title: Molecular cloning and characterization of two novel autophagy-related genes belonging to the ATG8 family from the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).
abstract: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is an obligate haematophagous arthropod and the major problem for cattle industry due to economic losses it causes. The parasite shows a remarkable adaptability to changing environmental conditions as well as an exceptional ability to survive long-term starvation. This ability has been related to a process of intracellular protein degradation called autophagy. This process in ticks is still poorly understood and only few autophagy-related (ATG) genes have been characterized. The aim of the present study was to examine the ESTs database, BmiGI, of R. microplus searching for ATG homologues. We predicted five putative ATG genes, ATG3, ATG4, ATG6 and two ATG8s. Further characterization led to the identification of RmATG8a and RmATG8b, homologues of GABARAP and MAP1LC3, respectively, and both of them belonging to the ATG8 family. PCR analyses showed that the expression level of RmATG8a and RmATG8b was higher in egg and larval stages when compared to ovary and midgut from adult ticks. This up-regulation coincides with the period in which ticks are in a starvation state, suggesting that autophagy is active in R. microplus.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, AC, Av. Normalistas 800, Col. Colinas de la Normal, 44270, Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Flores Fernández
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez Ortega
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosario Cruz
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Padilla Camberos
authors.forename: Angel H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Moisés
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez Velázquez
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012313:RNA