PMCID: PMC7553266 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a fastidious intraerythrocytic, gram-negative bacteria that causes cat scratch disease in humans. Ixodes ricinus has been confirmed to be a competent vector of B. henselae, and some indirect evidences from clinical cases and epidemiological studies also suggested that some other tick species, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus, may transmit the bacteria. B. henselae has been detected in R. sanguineus but no experimental investigations have been performed to evaluate the vector competency of this tick species regarding B. henselae transmission. To this end, this work aimed to assess the transstadial transmission of B. henselae between larvae and nymphs of R. sanguineus as well as transmission by nymphs infected at the larval stage. Four hundred B. henselae negative larvae were fed with B. henselae-infected blood by using an artificial membrane feeding system. After five days of feeding, B. henselae was detected by PCR in 57.1% (8/14) of engorged larval pools, 66.7% (4/6) of semi-engorged larval pools, and 66.7% (2/3) of larval feces pools. After molting, B. henselae DNA was also detected in 10% (1/10) of nymph pools, but not in tick feces. After a pre-fed step of nymphs infected at the larval stage on non-infected blood meal, B. henselae was detected by PCR in blood sample from the feeder, but no Bartonella colonies could be obtained from culture. These findings showed that B. henselae could be transstadial transmitted from R. sanguineus larvae to nymphs, and also suggest that these nymphs may retransmitted the bacteria through the saliva during their blood meal. This is the first study that validated the artificial membrane feeding system for maintaining R. sanguineus tick colony. It shows the possibility of transstadial transmission of B. henselae from R. sanguineus larvae to nymphs. B. henselae is gram-negative bacteria that infects red blood cells of humans and companion animals and causes cat scratch disease in humans. Ticks were considered to be potential vectors of B. henselae for a long time until it was finally experimentally demonstrated for Ixodes ricinus. Since then, no evidence on B. henselae transmission by other tick species was reported. This study was performed 1) to validate the use of artificial membrane system to feed and infect R. sanguineus ticks and 2) to determine the possibility of B. henselae transmission by R. sanguineus, a world-widely distributed ticks. Our results show that the artificial membrane feeding system can be used to maintain R. sanguineus colony in the laboratory, and that B. henselae can be acquired by R. sanguineus during a blood meal on artificial membrane feeding system and can be transmitted from larvae to nymphs that were able to inject bacterial DNA to blood during a new blood meal. However, further investigations are still needed to confirm the viability of bacteria transmitted to blood by nymphs infected at the larval stage in order to validate B. henselae transmission by R. sanguineus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wittawat Wechtaisong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- UMR BIPAR, INRAE, Ecole Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Yi-Yang Lien
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Te Chuang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Răileanu C, Tauchmann O, Vasić A, Neumann U, Tews BA, Silaghi C. Transstadial Transmission and Replication Kinetics of West Nile Virus Lineage 1 in Laboratory Reared Ixodes ricinus Ticks. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9100780. [PMID: 32987685 PMCID: PMC7650586 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9100780] [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: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne agent that has also been isolated from several tick species. Vector competence of Ixodes ricinus, one of the most common tick species in Europe, has been poorly investigated for WNV to date. As such, to evaluate the vector competence, laboratory reared Ixodes ricinus nymphs were in vitro fed with WNV lineage 1 infectious blood, allowed to molt, and the resulting females artificially fed to study the virus transmission. Furthermore, we studied the kinetics of WNV replication in ticks after infecting nymphs using an automatic injector. Active replication of WNV was detected in injected nymphs from day 7 post-infection until 28 dpi. In the nymphs infected by artificial feeding, the transstadial transmission of WNV was confirmed molecularly in 46.7% of males, while virus transmission during in vitro feeding of I. ricinus females originating from infected nymphs was not registered. The long persistence of WNV in I. ricinus ticks did not correlate with the transmission of the virus and it is unlikely that I. ricinus represents a competent vector. However, there is a potential reservoir role that this tick species can play, with hosts potentially acquiring the viral agent after ingesting the infected ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Răileanu
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
| | - Oliver Tauchmann
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
| | - Ana Vasić
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
- Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotica 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ulrike Neumann
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
| | - Birke Andrea Tews
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (C.R.); (O.T.); (A.V.); (U.N.); (B.A.T.)
- Department of Biology, University of Greifswald, Domstraße 11, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Mites, ticks, anaphylaxis and allergy: The Acari hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2020; 144:110257. [PMID: 33254563 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Anaphylaxis is a poorly understood immune process in which a Th2-/IgE-mediated adaptive response commandeers cellular machinery, typically reserved for defense against multicellular ectoparasites, to activate against otherwise benign molecules. Its clinical manifestations consist of rapid pathophysiological reflexes that target epithelial surfaces. The galactose-α-1,3-galactose hypersensitivity response is a compelling model of anaphylaxis for which causation has been demonstrated. At the core of the model, a tick bite sensitizes a recipient to a tick foodstuff. As proposed herein, the model likely informs on the origin of all allergic inflammation; namely, allergy is not intended to protect against seemingly harmless and irrelevant materials, but is, instead, intended to rid epithelial surfaces of pathogen-bearing Acari, i.e., mites and ticks. The demonstrated adjuvant activity of acarian gastrointestinal secretions, when paired with the polyphagous diet of mites, renders acarians eminently suited to accounting, mechanistically, for many, if not all, human allergies.
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Jia N, Wang J, Shi W, Du L, Sun Y, Zhan W, Jiang JF, Wang Q, Zhang B, Ji P, Bell-Sakyi L, Cui XM, Yuan TT, Jiang BG, Yang WF, Lam TTY, Chang QC, Ding SJ, Wang XJ, Zhu JG, Ruan XD, Zhao L, Wei JT, Ye RZ, Que TC, Du CH, Zhou YH, Cheng JX, Dai PF, Guo WB, Han XH, Huang EJ, Li LF, Wei W, Gao YC, Liu JZ, Shao HZ, Wang X, Wang CC, Yang TC, Huo QB, Li W, Chen HY, Chen SE, Zhou LG, Ni XB, Tian JH, Sheng Y, Liu T, Pan YS, Xia LY, Li J, Zhao F, Cao WC. Large-Scale Comparative Analyses of Tick Genomes Elucidate Their Genetic Diversity and Vector Capacities. Cell 2020; 182:1328-1340.e13. [PMID: 32814014 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among arthropod vectors, ticks transmit the most diverse human and animal pathogens, leading to an increasing number of new challenges worldwide. Here we sequenced and assembled high-quality genomes of six ixodid tick species and further resequenced 678 tick specimens to understand three key aspects of ticks: genetic diversity, population structure, and pathogen distribution. We explored the genetic basis common to ticks, including heme and hemoglobin digestion, iron metabolism, and reactive oxygen species, and unveiled for the first time that genetic structure and pathogen composition in different tick species are mainly shaped by ecological and geographic factors. We further identified species-specific determinants associated with different host ranges, life cycles, and distributions. The findings of this study are an invaluable resource for research and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jinfeng Wang
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Wenqiang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Lifeng Du
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhan
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Fu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Peifeng Ji
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Ecological and Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Xiao-Ming Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Gui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Fei Yang
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qiao-Cheng Chang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang, P.R. China
| | - Shu-Jun Ding
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Xian-Jun Wang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jin-Guo Zhu
- ManZhouLi Customs District, Manzhouli 021400, Inner Mongolia, P.R. China
| | - Xiang-Dong Ruan
- Academy of Forest Inventory and Planning, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100714, P.R. China
| | - Lin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Te Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Run-Ze Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Teng Cheng Que
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanjing 530028, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Hong Du
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Hao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jing Xia Cheng
- Shanxi Provence Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xian 030012, Shanxi, P.R. China
| | - Pei-Fang Dai
- Shanxi Provence Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xian 030012, Shanxi, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Hu Han
- Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, P.R. China
| | - En-Jiong Huang
- Fuzhou International Travel Healthcare Center, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Lian-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Chi Gao
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Jing-Ze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, Hebei, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Ze Shao
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Research Institute of Jilin Province, Changchun 130062, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Xin Wang
- Qingjiangpu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huai'an 223001, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Chong-Cai Wang
- Hainan International Travel Healthcare Center, Haikou 570311, Hainan, P.R. China
| | - Tian-Ci Yang
- State Key Lab of Mosquito-borne Diseases, Hangzhou International Tourism Healthcare Center, Hangzhou Customs of China, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Qiu-Bo Huo
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, Heilongjiang, P.R. China
| | - Wei Li
- Xinjiang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Urumqi 830002, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Hai-Ying Chen
- Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of the State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Nanchang 330038, Jiangxi, P.R. China
| | - Shen-En Chen
- Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of the State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Nanchang 330038, Jiangxi, P.R. China
| | - Ling-Guo Zhou
- Shaanxi Natural Reserve and Wildlife Administration Station, Xi'an 710082, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Bing Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun-Hua Tian
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430015, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yue Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Tao Liu
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Sheng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Luo-Yuan Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Fangqing Zhao
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunan, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
| | - Wu-Chun Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China.
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