Genomic insights into the Ixodes scapularis tick vector of Lyme disease.

Nat Commun
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Ticks transmit more pathogens to humans and animals than any other arthropod. We describe the 2.1 Gbp nuclear genome of the tick, Ixodes scapularis (Say), which vectors pathogens that cause Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, babesiosis and other diseases. The large genome reflects accumulation of repetitive DNA, new lineages of retro-transposons, and gene architecture patterns resembling ancient metazoans rather than pancrustaceans. Annotation of scaffolds representing ∼57% of the genome, reveals 20,486 protein-coding genes and expansions of gene families associated with tick-host interactions. We report insights from genome analyses into parasitic processes unique to ticks, including host 'questing', prolonged feeding, cuticle synthesis, blood meal concentration, novel methods of haemoglobin digestion, haem detoxification, vitellogenesis and prolonged off-host survival. We identify proteins associated with the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, an emerging disease, and the encephalitis-causing Langat virus, and a population structure correlated to life-history traits and transmission of the Lyme disease agent.

Year of Publication
2016
Journal
Nat Commun
Volume
7
Pages
10507
Date Published
2016 Feb 09
ISSN
2041-1723
URL
DOI
10.1038/ncomms10507
PubMed ID
26856261
PubMed Central ID
PMC4748124
Links
Grant list
R01 AI043006 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 GM077117 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R21 AI096268 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI017828 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI090062 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
5R01GM77117-5 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
TL1 TR000162 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
HHSN272200900007C / PHS HHS / United States
UL1 TR001108 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
HHSN272200900040C / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN272200900040C / PHS HHS / United States
HHSN272200900039C / PHS HHS / United States
1R01AI090062 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01AI017828 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01AI043006 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
N01-AI30071 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI029735 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN266200400039C / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN272200900007C / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
1R21AI096268 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN266200400001C / AO / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN272200900039C / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
N01AI30071 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R01 AI060025 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
HHSN266200400001C / PHS HHS / United States
HHSN266200400039C / PHS HHS / United States