Assessment of tick antioxidant responses to exogenous oxidative stressors and insight into the role of catalase in the reproductive fitness of the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum.

ABSTRACT: As obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites, to avoid tissue damage, ticks must neutralize the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from uptake and digestion of a bloodmeal. Consequently, ticks utilize a battery of antioxidant molecules, including catalase (CAT), an enzyme that converts hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) into water and oxygen. Here, we investigated the tick antioxidant machinery by exogenous injection of sublethal doses of H2 O2 or paraquat. The relative transcript levels of selected Amblyomma maculatum antioxidant targets in tissues were determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR following treatment. The results showed 2-16-fold increases in target antioxidant gene transcripts, signifying the ability of Am. maculatum to regulate its antioxidant machinery when exposed to

SUBMITTER: Kumar D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4860135 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature