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

抗菌肽防御素在食血蚤的免疫反应中起着重要作用。本研究的目的是阐明防御素基因的调控机制，并阐明核转录因子-κB受体调节因子(OmRel)在这些调控机制中的作用。OmRel似乎上调了从软蜱中鉴定的所有四种防御素(防御素A、B、C、D)。基于荧光素酶转染实验和凝胶漂移实验，OmRel直接调控防御素C的表达。RNAi敲除OmRel后，所有防御素基因的表达均降低。然而，κ并不能单独调节所有的防御素基因，因此我们确定了IMD途径的NF-OmRel BRelish调节因子，并研究了营养途径是否在软蜱的免疫反应调节中发挥作用。未来的研究正在进行中，以确认调味品和营养途径在调节扁虱免疫系统中的作用。

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.