Characterization of anti-hemostatic factors in the argasid, Argas monolakensis: implications for the evolution of blood-feeding in the soft tick family.

ABSTRACT: To date, the only anti-hemostatic factors characterized for softs ticks are for Ornithodoros moubata and Ornithodoros savignyi, ticks that feeds mainly on mammals. This includes thrombin (ornithodorin and savignin), fXa (TAP and fXaI) and platelet aggregation (disagegin and savignygrin) inhibitors that belong to the BPTI-Kunitz protein family. This raises the question on how well anti-hemostatic factors will be conserved in other soft tick genera that feeds on other vertebrates such as birds. We characterized the anti-hemostatic factors from Argas monolakensis, a soft tick that feeds mainly on Californian gulls. The main anti-clotting factor (monobin) is an ortholog of ornithodorin and savignin and shows similar slow tight-binding kinetics. The main anti-platelet activities are apyrase and

SUBMITTER: Mans BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4274796 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature