Publications

searching for novel cell cycle regulators in trypanosoma brucei with an rna interference screen.	the protozoan parasite, trypanosoma brucei, is spread by the tsetse fly and causes human african trypanosomiasis. its cell cycle is complex and not fully understood at the molecular level. the t. brucei genome contains over 6000 protein coding genes with >50% having no predicted function. a small scale rna interference (rnai) screen was carried out in trypanosoma brucei to evaluate the prospects for identifying novel cycle regulators.	2009	19309510
the population structure of glossina palpalis gambiensis from island and continental locations in coastal guinea.	we undertook a population genetics analysis of the tsetse fly glossina palpalis gambiensis, a major vector of sleeping sickness in west africa, using microsatellite and mitochondrial dna markers. our aims were to estimate effective population size and the degree of isolation between coastal sites on the mainland of guinea and loos islands. the sampling locations encompassed dubréka, the area with the highest human african trypanosomosis (hat) prevalence in west africa, mangrove and savannah site ...	2009	19290038
differential trypanosome surface coat regulation by a ccch protein that co-associates with procyclin mrna cis-elements.	the genome of trypanosoma brucei is unusual in being regulated almost entirely at the post-transcriptional level. in terms of regulation, the best-studied genes are procyclins, which encode a family of major surface gpi-anchored glycoproteins (ep1, ep2, ep3, gpeet) that show differential expression in the parasite's tsetse-fly vector. although procyclin mrna cis-regulatory sequences have provided the paradigm for post-transcriptional control in kinetoplastid parasites, trans-acting regulators of ...	2009	19247446
control of bovine trypanosomosis by restricted application of insecticides to cattle using footbaths.	african animal trypanosomoses are the main parasitological constraints to livestock production in many sub-saharan african countries infested with tsetse flies. a prospective survey was implemented in dafinso (burkina faso) to assess the effect of deltamethrin 0.005% (vectocid(nd), ceva santé animale) impregnation of cattle on trypanosomes transmission in cattle. two herds were involved in the survey. they were watered at two different waterpoints located on the same river harboring a guinean ri ...	2009	19231084
establishment of an in vitro transgene expression system in epimastigotes of trypanosoma congolense.	trypanosoma congolense epimastigote forms (emfs) adhere to the tsetse fly proboscis, proliferate, and differentiate into animal-infective metacyclic forms (mcfs). this differentiation step, called metacyclogenesis, is indispensable for the cyclical transmission of the parasite. although an in vitro metacyclogenesis culture system was established several decades ago, few genetic tools have been utilized to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying t. congolense metacyclogenesis. this study ...	2009	19135170
fragmentation analysis for prediction of suitable habitat for vectors: example of riverine tsetse flies in burkina faso.	tsetse flies are the cyclic vectors of sleeping sickness and african animal trypanosomosis. the possibility to classify the natural habitat of riverine tsetse species is explored in the mouhoun river basin, burkina faso: the objectives were to discriminate the riverine forests community types and their fragmentation levels by using landsat 7 enhanced thematic mapper images, to map tsetse densities. glossina palpalis gambiensis vanderplank 1949 (diptera: glossinidae) and g. tachinoides westwood, ...	2008	19058646
trypanosoma brucei brucei: effects of ferrous iron and heme on ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase activity.	trypanosoma brucei brucei is the causative agent of animal african trypanosomiasis, also called nagana. procyclic vector form resides in the midgut of the tsetse fly, which feeds exclusively on blood. hemoglobin digestion occurs in the midgut resulting in an intense release of free heme. in the present study we show that the magnesium-dependent ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (e-ntpdase) activity of procyclic t. brucei brucei is inhibited by ferrous iron and heme. the inhibition ...	2009	19027737
prolonged gene knockdown in the tsetse fly glossina by feeding double stranded rna.	reverse genetic studies based on rna interference (rnai) have revolutionized analysis of gene function in most insects. however the necessity of injecting double stranded rna (dsrna) inevitably compromises many investigations particularly those on immunity. additionally, injection of tsetse flies often causes significant mortality. we demonstrate, at transcript and protein level, that delivering dsrna in the bloodmeal to glossina morsitans morsitans is as effective as injection in knockdown of t ...	2009	19016913
hearing in tsetse flies? morphology and mechanics of a putative auditory organ.	tympanal hearing organs are widely used by insects to detect sound pressure. such ears are relatively uncommon in the order diptera, having only been reported in two families thus far. this study describes the general anatomical organization and experimentally examines the mechanical resonant properties of an unusual membranous structure situated on the ventral prothorax of the tsetse fly, glossina morsitans (diptera: glossinidae). anatomically, the prosternal membrane is backed by an air filled ...	2009	18954491
[not available].		1947	18921695
a record of syntomosphyrum glossinae from nigeria.		1947	18918655
the extermination of glossina palpalis fuscipes, newstead, by hand catching.		1947	18918651
some observations on the hunger-cycle of the tsetse-flies clossina swynnertoni and g. pallidipes (diptera) in the field.		1947	18918648
field experiments with ddt and benzene hexachloride against tsetse (glossina palpalis).		1948	18907559
the tsetse fly problem and its control in south africa.		1947	18907538
[not available].		1948	18891431
tsetse, the insect that conquered man.		1948	18886436
the problem of tsetse flies.		1948	18872989
the analysis of a tsetse-fly population.		1948	18863973
differential expression of a protease gene family in african trypanosomes.	during their life cycle african trypanosomes must quickly adapt to the different environments of the tsetse fly midgut and the mammalian bloodstream by modulating expression of many of their genes. one group of these differentially expressed genes encodes different forms of a major surface protease. using a luciferase reporter gene transiently or permanently transfected into trypanosomes, we show here that the 3'-utrs of these protease genes are responsible for their differential expression. del ...	2009	18848586
trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense transmitted by a single tsetse fly bite in vervet monkeys as a model of human african trypanosomiasis.	we have investigated the pathogenicity of tsetse (glossina pallidipes)-transmitted cloned strains of trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in vervet monkeys. tsetse flies were confirmed to have mature trypanosome infections by xenodiagnosis, after which nine monkeys were infected via the bite of a single infected fly. chancres developed in five of the nine (55.6%) monkeys within 4 to 8 days post infection (dpi). all nine individuals were successfully infected, with a median pre-patent period of 4 (rang ...	2008	18846231
an insect symbiosis is influenced by bacterium-specific polymorphisms in outer-membrane protein a.	beneficial bacterial symbioses are ubiquitous in nature. however, the functional and molecular basis of host tolerance to resident symbiotic microbes, in contrast to resistance to closely related bacteria that are recognized as foreign, remain largely unknown. we used the tsetse fly (glossina morsitans), which depends on symbiotic flora for fecundity and has limited exposure to foreign microbes, to investigate the tolerance phenomenon exhibited during symbiosis. we examined the potential role of ...	2008	18815366
land cover and tsetse fly distributions in sub-saharan africa.	this study aims to provide trypanosomiasis-affected countries with standardized datasets and methodologies for mapping the habitat of the tsetse fly (glossina spp., the disease vector) by customizing and integrating state-of-the-art land cover maps on different spatial scales. using a combination of inductive and deductive approaches, land cover and fly distribution maps are analysed in a geographic information system (gis) to estimate the suitability of different land cover units for the three ...	2008	18785934
the continuing problem of human african trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).	human african trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, is a neglected disease, and it continues to pose a major threat to 60 million people in 36 countries in sub-saharan africa. transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly, the disease is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus trypanosoma and comes in two types: east african human african trypanosomiasis caused by trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and the west african form caused by trypanosoma brucei gambiense. there is an early or hemo ...	2008	18756506
what happens when trypanosoma brucei leaves africa.	julius lukes and co-workers evaluated the evolutionary origin of trypanosoma equiperdum and trypanosoma evansi, parasites that cause horse and camel diseases. although similar to t. brucei, the sleeping-sickness parasite, these trypanosomes do not cycle through the tsetse fly and have been able to spread beyond africa. transmission occurs sexually, or via blood-sucking flies or vampire bats. they concluded that these parasites, which resemble yeast petite mutants, are t. brucei sub-species, whic ...	2008	18715829
the obligate mutualist wigglesworthia glossinidia influences reproduction, digestion, and immunity processes of its host, the tsetse fly.	tsetse flies (diptera: glossinidae) are vectors for trypanosome parasites, the agents of the deadly sleeping sickness disease in africa. tsetse also harbor two maternally transmitted enteric mutualist endosymbionts: the primary intracellular obligate wigglesworthia glossinidia and the secondary commensal sodalis glossinidius. both endosymbionts are transmitted to the intrauterine progeny through the milk gland secretions of the viviparous female. we administered various antibiotics either contin ...	2008	18689507
the role of b-cells and igm antibodies in parasitemia, anemia, and vsg switching in trypanosoma brucei-infected mice.	african trypanosomes are extracellular parasitic protozoa, predominantly transmitted by the bite of the haematophagic tsetse fly. the main mechanism considered to mediate parasitemia control in a mammalian host is the continuous interaction between antibodies and the parasite surface, covered by variant-specific surface glycoproteins. early experimental studies have shown that b-cell responses can be strongly protective but are limited by their vsg-specificity. we have used b-cell (micromt) and ...	2008	18688274
complete rpob gene sequencing as a suitable supplement to dna-dna hybridization for bacterial species and genus delineation.	dna-dna hybridization (ddh), the gold standard for bacterial species delineation, is a laborious method and the alternative, average nucleotide identity (ani), a genomic sequence-derived parameter, is not applicable to non-sequenced species. a universal cut-off value to delineate bacterial species does not exist, yet a ddh value <70 % and ani <95+/-0.5 % have proved useful in selected examples. we herein compare published values for ddh and ani with sequence similarity of rpob gene sequences ret ...	2008	18676461
interactions between trypanosomes and tsetse flies.	african trypanosomes are insect-borne parasites that cause sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in domesticated animals. successful transmission is the outcome of crosstalk between the trypanosome and its insect vector, the tsetse fly. this enables the parasite to undergo successive rounds of differentiation, proliferation and migration, culminating in the infection of a new mammalian host. several stage- and species-specific parasite surface molecules have been identified and there are new in ...	2008	18621142
does isometamidium chloride treatment protect tsetse flies from trypanosome infections during sit campaigns?	african animal trypanosomosis is a major pathological constraint to cattle breeding across 10 million km2 of sub-saharan west african countries infested by tsetse flies, their cyclic vectors. the release of sterile males (sterile insect technique [sit]) is a potentially important control technique aimed at eliminating the vectors. prior to release, tsetse are generally treated with isometamidium chloride, a trypanocide, to prevent them from transmitting parasites. the present study investigated ...	2008	18498613
investigations on the transmissibility of trypanosoma congolense by the tsetse fly glossina morsitans morsitans during its development in a mammalian host.	experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of the developmental stage of a monomorphic t. congolense il1180 strain, in a vertebrate host, on its transmissibility by the tsetse fly glossina morsitans morsitans westwood (diptera: glossinidae). batches of 160 male teneral tsetse flies were given a single bloodmeal on mice infected with this t. congolense strain 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 days post-infection. the proportion of infected flies in each of those batches showed that the stage of developm ...	2008	18485324
the flagellum of trypanosoma brucei: new tricks from an old dog.	african trypanosomes, i.e. trypanosoma brucei and related sub-species, are devastating human and animal pathogens that cause significant human mortality and limit sustained economic development in sub-saharan africa. t. brucei is a highly motile protozoan parasite and coordinated motility is central to both disease pathogenesis in the mammalian host and parasite development in the tsetse fly vector. therefore, understanding unique aspects of the t. brucei flagellum may uncover novel targets for ...	2008	18472102
a white eye color mutant in the tsetse fly glossina morsitans submotsitans newstead (diptera: glossinidae).	a spontaneous mutation in glossina morsitans submorsitans newstead is described. the mutant, designated wht, has white compound eyes but the ocelli and testes have normal coloration. mutants have lower than normal amounts of xanthommatin and pteridines in their heads. the lesion occurs late in the tryptophan to xanthommatin pathway, in the storage of xanthommatin in the compound eyes, or, most likely, in the transport of precursors into the compound eyes. the locus wht is on the x chromosome.	1997	18464814
health management of horses under high challenge from trypanosomes: a case study from serengeti, tanzania.	horses kept for recreational riding purposes by a wildlife tourism company in a heavily tsetse fly-infested region of north-western tanzania were systematically monitored to investigate the occurrence, presentation and management of tsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis. during a 23-month period, 18 clinical cases were diagnosed (trypanosoma brucei or trypanosoma congolense were identified) and treated and trypanosomes were implicated of involvement in four deaths. pyrexia consistently aided early d ...	2008	18450381
simple tools for assembling and searching high-density picolitre pyrophosphate sequence data.	abstract:	2008	18423012
detection of trypanosoma brucei in field-captured tsetse flies and identification of host species fed on by the infected flies.	the prevalence of trypanosome infections in tsetse flies in the chiawa area of lower zambezi in zambia, with endemic trypanosomosis, was determined by a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) method that allowed the detection of trypanosome dna and determination of the type of animal host fed on by the tsetse fly glossina pallidipes, using tsetse-derived dna extracts as templates. ninety g. pallidipes (82 females and 8 males; 18.3%) of the 492 flies captured by baited biconical traps tested positive fo ...	2008	18399780
n-acetyl d-glucosamine stimulates growth in procyclic forms of trypanosoma brucei by inducing a metabolic shift.	summarythe lectin-inhibitory sugars d-glucosamine (glcn) and n-acetyl d-glucosamine (glcnac) are known to enhance susceptibility of the tsetse fly vector to infection with trypanosoma brucei. glcnac also stimulates trypanosome growth in vitro in the absence of any factor derived from the fly. here, we show that glcnac cannot be used as a direct energy source, nor is it internalized by trypanosomes. it does, however, inhibit glucose uptake by binding to the hexose transporter. deprivation of d-gl ...	2008	18371239
turnover of glycosomes during life-cycle differentiation of trypanosoma brucei.	protozoan kinetoplastida, a group that comprises the pathogenic trypanosoma brucei, compartmentalize several metabolic systems such as the major part of the glycolytic pathway, in multiple peroxisome-like organelles, designated glycosomes. trypanosomes have a complicated life cycle, involving two major, distinct stages living in the mammalian bloodstream and several stages inhabiting different body parts of the tsetse fly. previous studies on non-differentiating trypanosomes have shown that the ...	2008	18365344
from ubombo to mkhuzi: disease, colonial science, and the control of nagana (livestock trypanosomosis) in zululand, south africa, c. 1894-1953.	this article looks at the scientific studies and debates that surrounded the control of nagana (trypanosomosis in livestock) in zululand, south africa, from the late nineteenth century until the 1950s. by 1953 the disease appeared to be contained following the use of ddt to exterminate the tsetse fly that spread the infection from immune wildlife to susceptible livestock. it argues that south africa made an important contribution to western knowledge about trypanosomosis in terms of its etiology ...	2008	18326887
biostraticola tofi gen. nov., spec. nov., a novel member of the family enterobacteriaceae.	bacterial strain bf36t, isolated from the biofilm of a tufa deposit in a hard water rivulet, was characterized by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. cells of these organisms were gram-negative, motile, nonpigmented, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming, and facultatively anaerobic. cells, organized in loose consortia, were coated by a massive slime layer. phylogenetic analyses using 16s rrna gene sequences showed that strain bf36t was a member of the family enterobacteriaceae, class gammaproteobacter ...	2008	18324435
the use of yellow fluorescent hybrids to indicate mating in trypanosoma brucei.	abstract:	2008	18298832
predicted distribution and movement of glossina palpalis palpalis (diptera: glossinidae) in the wet and dry seasons in the kogo trypanosomiasis focus (equatorial guinea).	the aim of this study was to predict the distribution and movement of populations of the tsetse fly, glossina palpalis palpalis (diptera: glossinidae), in the wet and dry seasons and to analyze the impact of the use of mono-pyramidal traps on fly populations in the kogo focus in 2004 and 2005. three glossina species are present in kogo: glossina palpalis palpalis, major hat vector in west-central africa, glossina caliginea, and glossina tabaniformis. the apparent density (ad) of g. p. palpalis c ...	2007	18260511
adaptations of trypanosoma brucei to gradual loss of kinetoplast dna: trypanosoma equiperdum and trypanosoma evansi are petite mutants of t. brucei.	trypanosoma brucei is a kinetoplastid flagellate, the agent of human sleeping sickness and ruminant nagana in africa. kinetoplastid flagellates contain their eponym kinetoplast dna (kdna), consisting of two types of interlocked circular dna molecules: scores of maxicircles and thousands of minicircles. maxicircles have typical mitochondrial genes, most of which are translatable only after rna editing. minicircles encode guide rnas, required for decrypting the maxicircle transcripts. the life cyc ...	2008	18245376
the application of insecticides by aircraft to the control of tsetse flies in south africa.		1949	18150127
an experiment in control of tsetse with ddt-treated oxen.		1949	18130379
glossina pallidipes and open country in the coastal area of kenya.		1949	18130376
trypanosoma brucei brucei induces alteration in the head proteome of the tsetse fly vector glossina palpalis gambiensis.	parasitic manipulations of host behaviour are known from a wide range of host-parasite associations. however, the understanding of these phenomena is far from complete and detailed investigation of their proximate causes is needed. many studies report behavioural modifications, such as altered feeding rates in tsetse fly (glossina) infected with the mature transmissible stage (i.e. metacyclic) of the trypanosomes. here, bidimensional (2d) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were employed t ...	2007	18092995
the direct route: a simplified pathway for protein import into the mitochondrion of trypanosomes.	trypanosoma brucei is a unicellular eukaryote that causes the deadly human african trypanosomiasis ('sleeping sickness') in humans. the parasite has a complicated lifestyle, it developmentally changes aspects of its mitochondrial function as it alternates from forms in the tsetse fly to forms adapted for life in the human bloodstream. the single mitochondrion found in each trypanosome has to be duplicated precisely in each round of the cell cycle in order for parasites to replicate, and this dep ...	2008	18068984
tsetse fly host preference from sleeping sickness foci in cameroon: epidemiological implications.	to determine the tsetse fly host preferences in two sleeping sickness foci of southern cameroon, four entomological surveys (two in each focus) were carried out. for the whole study, 4929 tsetse flies were caught: 3933 (79.8%) glossina palpalis palpalis, 626 (12.7%) glossina pallicera pallicera, 276 (5.6%) glossina nigrofusca and 94 (1.9%) glossina caliginea. one hundred and thirty-eight blood meals were collected and the origin of 118 (85.5%) meals was successfully identified: 38.4% from man, 2 ...	2008	17977803
a novel, high-throughput technique for species identification reveals a new species of tsetse-transmitted trypanosome related to the trypanosoma brucei subgenus, trypanozoon.	we describe a novel method of species identification, fluorescent fragment length barcoding, based on length variation in regions of the 18s and 28salpha ribosomal dna. fluorescently tagged primers, designed in conserved regions of the 18s and 28salpha ribosomal dna, were used to amplify fragments with inter-species size variation, and sizes determined accurately using an automated dna sequencer. by using multiple regions and different fluorochromes, a barcode unique to each species was generate ...	2008	17964224
copulation behaviour of glossina pallidipes (diptera: muscidae) outside and inside the female, with a discussion of genitalic evolution.	if species-specific male genitalia are courtship devices under sexual selection by cryptic female choice, then species-specific aspects of the morphology and behaviour of male genitalia should often function to stimulate the female during copulation. the morphology and behaviour of the complex, species-specific male genitalia of the tsetse fly, glossina pallidipes austen, were determined from both direct observations and dissections of flash-frozen copulating pairs; we found that some male genit ...	2007	17916266
population structuring of glossina palpalis gambiensis (diptera: glossinidae) according to landscape fragmentation in the mouhoun river, burkina faso.	the impact of landscape fragmentation due to human and climatic mediated factors on the structure of a population of glossina palpalis gambiensis vanderplank (diptera: glossinidae) was investigated in the mouhoun river basin, burkina faso. allele frequencies at five microsatellite loci, and metric properties based on 11 wing landmarks, were compared between four populations. the populations originated from the mouhoun river and one of its tributaries. the average distance between samples was 72 ...	2007	17915509
activation of endocytosis as an adaptation to the mammalian host by trypanosomes.	immune evasion in african trypanosomes is principally mediated by antigenic variation, but rapid internalization of surface-bound immune factors may contribute to survival. endocytosis is upregulated approximately 10-fold in bloodstream compared to procyclic forms, and surface coat remodeling accompanies transition between these life stages. here we examined expression of endocytosis markers in tsetse fly stages in vivo and monitored modulation during transition from bloodstream to procyclic for ...	2007	17905918
thermal tolerance in a south-east african population of the tsetse fly glossina pallidipes (diptera, glossinidae): implications for forecasting climate change impacts.	for tsetse (glossina spp.), the vectors of human and animal trypanosomiases, the physiological mechanisms linking variation in population dynamics with changing weather conditions have not been well established. here, we investigate high- and low-temperature tolerance in terms of activity limits and survival in a natural population of adult glossina pallidipes from eastern zambia. due to increased interest in chilling flies for handling and aerial dispersal in sterile insect technique control an ...	2008	17889900
critical thermal limits depend on methodological context.	a full-factorial study of the effects of rates of temperature change and start temperatures was undertaken for both upper and lower critical thermal limits (ctls) using the tsetse fly, glossina pallidipes. results show that rates of temperature change and start temperatures have highly significant effects on ctls, although the duration of the experiment also has a major effect. contrary to a widely held expectation, slower rates of temperature change (i.e. longer experimental duration) resulted ...	2007	17878142
tsetse fly puparia: a new collecting technique.		1963	17841564
a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-based treatment alleviates trypanosomiasis-associated immunopathology.	the gpi-anchored trypanosome variant surface glycoprotein (vsg) triggers macrophages to produce tnf, involved in trypanosomiasis-associated inflammation and the clinical manifestation of sleeping sickness. aiming at inhibiting immunopathology during experimental trypanosoma brucei infections, a vsg-derived gpi-based treatment approach was developed. to achieve this, mice were exposed to the gpi before an infectious trypanosome challenge. this gpi-based strategy resulted in a significant prolonge ...	2007	17785839
the glossina morsitans tsetse fly saliva: general characteristics and identification of novel salivary proteins.	the tsetse fly (glossina spp.) is an obligate blood-sucking insect that transmits different human-pathogenic and livestock threatening trypanosome species in africa. to obtain more insight in the tsetse salivary function, some general aspects of the tsetse fly saliva and its composition were studied. direct ph and protein content measurements revealed a moderately alkaline (ph approximately 8.0) salivary environment with approximately 4.3 microg soluble proteins per gland and a constant represen ...	2007	17785195
bacterial endosymbiont of the slender pigeon louse, columbicola columbae, allied to endosymbionts of grain weevils and tsetse flies.	the current study focuses on a symbiotic bacterium found in the slender pigeon louse, columbicola columbae (insecta: phthiraptera). molecular phylogenetic analyses indicated that the symbiont belongs to the gamma subdivision of the class proteobacteria and is allied to sodalis glossinidius, the secondary symbiont of tsetse flies (glossina spp.) and also to the primary symbiont of grain weevils (sitophilus spp.). relative-rate tests revealed that the symbiont of c. columbae exhibits accelerated m ...	2007	17766458
spatial and temporal variability of the glossina palpalis palpalis population in the mbini focus (equatorial guinea).	human african trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease. the geographical distribution of the disease is linked to the spatial distribution of the tsetse fly. as part of a control campaign using traps, the spatial and temporal variability is analysed of the glossina populations present in the mbini sleeping sickness foci (equatorial guinea).	2007	17760953
the tsetse fly.		1927	17759790
differential expression of fat body genes in glossina morsitans morsitans following infection with trypanosoma brucei brucei.	to determine which fat body genes were differentially expressed following infection of glossina morsitans morsitans with trypanosoma brucei brucei we generated four suppression subtractive hybridisation (ssh) libraries. we obtained 52 unique gene fragments (ssh clones) of which 30 had a known orthologue at e-05 or less. overall the characteristics of the orthologues suggest: (i) that trypanosome infection has a considerable effect on metabolism in the tsetse fly; (ii) that self-cured flies are m ...	2008	17697681
sleeping sickness in uganda: revisiting current and historical distributions.	sleeping sickness is a parasitic, vector-borne disease, carried by the tsetse fly and prevalent in sub-saharan africa. the disease continues to pose a public health burden in uganda, which experienced a widespread outbreak in 1900-1920, and a more recent outbreak in 1976-1989. the disease continues to spread to uninfected districts.	2006	17604511
trypanosoma brucei 29-13 strain is inducible in but not permissive for the tsetse fly vector.	using green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we have shown that the strain 29-13 of trypanosoma brucei, widely used for inducible down-regulation of mrna, is inducible in, but not permissive for the tsetse flies glossina palpalis gambiensis and glossina morsitans morsitans. within two weeks post-infection, 42% males and females of teneral and non-teneral tsetse flies harboured intestinal infections, yet not a single infection progressed into the salivary glands.	2007	17603043
migration of african trypanosomes across the blood-brain barrier.	subspecies of the extracellular parasite, trypanosoma brucei, which are spread by the tsetse fly in sub-saharan africa, cause in humans sleeping sickness. in experimental rodent models the parasite can at a certain stage of disease pass through the blood-brain barrier across or between the endothelial cells and the vessel basement membranes. the laminin composition of the basement membranes determines whether they are permissive to parasite penetration. one cytokine, interferon-gamma, plays an i ...	2007	17582444
trypanosoma brucei vacuolar protein sorting 41 (vps41) is required for intracellular iron utilization and maintenance of normal cellular morphology.	procyclic forms of trypanosoma brucei brucei remain and propagate in the midgut of tsetse fly where iron is rich. additional iron is also required for their growth in in vitro culture. however, little is known about the genes involved in iron metabolism and the mechanism of iron utilization in procyclic-form cells. therefore, we surveyed the genes involved in iron metabolism in the t. b. brucei genome sequence database. we found a potential homologue of vacuole protein sorting 41 (vps41), a gene ...	2007	17577424
dynamics of infection and competition between two strains of trypanosoma brucei brucei in the tsetse fly observed using fluorescent markers.	genetic exchange occurs between trypanosoma brucei strains during the complex developmental cycle in the tsetse vector, probably within the salivary glands. successful mating will depend on the dynamics of co-infection with multiple strains, particularly if intraspecific competition occurs. we have previously used t. brucei expressing green fluorescent protein to study parasite development in the vector, enabling even one trypanosome to be visualized. here we have used two different trypanosome ...	2007	17553128
patterns of co-evolution between trypanosomes and their hosts deduced from ribosomal rna and protein-coding gene phylogenies.	trypanosomes (genus trypanosoma) are widespread blood parasites of vertebrates, usually transmitted by arthropod or leech vectors. most trypanosomes have lifecycles that alternate between a vertebrate host, where they exist in the bloodstream, and an invertebrate host, where they develop in the alimentary tract. this raises the question of whether one type of host has had greater influence on the evolution of the genus. working from the generally accepted view that trypanosomes are monophyletic, ...	2007	17513135
molecular aspects of transferrin expression in the tsetse fly (glossina morsitans morsitans).	iron is an essential element for metabolic processes intrinsic to life, and yet the properties that make iron a necessity also make it potentially deleterious. to avoid harm, iron homeostasis is achieved via proteins involved in transport and storage of iron, one of which is transferrin. we describe the temporal and spatial aspects of transferrin (gmmtsf) expression and its transcriptional regulation in tsetse where both the male and female are strictly hematophagous. using northern, western and ...	2007	17498733
sample preparation for chromatography: an african perspective.	africa as a continent has its unique challenges for analytical chemists in sample preparation for chromatographic analyses. the areas of agriculture, environment, food and health provide formidable challenges when it comes to method development, for example, drought can result in inadequate supplies of good quality water. the testing of water quality necessitates the development of assay methods that can be employed to not only determine the quantities of pesticides associated with malaria and t ...	2007	17459398
troglitazone induces differentiation in trypanosoma brucei.	trypanosoma brucei, a protozoan parasite causing sleeping sickness, is transmitted by the tsetse fly and undergoes a complex lifecycle including several defined stages within the insect vector and its mammalian host. in the latter, differentiation from the long slender to the short stumpy form is induced by a yet unknown factor of trypanosomal origin. here we describe that some thiazolidinediones are also able to induce differentiation. in higher eukaryotes, thiazolidinediones are involved in me ...	2007	17428467
human african trypanosomiasis transmission, kinshasa, democratic republic of congo.	to investigate the epidemiology of human african trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo, 2 entomologic surveys were conducted in 2005. trypanosoma brucei gambiense and human-blood meals were found in tsetse fly midguts, which suggested active disease transmission. vector control should be used to improve human african trypanosomiasis control efforts.	2006	17326955
livestock farmers' perception and epidemiology of bovine trypanosomosis in kwale district, kenya.	we did cross-sectional surveys in kwale district, kenya to determine the epidemiology of bovine trypanosomosis and livestock owners' perceptions of the disease. the surveys involved relative importance of trypanosomosis, examination of the current disease constraints, current control practices and drug-use patterns. informal meetings were held with farmers and cattle census undertaken. tsetse-fly densities and trypanosomosis prevalences in cattle were determined. a total of 132 farmers were inte ...	2007	17324481
characterization of the role of the receptors pex5 and pex7 in the import of proteins into glycosomes of trypanosoma brucei.	peroxins 5 and 7 are receptors for protein import into the peroxisomal matrix. we studied the involvement of these peroxins in the biogenesis of glycosomes in the protozoan parasite trypanosoma brucei. glycosomes are peroxisome-like organelles in which a major part of the glycolytic pathway is sequestered. we here report the characterization of the t. brucei homologue of pex7 and provide several data strongly suggesting that it can bind to pex5. depletion of pex5 or pex7 by rna interference had ...	2007	17320990
factors affecting trypanosome maturation in tsetse flies.	trypanosoma brucei brucei infections which establish successfully in the tsetse fly midgut may subsequently mature into mammalian infective trypanosomes in the salivary glands. this maturation is not automatic and the control of these events is complex. utilising direct in vivo feeding experiments, we report maturation of t. b. brucei infections in tsetse is regulated by antioxidants as well as environmental stimuli. dissection of the maturation process provides opportunities to develop transmis ...	2007	17318257
replication of flock house virus in three genera of medically important insects.	flock house virus (family nodaviridae, genus alphanodavirus, fhv) was originally isolated from grass grubs costelytra zealandica (white) (coleoptera: scarabaeidae) in new zealand and belongs to a family of divided genome, plus-sense rna insect viruses. fhv replicates in insects, a nematode, plants, and yeast. we previously reported replication of fhv in four genera of mosquitoes and expression of green fluorescent protein in aedes aegypti (l.) produced by an fhv-based vector. we report here that ...	2007	17294927
selective use of odour-baited, insecticide-treated targets to control tsetse flies glossina austeni and g. brevipalpis in south africa.	the effectiveness of odour-baited targets treated with 0.8% deltamethrin in controlling glossina austeni newstead and g. brevipalpis newstead (diptera: glossinidae) was evaluated in zululand, south africa. targets were initially deployed in the three habitat types (grassland, woodland and forest) of two adjacent areas at a density of four targets per km(2). one area functioned as the treatment block (c. 35 km(2)) and included the focus of the target deployment, and the second area functioned as ...	2006	17199759
the effect of starvation on the susceptibility of teneral and non-teneral tsetse flies to trypanosome infection.	transmission of vector-borne diseases depends largely on the ability of the insect vector to become infected with the parasite. in tsetse flies, newly emerged or teneral flies are considered the most likely to develop a mature, infective trypanosome infection. this was confirmed during experimental infections where laboratory-reared glossina morsitans morsitans westwood (diptera: glossinidae) were infected with trypanosoma congolense or t. brucei brucei. the ability of mature adult tsetse flies ...	2006	17199750
bovine transcriptome analysis by sage technology during an experimental trypanosoma congolense infection.	in central and sub-saharan africa, trypanosomosis is a tsetse fly-transmitted disease, which is considered as the most important impediment to livestock production in the region. however, several indigenous west african taurine breeds (bos taurus) present remarkable tolerance to the infection. this genetic capability, named trypanotolerance, results from numerous biological mechanisms most probably under multigenic dependences, among which are control of the trypanosome infection by limitation o ...	2006	17135528
tsetse control in cattle from pyrethroid footbaths.	in burkina faso, we assessed the efficacy of treating cattle with a footbath containing aqueous formulations of pyrethroids to control two tsetse-fly species, glossina tachinoides westwood, 1850 (diptera, glossinidae) and glossina palpalis gambiensis vanderplank 1949. legs were the most targeted parts of the body for tsetse-fly blood meals: 81% (95% ci: 73, 89) for g. tachinoides and 88% (81, 95) for g. palpalis. the in-stable efficacy of footbath treatments was compared with manual full sprayin ...	2007	17126431
dynamics of reductive genome evolution in mitochondria and obligate intracellular microbes.	reductive evolution in mitochondria and obligate intracellular microbes has led to a significant reduction in their genome size and guanine plus cytosine content (gc). we show that genome shrinkage during reductive evolution in prokaryotes follows an exponential decay pattern and provide a method to predict the extent of this decay on an evolutionary timescale. we validated predictions by comparison with estimated extents of genome reduction known to have occurred in mitochondria and buchnera ap ...	2007	17108184
new polymorphic microsatellites in glossina pallidipes (diptera: glossinidae) and their cross-amplification in other tsetse fly taxa.	we report the development and characterization of three new microsatellite markers in the tsetse fly, glossina pallidipes (diptera: glossinidae). fifty-eight alleles were scored in 192 individuals representing six natural populations. allelic diversity ranged from 9 to 28 alleles per locus (mean 19.3 +/- 5.5). averaged across loci, observed heterozygosity was 0.581 +/- 0.209, and expected heterozygosity was 0.619 +/- 0.181. cross-species amplifications of the g. pallidipes loci in other tsetse f ...	2006	17103047
molecular characterization of iron binding proteins from glossina morsitans morsitans (diptera: glossinidae).	the regulation of iron is critical for maintaining homeostasis in the tsetse fly (diptera: glossinidae), in which both adult sexes are strict blood feeders. we have characterized the cdnas for two putative iron-binding proteins (ibps) involved in transport and storage; transferrin (gmmtsf1) and ferritin from glossina morsitans morsitans. gmmtsf1 transcripts are detected in the female fat body and in adult reproductive tissues, and only in the adult developmental stage in a bloodmeal independent ...	2006	17098167
cyclical transmission of trypanosoma brucei gambiense in glossina palpalis gambiensis displays great differences among field isolates.	six sets of teneral glossina palpalis gambiensis (diptera: glossinidae) were fed on mice infected with six different isolates of trypanosoma brucei gambiense (each mouse was infected with one of the isolates), previously isolated from patients in the sleeping sickness focus of bonon, côte d'ivoire and in makoua, congo. all the tsetse flies were dissected 42 days post-infection and midgut and salivary glands were examined for trypanosomes by microscopical examination. no infection was observed wi ...	2006	17069743
gis and multiple-criteria evaluation for the optimisation of tsetse fly eradication programmes.	tsetse flies are the vectors of trypanosomes, the causal agent of trypanosomiasis, a widespread disease of livestock and people in africa. control of tsetse may open vast areas of land to livestock-keeping, with the associated benefits of developing mixed crop-livestock production systems. however, as well as possible positive impacts there are also risks: bush clearing would accelerate and cattle numbers would rise, leading to a reduction of vegetation cover, and an increase in runoff and erosi ...	2007	17058018
molecular aspects of viviparous reproductive biology of the tsetse fly (glossina morsitans morsitans): regulation of yolk and milk gland protein synthesis.	tsetse fly (diptera: glossinidae) viviparous reproductive physiology remains to be explored at the molecular level. adult females carry their young in utero for the duration of embryonic and larval development, all the while supplying their offspring with nutrients in the form of a "milk" substance secreted from a modified accessory gland. flies give birth to fully developed third instar larvae that pupariate shortly after birth. here, we describe the spatial and temporal expression dynamics of ...	2006	17046784
protein tyrosine phosphatase tbptp1: a molecular switch controlling life cycle differentiation in trypanosomes.	differentiation in african trypanosomes (trypanosoma brucei) entails passage between a mammalian host, where parasites exist as a proliferative slender form or a g0-arrested stumpy form, and the tsetse fly. stumpy forms arise at the peak of each parasitaemia and are committed to differentiation to procyclic forms that inhabit the tsetse midgut. we have identified a protein tyrosine phosphatase (tbptp1) that inhibits trypanosome differentiation. consistent with a tyrosine phosphatase, recombinant ...	2006	17043136
depletion of the thioredoxin homologue tryparedoxin impairs antioxidative defence in african trypanosomes.	in trypanosomes, the thioredoxin-type protein txn (tryparedoxin) is a multi-purpose oxidoreductase that is involved in the detoxification of hydroperoxides, the synthesis of dna precursors and the replication of the kinetoplastid dna. african trypanosomes possess two isoforms that are localized in the cytosol and in the mitochondrion of the parasites respectively. here we report on the biological significance of the ctxn (cytosolic txn) of trypanosoma brucei for hydroperoxide detoxification. dep ...	2007	17040206
[return of african sleeping sickness].	at present there is a steady rise in african sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis) transmitted by the tsetse fly, and which if left untreated, is fatal. thanks to more than so years of neglect by research, our therapeutic repertoire is limited to medications with a high level of toxicity. both who and international aid organizations are pushing hard for the development of new, more efficient drugs that can be readily applied in the field.	2006	17036906
gpi-anchored proteins and free gpi glycolipids of procyclic form trypanosoma brucei are nonessential for growth, are required for colonization of the tsetse fly, and are not the only components of the surface coat.	the procyclic form of trypanosoma brucei exists in the midgut of the tsetse fly. the current model of its surface glycocalyx is an array of rod-like procyclin glycoproteins with glycosylphosphatidylinositol (gpi) anchors carrying sialylated poly-n-acetyllactosamine side chains interspersed with smaller sialylated poly-n-acetyllactosamine-containing free gpi glycolipids. mutants for tbgpi12, deficient in the second step of gpi biosynthesis, were devoid of cell surface procyclins and poly-n-acetyl ...	2006	17035628
genetic and morphometric evidence for population isolation of glossina palpalis gambiensis (diptera: glossinidae) on the loos islands, guinea.	allele frequencies at four microsatellite loci, and morphometric features based on 11 wing landmarks, were compared among three populations of glossina palpalis gambiensis (diptera: glossinidae) in guinea. one population originated from the loos islands separated from the capital conakry by 5 km of sea, and the two others originated from the continental mangrove area close to dubreka, these two groups being separated by approximately 30 km. microsatellites and wing geometry data both converged t ...	2006	17017219
vector competence of glossina palpalis gambiensis for trypanosoma brucei s.l. and genetic diversity of the symbiont sodalis glossinidius.	tsetse flies transmit african trypanosomes, responsible for sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals. this disease affects many people with considerable impact on public health and economy in sub-saharan africa, whereas trypanosomes' resistance to drugs is rising. the symbiont sodalis glossinidius is considered to play a role in the ability of the fly to acquire trypanosomes. different species of glossina were shown to harbor genetically distinct populations of s. glossinidius. we there ...	2007	17012373
tsetse fly saliva accelerates the onset of trypanosoma brucei infection in a mouse model associated with a reduced host inflammatory response.	tsetse flies (glossina sp.) are the vectors that transmit african trypanosomes, protozoan parasites that cause human sleeping sickness and veterinary infections in the african continent. these blood-feeding dipteran insects deposit saliva at the feeding site that enables the blood-feeding process. here we demonstrate that tsetse fly saliva also accelerates the onset of a trypanosoma brucei infection. this effect was associated with a reduced inflammatory reaction at the site of infection initiat ...	2006	16954393
interspecific transfer of bacterial endosymbionts between tsetse fly species: infection establishment and effect on host fitness.	tsetse flies (glossina spp.) can harbor up to three distinct species of endosymbiotic bacteria that exhibit unique modes of transmission and evolutionary histories with their host. two mutualist enterics, wigglesworthia and sodalis, are transmitted maternally to tsetse flies' intrauterine larvae. the third symbiont, from the genus wolbachia, parasitizes developing oocytes. in this study, we determined that sodalis isolates from several tsetse fly species are virtually identical based on a phylog ...	2006	16950907
analysis of fat body transcriptome from the adult tsetse fly, glossina morsitans morsitans.	tsetse flies (diptera: glossinidia) are vectors of pathogenic african trypanosomes. to develop a foundation for tsetse physiology, a normalized expressed sequence tag (est) library was constructed from fat body tissue of immune-stimulated glossina morsitans morsitans. analysis of 20,257 high-quality ests yielded 6372 unique genes comprised of 3059 tentative consensus (tc) sequences and 3313 singletons (available at http://aksoylab.yale.edu). we analysed the putative fat body transcriptome based ...	2006	16907828
patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation in the tsetse fly glossina morsitans morsitans westwood populations in east and southern africa.	genetic diversity and differentiation within and among nine g. morsitans morsitans populations from east and southern africa was assessed by examining variation at seven microsatellite loci and a mitochondrial locus, cytochrome oxidase (coi). mean coi diversity within populations was 0.63+/-0.33 and 0.81 taken over all populations. diversities averaged over microsatellite loci were high (mean number of alleles/locus>or=7.4; mean he>or=65%) in all populations. diversities averaged across populati ...	2007	16897444
trypanosoma congolense procyclins: unmasking cryptic major surface glycoproteins in procyclic forms.	in the tsetse fly, the protozoan parasite trypanosoma congolense is covered by a dense layer of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (gpi)-anchored molecules. these include a protease-resistant surface molecule (prs), which is expressed by procyclic forms early in infection, and a glutamic acid- and alanine-rich protein (garp), which appears at later stages. since neither of these surface antigens is expressed at intermediate stages, we investigated whether a gpi-anchored protein of 50 to 58 kda, previo ...	2006	16896226
the tsetse fly glossina palpalis palpalis is composed of several genetically differentiated small populations in the sleeping sickness focus of bonon, côte d'ivoire.	glossina palpalis is the main vector of human african trypanosomosis (hat, or sleeping sickness) that dramatically affects human health in sub-saharan africa. because of the implications of genetic structuring of vector populations for the design and efficacy of control campaigns, g. palpalis palpalis in the most active focus of sleeping sickness in côte d'ivoire was studied to determine whether this taxon is genetically structured. high and statistically significant levels of within population ...	2007	16890499
biting flies and trypanosoma vivax infection in three highland districts bordering lake tana, ethiopia.	an epidemiological study was conducted to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in cattle, small ruminants and equidae, and to identify biting flies; potential mechanical vectors of trypanosomes in the three districts of bahir dar zuria, dembia and fogera, bordering lake tana, ethiopia. about 1509 cattle, 798 small ruminants and 749 equidae were bled for the prevalence study using the buffy-coat method and the measurement of the hematocrit value. sixty-six ngu and 20 monoconical traps were ...	2006	16890359
glossina fuscipes fuscipes in the trypanosomiasis endemic areas of south eastern uganda: apparent density, trypanosome infection rates and host feeding preferences.	a study was undertaken in three districts in south eastern uganda endemic for human and animal trypanosomiasis, to investigate the status of the vector tsetse fly population. apparent density (ad) of tsetse was between 2 and 21 flies/trap/day across the three districts, with glossinia fuscipes fuscipes identified as the predominant species. trypanosomes were observed in g.f. fuscipes with an infection rate, as determined by microscopy, of 1.55% across the three studied areas. however, trypanosom ...	2006	16870129