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Capillary feeding of specific dsRNA induces silencing of the isac gene in nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks
Author(s) -
Soares C. A. G.,
Lima C. M. R.,
Dolan M. C.,
Piesman J.,
Beard C. B.,
Zeidner N. S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2005.00575.x
Subject(s) - ixodes scapularis , biology , gene silencing , tick , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , ixodes , borrelia burgdorferi , rna silencing , rna interference , gene , ixodidae , genetics , rna , antibody
Ixodes scapularis transmits several pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi . Bioactive compounds in tick saliva support tick feeding and influence pathogen transmission to the mammalian host. These studies utilized oral delivery of dsRNA to silence an anticomplement gene ( isac ) in I. scapularis nymphs. Silencing of isac significantly reduced fed‐tick weight compared to delivery of control lacZ dsRNA, and immunoblots specific for FlaB protein indicated a reduction in spirochete load in isac ‐silenced infected nymphs. SDS‐PAGE demonstrated that isac gene silencing affected expression of a number of salivary and non‐salivary gland proteins in ticks. Finally, multiple isac cDNA homologues were cloned, and these may represent a new gene family coexpressed during tick feeding. This work presents a novel oral delivery approach for specific gene silencing in I. scapularis nymphs and characterizes the effect of isac on blood‐feeding in an attempt to block transmission of B. burgdorferi .