Boophilus microplus:Multiple Proteolytic Activities in the Midgut

Localization and function ofRhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplusvitellin-degrading cysteine endopeptidase

“…Biochemical screenings demonstrate that multiple similar activities are present in R. microplus (Mendiola et al 1996) and Ixodes ricinus (Sojka et al 2008;Horn et al 2009). So we cannot dismiss the possibility that the antibody used here can recognize isoforms of cysteine endopeptidase.…”

Some hydrolase activities from the tickHyalomma lusitanicumKoch, 1844 (Ixodoidea: Ixodida)

“…Perhaps, this enzymatic activity in whole-body homogenates was too small to be detected; it is also possible that some enzymes are little or nothing expressed in unfed ticks. Multiple proteolytic activities have been detected at acidic pH in midguts of adult engorged females of Boophilus microplus (Mendiola et al, 1996) and a tendency to increased values of aspartic-proteinase activity per milligram of total weight was observed during the development of adult female ticks (Mendiola et al, 2001). Other studies indicate that expression of some peptidases is induced or upregulated by a blood-feeding process (Mulenga et al, 2003;Hatta et al, 2006;Motobu et al, 2007).…”

“…Detoxifying enzymes and esterases in particular, have been associated with organophosphate resistance in Boophilus microplus and Villarino et al (2002Villarino et al ( , 2003 and Li et al (2005) claimed that resistance to carbaryl was likely conferred by insensitive acetylcholinesterase. Proteases have prominent role in the proteolytic cascade for the degradation of the host blood-meal (Mendiola et al, 1996(Mendiola et al, , 2001Boldbaatar et al, 2006), and acid phosphatases are also involved in digestion (Coons et al, 1986;Gough & Kemp, 1995). Acid phosphatase participates in salivary gland secretion control (Numes et al, 2006) and two protein phosphatases appear to play a principal role in modulating this process (Qureshi et al, 1994).…”

Enzymatic Characterization of a Cubilin-Related Serine Proteinase from the Hard Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis

“…In haematophagous ticks, blood digestion in the midgut is thought to be the most essential process because it is the source of energy as well as the most critical interface between the ticks and the pathogens that transmitted by ticks. Studies have reported that aspartic and cysteine proteinases exert proteolytic role, in the midguts [8,13] of the hard tick Boophilus microplus.The hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis is distributed in a vast area of Eurasia, including Japan [6], where it transmits a wide range of pathogens, including viruses, rickettsia and protozoan parasites, causing important human and animal diseases [17]. In particular, H. longicornis serves as a vector of Theileria orientalis, which is the most economically important protozoan infectious disease of cattle in Asia [6].…”

“…In haematophagous ticks, blood digestion in the midgut is thought to be the most essential process because it is the source of energy as well as the most critical interface between the ticks and the pathogens that transmitted by ticks. Studies have reported that aspartic and cysteine proteinases exert proteolytic role, in the midguts [8,13] of the hard tick Boophilus microplus.…”