A cement protein of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, located in the secretory e cell granules of the type III salivary gland acini, induces strong antibody responses in cattle

• Published in: International journal for parasitology Vol. 32; no. 7; pp. 833 - 842
• Main Authors: BISHOP, Richard, LAMBSON, Bronwen, WELLS, Clive, PANDIT, Pratibala, OSASO, Julius, NKONGE, Catherine, MORZARIA, Subhash, MUSOKE, Antony, NENE, Vishvanath
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Science 15-06-2002
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - biosynthesis; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Northern - veterinary; Blotting, Southern - veterinary; Blotting, Western - veterinary; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - immunology; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; DNA, Complementary - genetics; Escherichia coli - genetics; Female; Human parasitic diseases due to arthropods; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Immunoelectron - veterinary; Molecular Sequence Data; Parasitic diseases; Rabbits; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; RNA, Protozoan - chemistry; RNA, Protozoan - genetics; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - chemistry; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - genetics; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - immunology; Tick Infestations - immunology; Tick Infestations - prevention & control; Tick Infestations - veterinary; Ticks - immunology; Ticks - metabolism; Host parasite relation; Ox; Acinus; Acari; Molecular cloning; Vector; Humoral immunity; Ixodidae; Ungulata; Parasitiformes; Immune response; Antibody; Digestive system; Secretory cell; Salivary gland; Protein; Arachnida; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Complementary DNA; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Rhipicephalus appendiculatus; Artiodactyla; Secretion granule; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0020-7519; 1879-0135
• DOI: 10.1016/s0020-7519(02)00027-9

Protein components of the cement cone of ixodid ticks are candidates for inclusion in vaccines against tick infestation, since they are essential for tick attachment and feeding. We describe here the cloning of a cDNA encoding a 36 kDa protein, designated Rhipicephalus Immuno-dominant Molecule 36 (RIM36), present in salivary glands and the cement cone material secreted by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. The 334-amino-acid sequence of RIM36 has a high content of glycine, serine and proline. The protein contains a predicted N-terminal signal peptide and two classes of glycine-rich amino acid repeats, a GL[G/Y/S/F/L] tripeptide and a GSPLSGF septapeptide. Comparison of genomic and cDNA sequences reveals a 597 bp intron within the 3' end of the RIM36 gene. Immuno-electron microscopy demonstrates that RIM36 is predominantly located in the e cell granules of the type III salivary gland acini. An Escherichia coli recombinant form of the proline-rich C-terminal domain of RIM36 reacts with antisera from Bos indicus cattle, either experimentally infested with R. appendiculatus, or exposed to ticks in the field. The 36 kDa protein is strongly recognised on Western blots of salivary gland lysates and soluble extracts of purified R. appendiculatus cement cones by polyclonal antibodies generated against recombinant RIM36, and by antisera from cattle experimentally infested with ticks. The data indicate that this tick cement component is a target of strong antibody responses in cattle exposed to feeding ticks.