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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

A novel type 1 cystatin involved in the regulation of Rhipicephalus microplus midgut cysteine proteases

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Author(s):
Lu, Stephen [1] ; da Rocha, Leticia A. [1] ; Torquato, Ricardo J. S. [1] ; Vaz Junior, Itabajara da Silva [2, 3, 4] ; Florin-Christensen, Monica [5, 6] ; Tanaka, Aparecida S. [1, 4]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Biochem, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Ctr Biotecnol, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil
[3] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Fac Vet, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil
[4] Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Entomol Mol INCT Em, Rio de Janeiro, RJ - Brazil
[5] Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, DF - Argentina
[6] Ctr Invest Ciencias Vet & Agron CICVyA, Inst Patobiol Vet, INTA Castelar, Los Reseros & Nicolas Repetto S-N, RA-1686 Hurlingham - Argentina
Total Affiliations: 6
Document type: Journal article
Source: TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES; v. 11, n. 3 MAY 2020.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

Rhipicephalus microplus is a cattle ectoparasite found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world with great impact on livestock production. R. microplus can also harbor pathogens, such as Babesia sp. and Anaplasma sp. which further compromise cattle production. Blood meal acquisition and digestion are key steps for tick development. In ticks, digestion takes place inside midgut cells and is mediated by aspartic and cysteine peptidases and, therefore, regulated by their inhibitors. Cystatins are a family of cysteine peptidases inhibitors found in several organisms and have been associated in ticks with blood acquisition, blood digestion, modulation of host immune response and tick immunity. In this work, we characterized a novel R. microplus type 1 cystatin, named Rmcystatin-1b. The inhibitor transcripts were found to be highly expressed in the midgut of partially and fully engorged females and they appear to be modulated at different days post-detachment. Purified recombinant Rmcystatin-lb displayed inhibitory activity towards typical cysteine peptidases with high affinity. Moreover, rRmcystatin-1b was able to inhibit native R. microplus cysteine peptidases and RNAi-mediated knockdown of the cystatin transcripts resulted in increased proteolytic activity. Moreover, rRmcystatin-1b was able to interfere with B. bovis growth in vitro. Taken together our data strongly suggest that Rmcystatin-1b is a regulator of blood digestion in R. microplus midgut. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 15/09268-1 - Characterization of two proteases from Babesia bovis parasite: Importance in the host infections.
Grantee:Stephen Lu
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
FAPESP's process: 12/03657-8 - Inhibitor and proteases of ectoparasites: relationship of structure-function and identification of the role of these molecules in the interaction of diseases vector e their etiological agents
Grantee:Aparecida Sadae Tanaka
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
FAPESP's process: 17/25609-9 - Characterization of two proteases from Babesia bovis parasite and their relevance in host infection.
Grantee:Stephen Lu
Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate