NeuroTick

NeuroTick : Neurophysiology and Ticks

Objectives:

I- Neuronal control of tick salivary glands

Neuronal control of tick salivary glands_eng
Neuronal control of tick salivary glands

II- Transmembrane receptors and their role in invertebrate physiology

Transmembrane receptors and their role in tick physiology
Transmembrane receptors and their role in tick physiology

III- Neuropeptides and Neurotransmitters and their roles in tick physiology

Neuropeptides and neurotransmitters and their roles in tick physiology
Neuropeptides and neurotransmitters and their roles in tick physiology

IV- Babesia development during intra-stadial and trans-ovarian transmission in Ixodes

V- Role of tick salivary glands in Babesia sporozoite maturation

VI- Characterisation of Babesia proteins involved in cell invasion in the tick

Major results:

I- Neuronal control of tick salivary glands

50 Years since Kaufman and Phillips’ Groundbreaking Trilogy Elucidating Ion and Water Homeostasis in Ixodid Ticks, 2023, Šimo L. Pathogens.

Dual SIFamide receptor in Ixodes salivary glands, 2023, Guerrib et al. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Cholinergic axons regulate type I acini in salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis ticks, 2020, Mateos-Hernandez et al. Scientific Reports.

Ultrastructural mapping of salivary gland innervation in the tick Ixodes ricinus, 2019,  Vancová et al. Scientific Reports.

Molecular characterization of neuropeptide elevenin and two elevenin receptors, IsElevR1 and IsElevR2, from the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, 2018, Kim et al. Insect Biochem Mol Biol.

The essential role of tick salivary glands and saliva in tick feeding and pathogen transmission, 2017, Šimo et al.  Frontiers in Microbiology.

II- Transmembrane receptors and their role in invertebrate physiology

The TRH-ortholog EFLamide in the migratory locust, 2020, Veenstra and Šimo. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Functional characterization of three G protein-coupled acetylcholine receptors in parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis, 2023, Cáinà et al. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance.

III- Neuropeptides and Neurotransmitters and their roles in tick physiology

Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Neuropeptide Transcript Levels in the Synganglion of Ixodes ricinus, 2023, Šofranková et al.  Pathogens.

Enlisting the Ixodes scapularis Embryonic ISE6 Cell Line to Investigate the Neuronal Basis of Tick-Pathogen Interactions, 2021, Mateos-Hernández et al. Pathogens.

Neural and endocrine regulation of osmoregulatory organs in tick: Recent discoveries and implications, 2018, Kim et al. Gen and Comp Endocrinol.

Current projects:

Collaborations:

  • National
    • Dr. Houssam Aouti, ANSES (UMR Virologie, EPI, Nancy)
    • Dr. Claude Rispe, INRAE (Oniris, Theix, Corte)
    • Prof. Steeve Thany, University of Orleans
    • Prof. Jan Veenstra, University of Bordeaux
    • Dr. Laurence Malandrin, (UMR 1300 BIOEPAR/ INRAe-ONIRIS)
    • UMR 261 MERIT/IRD-Université Paris Cité
  • International
    • Prof. Yoonseong Park, Kansas State University (USA)
    • Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
    • Prof. Donghin Kim, Kyungpook National University, S. Korea
    • Dr. Ben Mans, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa
    • Dr. Helen Ellen Knuepfer, Royal Veterinary College of London, UK
    • Dr. Marie Jalovecká, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Republic

Members of the group:

Manager : Ladislav SIMO