Antagomir synthesis and application

Antagomir are miRNA-specific antisense oligonucleotides that we used for the inhibition of miR-375. The missense antagomir (Ms-Ant) was used as a negative control of antagomir and was purchased from GenePharma (Shanghai, China; http://www.genepharma.com). Non-injected ticks were used as the blank control. Unfed adult female H. longicornis ticks were microinjected through the joint between the IV coxa and the sternal plate with antagomir and Ms-Ant at a dose of 0.5 μl (10 μM). Each group contained 38 ticks and maintained in an incubator at 25 °C with 92% RH for 24 h and then infested on a rabbit for blood-feeding.