Fig. 1

Pathogen-tick and pathogen-host interactions. The scheme represents carbohydrate mediated interactions depicting in particular the most well-known interacting partners of Borrelia, tick vector and host (a) and Anaplasma, tick vector and host (b). Both Borrelia and Anaplasma produce adhesion molecules recognizing either a specific glycoprotein (such as TROSPA, decorin) or a specific glycan (core α1,3-fucose, sialylated glycans) in the tick and the host. Furthermore, Borrelia produce proteins interacting with host glycoproteins regulating its immune system. Two examples of the recognized glycans are shown in (b): an O-glycan bearing both α1,3-bound fucose and also a sialic acid, and an N-glycan with its core modified by the α1,3-bound fucose. The used symbol nomenclature is based on the Consortium for Functional Glycomics (http://www.functionalglycomics.org/)