Parasite

Ticks have the ability to detect a cytokine from infected mammalian blood, triggering a defense mechanism against bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

These results suggest that in ticks, the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and the protein receptor have evolved to integrate immunity with development. The researchers also found that the JAK/STAT receptor and pathway are important for normal tick development, even if the pathway is not activated by an infected blood meal. This sets off a cascade of reactions inside the cell that turns a specific gene on or off and produces a response to whatever outside stimuli was sensed. Comparing the two groups, they found that the infected blood meal activated a protein in ticks that normally produces energy inside cells. A team of researchers from the University of Maryland has uncovered the first inter-species signaling pathway between a host and an arthropod parasite. The study, which was recently published in the journal Science, identifies a potential target for anti-tick vaccines or therapeutics to prevent the spread of infections like Lyme disease.