Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ivan Pacheco, Eduardo Prado, Sara Artigas-Jeronimo, Jose Francisco Lima-Barbero, Gabriela de la Fuente, Sandra Antunes, Joana Couto, Ana Domingos, Margarita Villar, Jose de la Fuente
Summary: Rhipicephalus spp. ticks were studied for the elementome of their salivary glands and cement, showing potential tick/host-driven differences in element composition and nitrogen being a key component in the cement elementome. Future research should focus on understanding the functional implications of tick elementome for better understanding cement structure and function.
Article
Parasitology
Rubikah Vimonish, Kelcey D. Dinkel, Lindsay M. Fry, Wendell C. Johnson, Janaina Capelli-Peixoto, Reginaldo G. Bastos, Glen A. Scoles, Donald P. Knowles, Maxime Madder, George Chaka, Massaro W. Ueti
Summary: The study successfully isolated infectious Theileria parva sporozoites using an in vitro tick feeding system, marking a significant advancement towards developing a more efficient control strategy for T. parva. Isolating infectious tick-stage parasites will aid in examining the vector-pathogen interface and accelerating the development of next-generation vaccines and treatment interventions for tick-borne pathogens.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joana Couto, Goncalo Seixas, Christian Stutzer, Nicholas A. Olivier, Christine Maritz-Olivier, Sandra Antunes, Ana Domingos
Summary: In the study, reverse vaccinology approaches were used to identify potential vaccine candidates from Rhipicephalus bursa proteins, with nine candidates selected and three peptides chosen as potential vaccine targets. By combining in silico methods with in vivo immunogenicity evaluation, this study demonstrated the potential of these peptides as anti-tick vaccines prior to costly infestation studies on ovine hosts.
Article
Parasitology
Xiaojuan Lu, Zhipeng Zhang, Dongqi Yuan, Yongzhi Zhou, Jie Cao, Houshuang Zhang, Itabajara da Silva Vaz Jr, Jinlin Zhou
Summary: This study identified the functional ecdysone receptor (RhEcR/RhUSP) from the salivary gland of the tick R. haemaphysaloides and explored its molecular mechanism in regulating salivary gland degeneration. The results showed that silencing of the RhEcR gene inhibited blood-feeding and engorgement in ticks, while also suppressing caspase-dependent apoptosis during salivary gland degeneration. Interaction studies in mammalian cells indicated that RhEcR1 interacts with RhUSP1 and induces caspase-dependent apoptosis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tae Kwon Kim, Jessica Waldman, Freddy Ibanez-Carrasco, Lucas Tirloni, Camila Waltero, Christiano Calixo, Gloria R. Braz, Albert Mulenga, Itabajara da Silva Vaz, Carlos Logullo
Summary: This study identified and selected stable reference genes in the R. microplus genome and evaluated their expression stability during embryogenesis. Results showed that Rpl4, Elf1a, and GAPDH are suitable internal controls for normalizing qPCR during R. microplus embryogenesis.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Elianne Piloto-Sardinas, Angelique Foucault-Simonin, Alejandra Wu-Chuang, Lourdes Mateos-Hernandez, Roxana Marrero-Perera, Lianet Abuin-Denis, Lisset Roblejo-Arias, Cristian Diaz-Corona, Zbigniew Zajac, Joanna Kulisz, Aneta Wozniak, Sara Moutailler, Belkis Corona-Gonzalez, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Summary: This study investigated tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in cattle and ticks using real-time microfluidic PCR. Results showed that Rhipicephalus microplus ticks were found infesting all animals. Among the detected TBPs in cattle, Anaplasma marginale was the most frequently identified, often as a single infection. Mixed infections involving Rickettsia felis, uncharacterized Rickettsia sp., and Anaplasma sp. were also observed. In ticks, A. marginale was the predominant pathogen, along with R. felis, Rickettsia sp., and Ehrlichia sp. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of A. marginale and Anaplasma platys strains in bovines. These findings highlight the importance of understanding TBP dynamics and phylogenetics for effective control strategies in livestock.
Article
Parasitology
Gabriel C. A. Costa, Fernando A. A. Silva, Veronica M. Manzato, Ricardo J. S. Torquato, Yamile G. Gonzalez, Luiz F. Parizi, Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior, Aparecida S. Tanaka
Summary: In this study, a recombinant chimeric protein composed of three different tick saliva proteins was constructed and tested in rabbit immunization experiments. The results showed that the chimeric protein had protective effects and antimicrobial activity. These findings suggest that the chimeric protein has potential value for tick control.
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana Angelica Tapia-Sidas, Brenda Yazmin Vargas-Hernandez, Jose Abrahan Ramirez-Pool, Leandro Alberto Nunez-Munoz, Berenice Calderon-Perez, Rogelio Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Luis Gabriel Brieba, Rosalia Lira-Carmona, Eduardo Ferat-Osorio, Constantino Lopez-Macias, Roberto Ruiz-Medrano, Beatriz Xoconostle-Cazares
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop and describe molecular detection systems for SARS-CoV-2 based on RT-LAMP. Recombinant DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase were purified and used to set up fluorometric real time and colorimetric end-point RT-LAMP assays. The developed RT-LAMP diagnostic tests allowed a sensitive and specific detection of the nucleocapsid gene of SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Wiesinger, Jasmin Wenderlein, Sebastian Ulrich, Stephanie Hiereth, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Reinhard K. K. Straubinger
Summary: Due to climate change, there has been an increase in tick activity and population, leading to a higher prevalence of tick-borne diseases. This study analyzed the microbial communities within different tick tissues and used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to study the microbiota of Ixodes ricinus ticks. The inclusion of a mock community during bioinformatic analysis proved to be useful in identifying key bacteria within the tick.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jason P. Tidwell, Diana E. Trevino, Donald B. Thomas, Robert D. Mitchell, Matthew C. Heerman, Adalberto Perez de Leon, Kimberly H. Lohmeyer
Summary: Ticks, especially the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus, are significant pests impacting livestock health and production. Chemical control methods have led to pesticide resistance, necessitating the development of new technologies. This manual provides detailed guidance on tick internal anatomy, aiding in the innovation of tick control technologies through a combination of organismal and molecular research.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Pavlina Bartikova, Iveta Stibraniova, Maria Kazimirova
Summary: There is increasing evidence that arthropod-borne pathogens exploit the saliva of their vectors to transmit diseases to vertebrate hosts. Extensive research has been conducted on the composition and function of tick saliva, with some molecules found to be associated with pathogen transmission. The study by Jones et al. in 1989 was one of the pioneering works that demonstrated the role of tick salivary glands in enhancing the transmission of tick-borne viruses.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yanan Wang, Houshuang Zhang, Li Luo, Yongzhi Zhou, Jie Cao, Xuenan Xuan, Hiroshi Suzuki, Jinlin Zhou
Summary: The female tick salivary glands undergo rapid degeneration post engorgement, possibly due to increased ecdysone concentration in the hemolymph leading to autophagy and apoptosis. High concentrations of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) result in RhATG5 cleavage, transitioning autophagy to apoptosis in the tick salivary glands. RNA interference (RNAi) of RhATG5 inhibits both autophagy and apoptosis, demonstrating its regulatory role in the process.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandra Falleni, Stefania Moscato, Giovanni Fulvio, Enza Polizzi, Margherita Bernardeschi, Francesco Bianchi, Valentina Donati, Manuela Cabiati, Chiara Ippolito, Silvia Del Ry, Chiara Baldini, Letizia Mattii
Summary: This study identified the presence of Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 proteins in human salivary glands and their localization in duct cells, acinar cells, and myoepithelial cells. This suggests that Cxs may play a role in salivary gland dysfunctions.
Article
Oncology
Bruno Fernandes Matuck, Marisa Dolhnikoff, Amaro Nunes Duarte-Neto, Gilvan Maia, Sara Costa Gomes, Daniel Isaac Sendyk, Amanda Zarpellon, Nathalia Paiva de Andrade, Renata Aparecida Monteiro, Joao Renato Rebello Pinho, Michele Soares Gomes-Gouvea, Suzana C. O. M. Souza, Cristina Kanamura, Thais Mauad, Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva, Paulo H. Braz-Silva, Elia Garcia Caldini, Luiz Fernando Ferraz da Silva
Summary: The study shows that salivary glands serve as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, providing important insights for the diagnostic method of COVID-19, and highlighting the role of saliva in viral transmission.
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Keun Ju Kim, Seung Gyu Yun, Yunjung Cho, Myung-Hyun Nam, Chang Kyu Lee
Summary: This study reveals that utilizing sputum significantly increases the detection rate for respiratory viral nucleic acids among adult patients admitted to the hospital compared to nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS). The combined samples of sputum and NPS maintain the improved sputum detection rate with only a few losses from NPS samples. Choosing the optimal respiratory samples is important for detecting respiratory viruses in adult patients with acute respiratory illness.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Review
Biology
Patricia A. Nuttall
Summary: There is generally a lack of evidence showing the impact of climate change on ticks and tick-borne infections. However, in certain regions such as Canada and northern Europe, there have been documented cases of tick populations expanding and diseases spreading as a result of rising temperatures. In the next 50 years, these trends are likely to continue as new species establish themselves and diseases such as Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis may become less prevalent in certain regions.
Review
Virology
Martina Lickova, Sabina Fumacova Havlikova, Monika Slavikova, Boris Klempa
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis virus can be transmitted to humans through ticks and the alimentary route, which involves consuming raw milk products from infected ruminants. The alimentary route of TBEV infection is recognized as a contributing factor to the increase in TBE incidence in Europe.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Branislav Kovacech, Lubica Fialova, Peter Filipcik, Rostislav Skrabana, Monika Zilkova, Natalia Paulenka-Ivanovova, Andrej Kovac, Denisa Palova, Gabriela Paulikova Rolkova, Katarina Tomkova, Natalia Turic Csokova, Karina Markova, Michaela Skrabanova, Kristina Sinska, Neha Basheer, Petra Majerova, Jozef Hanes, Vojtech Parrak, Michal Prcina, Ondrej Cehlar, Martin Cente, Juraj Piestansky, Michal Fresser, Michal Novak, Monika Slavikova, Kristina Borsova, Viktoria Cabanova, Bronislava Brejova, Tomas Vinar, Jozef Nosek, Boris Klempa, Ludek Eyer, Vaclav Honig, Martin Palus, Daniel Ruzek, Tereza Vyhlidalova, Petra Strakova, Blanka Mrazkova, Dagmar Zudova, Gizela Koubkova, Vendula Novosadova, Jan Prochazka, Radislav Sedlacek, Norbert Zilka, Eva Kontsekova
Summary: This study developed second-generation antibodies using hybridoma technology, ELISA-based assays, and authentic virus neutralization assays to target new variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2. AX290 and AX677 showed excellent neutralizing capabilities against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, reducing viral burden and inflammation in the lungs, and preventing disease in a mouse model of infection.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Scarlett Sett, Carolina dos Santos Ribeiro, Christine Prat, George Haringhuizen, Amber Hartman Scholz
Summary: Biobanking infrastructures are crucial for early response to new viral outbreaks. The European Virus Archive played a key role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, distributing viral resources for free and implementing benefit-sharing policies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Veronika Liskova, Marek Kajsik, Barbora Chovancova, Ladislav Roller, Olga Krizanova
Summary: Mitochondrial fission and fusion are crucial for cell survival and an imbalance between these processes has been observed in cancer. Drug-resistant tumor cells show higher levels of mitochondrial fusion, while mitochondrial fission may enhance sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy. This study aims to investigate how different chemotherapeutics affect mitochondrial dynamics and energy production. Results indicate that certain chemotherapeutics decrease complex I activity, reduce mitochondrial membrane potential, and shrink mitochondria size in colorectal carcinoma cells. Furthermore, the effects of fission on apoptosis differ among these cells after treatment with camptothecin, triptolide, and/or apoptosis inducer kit. These findings suggest the importance of fission in chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Monika Radvanszka, Evan D. Paul, Roman Hajdu, Kristina Borsova, Viera Kovacova, Piotr Putaj, Stanislava Birova, Ivana Cirkova, Martin Carnecky, Katarina Buranovska, Adrian Szobi, Nina Vojtassakova, Diana Drobna, Viktoria Cabanova, Monika Slavikova, Martina Lickova, Veronika Vanova, Sabina Fumacova Havlikova, L'ubomira Lukacikova, Ivana Kajanova, Juraj Koci, Diana Rusnakova, Tatiana Sedlackova, Klaas E. A. Max, Thomas Tuschl, Tomas Szemes, Boris Klempa, Pavol Cekan
Summary: Sensitive and accurate RT-qPCR tests are essential for identifying SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. This study describes a series of optimized RT-qPCR tests targeting specific gene regions of the virus. The tests have enhanced sensitivity and specificity through primer/probe redesign, locked nucleic acid nucleotides, and dual probe technology. The workflow has been streamlined with internal controls and multiplexed assays. The study also introduces modified enzymes for room temperature-stable master mix and lyophilized positive control. The tests can be easily implemented in diagnostic laboratories and provide a powerful tool for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenzas.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Dusan Zabka, Barbora Konecna, Peter Celec, Monika Janikova, Nadja Ivaskova, L'ubomira Tothova, Michal Tamas, Andrea Butor Skulcova, Noemi Pucek Belisova, Ivana Horakova, Paula Bimova, Jan Hives, Jozef Ryba, Boris Klempa, Monika Slavikova, Juraj Kopacek, Jan Krahulec, Miroslav Gal, Tomas Mackul'ak
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of several advanced oxidation methods for removing SARS-CoV-2 RNA from hospital wastewater, with ferrates, Fenton reaction and its modifications achieving over 90% efficiency in model water and showing potential as replacements for chlorination in effluent treatment. Real hospital wastewater degradation efficiency was lower than in model water but still higher than chlorination.
Article
Virology
Adam Kevely, Veronika Pranclova, Monika Slavikova, Jan Haviernik, Vaclav Honig, Eva Novakova, Martin Palus, Daniel Ruzek, Boris Klempa, Juraj Koci
Summary: The study utilized a recombinant reporter tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) to investigate its fitness in different tick-derived cell cultures and live ticks. The reporter virus successfully replicated in tick cell lines and live ticks, but fluorescence was not observed in live ticks. The results suggest that the reporter virus can be a useful tool for studying interactions between ticks and TBEV in a tick in vitro model, but further development of reporter-tagged viruses is needed for studying TBEV in live ticks.
Article
Virology
Viktoria Cabanova, Jana Kerlik, Peter Kirschner, Jana Rosochova, Boris Klempa, Monika Slavikova, Martina Lickova
Summary: Viral infections caused by Flaviviridae family viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Yellow fever, Tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile, and Usutu are difficult to diagnose and track due to their short viremia, non-specific symptoms, and high cross-reactivity in laboratory tests.
Article
Microbiology
Juraj Koci, Marta Novotova, Monika Slavikova, Boris Klempa, Ivan Zahradnik
Summary: The study finds that the coronavirus alters the cytoplasm of infected cells and triggers autophagy-like processes. Through transmission electron microscopy and autophagy PCR array analysis, it is observed that the cytoplasm of infected cells mainly consists of double-membrane vesicles, phagophores, and phagosomes engulfing virus particles and cellular debris, along with interactions with viral nucleoprotein complexes, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. These findings highlight the significance of autophagy-like processes in the maturation and egress of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting deviations from canonical autophagy response.
Editorial Material
Virology
Jens H. Kuhn, Steven B. Bradfute, Charles H. Calisher, Boris Klempa, Jonas Klingstrom, Lies Laenen, Gustavo Palacios, Connie S. Schmaljohn, Nicole D. Tischler, Piet Maes
Summary: The official classification of viruses by the ICTV requires complete or nearly complete genome sequences to be deposited in GenBank. This requirement is fairly new, resulting in fragmented or absent genomic sequence information for many classified viruses. This poses challenges for taxon-wide phylogenetic analyses, especially for viruses with segmented genomes. To address this issue for Hantaviridae, the community is urged to provide additional sequence information for incompletely sequenced classified viruses by mid-June 2023 to prevent possible declassification.
Article
Microbiology
Pavlina Bartikova, Iveta Stibraniova, Maria Kazimirova
Summary: There is increasing evidence that arthropod-borne pathogens exploit the saliva of their vectors to transmit diseases to vertebrate hosts. Extensive research has been conducted on the composition and function of tick saliva, with some molecules found to be associated with pathogen transmission. The study by Jones et al. in 1989 was one of the pioneering works that demonstrated the role of tick salivary glands in enhancing the transmission of tick-borne viruses.
Article
Biology
Adrian Szobi, Katarina Buranovska, Nina Vojtassakova, Daniel Lovisek, Halil Oender Ozbasak, Sandra Szeibeczederova, Liudmyla Kapustian, Zuzana Hudacova, Viera Kovacova, Diana Drobna, Piotr Putaj, Stanislava Birova, Ivana Cirkova, Martin Carnecky, Peter Kilian, Peter Jurkacek, Viktoria Cabanova, Kristina Borsova, Monika Slavikova, Veronika Vanova, Boris Klempa, Pavol Cekan, Evan D. Paul
Summary: Vivid COVID-19 LAMP is an ultrasensitive zinc ion and zinc sensor-based colorimetric detection system, reliably detecting viral RNA from self-collected, non-invasive gargle samples for rapid point-of-care testing.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Maria Armesto, Mathias Charconnet, Jose M. Marimon, Cristina Lia Fernandez Regueiro, Jia Jia, Tingdong Yan, Ane Sorarrain, Marek Grzelczak, Maria Sanroman, Monica Vicente, Boris Klempa, Javier Zubiria, Yuan Peng, Lei Zhang, Jianhua Zhang, Charles H. Lawrie
Summary: Despite widespread vaccination, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to burden healthcare systems globally. To address this, researchers have developed an instrument-free molecular diagnostic test called Repvit. This test uses gold nanoparticles to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA directly from nasal swab or saliva samples, providing results in less than 20 minutes with high sensitivity and specificity. This technology has the potential to be used in resource-limited settings or for individual self-testing.