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Fucosylation enhances colonization of ticks by Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Joao H F Pedra1, Sukanya Narasimhan, Dubravko Rendić

  • 1Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. joao.pedra@ucr.edu

Cellular Microbiology
|March 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Anaplasma phagocytophilum uses alpha1,3-fucose to colonize ticks. Silencing fucosyltransferases reduced bacterial colonization, revealing a novel mechanism for tick-borne pathogen invasion.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Vector Biology

Background:

  • Fucosylated structures are involved in various pathological processes.
  • The role of fucose in arthropod-borne pathogen pathogenesis is understudied.
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of alpha1,3-fucose in Anaplasma phagocytophilum colonization of ticks.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of tick-borne pathogen invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Studied the expression of alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases in A. phagocytophilum.
  • Utilized gene silencing to assess the impact on tick cell colonization.
  • Investigated effects on bacterial acquisition and transmission during tick feeding.

Main Results:

  • A. phagocytophilum utilizes alpha1,3-fucose for tick colonization.
  • Modulation of alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase expression and subsequent gene silencing significantly reduced tick cell colonization.
  • Bacterial acquisition was affected by silencing alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases, but transmission was not.

Conclusions:

  • Uncovered a novel mechanism of pathogen colonization in arthropods involving alpha1,3-fucose.
  • Understanding A. phagocytophilum invasion mechanisms in ticks can inform new control strategies.

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