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Ganar KA, Nandy M, Turbina P, Chen C, Suylen D, Nihoul E, Pascoe EL, van der Beelen S, Plaum M, van den Bos L, Koenraadt CJM, Dijkgraaf I, Deshpande S. Phase separation and ageing of glycine-rich protein from tick adhesive. Nat Chem 2025; 17:186-197. [PMID: 39613868 PMCID: PMC11794139 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01686-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2024] [Indexed: 12/01/2024]
Abstract
Hard ticks feed on their host for multiple days. To ensure firm attachment, they secrete a protein-rich saliva that eventually forms a solid cement cone. The underlying mechanism of this liquid-to-solid transition is currently not understood. This study focuses on the phase transitions of a disordered glycine-rich protein (GRP) found in tick saliva. We show that GRP undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation via simple coacervation to form biomolecular condensates in salty environments. Cation-π and π-π interactions mediated by periodically placed arginine and aromatic amino-acid residues are the primary driving forces that promote phase separation. Interestingly, GRP condensates exhibit ageing by undergoing liquid-to-gel transition over time and exhibit adhesive properties, similar to the naturally occurring cement cone. Finally, we provide evidence for protein-rich condensates in natural tick saliva. Our findings provide a starting point to gain further insights into the bioadhesion of ticks, to develop novel tick control strategies, and towards achieving biomedical applications such as tissue sealants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketan A Ganar
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Manali Nandy
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Polina Turbina
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Chang Chen
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis Suylen
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Elisa Nihoul
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Emily Louise Pascoe
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Conservation Genomics Research Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, Trento, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Ingrid Dijkgraaf
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Siddharth Deshpande
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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Li S, Zhang J, Liu X, Wang N, Sun L, Liu J, Liu X, Masoudi A, Wang H, Li C, Guo C, Liu X. Proteomic characterization of hUC-MSC extracellular vesicles and evaluation of its therapeutic potential to treat Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5959. [PMID: 38472335 PMCID: PMC10933327 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56549-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been used as a cell replacement therapy and have been shown to effectively overcome some of the disadvantages of cell therapy. However, the specific mechanism of action of EVs is still unclear, and there is no appropriate system for characterizing the differences in the molecular active substances of EVs produced by cells in different physiological states. We used a data-independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics method to identify and quantify the protein composition of two generations EVs from three different donors and analysed the function and possible mechanism of action of the proteins in EVs of hUC-MSCs via bioinformatics. By comparative proteomic analysis, we characterized the different passages EVs. Furthermore, we found that adaptor-related protein complex 2 subunit alpha 1 (AP2A1) and adaptor-related protein complex 2 subunit beta 1 (AP2B1) in hUC-MSC-derived EVs may play a significant role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by regulating the synaptic vesicle cycle signalling pathway. Our work provides a direction for batch-to-batch quality control of hUC-MSC-derived EVs and their application in AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Jiayi Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Xinxing Liu
- Jianyuan Precision Medicines (Zhangjiakou) Co., Ltd., Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Ningmei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Luyao Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Jianling Liu
- Jianyuan Precision Medicines (Zhangjiakou) Co., Ltd., Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
- Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Xingliang Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Abolfazl Masoudi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Chunxia Li
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Fifth Hospital of Zhangjiakou, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Chunyan Guo
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology; Department of Pharmacy, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China.
| | - Xifu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Anti-Tumour Molecular Target Technology Innovation Center, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China.
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He F, Gao YW, Ye ZX, Huang HJ, Tian CH, Zhang CX, Chen JP, Li JM, Lu JB. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of salivary glands between the zoophytophagous Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and the phytozoophagous Apolygus lucorum. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:53. [PMID: 38212677 PMCID: PMC10785411 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09956-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Saliva plays a crucial role in shaping the feeding behavior of insects, involving processes such as food digestion and the regulation of interactions between insects and their hosts. Cyrtorhinus lividipennis serves as a predominant natural enemy of rice pests, while Apolygus lucorum, exhibiting phytozoophagous feeding behavior, is a destructive agricultural pest. In this study, a comparative transcriptome analysis, incorporating the published genomes of C.lividipennis and A.lucorum, was conducted to reveal the role of salivary secretion in host adaptation. RESULTS In contrast to A.lucorum, C.lividipennis is a zoophytophagous insect. A de novo genome analysis of C.lividipennis yielded 19,706 unigenes, including 16,217 annotated ones. On the other hand, A.lucorum had altogether 20,111 annotated genes, as obtained from the published official gene set (20,353 unigenes). Functional analysis of the top 1,000 salivary gland (SG)-abundant genes in both insects revealed that the SG was a dynamically active tissue engaged in protein synthesis and secretion. Predictions of other tissues and signal peptides were compared. As a result, 94 and 157 salivary proteins were identified in C.lividipennis and A.lucorum, respectively, and were categorized into 68 and 81 orthogroups. Among them, 26 orthogroups were shared, potentially playing common roles in digestion and detoxification, including several venom serine proteases. Furthermore, 42 and 55 orthogroups were exclusive in C.lividipennis and A.lucorum, respectively, which were exemplified by a hyaluronidase in C.lividipennis that was associated with predation, while polygalacturonases in A.lucorum were involved in mesophyll-feeding patterns. CONCLUSIONS Findings in this study provide a comprehensive insight into saliva secretions in C.lividipennis and A.lucorum via a transcriptome approach, reflecting the intricate connections between saliva secretions and feeding behaviors. It is found that conserved salivary secretions are involved in shaping the overlapping feeding patterns, while a plethora of unique salivary secretions may drive the evolution of specific feeding behaviors crucial for their survival. These results enhance our understanding of the feeding mechanisms in different insects from the perspective of saliva and contribute to future environmentally friendly pest control by utilizing predatory insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang He
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Yang-Wei Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhuang-Xin Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Hai-Jian Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Cai-Hong Tian
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 450002, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
- Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Jun-Min Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China
| | - Jia-Bao Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, 315211, Ningbo, China.
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Wang N, Ji A, Masoudi A, Li S, Hu Y, Zhang Y, Yu Z, Wang H, Wang H, Liu J. Protein regulation mechanism of cold tolerance in Haemaphysalis longicornis. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:725-740. [PMID: 36285346 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are external parasitic arthropods that can transmit a variety of pathogens by sucking blood. Low-temperature tolerance is essential for ticks to survive during the cold winter. Exploring the protein regulation mechanism of low-temperature tolerance of Haemaphysalis longicornis could help to explain how ticks survive in winter. In this study, the quantitative proteomics of several tissues of H. longicornis exposed to low temperature were studied by data independent acquisition technology. Totals of 3 699, 3 422, and 1 958 proteins were identified in the salivary gland, midgut, and ovary, respectively. The proteins involved in energy metabolism, cell signal transduction, protein synthesis and repair, and cytoskeleton synthesis changed under low-temperature stress. The comprehensive analysis of the protein regulation of multiple tissues of female ticks exposed to low temperature showed that maintaining cell homeostasis, maintaining cell viability, and enhancing cell tolerance were the most important means for ticks to maintain vital signs under low temperature. The expression of proteins involved in and regulating the above cell activities was the key to the survival of ticks under low temperatures. Through the analysis of a large amount of data, we found that the expression levels of arylamine N-acetyltransferase, inositol polyphosphate multikinase, and dual-specificity phosphatase were up-regulated under low temperature. We speculated that they might have important significance in low-temperature tolerance. Then, we performed RNA interference on the mRNA of these 3 proteins, and the results showed that the ability of female ticks to tolerate low temperatures decreased significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningmei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Aimeng Ji
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Abolfazl Masoudi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuhong Hu
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yefei Zhang
- Hebei Xiaowutai Mountain National Nature Reserve Management Center, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Han Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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de la Fuente J, Kocan KM. The Impact of RNA Interference in Tick Research. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080827. [PMID: 35894050 PMCID: PMC9394339 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, RNA interference (RNAi) in ticks, in combination with omics technologies, have greatly advanced the discovery of tick gene and molecular function. While mechanisms of RNAi were initially elucidated in plants, fungi, and nematodes, the classic 2002 study by Aljamali et al. was the first to demonstrate RNAi gene silencing in ticks. Subsequently, applications of RNAi have led to the discovery of genes that impact tick function and tick-host-pathogen interactions. RNAi will continue to lead to the discovery of an array of tick genes and molecules suitable for the development of vaccines and/or pharmacologic approaches for tick control and the prevention of pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
- The Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;
- Correspondence: or
| | - Katherine M. Kocan
- The Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;
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