Elucidating the Role of Multiple Superoxide Dismutase Species in Oxidative Stress Damage and Microbial Community Homeostasis in Amblyomma maculatum
Elucidating the Role of Multiple Superoxide Dismutase Species in Oxidative Stress Damage and Microbial Community Homeostasis in Amblyomma maculatum
Monday, March 16, 2015
Camellia A (Beau Rivage Resort & Casino)
Background: The Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) is an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite of animals and humans. The ability of ticks to ingest blood-meals requires antihemostatic strategies; one of which is an important anti-oxidative mechanism against blood-meal derived oxidative stress. We hypothesized that tick superoxide dismutase enzymes are critical in combating stress during the blood-meal cycle on and off the host.
Methods/Findings: RNAi-mediated gene silencing approach was used to assess the functional role of target genes in tick blood-feeding and associated microbial communities. Using qRT-PCR, the transcriptional expressions of tick MnSOD and Cu/ZnSOD were elevated upon blood-feeding in salivary glands in relation to midgut tissues. Ticks injected dsRNA showed a significant depletion in transcript level. The findings showed that the silencing of SODs altered the native microbial load associated with ticks. A malondialdehyde (MDA) assay was performed to quantify lipid peroxidation from superoxide radicals, and showed increased lipid peroxidation in knockdown samples.
Conclusions/Significance:The results support the potential role of tick SOD in maintaining bacterial communities in tick tissues by alleviating the deleterious effect of reactive oxygen species. This opens up a new avenue of research in oxidative stress and provides a logical connection between oxidative stress and the microbiome within the tick host.
Methods/Findings: RNAi-mediated gene silencing approach was used to assess the functional role of target genes in tick blood-feeding and associated microbial communities. Using qRT-PCR, the transcriptional expressions of tick MnSOD and Cu/ZnSOD were elevated upon blood-feeding in salivary glands in relation to midgut tissues. Ticks injected dsRNA showed a significant depletion in transcript level. The findings showed that the silencing of SODs altered the native microbial load associated with ticks. A malondialdehyde (MDA) assay was performed to quantify lipid peroxidation from superoxide radicals, and showed increased lipid peroxidation in knockdown samples.
Conclusions/Significance:The results support the potential role of tick SOD in maintaining bacterial communities in tick tissues by alleviating the deleterious effect of reactive oxygen species. This opens up a new avenue of research in oxidative stress and provides a logical connection between oxidative stress and the microbiome within the tick host.
