Dc. Jaworski et al., A SECRETED CALRETICULIN PROTEIN IN IXODID TICK (AMBLYOMMA-AMERICANUM)SALIVA, Journal of insect physiology, 41(4), 1995, pp. 369-375
A complementary DNA clone from salivary glands of feeding female Ambly
omma americanum ticks has been characterized as encoding calreticulin.
Calreticulin, a major endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium-binding prot
ein, appears to be secreted in Amblyomma and Dermacentor saliva. Evide
nce is accummulating that calreticulin performs roles unrelated to cal
cium storage, Unlike most known calreticulins, tick-secreted calreticu
lin lacks the ER retention signal, KDEL. This is the first molecular c
loning of a specific tick salivary gland protein. The finding of a sec
reted calreticulin in tick saliva suggests a role for calreticulin in
blood feeding through host immunosuppression or antihemostasis.