Exploring the midgut proteome of partially fed female cattle tick ( Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus)

• Published in: Journal of insect physiology 2010-02, Vol.56 (2), p.212-226
• Main Authors: Kongsuwan, Kritaya, Josh, Peter, Zhu, Ying, Pearson, Roger, Gough, Joanne, Colgrave, Michelle L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-DE; adult animals; Animals; Babesia; babesiosis; biological development; Boophilus microplus; Cattle tick; Digestive System - chemistry; Digestive System - immunology; Digestive System - metabolism; Digestive tract; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; endoparasites; Female; females; hematophagy; host-pathogen relationships; inhibitors; insect proteins; Mass spectrometry; midgut; Midgut proteins; Molecular Sequence Data; Parasite proteomics; Proteins - chemistry; Proteins - genetics; Proteins - immunology; Proteins - metabolism; proteome; Proteome - chemistry; Proteome - genetics; Proteome - immunology; Proteome - metabolism; proteomics; Rhipicephalus - chemistry; Rhipicephalus - genetics; Rhipicephalus - immunology; Rhipicephalus - metabolism; spectral analysis; tick control; ticks; vaccination; vaccine development; vaccines; vector control
• ISSN: 0022-1910; 1879-1611
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2009.10.003

The continued development of effective anti-tick vaccines remains the most promising prospect for the control of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus. A vaccine based on midgut proteins could interfere with successful tick feeding and additionally interfere with midgut developmental stages of Babesia parasites, providing opportunities for the control of both the tick and the pathogens it transmits. Midgut proteins from partially fed adult female cattle ticks were analysed using a combination of 2-DE and gel-free LC–MS/MS. Analysis of the urea-soluble protein fraction resulted in the confident identification of 105 gut proteins, while the PBS-soluble fraction yielded an additional 37 R. microplus proteins. The results show an abundance of proteins involved in mitochondrial ATP synthesis, electron transport chain, protein synthesis, chaperone, antioxidant and protein folding and transport activities in midgut tissues of adult female ticks. Among the novel products identified were clathrin-adaptor protein, which is involved in the assembly of clathrin-coated vesicles, and membrane-associated trafficking proteins such as syntaxin 6 and surfeit 4. The observations allow the formulation of hypotheses regarding midgut physiology and will serve as a basis for future vaccine development and tick–host interaction research.