<i>Ixodes Scapularis</i> SRC Kinase Is Required for Rickettsial Pathogen Survival in Ticks

<p><em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em> is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes disease in humans and animals. It is the causative agent for human anaplasmosis. <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> uses certain strategies to infect both vertebrates and invertebrates. It uses<em> Ixodes scapularis</em> ticks as a vector for spreading infection to other mammal species. This bacterium has a specific path for infection through the salivary glands of its vector host. It also suppresses certain functions such as the inhibition of apoptosis and ROS production in order to increase its survival in ticks. Src kinase, a non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, is a major player in cell signaling. Src kinase has an impact on the spread and survival of <em>A</em>. <em>phagocytophilum</em> in ticks. Studies on Src kinase in <em>I. scapularis</em> show that there is a downregulation of Src in unfed ticks and an upregulation after tick feeding. These results show that Src kinase is manipulated differentially by this bacterium for its survival in the vector host and during transmission from vertebrate host to ticks. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated interference of arthropod <em>src</em> kinase gene expression or inhibition of Src kinase activity by inhibitor treatment resulted in dramatic reduction in bacterial loads in ticks and tick cells. Collectively, the findings from this study show that Src kinase plays a major role in tick-<em>A. phagocytophilum</em> interactions. Understanding the role of Src kinase in tick-<em>A. phagocytophilum</em> interactions could lead to identification of vaccine targets that eventually could lead to preventing the spread of this disease.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Turck, Jeremy W.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hameeda Sultana
• Chris Osgood
• Girish Neelakanta
• Loree Heller

• Anaplasma
• Mice
• SRC
• Tick
• Bioinformatics
• Biology
• Microbiology

Statement dc:rights

• <p>In Copyright. URI: <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).</p>

Identifier

9798557053518

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.odu.edu:biology_etds-1118