Elucidation of physiological functions and regulatory mechanisms of the tick antimicrobial peptide defensin.

抗菌肽防御素在吸血蜱的免疫应答中起着重要作用。本研究的目的是阐明防御素基因的调控机制以及NF-κB Rel调节因子（OmRel）在这些调控机制中的作用。OmRel似乎上调从软蜱Ornithodoros moubata鉴定的所有四种防御素（防御素A、B、C、D）。基于荧光素酶转染试验和凝胶迁移试验，OmRel直接调节防御素C的表达。RNAi敲除OmRel显示所有防御素基因的表达减少。然而，OmRel单独不能调节所有防御素基因，因此我们鉴定了IMD途径NF-κBRelish调节因子，并研究营养途径是否在软蜱O中的免疫应答调节中发挥作用。穆巴塔未来的研究正在进行中，以确认Relish和营养途径在调节蜱免疫系统中的作用。

The antimicrobial peptide defensin plays a significant role in the immune responses of blood feeding ticks. The objective of this research was to elucidate mechanisms regulating defensin genes and clarify the role of NF-κB Rel regulatory factors (OmRel) in these regulatory mechanisms. OmRel appears to upregulate all four defensins (defensins A, B, C, D) identified from the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata. Based on luciferase transfection assays and gel shift assay OmRel directly regulates the expression of Defensin C. RNAi knockdown of OmRel showed a reduction in the expression of all defensin genes. However, OmRel alone can not regulate all defensin genes so we identified an IMD Pathway NF-κBRelish regulatory factor and investigated whether the nutrient pathway may play a role in the regulation of immune responses in the soft tick O. moubata. Future studies are underway to confirm the roles of Relish and the nutrient pathway in regulating the immune system of ticks.