Genome of invasive North American Haemaphysalis longicornis tick as a template for anti-tick vaccine research

Authors: MOUSTAFA, MOHAMED - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY; BARNES, MIRANDA - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY; WAGNER, NICOLE - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY; BODINE, DEANNA; BENDELE, KYLIE; TEEL, PETE - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH; Saelao, Perot; PRICE, DANA - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: BMC Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2025
Publication Date: 3/28/2025
Citation: Moustafa, M., Barnes, M.M., Wagner, N.E., Bodine, D.M., Bendele, K.G., Teel, P.D., Saelao, P., Price, D.C. 2025. Genome of invasive North American Haemaphysalis longicornis tick as a template for anti-tick vaccine research. BMC Genomics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11477-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11477-1

Interpretive Summary: Using a combination of PacBio HiFi single-molecule sequencing and Hi-C chromosome conformation capture data, our genome assembly contains 271 scaffolds and spans a haploid genome size of 3.09 Gbp with an N50 of 213.4 Mbp. Gene prediction identified 21,947 high-confidence gene structures containing 96.2% of the core Arthropoda odb10 orthologs. Our organ-specific transcriptome library comprising salivary glands, midgut, ovaries, foreleg and hindleg additionally highlights potential anti-tick vaccine candidates and metabolic pathways to target for future in vitro trials.

Technical Abstract: The ixodid tick Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, commonly referred to as the Asian longhorned tick, has expanded its range outside of East Asia into countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Since the first U.S. detection in 2017, H. longicornis has been collected in 21 U.S. states and implicated as a vector of various human and animal pathogens including Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype and Dabie bandavirus. Facilitated in part by the parthenogenetic nature of invasive populations, this tick has become a paramount threat to agricultural rangelands and U.S. livestock production. Reliance on traditional acaricides for vector control selects for resistant individuals, reducing the effectiveness of many chemical tools over time. Thus, focus has shifted to alternative control mechanisms including molecular insecticides and anti-tick vaccine development. To further such research, here we sequence and assemble a high-quality H. longicornis genome and gene catalog from invasive North American ticks while also providing an organ-specific transcriptomic expression catalog and in-depth informatic screening of the tick proteome for potential bovine antigenic molecules with potential utility as vaccine candidates.