Cloning and sequence analysis of metalloproteinase gene of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides tick

Metalloproteinase gene of rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides was obtained from the salivary gland cDNA library of partially fed female rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides(R.haemaphysaloides)by screening expressed sequence tags(EST)with a poly(A)tarck.Full sequence of the gene was obtained from 5'rapid amplification of cDNA ends(5'-RACE)protocol.RT-PCR analysis revealed that the Metalloproteinase gene was expressed in unfed and partially fed adult R.haemaphysaloides at both the salivary gland and gut.