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Male ticks help their mates to feed

Abstract

Ixodid ticks produce a unique family of proteins that bind vertebrate immuno-globulins1,2. These immunoglobulin-binding proteins (IGBPs) were discovered when it was realized that ticks excrete host immunoglobulins in their saliva during feeding3. We have sequenced three of these proteins and propose a new role for a male-specific IGBP that helps females to feed.

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Figure 1: Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult ticks at various stages of feeding.
Figure 2: Comparison of feeding performance of female ticks.

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Wang, H., Paesen, G., Nuttall, P. et al. Male ticks help their mates to feed. Nature 391, 753–754 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/35773

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