2024
Laboratory Management of Mammalian Hosts for Ixodes scapularis -Host-Pathogen Interaction Studies.
Narasimhan S, Cibichakravarthy B, Wu M, Holter M, Walsh C, Goodrich J. Laboratory Management of Mammalian Hosts for Ixodes scapularis -Host-Pathogen Interaction Studies. Comparative Medicine 2024, 74: 235-245. PMID: 39289828, PMCID: PMC11373684, DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-24-036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick feedingHard-bodied ticksTick speciesArtificial membrane feedingHard ticksMammalian hostsAnimal healthHost-pathogen interaction studiesIxodes scapularisTicksManagement practicesNatural geographic rangePotential vectorsRabbit hostsFeedingHost healthGeographic rangePathogenic organismsInfectious prionsAnimal useRelevant speciesIxodesGuinea pigsLife cycleInteraction studies
2022
Identification of novel conserved Ixodes vaccine candidates; a promising role for non-secreted salivary gland proteins
Trentelman J, de Vogel F, Colstrup E, Sima R, Coumou J, Koetsveld J, Klouwens M, Nayak A, Ersoz J, Barriales D, Tomás-Cortázar J, Narasimhan S, Hajdusek O, Anguita J, Hovius J. Identification of novel conserved Ixodes vaccine candidates; a promising role for non-secreted salivary gland proteins. Vaccine 2022, 40: 7593-7603. PMID: 36357287, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.10.032.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick salivary gland proteinsAnti-tick vaccinesTick immunityVaccine candidatesSalivary gland proteinsLyme borreliosisNymphal I. ricinusExperimental Lyme borreliosisImmune animalsVaccination studiesTick feedingI. ricinusTick attachmentNymphal ticksPathogen transmissionGuinea pigsIxodes scapularisI. scapularisGland proteinsVaccineCausative agentImmunityMain vectorIdentification of novelPromising roleImmunization of guinea pigs with cement extract induces resistance against Ixodes scapularis ticks
Lynn GE, Černý J, Kurokawa C, Diktaş H, Matias J, Sajid A, Arora G, DePonte K, Narasimhan S, Fikrig E. Immunization of guinea pigs with cement extract induces resistance against Ixodes scapularis ticks. Ticks And Tick-borne Diseases 2022, 13: 102017. PMID: 35963188, DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTick salivaAnti-tick vaccinesTick-host interfaceSpecific protective antigensTick engorgement weightIxodes scapularis ticksTick speciesTick feedingEngorgement weightFeeding ticksHost resistanceTickborne pathogensDisease agentsAnimal hostsIxodes scapularisFemale I. scapularisI. scapularisScapularis ticksTicksImportant vectorTick detachmentPrimary vectorMidgut extractsProtective antigenHematophagous parasites
2021
Grappling with the tick microbiome
Narasimhan S, Swei A, Abouneameh S, Pal U, Pedra JHF, Fikrig E. Grappling with the tick microbiome. Trends In Parasitology 2021, 37: 722-733. PMID: 33962878, PMCID: PMC8282638, DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.04.004.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsTick microbiomeRelated tick speciesMultiple human pathogensHost preferenceSequencing technologiesTick biologyHuman pathogensMicrobiomeMechanistic insightsTick speciesLife cycleIxodes pacificusIxodes scapularisIxodid ticksCausative agentNorth AmericaBorrelia burgdorferiPredominant vectorBiological variablesHabitatsPacificusBiologySpeciesPathogens
2020
Fractionation of tick saliva reveals proteins associated with the development of acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis
Černý J, Lynn G, DePonte K, Ledizet M, Narasimhan S, Fikrig E. Fractionation of tick saliva reveals proteins associated with the development of acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis. Vaccine 2020, 38: 8121-8129. PMID: 33168347, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.087.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick-borne pathogensTick immunityTick salivaTick vaccinesMultiple tick-borne pathogensIxodes scapularisGuinea pig modelTick salivary antigensTick rejectionTick Ixodes scapularisPig modelTick feedingNortheast USASalivary antigensGlobal medical problemDevelopment of vaccinesTicksMain vectorPathogensSaliva fractionsScapularisMedical problemsImmunityVaccineSaliva
2002
A novel family of anticoagulants from the saliva of Ixodes scapularis
Narasimhan S, Koski RA, Beaulieu B, Anderson JF, Ramamoorthi N, Kantor F, Cappello M, Fikrig E. A novel family of anticoagulants from the saliva of Ixodes scapularis. Insect Molecular Biology 2002, 11: 641-650. PMID: 12421422, DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2583.2002.00375.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsN-terminal amino acid sequenceSalivary gland cDNA libraryAmino acid sequenceN-terminal sequenceCDNA libraryAcid sequenceAnticoagulant proteinsIxodes scapularisMolecular approachesTerminal sequenceIntrinsic pathwayEscherichia coliSpecific inhibitorNovel familyProteinSalp14Different functionsTick salivaSequenceBiological activityDose-dependent mannerProtease inhibitorsReversed-phase HPLCParaloguesScapularis