Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2020
DOI
10.1371/journal.pgen.1008856
Publication Title
PLoS Genetics
Volume
16
Issue
7
Pages
e1008856 (24 pp.)
Abstract
The microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. In this study, we provide evidence for the first time to show that rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection results in the down-regulation of tick microRNA-133 (miR-133), to induce Ixodes scapularis organic anion transporting polypeptide (isoatp4056) gene expression critical for this bacterial survival in the vector and for its transmission to the vertebrate host. Transfection studies with recombinant constructs containing transcriptional fusions confirmed binding of miR-133 to isoatp4056 mRNA. Treatment with miR-133 inhibitor resulted in increased bacterial burden and isoatp4056 expression in ticks and tick cells. In contrast, treatment with miR-133 mimic or pre-mir-133 resulted in dramatic reduction in isoatp4056 expression and bacterial burden in ticks and tick cells. Moreover, treatment of ticks with pre-mir-133 affected vector-mediated A. phagocytophilum infection of murine host. These results provide novel insights to understand impact of modulation of tick miRNAs on pathogen colonization in the vector and their transmission to infect the vertebrate host.
Rights
© 2020 Ramasamy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability
Article states: "All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files."
Supplemental materials are linked in the PDF version of the article and also available online at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008856
Original Publication Citation
Ramasamy, E., Taank, V., Anderson, J. F., Sultana, H., & Neelakanta, G. (2020). Repression of tick microRNA-133 induces organic anion transporting polypeptide expression critical for Anaplasma phagocytophilum survival in the vector and transmission to the vertebrate host. PLoS Genetics, 16(7), Article e1008856. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008856
Repository Citation
Ramasamy, Ellango; Taank, Vikas; Anderson, John F.; Sultana, Hameeda; and Neelakanta, Girish, "Repression of Tick microRNA-133 Induces Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide Expression Critical for Anaplasma phagocytophilumsurvival in the Vector and Transmission to the Vertebrate Host" (2020). Biological Sciences Faculty Publications. 405.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_fac_pubs/405
ORCID
0000-0002-2739-8229 (Ramasamy), 0000-0001-6290-4150 (Taank), 0000-0002-5682-3108 (Sultana), 0000-0001-8374-9604 (Neelakanta)