Characterization of Midgut and Salivary Gland Proteins of Hyalomma dromedarii Females Controlled by Entomopathogenic Nematodes

Biological control of hard ticks, Hyalomma dromedarii (Acari: Ixodidae) using entomopathogenic nematode of two families; Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae was studied. The protective effect of controlled ticks including haemolymph and haemocytes against these biological agents were also investigated. It was found that heterorhabditid strains cause a higher effect in biological control of engorged female H. dromedarii than those of stienernematid strains. It induced mortality rates ranged from 12-92% versus 4-88% for stienernematid strains. It was also found that these entomopathogenic nematodes can not reproduce within the exposed ticks. SDS-PAGE of proteins extracted from midguts and salivary glands infected with 4000 IJs tick(-1) separated 21 and 25 protein bands versus 13 and 19 protein bands from non-infected ones, respectively. It was concluded that entomopathogenic nematodes of family Heterorhabditidae proved to have a potential acaricidal effect in the control of hard ticks. Moreover, the controlled ticks released unknown proteins in their haemolymph that may promote the haemocytes to phagocyte the nematodes as a type of defense mechanism.