Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation

Abstract Ixodes ticks are the most important vectors of arthropod-borne diseases in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Ixodes scapularis is the major vector that transmits the causative agent of Lyme disease in the eastern United States and can transmit up to six additional pathogens. In recent...

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Main Authors: Isaac A. Hinne, Hailee R. Ciccotti, Jakub Wudarski, Michael N. Pham, Arvind Sharma, Molly M. McVicar, Benjamin Faustino, Andrew B. Nuss, Prashant P. Sharma, Monika Gulia-Nuss
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:EvoDevo
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00240-y
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author Isaac A. Hinne
Hailee R. Ciccotti
Jakub Wudarski
Michael N. Pham
Arvind Sharma
Molly M. McVicar
Benjamin Faustino
Andrew B. Nuss
Prashant P. Sharma
Monika Gulia-Nuss
author_facet Isaac A. Hinne
Hailee R. Ciccotti
Jakub Wudarski
Michael N. Pham
Arvind Sharma
Molly M. McVicar
Benjamin Faustino
Andrew B. Nuss
Prashant P. Sharma
Monika Gulia-Nuss
author_sort Isaac A. Hinne
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Ixodes ticks are the most important vectors of arthropod-borne diseases in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Ixodes scapularis is the major vector that transmits the causative agent of Lyme disease in the eastern United States and can transmit up to six additional pathogens. In recent years, many advances have been made in building the toolkit for I. scapularis research, including genomic resources, transcriptomes, and forward and reverse genetics techniques. However, an understanding of the early embryonic development of this species is still lacking. In this study, we attempted to fill this knowledge gap and to further the efforts of functional genomics tools development. We developed a staging system consisting of 16 (0–15) stages describing unique morphologies and used wheat germ agglutinin staining and fluorescent dye injections to confirm cell membrane formation. These results provide an opportunity to identify an ideal time window for tick transgenics and deepen our understanding of the events during embryo development.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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series EvoDevo
spelling doaj-art-ac6ce773975a4d699f3e8e2d8be2b1222025-08-20T02:19:57ZengBMCEvoDevo2041-91392025-04-0116111810.1186/s13227-025-00240-yEarly embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formationIsaac A. Hinne0Hailee R. Ciccotti1Jakub Wudarski2Michael N. Pham3Arvind Sharma4Molly M. McVicar5Benjamin Faustino6Andrew B. Nuss7Prashant P. Sharma8Monika Gulia-Nuss9Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaDepartment of Integrative Biology, University of WisconsinDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of NevadaAbstract Ixodes ticks are the most important vectors of arthropod-borne diseases in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Ixodes scapularis is the major vector that transmits the causative agent of Lyme disease in the eastern United States and can transmit up to six additional pathogens. In recent years, many advances have been made in building the toolkit for I. scapularis research, including genomic resources, transcriptomes, and forward and reverse genetics techniques. However, an understanding of the early embryonic development of this species is still lacking. In this study, we attempted to fill this knowledge gap and to further the efforts of functional genomics tools development. We developed a staging system consisting of 16 (0–15) stages describing unique morphologies and used wheat germ agglutinin staining and fluorescent dye injections to confirm cell membrane formation. These results provide an opportunity to identify an ideal time window for tick transgenics and deepen our understanding of the events during embryo development.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00240-yChelicerateTicksEmbryogenesisSyncytial blastodermCellularization
spellingShingle Isaac A. Hinne
Hailee R. Ciccotti
Jakub Wudarski
Michael N. Pham
Arvind Sharma
Molly M. McVicar
Benjamin Faustino
Andrew B. Nuss
Prashant P. Sharma
Monika Gulia-Nuss
Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
EvoDevo
Chelicerate
Ticks
Embryogenesis
Syncytial blastoderm
Cellularization
title Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
title_full Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
title_fullStr Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
title_full_unstemmed Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
title_short Early embryonic development in the tick Ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
title_sort early embryonic development in the tick ixodes scapularis suggests syncytial organization and cellularization before blastoderm formation
topic Chelicerate
Ticks
Embryogenesis
Syncytial blastoderm
Cellularization
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00240-y
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