›› 2006, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (1): 34-37.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Changes in the hemolymph of female Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) after infection by Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae)

GAO Zhi-Hua, YANG Xiao-Long, LIU Jing-Ze JIAN Heng   

  1. Hebei Normal University
  • Online:2006-03-03 Published:2006-02-20

Abstract:

For increasing our knowledge on the pathology of entomopathogenic nematodes to ticks, the changes of total protein level, esterase activity and esterase bands in the hemolymph of female Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann after infection by the nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora E-6-7 (Hb E-6-7) were detected. The results showed that in 12 h after infection, the total protein in the hemolymph increased sharply to a maximum (92.21 μg/μL) and declined later, to 49.06 μg/μL in 24 h after infection and 34.25 μg/μL in 48 h after infection. The female esterase activity in the hemolymph showed no significant change during 0-12 h after infection, and it rapidly increased from 24 h after infection (OD24h=0.1840, OD36h=0.1940,OD48h=0.2165), showing significant difference with the control. PAGE analysis revealed that nematode infection resulted in the change of esterase electrophoresis profile, mainly with the bands a and b disappeared and a new band cappeared. The above results indicated that Hb E-6-7 infection could cause the changes of total protein and esterase in the hemolymph of female H.longicornis, and these changes might be related to the resistance and adaptation of ticks to entomopathogenic nematodes.

Key words: Haemaphysalis longicornis, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, pathology, hemolymph, total protein content, esterase activity