Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition

K.K. Chand; K.M. Lee; N.A. Lavidis; M. Rodriguez-Valle; H. Ijaz; J. Koehbach; R.J. Clark; A. Lew-Tabor; P.G. Noakes

doi:10.1038/srep29446

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Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition

K.K. Chand, K.M. Lee, N.A. Lavidis, M. Rodriguez-Valle, H. Ijaz, J. Koehbach, R.J. Clark, A. Lew-Tabor and P.G. Noakes

Scientific Reports, Vol.6

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29446

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Abstract

Ticks are important vectors of pathogens and secreted neurotoxins with approximately 69 out of 692 tick species having the ability to induce severe toxicoses in their hosts. The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is known to be one of the most virulent tick species producing a flaccid paralysis and fatalities caused by a family of neurotoxins known as holocyclotoxins (HTs). The paralysis mechanism of these toxins is temperature dependent and is thought to involve inhibition of acetylcholine levels at the neuromuscular junction. However, the target and mechanism of this inhibition remain uncharacterised. Here, we report that three members of the holocyclotoxin family; HT-1 (GenBank AY766147), HT-3 (GenBank KP096303) and HT-12 (GenBank KP963967) induce muscle paralysis by inhibiting the dependence of transmitter release on extracellular calcium. Previous study was conducted using extracts from tick salivary glands, while the present study is the first to use pure toxins from I. holocyclus. Our findings provide greater insight into the mechanisms by which these toxins act to induce paralysis.

Details

Title: Tick holocyclotoxins trigger host paralysis by presynaptic inhibition
Authors/Creators: K.K. Chand (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
K.M. Lee (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
N.A. Lavidis (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
M. Rodriguez-Valle (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
H. Ijaz (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
J. Koehbach (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
R.J. Clark (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
A. Lew-Tabor (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
P.G. Noakes (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
Publication Details: Scientific Reports, Vol.6
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Identifiers: 991005540386607891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Comparative Genomics
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.258 Zoonotic Diseases; 1.258.227 Tick-borne Pathogens
Web Of Science research areas: Parasitology
ESI research areas: Microbiology