proteomics approach for the analysis of hemolymph proteins involved in the immediate defense response of the soft tick, Ornithodoros savignyi, when challenged with Candida albicans

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 309 - 325
• Main Authors: Stopforth, Elaine, Neitz, Albert W. H, Gaspar, Anabella R. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.08.2010; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Ecology; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Animals; Arachnida; Biochemistry. Physiology. Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blood Proteins - immunology; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - physiology; Differential protein expression; Entomology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation - immunology; hemolymph; Hemolymph - immunology; Immune response; Immunity, Innate - immunology; Invertebrates; Ixodidae; Life Sciences; Mass spectrometry; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Nuisances; Ornithodoros - immunology; Ornithodoros - microbiology; Ornithodoros savignyi; Physiology. Development; Proteins; Proteomics; Yeast-binding proteins; Yeasts; Hemolymph; Yeast; Differential protein expression; Yeast-binding proteins; Parasitiformes; Candida albicans; Animal microorganism relation; Nuisance; Immune response; Ornithodoros savignyi; Parasite; Organism defense; Fungi; Mycoparasite; Binding protein; Arachnida; Acari; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Livestock; Fungi Imperfecti; Ectoparasite; Invertebrata; Ixodidae
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702
• DOI: 10.1007/s10493-010-9338-z

A proteomics approach was employed to identify proteins secreted into the hemolymph of Ornithodorus savignyi ticks 2 h after immune-challenge with the yeast, Candida albicans. Profiling of the proteins present in hemolymph of unchallenged ticks versus ticks challenged with heat-killed yeast revealed five proteins to be differentially expressed. The modulated protein spots were subjected to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis, but could not be positively identified. These proteins can be assigned to the immune response as they were not induced after aseptic injury. In an attempt to identify hemolymph proteins that recognize and bind to yeast cells, hemolymph obtained from both unchallenged and challenged ticks was incubated with C. albicans. Elution of the bound proteins followed by SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that three proteins (97, 88 and 26 kDa) present in both unchallenged and challenged hemolymph samples bind to yeast cells. The constant presence of these three proteins in tick hemolymph leads us to believe that they may be involved in non-self recognition and participate in yeast clearance from tick plasma. The analyzed yeast-binding proteins could also not be positively identified, suggesting that all the tick immune proteins investigated in this study are novel.