2022
Tick transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi to the murine host is not influenced by environmentally acquired midgut microbiota
Narasimhan S, Rajeevan N, Graham M, Wu MJ, DePonte K, Marion S, Masson O, O’Neal A, Pedra JHF, Sonenshine DE, Fikrig E. Tick transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi to the murine host is not influenced by environmentally acquired midgut microbiota. Microbiome 2022, 10: 173. PMID: 36253842, PMCID: PMC9575305, DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01378-w.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
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
2018
Visualization of Microbiota in Tick Guts by Whole-mount In Situ Hybridization.
Moss CE, Robson A, Fikrig E, Narasimhan S. Visualization of Microbiota in Tick Guts by Whole-mount In Situ Hybridization. Journal Of Visualized Experiments 2018 PMID: 29912204, PMCID: PMC6101453, DOI: 10.3791/57758.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick gutComplex microbial communitiesSitu hybridizationSequencing-based methodsTick genesVector microbiotaMicrobial communitiesParticular bacterial speciesRNA transcriptsResident microorganismsTarget RNAInterspecies interactionsBacterial speciesArthropod vectorsResident bacteriaHuman pathogensMicrobiota interactionsPathogen transmissionTick transmissionIxodes scapularis ticksVector-borne diseasesTick feedingPathogensIntact tissueMicrobiota
2015
Tick microbiome: the force within
Narasimhan S, Fikrig E. Tick microbiome: the force within. Trends In Parasitology 2015, 31: 315-323. PMID: 25936226, PMCID: PMC4492851, DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.03.010.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
2014
Gut Microbiota of the Tick Vector Ixodes scapularis Modulate Colonization of the Lyme Disease Spirochete
Narasimhan S, Rajeevan N, Liu L, Zhao YO, Heisig J, Pan J, Eppler-Epstein R, DePonte K, Fish D, Fikrig E. Gut Microbiota of the Tick Vector Ixodes scapularis Modulate Colonization of the Lyme Disease Spirochete. Cell Host & Microbe 2014, 15: 58-71. PMID: 24439898, PMCID: PMC3905459, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2013.12.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPeritrophic matrixTranscription factor signal transducerPathogen colonizationLyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferiActivator of transcriptionGut microbiotaArthropod gutsSignal transducerLyme disease spirocheteFunctional linkArthropod vectorsMajor vectorKey glycoproteinsHuman pathogensSpirochete Borrelia burgdorferiGut epitheliumIxodes scapularis ticksColonizationGut epithelial barrierMicrobiotaExpressionGut lumenScapularis ticksBorrelia burgdorferiEpithelial barrier