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Cloning and characterization of the autophagy-related gene 6 from the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis

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Abstract

Autophagy is the intracellular protein degradation process which is induced by starvation. Ticks have a unique tolerance for starvation, and it is possible that this tolerance is associated with their longevity. Previously, we isolated the homologues of four autophagy-related (ATG) genes in the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, suggesting that autophagy appeared to play an important role in tolerance for starvation as well as the development of ticks. In this study, the homologue of ATG6 was isolated from H. longicornis (HlATG6). HlATG6 mRNA expression was higher in the egg and unfed larval stages than in other stages and upregulated in ovaries during the blood-feeding period. Moreover, HlATG6-knockdowned ticks laid a few and poorly developed eggs that were white brown in color and not well surface-coated with wax. However, the expression of vitellogenin (Vg)-2, HlVg-2, in the fat body of HlATG6-knockdowned ticks was significantly upregulated. In addition, hemolymph had a deep brown color in HlATG6-knockdowned ticks on day 21 after engorgement and drop-off, indicating that the Vgs synthesized by the fat body and midgut are retained and accumulated in the hemolymph of HlATG6-knockdowned ticks, probably due to the downregulation of the Vg uptake capability of oocytes. Interestingly, HlATG6 knockdown provided non-significant influences on the expression of the Vg receptor (HlVgR) at oocytes, suggesting a non-significant depression of VgR-mediated endocytosis in the oocytes of HlATG6-knockdowned ticks. Therefore, it was interpreted that the repression of Vg uptake in the oocytes of HlATG6-knockdowned ticks may be involved in endocytic processes other than the receptor recognition of Vgs in oocytes.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). R. U-S. was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for a Research Activity Start-up from the JSPS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Frontier Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Korimoto 1-21-24, Kagoshima, 890–0065, Japan

    Suguru Kawano, Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji, Damdinsuren Boldbaatar, Tetsuya Tanaka & Kozo Fujisaki

  2. Matsuoka Research Institute, Midori-machi 5-19-21, Koganei, Tokyo, 184–0003, Japan

    Kenji Matsuoka

Authors
  1. Suguru Kawano
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  2. Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
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  3. Damdinsuren Boldbaatar
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  4. Kenji Matsuoka
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  5. Tetsuya Tanaka
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  6. Kozo Fujisaki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kozo Fujisaki.

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Table S1

Primers used in this study. (DOC 27 kb)

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Kawano, S., Umemiya-Shirafuji, R., Boldbaatar, D. et al. Cloning and characterization of the autophagy-related gene 6 from the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis . Parasitol Res 109, 1341–1349 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2429-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2429-x

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