AUTHOR=Niu Qingli , Hao Rongzeng , Pan Yuping , Liu Zhijie , Yang Jifei , Guan Guiquan , Luo Jianxun , Yin Hong 

TITLE=Molecular Characterization and Gene Expression Analysis of Aquaporin in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.811628

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.811628

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Aquaporins (AQPs) are important functional proteins and are widely present in the cell membrane of almost all organisms, mediating transmembrane transport of liquid and other solutes. Much is known about the molecular characterization of AQPs in other tick species; however, nothing is known about them in <italic>Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis</italic>. In this study, we first sequenced the transcript variants of <italic>AQPs</italic> in <italic>H. qinghaiensis</italic> (<italic>HqAQPs</italic>), analyzed the biological structure features of <italic>AQPs</italic>, and investigated the pattern of gene expression of the AQP gene of <italic>H. qinghaiensis</italic> in different tick tissues and stages to predict their biological functions. In conclusion, four <italic>AQP</italic> transcript variants (i.e., <italic>HqAQP1-1</italic>, <italic>HqAQP1-2</italic>, <italic>HqAQP1-3</italic>, and <italic>HqAQP1-4</italic>) of <italic>H. qinghaiensis</italic> were found, and the sequences were comparable with its orthologs from the reported tick species. Gene expression of AQPs in different tick tissues and stages showed the higher expression level in salivary glands and gut of adult female, as well as in the female and nymph than in Malpighian tubules, ovary, male, larvae, and egg. Further studies will be performed to evaluate the function of <italic>HqAQPs</italic> against <italic>H. qinghaiensis</italic> infestation on animals.</p>