Document Detail


Longistatin, a plasminogen activator, is key to the availability of blood-meals for ixodid ticks.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21423674     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Ixodid ticks are notorious blood-sucking ectoparasites and are completely dependent on blood-meals from hosts. In addition to the direct severe effects on health and productivity, ixodid ticks transmit various deadly diseases to humans and animals. Unlike rapidly feeding vessel-feeder hematophagous insects, the hard ticks feed on hosts for a long time (5-10 days or more), making a large blood pool beneath the skin. Tick's salivary glands produce a vast array of bio-molecules that modulate their complex and persistent feeding processes. However, the specific molecule that functions in the development and maintenance of a blood pool is yet to be identified. Recently, we have reported on longistatin, a 17.8-kDa protein with two functional EF-hand Ca(++)-binding domains, from the salivary glands of the disease vector, Haemaphysalis longicornis, that has been shown to be linked to blood-feeding processes. Here, we show that longistatin plays vital roles in the formation of a blood pool and in the acquisition of blood-meals. Data clearly revealed that post-transcriptional silencing of the longistatin-specific gene disrupted ticks' unique ability to create a blood pool, and they consequently failed to feed and replete on blood-meals from hosts. Longistatin completely hydrolyzed α, β and γ chains of fibrinogen and delayed fibrin clot formation. Longistatin was able to bind with fibrin meshwork, and activated fibrin clot-bound plasminogen into its active form plasmin, as comparable to that of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), and induced lysis of fibrin clot and platelet-rich thrombi. Plasminogen activation potentiality of longistatin was increased up to 4 times by soluble fibrin. Taken together, our results suggest that longistatin may exert potent functions both as a plasminogen activator and as an anticoagulant in the complex scenario of blood pool formation; the latter is critical to the feeding success and survival of ixodid ticks.
Authors:
Anisuzzaman; M Khyrul Islam; M Abdul Alim; Takeharu Miyoshi; Takeshi Hatta; Kayoko Yamaji; Yasunobu Matsumoto; Kozo Fujisaki; Naotoshi Tsuji
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2011-03-10
Journal Detail:
Title:  PLoS pathogens     Volume:  7     ISSN:  1553-7374     ISO Abbreviation:  PLoS Pathog.     Publication Date:  2011 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-03-22     Completed Date:  2011-07-11     Revised Date:  2011-07-27    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101238921     Medline TA:  PLoS Pathog     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  e1001312     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Anticoagulants / metabolism
Blood*
Calcium-Binding Proteins / physiology*
Feeding Behavior / physiology*
Fibrin / metabolism
Fibrinogen / metabolism
Fibrinolysin / metabolism
Host-Parasite Interactions / physiology*
Ixodidae / physiology*
Plasminogen Activators / physiology*
Protozoan Proteins / physiology*
RNA, Double-Stranded / genetics
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Salivary Proteins and Peptides / physiology*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anticoagulants; 0/Calcium-Binding Proteins; 0/Protozoan Proteins; 0/RNA, Double-Stranded; 0/RNA, Messenger; 0/Salivary Proteins and Peptides; 0/longistatin protein, Haemaphysalis longicornis; 9001-31-4/Fibrin; 9001-32-5/Fibrinogen; EC 3.4.21.-/Plasminogen Activators; EC 3.4.21.7/Fibrinolysin
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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