Dynamics of Insulin Signaling in the Black-Legged Tick, Ixodes scapularis

Sharma, Arvind; Pooraiiouby, Rana; Guzmán, Blanca; Vu, Preston; Gulia-Nuss, Monika; Nuss, Andrew B.

doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00292

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Subsequently, other IsILP3, 4, and 5 were identified in I. scapularis (Fig. 1) (Sharma et al 2019). IsILP5 and IsILP1 are expressed only in the synganglion and the highest level of IsILP3 and IsILP4 expression was detected in the salivary glands (Sharma et al 2019).…”

Section: Insulinmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…If ticks are feeding on an infected host, the pathogens use chemotaxis and migrate toward or away from a chemical stimulus and as a result, transmission of the infection occurs (Murfin et al 2019). It is the tick gut that is the primary site of pathogen colonization (Sharma et al 2019) and can avoid the immune response of ticks and other hosts (Smith et al 2016;Shaw et al 2017). The spirochetes remain in the gut lumen during tick feeding and subsequently pass into the salivary glands (De Silva and Fikrig 1995).…”

Section: Potential Targets Exprimed In Tick Digestive System For Nove...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prevention of tick-borne diseases: challenge to recent medicine

Hromníková

Furka

et al. 2022

Biologia

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Ticks represent important vectors and reservoirs of pathogens, causing a number of diseases in humans and animals, and significant damage to livestock every year. Modern research into protection against ticks and tick-borne diseases focuses mainly on the feeding stage, i.e. the period when ticks take their blood meal from their hosts during which pathogens are transmitted. Physiological functions in ticks, such as food intake, saliva production, reproduction, development, and others are under control of neuropeptides and peptide hormones which may be involved in pathogen transmission that cause Lyme borreliosis or tick-borne encephalitis. According to current knowledge, ticks are not reservoirs or vectors for the spread of COVID-19 disease. The search for new vaccination methods to protect against ticks and their transmissible pathogens is a challenge for current science in view of global changes, including the increasing migration of the human population. Highlights • Tick-borne diseases have an increasing incidence due to climate change and increased human migration • To date, there is no evidence of transmission of coronavirus COVID-19 by tick as a vector • To date, there are only a few modern, effective, and actively- used vaccines against ticks or tick-borne diseases • Neuropeptides and their receptors expressed in ticks may be potentially used for vaccine design

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Section: Insulinmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Potential Targets Exprimed In Tick Digestive System For Nove...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevention of tick-borne diseases: challenge to recent medicine

Hromníková

Furka

et al. 2022

Biologia

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“…Primer sequences for all proteases are listed in Table 1. Tubulin was used as a housekeeping control [14]. Gel band intensity was analyzed by densitometry using Image Lab 5.2.1 (Gel Doc EZ-Imager, BioRad).…”

Section: Protease Expressionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood Digestion by Trypsin-Like Serine Proteases in the Replete Lyme Disease Vector Tick, Ixodes scapularis

Reyes

Ayala-Chavez

Sharma

et al. 2020

Insects

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Ixodes scapularis is the major vector of Lyme disease in the Eastern United States. Each active life stage (larva, nymph, and adult) takes a blood meal either for developing and molting to the next stage (larvae and nymphs) or for oviposition (adult females). This protein-rich blood meal is the only food taken by Ixodes ticks and therefore efficient blood digestion is critical for survival. Studies in partially engorged ticks have shown that the initial stages of digestion are carried out by cathepsin proteases within acidic digestive cells. In this study, we investigated the potential role of serine proteases in blood digestion in replete ticks. RNA interference was used for functional analysis and a trypsin-benzoyl-D, L-arginine 4-nitoanilide assay was used to measure active trypsin levels. Hemoglobinolytic activity was determined in vitro, with or without a serine protease inhibitor. Our data suggest that trypsin levels increase significantly after repletion. Knockdown of serine proteases negatively impacted blood feeding, survival, fecundity, levels of active trypsin in the midgut, and resulted in lower hemoglobin degradation. Incubation of midgut extract with a trypsin inhibitor resulted in 65% lower hemoglobin degradation. We provide evidence of the serine proteases as digestive enzymes in fully engorged, replete females. Understanding the digestive profile of trypsin during blood meal digestion in I. scapularis improves our understanding of the basic biology of ticks and may lead to new methods for tick control.

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“…Primer sequences for all proteases are listed in Table 1. Tubulin was used as a housekeeping control [12]. Table 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood Digestion by Trypsin-Like Serine Protease in the Lyme Disease Vector Tick, <em>Ixodes Scapularis</em>

Reyes¹,

Ayala-Chavez²,

Nuss³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Ixodes scapularis is the major vector of Lyme disease in the eastern United States. This species undergoes a life cycle consisting of eggs and three active stages: larva, nymph, and adult. Each active life stage takes a blood meal either for developing and molting to the next stage (larvae and nymphs) or for oviposition (adult females). This protein rich blood meal is the only food taken by Ixodes ticks. Most studies on blood digestion in ticks have shown that the initial stages of blood digestion are carried out by cathepsin proteases within endosomes of acidic digestive cells. However, in other hematophagous arthropods, the serine protease trypsin plays an important role in early protein degradation. In this study, we determined transcript expression of I. scapularis cathepsins and serine proteases, some with previously characterized roles in blood digestion. Gut pH was also determined and a trypsin-benzoyl-D, L-arginine 4-nitoanilide assay was used to measure active trypsin levels during blood digestion. Our data suggest that trypsin levels increase significantly after blood feeding and peaked in larvae, nymphs, and adults at 3, 1, and 1 days post host detachment, respectively. In addition, alkaline gut pH (8.0) conditions after I. scapularis blood feeding were similar to those required for trypsin activity in other arthropods suggesting these enzymes have an important and previously overlooked role in I. scapularis blood digestion.

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Dynamics of Insulin Signaling in the Black-Legged Tick, Ixodes scapularis

Cited by 6 publications

References 36 publications

Prevention of tick-borne diseases: challenge to recent medicine

Prevention of tick-borne diseases: challenge to recent medicine

Blood Digestion by Trypsin-Like Serine Proteases in the Replete Lyme Disease Vector Tick, Ixodes scapularis

Blood Digestion by Trypsin-Like Serine Protease in the Lyme Disease Vector Tick, <em>Ixodes Scapularis</em>

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