Novel polymorphisms in the octopamine receptor gene of amitraz resistant population of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, in south India.

The brown dog tick or Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato is an ixodid tick, responsible for the dissemination of pathogens that cause canine infectious diseases besides inflicting the direct effects of tick bite. The hot humid climate of Kerala, a south Indian state, is favorable for propagation of tick vectors and acaricides are the main stay of tick control. Though the resistance against synthetic pyrethroids is reported among these species, the status of amitraz resistance in R. sanguineus s. l. in the country is uncertain due to the lack of molecular characterisation data and scarce literature reports. Hence the present study was focused on the phenotypic detection and preliminary genotypic characterisation of amitraz resistance in the R. sanguineus s. l. A modified larval packet test (LPT) on a susceptible isolate was performed to determine the discriminating dose (DD). Further LPT-DD on 35 tick isolates was carried out to detect amitraz resistance robustly, along with that full dose response bioassays on the resistant isolates were performed. The results indicated that amitraz resistance is prevalent with 49 per cent of the samples being resistant. Amplification of exon 3 of octopamine receptor gene from both the susceptible and resistant larval isolates was carried out. Amplicons of ten pooled amitraz susceptible and ten pooled amitraz resistant representative samples were sequenced and analysed, unveiling a total of three novel non-synonymous mutations in the partial coding region at positions V32A, N41D and V58I in phenotypically resistant larval DNA samples. In silico analysis by homology modelling and molecular docking of the mutated and unmutated receptors showed that these mutations had reduced the binding affinity to amitraz. However, lack of mutations in the octopamine receptor gene in three of the pooled low order resistant R. sanguineus s. l. larval samples could be suggestive of other mechanisms associated with amitraz resistance in the region. Hence, further association studies should be carried out to confirm the association of these mutations with target insensitivity in R. sanguineus s. l. ticks, along with exploring the status of metabolic resistance and other mechanisms of resistance.

Molecular evidence of haemoparasites in ixodid ticks of dogs- first report in India.

The distribution of ixodid ticks of the genera Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis spp. in tropical regions of India contributes to many serious tick-borne parasitic and rickettsial infections in domestic and wild canines. A preliminary molecular survey of the most prevalent haemoparasites in ixodid ticks of carnivores in Kerala, South India was undertaken using multiplex PCR. Babesia vogeli, B. gibsoni and Ehrlichia canis could be detected in R. sanguineus ticks, while H. bispinosa harboured B. gibsoni alone. Future investigations including transmission trials are to be undertaken to prove the vector potentiality of these ticks in this geo-climatic zone.

Diglycolamic acid modified silica gel for the separation of hazardous trivalent metal ions from aqueous solution.

The surface of the silica gel was modified with diglycolamic acid moieties and the product (Si-DGAH) was characterized by elemental analysis, TG-DTA, (1)H and (29)Si NMR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption behavior of hazardous americium (III) and europium (III) in Si-DGAH was studied from aqueous nitric acid medium to examine the feasibility using the modified silica for the separation of Am(III) and Eu(III) from aqueous wastes. In this context, the effect of various parameters such as the duration of equilibration, and concentrations of europium, nitric acid, sodium nitrate and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) in aqueous phase, on the distribution coefficient (K(d)) of Am(III) and Eu(III) was investigated. The distribution coefficient of ∼10(3) mL/g (>99.9% extraction) was obtained for both Am(III) and Eu(III) at pH 3, and the K(d) values decreased with increase in the concentration of nitric acid. Rapid kinetics of extraction in the initial stages of equilibration, followed by the establishment of equilibrium occurred within 30 min. The extraction data were fitted into Langmuir adsorption model and the apparent europium extraction capacity was determined. Europium loading capacity of the sorbent was determined at various feed pH by column method. The study indicated the possibility of using diglycolamic acid-modified silica for the separation of Eu(III) and Am(III) from aqueous wastes.

Phylogenetic analysis of bovine Theileria spp. isolated in south India.

The objective of the present study is to determine the phylogenetic position of the Theileria organisms in blood of cattle of southern India using molecular tools. Theileria annulata (Namakkal isolate, Tamil Nadu) and three Theileria field isolates (free of T. annulata) from Wayanad, Kerala (Wayanad 1, 2, 3) were used. The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene products were cloned, sequenced and the phylogenetic tree constructed. SSU rRNA gene of Wayanad 1 isolate (JQ706077) revealed maximum identity with Theileria velifera or Theileria cervi. The phylogenetic tree constructed based on SSU rRNA genes revealed that Wayanad 1 isolate belonged to a new type which share common ancestor with all the other theilerial species while Wayanad 2 and 3 isolates (JX294459, JX294460) were close to types A and C respectively. Based on MPSP gene sequences, Wayanad 2 and 3 (JQ706078, JX648208) isolates belonged to Type 1 and 3 (Chitose) respectively. When, the previously reported MPSP type 7 is also considered from the same study area, Theileria orientalis types 1, 3 and 7 are observed in south India. SSU rRNA sequence of South Indian T. annulata (JX294461) showed a maximum identity with Asian isolates while the Tams1 merozoite surface antigen (MSA) gene (JX648210) showed maximum identity with north Indian isolate.