Parthenogenetic Haemaphysalis longicornis acetylcholinesterases are triggered by the repellent effect of cinnamaldehyde, a primary compound found in cinnamon oil

•Cinnamaldehyde is a good repellent for tick (nymph).•Acetylcholinesterases as the key molecule in tick repellency by cinnamaldehyde.•Acetylcholinesterases are tick-specific repellent molecules.•Acetylcholinesterases are broad-spectrum targets of various repellents. The control and prevention of ticks and tick-borne diseases rely on chemical insecticides and repellents. Plant-derived compounds potentially represent new and safer repellents. Cinnamaldehyde, a component of cinnamon oil, exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, acaricidal, and repellent activity against ticks. Here we studied the molecular mechanism of the repellent effect of cinnamaldehyde on Haemaphysalis longicornis. A 2 % cinnamaldehyde treatment resulted in >90 % nymph repellency within 6 h. Nymphs were exposed to cinnamaldehyde for 30 min, and subsequent transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed the involvement of H. longicornis Acetylcholinesterases (HL-AchEs) in the response process. HL-AchEs was transcribed in all tick developmental stages and tissues. Following cinnamaldehyde treatment, the transcript and specific activity of the enzyme of AchE were significantly altered. Following RNAi, electroantennography (EAG) tests demonstrated a significant decrease in response to various repellents as well as a significant decrease in repellency. Our findings have revealed that HL-AchEs mediates cinnamaldehyde-induced tick repellency, and the results provide insights into the mechanism of plant-derived tick repellents.