Phylogenomics of Tick Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels and Their Potential as Targets to Innovate Control Technologies.

Perot Saelao,Kylie G Bendele,Adalberto A Pérez De León,Paul V Hickner

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2021.647020

Abstract

This study was conducted to enhance the identification of novel targets to develop acaricides that can be used to advance integrated tick-borne disease management. Drivers for the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne diseases affecting humans, livestock, and other domestic animals in many parts of the world include the increased abundance and expanded geographic distribution of tick species that vector pathogens. The evolution of resistance to acaricides among some of the most important tick vector species highlights the vulnerability of relying on chemical treatments for tick control to mitigate the health burden of tick-borne diseases. The involvement of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels in homeostasis, diuresis, and salivary gland secretion in ticks and other pests identified them as attractive targets to develop novel acaricides. However, few studies exist on the molecular characteristics of Kir channels in ticks. This bioinformatic analysis described Kir channels in 20 species of hard and soft ticks. Summarizing relevant investigations on Kir channel function in invertebrate pests allowed the phylogenomic study of this class of ion channels in ticks. How this information can be adapted to innovate tick control technologies is discussed.

Highlights

Ticks (Acari) are obligate blood feeding parasites and vectors of a diverse array of pathogens including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses that cause diseases among humans, livestock, and other domestic animals (Sonenshine and Roe, 2013)
Based on phylogenetic analysis of the Kir channel subunits in a soft tick (O. turicata), two hard ticks (I. scapularis and R. microplus), two Diptera (D. melanogaster and Ae. aegypti) and two Lepidoptera (Manduca sexta and Danaus plexippus), the tick Kir channels belong to the Kir1 clade in insects (Figure 1A)
This study identified small-molecule modulators of Kir channel function (VU041, VU625, and VU688) that were previously shown to be inhibitors of mosquito Kir channels (Raphemot et al, 2014; Swale et al, 2016)

Summary

Introduction

Ticks (Acari) are obligate blood feeding parasites and vectors of a diverse array of pathogens including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses that cause diseases among humans, livestock, and other domestic animals (Sonenshine and Roe, 2013). Previous research identified the inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels as attractive targets to develop novel acaricides because of their involvement in homeostasis, diuresis, and salivary gland secretion in ticks and other pests (Li et al, 2019; Li et al, 2020).

Results

Conclusion