A new lipid carrier protein in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus

•The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus is able to incorporate and convert simple fatty acids into more complex lipids.•This tick species has only one lipoprotein capable of transporting fatty acids and free cholesterol by hemolymph to the organs.•This lipoprotein is classified as high density (1.18 g/L), has a molecular mass of 420 kDa under non-denaturing conditions and one subunit with molecular mass 122 kDa.•The main lipoprotein lipid classes are free cholesterol, phospholipids, and triacylglycerol.