Evidence of the role of tick subolesin in gene expression

Subolesin is an evolutionary conserved protein that was recently discovered in Ixodes scapularis as a tick protective antigen and has a role in tick blood digestion, reproduction and development. In other organisms, subolesin orthologs may be involved in the control of developmental processes. Because of the profound effect of subolesin knockdown in ticks and other organisms, we hypothesized that subolesin has a role in gene expression, thus affecting multiple cellular processes. The objective of this study was to provide support for the role of subolesin in gene expression. Keywords: time course Total RNA was prepared and pooled from subolesin dsRNA- and saline-injected ticks at 6 and 9 dpi (5 and 8 days of feeding).