Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Host Blood Proteins And Peptides In The Midgut Of The Tick Dermacentor Variabilis Contribute To Bacterial Control, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Wayne L. Hynes, Shane M. Ceraul, Robert Mitchell, Tiffany Benzine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Antimicrobial midgut proteins and peptides that result from blood digestion in feeding American dog ticks Dermacentor variabilis (Say) were identified. Midgut extracts from these ticks showed antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus, regardless of whether they were challenged with peptidoglycan, blood meal components, rabbit blood, Bacillus subtilis, Escherischia coli or Borrelia burgdorferi. However, no peptide band co-migrating with defensin was found in midgut extracts from the challenged ticks. Partial purification of the midgut extracts using C₁₈ Sep Paks and gel electrophoresis showed the presence of 4 distinct bands with rMW 4.1, 5.3, 5.7 and 8.0 kDa identified …