Remodeling of tick cytoskeleton in response to infection with .

The obligate intracellular pathogen infects vertebrate and tick hosts. In this study, a genome-wide search for cytoskeleton components was performed in the tick vector, . The available transcriptomics and proteomics data was then used to characterize the mRNA and protein levels of cytoskeleton components in response to infection. The results showed that cytoskeleton components described in other model organisms were present in the genome. One type of intermediate filaments (lamin), a family of septins that was recently implicated in the cellular response to intracellular pathogens, and several members of motor proteins (kinesins and dyneins) that could be implicated in the cytoplasmic movements of were found. The results showed that levels of tubulin, actin, septin, actin-related proteins and motor proteins were affected by , probably to facilitate infection in . Functional studies demonstrated a role for selected cytoskeleton components in pathogen infection. These results provided a more comprehensive view of the cytoskeletal components involved in the response to infection in ticks.