# Identifying novel tick attractants and repellents by exploiting their olfactory and eco-physiology

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2022 · $181,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, have doubled their distribution range within the past 2 decades. Not
surprisingly, Lyme disease incidence has tripled since the 1990s according to the recent NIH tickborne diseases
strategic planning committee’s report. These vector/disease expansions have been attributed to climate change,
neighborhoods encroaching the animal habitats, and other ecologic shifts. Multi-pronged strategies, especially
those that are based on understanding the ticks’ unique olfactory system and eco-physiological adaptations will
provide effective practices that can be embedded into the existing vector control strategies. Ticks display robust
olfactory driven behaviors despite endowed with a simple olfactory machinery made of ca. 20 olfactory sensilla
(housing ca. 80-90 olfactory receptor neurons, ORNs). How can such relatively simple olfactory system
accomplish the remarkable task of detecting and discriminating between the preferred hosts and mates, or, to
avoid the unfavorable ones? We will answer this question by determining the detection properties of each of the
sensilla challenging with odors of demonstrated behavioral response. We propose to use the single sensillum
recording (SSR) method to record the odor induced activity from individual ORNs, The SSR will be further
coupled with gas-chromatography (GC-SSR) to directly isolate biologically active constituents odorant from the
complex odors mixtures. These constituents will be chemically identified using mass spectrometry, and finally
verified by injecting them back into GC-SSR. Electrophysiologically active chemicals will be tested for the
behavioral response in a 4-arm olfactometer- either individually or in blends. In arthropods, a distinct yet limited
range of volatiles from the environment are parsimoniously used in various contexts, eliciting distinct behaviors
such as attraction to host and mates, and repulsion/avoidance from unsuitable sites. Odors, such as
pheromones, are effective means to sample and control vector arthropods including ticks, yet identifying an
effective and selective bait has been elusive so far. Therefore we believe that our proposed integrated platform
will lead to the discovery of novel natural attractants and repellents. This project will extend the fundamental
understanding of the ticks’ olfactory biology, and integrating this knowledge with the eco-physiological
determinants such as saturation deficit will lead to design of novel management strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10418801
- **Project number:** 5R21AI163886-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Zainulabeuddin Syed
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $181,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-06-07 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10418801

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10418801, Identifying novel tick attractants and repellents by exploiting their olfactory and eco-physiology (5R21AI163886-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10418801. Licensed CC0.

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