Studies on the nutrient sensing mechanisms and pathways in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis

• Project/Area Number: 25850198
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Veterinary medical science
• Research Institution: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: SHIRAFUJI Rika 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 助教 (00549909)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: マダニ / 栄養シグナル伝達 / RNA干渉法 / 飢餓 / 吸血

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We hypothesized that nutrient sensing mechanisms and pathways are critical events for survival of ticks during both nonfeeding (starvation) and feeding (engorgement) periods. In this study, role(s) of some molecules which are known as regulators of cellular metabolism in eukaryotes were examined. (1) Two homologs (HlSIRT5 and HlSIRT7) of Sir2 histone deacetylase gene were identified from the tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis. (2) RNAi experiments revealed that autophagy-related genes play important roles in not only oogenesis, but embryogenesis as well. (3) The results of RNAi suggested that AMPK might be not activated during feeding period.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (2016)
  • Author(s): Klionsky DJ., Abdelmohsen K., Abe A., Abedin MJ.,Inomata M., et al.
  • Journal Title: Autophagy Volume: 12(1) Issue: 1 Pages: 1-222
  • DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Expression analysis of autophagy-related genes in the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (2014)
  • Author(s): Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Galay RL, Maeda H, Kawano S, Tanaka T, Fukumoto S, Suzuki H, Tsuji N, Fujisaki K
  • Journal Title: Veterinary Parasitology Volume: 201 Pages: 169-175
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] 小型ピロプラズマ病対策のためのマダニコントロール「ベクターとしてのマダニ: 徹底解剖」 (2014)
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮）梨可
  • Journal Title: 臨床獣医 Volume: 32 Pages: 16-20
• [Presentation] フタトゲチマダニ単為生殖系における卵巣および卵母細胞の発育． (2015)
  • Author(s): 三原 涼、白藤（梅宮） 梨可、阿部 靖之、川野 優、松尾智英、藤崎 幸蔵、鈴木 宏志．
  • Organizer: 第24回日本ダニ学会東京大会．
  • Place of Presentation: 法政大学（東京都千代田区）
  • Year and Date: 2015-09-12
• [Presentation] フタトゲチマダニオートファジー関連遺伝子HlATG6の発現抑制が卵形成機構に与える影響について (2014)
  • Author(s): 川野 優、白藤（梅宮） 梨可、藤崎 幸蔵、鈴木 宏志．
  • Organizer: 第157回日本獣医学会学術集会．日本獣医寄生虫学会．
  • Place of Presentation: 北海道大学（北海道札幌市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-10
• [Presentation] Expression profiles of autophagy-related genes in the hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (2013)
  • Author(s): Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji, Suguru Kawano, Remil Linggatong Galay, Hiroki Maeda, Aiko Kume, Tetsuya Tanaka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Kozo Fujisaki
  • Organizer: 24th International Congress of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology
  • Place of Presentation: The Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (Perth, Australia)
• [Presentation] フタトゲチマダニ脂肪体の卵黄タンパク質前駆体合成におけるtarget of rapamycin（TOR）の役割
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮）梨可、Damdinsuren Boldbaatar、Min Liao、Banzragch Battur、Morshedur Md. Rahman、Thasaneeya Kuboki、Remil Linggatong Galay、田仲哲也、藤崎幸蔵
  • Organizer: 第83回日本寄生虫学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 愛媛大学 城北キャンパス（愛媛県松山市）
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/index.html
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター 2016研究業績
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/gyoseki.html
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学原虫病研究センター
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/index.html
• [Remarks] http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/index.html