Project description:A collection of 1145 clones from an EST project on female tick salivary gland genes was hybridized on glass slides to RNA extracted from several feeding stages of adult female tick salivary glands, including unfed and replete, and from adult male ticks, either unfed or fed in the presence or absence of female ticks. In the female ticks, the early fed (<50 mg) and partially fed (30-200 mg) groups were very similar. The fast feeding (350-500 mg) and replete ticks were similar to each other, but different from the partially fed. The unfed ticks were more similar to the fast feeding – replete groups than the early fed-partially fed groups. In the males, there were differences between the males fed in the presence or absence of females, but overall, these groups were very similar. The unfed ticks were significantly different from the fed ticks. Males showed clear differences with females in expression, as well. The unfed females had high levels of genes involved in protein synthesis, while genes possibly involved in survival on the host, such as anticoagulants, seemed to be most expressed in the early and partially fed states. By contrast, in the males, the protein synthesis genes were expressed more in all three groups, while the putative secreted genes for survival were expressed less. Keywords: time course, effect of feeding, sex, effect of presence of females
Project description:A collection of 1145 clones from an EST project on female tick salivary gland genes was hybridized on glass slides to RNA extracted from several feeding stages of adult female tick salivary glands, including unfed and replete, and from adult male ticks, either unfed or fed in the presence or absence of female ticks. In the female ticks, the early fed (<50 mg) and partially fed (30-200 mg) groups were very similar. The fast feeding (350-500 mg) and replete ticks were similar to each other, but different from the partially fed. The unfed ticks were more similar to the fast feeding â replete groups than the early fed-partially fed groups. In the males, there were differences between the males fed in the presence or absence of females, but overall, these groups were very similar. The unfed ticks were significantly different from the fed ticks. Males showed clear differences with females in expression, as well. The unfed females had high levels of genes involved in protein synthesis, while genes possibly involved in survival on the host, such as anticoagulants, seemed to be most expressed in the early and partially fed states. By contrast, in the males, the protein synthesis genes were expressed more in all three groups, while the putative secreted genes for survival were expressed less. Keywords: time course, effect of feeding, sex, effect of presence of females All samples were compared to the partially fed females. Females consisted of five groups: unfed, early fed, partially fed, fast feeding and replete. Four or five biological replicates were done of each, with the dyes used in both possible ways. In the males, three groups were used: unfed, feeding in the presence of females, and feeding in the absence of females. Two biological replicates were done of the feeding males, and one of extracts was hybridized twice for the males fed in the presence of females. Unfed males used one RNA sample, extracted from a large pool of ticks.
Project description:We identified and functionally explored D. silvarum miRNAs involved in cold response to gain further understanding of the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the cold stress in ticks. The microRNA libraries of D. silvarum were established via high-throughput sequencing after exposure to different cold treatments. A total of 147 miRNAs, including 44 known miRNAs and 103 new miRNAs, were identified.