RNA-seq of Ixodes scapularis midgut

Applications of transcriptomics have facilitated the identification of a large set of tick molecules that impact tick feeding and play a role in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Deep sequencing methodologies have been instrumental in acquiring this new information and consequently facilitating the study of the biology of disease vectors that unfortunately lack reference genomes. Assembling and annotating identified transcripts, describing the transcriptomes and proteomes from various tick species, and depositing novel tick-derived sequences at NCBI database have contributed to our understanding of tick physiology and tick feeding biology. Here we provide a more comprehensive analysis of Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Borrelia burgdorferi in the U.S., midgut composition using new generation sequencing methods.