Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pelc RS
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4106998 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Insect molecular biology 20140429 4
The importance of tick defensins is evidenced by their expression in a wide variety of tick tissues and prevalence across many tick genera. To date, the functional and biological significance of defensin-2 as a rickettsiastatic or rickettsiacidal antimicrobial peptide has not been addressed. In a previous study, defensin-2 transcription was shown to increase in Dermacentor variabilis ticks challenged with Rickettsia montanensis. In the present study, the hypothesis that defensin-2 is functional ...[more]