RUI: Cuticular Mechanisms for Starvation Hardiness in Ticks

节肢动物之所以能成功地成为陆生动物，部分原因在于它们的角质层，这是一种多功能的结构，既是覆盖物又是骨架。属于Ornithodoros属的蜱虫即使在饥饿的情况下也能活很多年。此外，回归热蜱（Ornithodoros tuncaln）对干燥表现出显著的抵抗力。本项目将研究0。Turicata经过生物化学修饰，以应对饥饿和/或干燥。饲喂和饥饿的综合生化分析。将角质层进行Turicata处理。特别是，感兴趣的蛋白质将被纯化和表征使用各种技术。同时对连续饥饿蜱的表皮脂质进行了分析。将测定角质层通透性，并确定其与角质层脂质和蛋白质变化的可能相关性。另外两种蜱在表皮通透性和饥饿/干燥耐受性方面存在差异，为了更广泛地推广表皮蛋白和脂质在2010年的作用，我们将对它们进行研究。抗干燥。由于对软蜱角质层的化学成分知之甚少，因此提出的研究将扩大对软蜱角质层结构和功能的现有知识。

Adeyeye 9727813 The success of arthropods as terrestrial animals is attributable partly to their cuticle, a versatile structure that acts as a covering and skeleton. Ticks belonging to the genus Ornithodoros can live for many years even when starved. Moreover, the relapsing fever tick, Ornithodoros tuncaln, shows remarkable resistance to desiccation. This project will investigate whether and how the cuticle of 0. Turicata is biochemically modified in order to cope with starvation and/or desiccation. Comprehensive biochemical analyses of fed and starved 0. turicata cuticle will be conducted. In particular, proteins of interest will be purified and characterized using various techniques. Also cuticular lipids of sequentially starved ticks will be analyzed. The cuticular permeability will be determined and its possible correlation with changes in cuticular lipids and proteins will be ascertained. Two other ticks that differ in cuticular permeability and in starvation/desiccation hardiness shall be studied to permit broader generalization about the role of cuticular proteins and lipids in the of 0. turicata resisting desiccation. Because so little is known about the chemistry of the cuticle of soft ticks, the proposed studies will expand existing knowledge vis-a-vis the structure and functions of tick cuticle.