Rhipicephalus appendiculatus C5 Inhibitor (RaCI) and similar proteins
This family includes Rhipicephalus appendiculatus C5 inhibitors RaCI1 and RaCI2, Dermacentor andersoni RaCI3, and other homologs. These are novel tick-derived C5 inhibitors that do not share any similarity to previously characterized tick complement inhibitors such as OmCI. Complement C5 activation generates the potent anaphylatoxin C5a and leads to pathogen lysis, inflammation, and cell damage. RaCI binds human C5 and blocks the generation of C5a and membrane attack complex formation. The small size of RaCI compared with OmCI, and their different target sites on C5 (C5d-CUB and C5d-MG1-MG2, respectively), may help define better therapeutic complement 5 inhibitors.