2024
Dual roles for a tick protein disulfide isomerase during the life cycle of the Lyme disease agent.
Tang X, Cui Y, Namarra U, Tian X, Rivas-Giorgi F, Fikrig E. Dual roles for a tick protein disulfide isomerase during the life cycle of the Lyme disease agent. MBio 2024, e0175424. PMID: 39470213, DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01754-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchProtein disulfide isomeraseLyme disease agentDisulfide isomeraseBlood-feeding vectorsExtracellular pathogensGene expressionInvasion of host cellsThiol-disulfide oxidoreductasesDisease agentsGroup of enzymesStages of bacterial infectionVirulence factorsLife cycleChaperone activityMammalian hostsHost cellsBlood-feeding ticksIsomeraseMicrobial infectionsColonized ticksPathogensDiverse infectionsMicrobial invasionInfection of miceVector-borne diseasesmosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae
Arora G, Tang X, Cui Y, Yang J, Chuang Y, Joshi J, Sajid A, Dong Y, Cresswell P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. mosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae. BMC Genomics 2024, 25: 42. PMID: 38191283, PMCID: PMC10775533, DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09887-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGerm cell developmentAnopheles gambiaeCell developmentOvarian developmentReductase-like proteinWild-type mosquitoesPlasmodium life cycleBiological controlGrowth genesEssential regulatorRNA sequencingA. gambiaeGenesGambiaeAltered expressionImpaired ovarian developmentMosquito vectorsLife cycleMosquitoesImmune activationPlasmodium infectionTranscriptomeOogenesisRegulatorProtein
2023
Signaling between mammalian adiponectin and a mosquito adiponectin receptor reduces Plasmodium transmission
Chuang Y, Stone H, Abouneameh S, Tang X, Fikrig E. Signaling between mammalian adiponectin and a mosquito adiponectin receptor reduces Plasmodium transmission. MBio 2023, 15: e02257-23. PMID: 38078744, PMCID: PMC10790699, DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02257-23.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBlood mealComplex life cycleMosquito fitnessMammalian hostsMammalian adiponectinPathogen infectivityLipid transportersVertebrate hostsAdiponectin receptorsHematophagous arthropodsFemale mosquitoesPlasmodium transmissionLife cycleMosquitoesImportant lipid transporterPathwayHostInfectious agentsVector-borne infectious agentsArthropodsAdiponectinReceptorsInfectionTransportersMeal
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
Interactions Between Ticks and Lyme Disease Spirochetes.
Pal U, Kitsou C, Drecktrah D, Yaş ÖB, Fikrig E. Interactions Between Ticks and Lyme Disease Spirochetes. Current Issues In Molecular Biology 2020, 42: 113-144. PMID: 33289683, PMCID: PMC8045411, DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsComplex enzootic life cycleEnzootic life cycleMammalian reservoir hostsMolecular interactionsLife cycleDiscrete molecular interactionsVariety of animalsRelated ticksVertebrate hostsLyme disease spirocheteArthropod vectorsSensu latoPathogen persistenceWild rodentsBacterial pathogensReservoir hostsCritical roleTick-transmitted infectionsMain vectorNortheastern United StatesPast discoveriesHostTicksArthropodsSpirochetesEpigenetic Regulation of Tick Biology and Vectorial Capacity
De S, Kitsou C, Sonenshine DE, Pedra JHF, Fikrig E, Kassis JA, Pal U. Epigenetic Regulation of Tick Biology and Vectorial Capacity. Trends In Genetics 2020, 37: 8-11. PMID: 33020021, PMCID: PMC8008791, DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.09.012.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2012
Activation of the RpoN-RpoS regulatory pathway during the enzootic life cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi
Ouyang Z, Narasimhan S, Neelakanta G, Kumar M, Pal U, Fikrig E, Norgard MV. Activation of the RpoN-RpoS regulatory pathway during the enzootic life cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi. BMC Microbiology 2012, 12: 44. PMID: 22443136, PMCID: PMC3320556, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-44.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRpoN-RpoS regulatory pathwayRpoN-RpoS pathwayExpression of rpoSEnzootic life cycleMammalian infectionRegulatory pathwaysTranscription of rpoSOuter membrane lipoproteinLife cycleB. burgdorferiKey environmental stimuliLyme disease pathogenesisDiverse nichesMembrane lipoproteinMammalian hostsTarget genesTranscription levelsMicrobial survivalLipoprotein geneRpoSOrganism adaptationInfectious cycleFed larvaeIntermolt larvaeSustained transcription
2008
A Differential Role for BB0365 in the Persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Mice and Ticks
Pal U, Dai J, Li X, Neelakanta G, Luo P, Kumar M, Wang P, Yang X, Anderson JF, Fikrig E. A Differential Role for BB0365 in the Persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Mice and Ticks. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2008, 197: 148-155. PMID: 18171298, DOI: 10.1086/523764.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVertebrate hostsWild-type B. burgdorferiArthropod vectorsB. burgdorferi persistenceB. burgdorferi transcriptomeDiverse murine tissuesSpirochete life cycleLife cycleB. burgdorferi B31Lyme disease agentGene productsMurine tissuesGenesWild rodentsDisease agentsDifferential rolesFeeding ticksB. burgdorferiInfectious isolatesHostBorrelia burgdorferiTicksTranscriptomePersistence of BorreliaMutants
2007
Tick–host–pathogen interactions in Lyme borreliosis
Hovius JW, van Dam AP, Fikrig E. Tick–host–pathogen interactions in Lyme borreliosis. Trends In Parasitology 2007, 23: 434-438. PMID: 17656156, DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2007.07.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVertebrate hostsB. burgdorferi survivalB. burgdorferi genesEnzootic life cycleSpirochete survivalGene productsB. burgdorferiArthropod vectorsGenesVector moleculesLife cycleDifferent environmentsHostBorrelia burgdorferiIxodes ticksTROSPATicksSpirochetal agentBurgdorferiLyme borreliosisMicrobesSalp15ExpressionSurvival
2003
Adaptation of Borrelia burgdorferi in the tick and the mammalian host
Anguita J, Hedrick MN, Fikrig E. Adaptation of Borrelia burgdorferi in the tick and the mammalian host. FEMS Microbiology Reviews 2003, 27: 493-504. PMID: 14550942, DOI: 10.1016/s0168-6445(03)00036-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMammalian hostsGene expressionRegulation of genesAdaptation of BorreliaGene productsDifferent environmentsArthropod vectorsEnzootic cycleCurrent knowledgeLife cycleHostExpressionCausative agentB. burgdorferiBorrelia burgdorferiGenesSpirochetesTicksBurgdorferiMicroorganismsGreater abilityRegulationLyme diseaseThorough understandingFunction