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Full-Text Articles in Entomology
Characterization Of Hemocytes In Amblyomma Americanum And Investigation Of Traf6’S Role In Proliferation Of Hemocytes In Response To Infection, Jacquelyn T. May
Characterization Of Hemocytes In Amblyomma Americanum And Investigation Of Traf6’S Role In Proliferation Of Hemocytes In Response To Infection, Jacquelyn T. May
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Amblyomma americanum is a medically important vector in the southeast United States. Cellular and molecular aspects of the immune system of this species were examined. To investigate cellular processes, hemocytes produced in response to gram-negative infection were characterized according to their ultrastructure. Four hemocyte types were identified: prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, type-I granulocytes, and type-II granulocytes. To elucidate molecular processes, we investigated AamTRAF as an immune-related gene by silencing the gene using RNAi then quantifying the hemocytes after inoculation with gram-negative and positive bacteria. It was found that silencing AamTRAF caused a decrease in hemocyte proliferation in response to gram-positive but not …
Determination Of The Presence Of Rickettsia Spp. And Borrelia Spp. Carried By Tortoise Ticks From Madagascar, Anna Phan
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Ticks were removed from three species of Malagasy tortoises, Astrochelys yniphora, A. radiata, and Pyxis arachnoides (comprising two subspecies P. a. arachnoides and P. a. oblonga), between 2012 and 2015. The ticks were presumed to be from the genus Amblyomma. Ticks were morphologically identified and then checked molecularly to confirm their classification or identify any ticks that could not be morphologically identified. Molecular identification was done via end-point PCR that amplified tick cytochrome oxidase (CO1) and tick 12S rRNA genes. Ticks were screened via a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the presence of Rickettsia spp. …