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Title: Comparative microarray analysis of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus expression profiles of larvae pre-attachment and feeding adult female stages on Bos indicus and B. taurus cattle

Author
item RODRIGUEZ, VALLE - Queensland Department Of Primary Industries & Fisheries
item LEW-TABOR, A - Queensland Department Of Primary Industries & Fisheries
item GONDRO, C - University Of New England
item MOOLHUIJZEN, P - Murdoch University
item VANCE, M - Queensland Department Of Primary Industries & Fisheries
item Guerrero, Felicito
item BELLGARD, M - University Of New England
item JORGENSEN, W - Queensland Department Of Primary Industries & Fisheries

Submitted to: BMC Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2010
Publication Date: 7/19/2010
Citation: Rodriguez, V.M., Lew-Tabor, A., Gondro, C., Moolhuijzen, P., Vance, M., Guerrero, F., Bellgard, M., Jorgensen, W. 2010. Comparative microarray analysis of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus expression profiles of larvae pre-attachment and feeding adult female stages on Bos indicus and B. taurus cattle. Biomed Central (BMC) Genomics. 11:Article 437.

Interpretive Summary: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is an obligate blood feeder which is host specific for cattle. Existing knowledge pertaining to the host or host breed effects on tick transcripts expression profiles during the tick – host interaction is poor. Global analysis of gene expression changes in R. microplus during larval, pre-attachment and early adult stages of its life cycle feeding on Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle were compared using gene expression microarray analysis. Among the 13, 601 R. microplus transcripts from BmiGI Version 2 we identified 297 up and 17 down regulated transcripts that were differentially expressed between R. microplus feeding on tick resistant cattle [Bos indicus (Brahman)] compared to R. microplus feeding on tick susceptible cattle [Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian)]. These include genes encoding enzymes involved in primary metabolism, and genes related to stress, defence, cell wall modification, cellular signaling, receptor and cuticle. Microarrays were validated by qRT-PCR analysis of selected transcripts using three housekeeping genes. The analysis of all tick stages under survey suggested a coordinated regulation of defence proteins, proteases, and protease inhibitors to achieve successful attachment and survival of R. microplus on different host breeds particularly Bos indicus cattle.

Technical Abstract: Background: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is an obligate blood feeder which is host specific for cattle. Existing knowledge pertaining to the host or host breed effects on tick transcript expression profiles during the tick – host interaction is poor. Results: Global analysis of gene expression changes in R. microplus during larval, pre-attachment and early adult stages feeding on Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle were compared using gene expression microarray analysis. Among the 13,601 R. microplus transcripts from BmiGI Version 2 we identified 297 high and 17 low expressed transcripts that were differentially expressed between R. microplus feeding on tick resistant cattle [Bos indicus (Brahman)] compared to R. microplus feeding on tick susceptible cattle [Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian)]. These include genes encoding enzymes involved in primary metabolism, and genes related to stress, defence, cell wall modification, cellular signaling, receptor and cuticle formation. Microarrays were validated by qRT-PCR analysis of selected transcripts using three housekeeping genes as normalization controls. Conclusion: The analysis of all tick stages under survey suggested a coordinated regulation of defence proteins, proteases, and protease inhibitors to achieve successful attachment and survival of R. microplus on different host breeds particularly Bos indicus cattle. R. microplus ticks demonstrate different transcript expression patterns when they encounter tick resistant and susceptible breeds of cattle. In this study we provide the first transcriptome evidence demonstrating the influence of tick resistant and susceptible cattle breeds on transcript expression patterns and the molecular physiology of ticks during host attachment and feeding. The microarray data used in this analysis have been submitted to NCBI GEO database under accession number GSE20605.67