title: For Whom the Bell Tolls (and Nods): Spit-acular Saliva.
abstract: Having emerged during the early part of the Cretaceous period, ticks are an ancient group of hematophagous ectoparasites with significant veterinary and public health importance worldwide. The success of their life strategy can be attributed, in part, to saliva. As we enter into a scientific era where the collection of massive data sets and structures for biological application is possible, we suggest that understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern the life cycle of ticks is within grasp. With this in mind, we discuss what is currently known regarding the manipulation of Toll-like (TLR) and Nod-like (NLR) receptor signaling pathways by tick salivary proteins, and how these molecules impact pathogen transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. .
authors.forename: Dana K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotsyfakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. .
authors.forename: Joao H F
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Pedra
keywords: Innate immune signaling; Nod-like receptors (NLR); Tick saliva; Tick-borne diseases; Toll-like receptors (TLR)