Ectoparasite Biogenic Components in the Modulation of Vector-host-pathogen Interactions

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 6056

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
2. Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
Interests: infectious diseases; molecular biology of host-vector-pathogen interactions; gene regulation; pathogenesis; functional genomics; evolution and immunology; systems biology; ticks and tick-borne diseases; intracellular bacteria (Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Mycobacterium); alpha-gal syndrome; vaccinology; biotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vector-borne diseases (TBDs) represent a growing burden for human and animal health worldwide. Vector competence is a component of vectorial capacity and depends on genetic determinants affecting the ability of a vector to transmit a pathogen. These determinants affect traits such as vector–host–pathogen interactions and susceptibility to pathogen infection. Therefore, the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in vector–pathogen and vector–host interactions that affect vector competence is essential for the identification of molecular drivers for vector-borne diseases. The identification using latest omics technologies of ectoparasite biogenic components and their role in the modulation of vector–host–pathogen molecular interactions that promote survival, spread, and pathogen transmission provides the opportunity to disrupt these interactions and leads to a reduction in the prevalence of vector-borne diseases.

Prof. Dr. José de la Fuente
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • vector
  • tick
  • mosquito
  • pathogen
  • host
  • transcriptomics
  • proteomics
  • regulomics
  • metabolomics
  • miRNA
  • molecular interactions
  • vaccinomics

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 8087 KiB  
Article
Tick and Host Derived Compounds Detected in the Cement Complex Substance
by Margarita Villar, Iván Pacheco, Octavio Merino, Marinela Contreras, Lourdes Mateos-Hernández, Eduardo Prado, Dina Karen Barros-Picanço, José Francisco Lima-Barbero, Sara Artigas-Jerónimo, Pilar Alberdi, Isabel G. Fernández de Mera, Agustín Estrada-Peña, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and José de la Fuente
Biomolecules 2020, 10(4), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10040555 - 5 Apr 2020
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5613
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods and vectors of pathogens affecting human and animal health worldwide. Cement is a complex protein polymerization substance secreted by ticks with antimicrobial properties and a possible role in host attachment, sealing the feeding lesion, facilitating feeding and pathogen [...] Read more.
Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods and vectors of pathogens affecting human and animal health worldwide. Cement is a complex protein polymerization substance secreted by ticks with antimicrobial properties and a possible role in host attachment, sealing the feeding lesion, facilitating feeding and pathogen transmission, and protection from host immune and inflammatory responses. The biochemical properties of tick cement during feeding have not been fully characterized. In this study, we characterized the proteome of Rhipicephalus microplus salivary glands (sialome) and cement (cementome) together with their physicochemical properties at different adult female parasitic stages. The results showed the combination of tick and host derived proteins and other biomolecules such as α-Gal in cement composition, which varied during the feeding process. We propose that these compounds may synergize in cement formation, solidification and maintenance to facilitate attachment, feeding, interference with host immune response and detachment. These results advanced our knowledge of the complex tick cement composition and suggested that tick and host derived compounds modulate cement properties throughout tick feeding. Full article
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