BACKGROUND: The hard tick Hyalomma dromedarii is one of the most injurious ectoparasites affecting camels and apparently best adapted to deserts. As long-term blood feeders, ticks are threatened by host defense system compounds that can cause them to be rejected and, ultimately, to die. However, their saliva contains a cocktail of bioactive molecules that enables them to succeed in taking their blood meal. A recent sialotranscriptomic study uncovered the complexity of the salivary composition of the tick H. dromedarii and provided a database for a proteomic analysis. We carried out a proteomic-informed by transcriptomic (PIT) to identify proteins in salivary glands of both genders of this tick species. RESULTS: We reported the array of 1111 proteins identified in the salivary glands of H. dromedarii ticks. Only 24% of the proteins were shared by both genders, and concur with the previously described sialotranscriptome complexity. The comparative analysis of the salivary glands of both genders did not reveal any great differences in the number or class of proteins expressed their enzymatic composition or functional classification. Indeed, few proteins in the entire proteome matched those predicted from the transcriptome while others corresponded to other proteins of other tick species. CONCLUSION: This investigation represents the first proteomic study of H. dromedarii salivary glands. Our results shed light on the differences between the composition of H. dromedarii male and female salivary glands, thus enabling us to better understand the gender-specific strategy to feed successfully.

Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences 37005 Ceske Budejovice Czechia

Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Instituto Butantan Av Vital Brazil 1500 CEP São Paulo 05503 900 Brazil

Laboratório Multidisciplinar de Pesquisa Universidade São Francisco Av São Francisco de Assis 218 CEP 12916 900 Bragança Paulista São Paulo Brazil

Université de Tunis El Manar Institut Pasteur de Tunis LR11IPT03 Service d'entomologie médicale 1002 Tunis Tunisie

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