Publications

biostable insect kinin analogs reduce blood meal and disrupt ecdysis in the blood-gorging chagas' disease vector, rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus is a blood-gorging hemipteran that takes blood meals that are approximately 10 times its body weight. this blood meal is crucial for growth and development and is needed to ensure a successful molt into the next instar. kinins are a multifunctional family of neuropeptides which have been shown to play a role in the control of feeding in a variety of insects. in this study, two biostable aib-containing kinin analogs were tested to see if they interfere with blood-feeding and sub ...	2016	26807486
the role of light in chagas disease infection risk in colombia.	chagas disease is the most important vector-borne disease in latin america and rhodnius prolixus is the main vector in colombia. control strategies in this region have shown poor outcomes due to the insect's ability to disperse between the sylvatic and the domestic habitat. because insect migration to houses is responsible to sustain contact rates between vectors and humans, understanding the risk factors that promote migration could be important in designing control strategies. in this respect, ...	2016	26732186
behavioral and toxicological responses of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) to the insect repellents deet and ir3535.	,n-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) is a broad-spectrum insect repellent used by millions of people since the 1950s. ethyl 3-[acetyl(butyl)amino]propanoate (ir3535) is a repellent developed more recently that is still not used as extensively. this study compares the behavioral and toxicological effects of both substances in fifth-instar nymphs of the blood-sucking bug rhodnius prolixus stål (hemiptera: reduviidae), one of the main vectors of american trypanosomiasis (chagas disease). repellency ...	2016	26637386
modeling the effects of palm-house proximity on the theoretical risk of chagas disease transmission in a rural locality of the orinoco basin, colombia.	chagas disease is a major public health concern in latin america and it is transmitted by insects of the subfamily triatominae, including rhodnius spp. since palm trees are ubiquitous in colombia and a habitat for rhodnius spp., the presence of palms near villages could increase contact rates between vectors and humans. therefore, knowing whether a relationship exists between the proximity of palms to villages and the abundance and distribution of vectors therein, may be critical for chagas dise ...	2016	27863520
isolation and characterization of the corticotropin-releasing factor-related diuretic hormone receptor in rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus, the vector of human chagas disease, is a hemipteran insect that undergoes rapid post-feeding diuresis following ingestion of a blood meal that can be up to 10 times its initial body weight. corticotropin-releasing factor-related diuretic hormone (rhopr-crf/dh) and serotonin are neurohormones that are synergistic in increasing rates of fluid secretion by malpighian tubules during this rapid post-feeding diuresis. a rhopr-crf/dh receptor transcript has now been isolated and char ...	2016	27237375
tyrosine detoxification is an essential trait in the life history of blood-feeding arthropods.	blood-feeding arthropods are vectors of infectious diseases such as dengue, zika, chagas disease, and malaria [1], and vector control is essential to limiting disease spread. because these arthropods ingest very large amounts of blood, a protein-rich meal, huge amounts of amino acids are produced during digestion. previous work on rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas disease, showed that, among all amino acids, only tyrosine degradation enzymes were overexpressed in the midgut compared to other ...	2016	27476595
neuropeptidomics in triatoma infestans. comparative transcriptomic analysis among triatomines.	chagas' disease, affecting up to 6-7 million people worldwide, is transmitted to humans through the feces of triatomine kissing bugs. from these, rhodnius prolixus, triatoma dimidiata, triatoma infestans and triatoma pallidipennis are important vectors distributed throughout the latin american subcontinent. resistance to pyrethroids has been developed by some triatomine populations, especially t. infestans, obstructing their control. given their role in the regulation of physiological processes, ...	2016	27993629
the presence of the ancestral insect telomeric motif in kissing bugs (triatominae) rules out the hypothesis of its loss in evolutionarily advanced heteroptera (cimicomorpha).	next-generation sequencing data analysis on triatoma infestans klug, 1834 (heteroptera, cimicomorpha, reduviidae) revealed the presence of the ancestral insect (ttagg)n telomeric motif in its genome. fluorescence in situ hybridization confirms that chromosomes bear this telomeric sequence in their chromosomal ends. furthermore, motif amount estimation was about 0.03% of the total genome, so that the average telomere length in each chromosomal end is almost 18 kb long. we also detected the presen ...	2016	27830050
adipokinetic hormone receptor gene identification and its role in triacylglycerol metabolism in the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus.	adipokinetic hormone (akh) has been associated with the control of energy metabolism in a large number of arthropod species due to its role on the stimulation of lipid, carbohydrate and amino acid mobilization/release. in the insect rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas' disease, triacylglycerol (tag) stores must be mobilized to sustain the metabolic requirements during moments of exercise or starvation. besides the recent identification of the r. prolixus akh peptide, other components required ...	2016	26163435
silencing the odorant receptor co-receptor rproorco affects the physiology and behavior of the chagas disease vector rhodnius prolixus.	olfaction is one of the main sensory modalities that allow insects to interpret their environment. several proteins, including odorant-binding proteins (obps) and odorant receptors (ors), are involved in this process. odorant receptors are ion channels formed by a binding unit or and an odorant receptor co-receptor (orco). the main goal of this study was to characterize the orco gene of rhodnius prolixus (rproorco) and to infer its biological functions using gene silencing. the full-length rproo ...	2016	25747010
cloning and expression of long neuropeptide f and the role of fmrfamide-like peptides in regulating egg production in the chagas vector, rhodnius prolixus.	long neuropeptide f (npf) is a neuropeptide implicated in the control of feeding, digestion and reproduction in various insect species. here we have isolated the cdna sequence encoding npf in rhodnius prolixus (rhoprnpf). the rhoprnpf gene is composed of 3 exons and 2 introns, one of which is present in the peptide coding region. rhoprnpf is 42 amino acids long and has the characteristic rfamide c-terminus, which is common of fmrfamide-like peptides (flps). quantitative pcr (qpcr) shows that rho ...	2016	27189503
allatostatin-c antagonizes the synergistic myostimulatory effect of allatotropin and serotonin in rhodnius prolixus (stal).	haematophagous insects can ingest large quantities of blood in a single meal producing a large quantity of urine in the following hours to eliminate the excess of water and mineral ions incorporated. the excretory activity of the malpighian tubules is facilitated by an increase in haemolymph circulation as a result of the intensification of aorta contractions, combined with an increase of anterior midgut peristaltic waves. we have recently shown that haemolymph circulation during post-prandial d ...	2016	27174746
haematophagy is costly: respiratory patterns and metabolism during feeding in rhodnius prolixus.	feeding on the blood of vertebrates is a risky task for haematophagous insects and it can be reasonably assumed that it should also be costly in terms of energetic expenditure. blood circulates inside vessels and it must be pumped through narrow tubular stylets to be ingested. we analysed the respiratory pattern and the energetic cost of taking a blood meal in rhodnius prolixus using flow-through and stop-flow respirometry to measure carbon dioxide emission, oxygen consumption and water loss bef ...	2016	27045096
an insight into the triabin protein family of american hematophagous reduviids: functional, structural and phylogenetic analysis.	a transcriptomic analysis of the saliva of t. pallidipennis together with a short proteomic analysis were carried out to reveal novel primary structures of the lipocalin/triabin protein families in this reduviid. although triabins share some structural characteristics to lipocalins and they are classified as in the calcyn/lipocalin superfamily, triabins differ from lipocalins in the direction of β-strands in the general conformation of the β-barrel. the triabin protein family encompasses a wide ...	2016	26891325
identification of the first insulin-like peptide in the disease vector rhodnius prolixus: involvement in metabolic homeostasis of lipids and carbohydrates.	insulin-like peptides (ilps) are functional analogs of insulin and have been identified in many insect species. the insulin cell signaling pathway is a conserved regulator of metabolism, and in insects, as well as in other animals, can modulate physiological functions associated with the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. in the present study, we have identified the first ilp from the rhodnius prolixus genome (termed rhopr-ilp) and investigated its involvement in energy metabolism of unfed ...	2016	26742603
mitochondria and the insect steroid hormone receptor (ecr): a complex relationship.	the actions of the insect steroid molting hormones, ecdysteroids, on the genome of target cells has been well studied, but little is known of their extranuclear actions. we previously showed in rhodnius prolixus that much of the ecdysteroid receptor (ecr) resides in the cytoplasm of various cell types and undergoes shuttling between nucleus and cytoplasm with circadian periodicity, possibly using microtubules as tracks for translocation to the nucleus. here we report that cytoplasmic ecr appears ...	2016	27497706
circadian control of prothoracicotropic hormone release in an adult insect and the induction of its rhythmicity by light cues.	the insect neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone (ptth) is a critical regulator of larval development. we recently demonstrated that ptth is also present in adult rhodnius prolixus and is released by adult brains in vitro with a clear daily rhythm during egg development. here, we employ a well-established in vitro bioassay, to show that the daily rhythm of ptth release by brains in vitro is under circadian control since it persists in aperiodic conditions with a free running period of around 2 ...	2016	27371111
development of data for the identification and characterization of proteins found in rhodnius prolixus, triatoma lecticularia and panstrongylus herreri.	the data presented here were obtained from the saliva of three triatominae, rhodnius prolixus, triatoma lecticularia and panstrongylus herreri from montandon et al. study, doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.02.009 [3]. these data were obtained from spectra generated by the mass spectrometry of proteins observed through the analysis of 2-d electrophoretic profiles. the data were analyzed according to the uniprot code, protein name, protein group, isoelectric point and molecular weight, electrophoretic profi ...	2016	27077085
kissing bugs can generalize and discriminate between different bitter compounds.	animals make use of contact chemoreception structures to examine the quality of potential food sources. during this evaluation they can detect nutritious compounds that promote feeding and recognize toxins that trigger evasive behaviors. although animals can easily distinguish between stimuli of different gustatory qualities (bitter, salty, sweet, etc.), their ability to discriminate between compounds of the same quality may be limited. numerous plants produce alkaloids, compounds that elicit av ...	2016	27865772
triflumuron effects on the physiology and reproduction of rhodnius prolixus adult females.	we evaluated the efficacy of the growth regulator triflumuron (tfm) in inducing mortality and disrupting both oviposition and egg hatching in rhodnius prolixus adult females. tfm was administered via feeding, topically or by continuous contact with impregnated surfaces. feeding resulted in mild biological effects compared with topical and impregnated surfaces. one day after treatment, the highest mortality levels were observed with topical surface and 30 days later both topical and impregnated s ...	2016	27822479
an insulin-like growth factor in rhodnius prolixus is involved in post-feeding nutrient balance and growth.	growth of organisms is modulated by the availability of nutrients and energy, and is mostly regulated by insulin-like growth factors (igfs) through the insulin signaling system. in insects, igfs produced by the fat body induce cell division during the molt cycle, regulate adult body size, and have metabolic effects. here, we describe an igf from the hematophagous hemipteran rhodnius prolixus and show its activity in regulating growth and metabolism in the post-feeding period during the fifth, an ...	2016	28018164
effect of the physiognomy of attalea butyracea (arecoideae) on population density and age distribution of rhodnius prolixus (triatominae).	rhodnius prolixus stål, 1859 is one of the main vectors of trypanosoma (schyzotrypanum) cruzi chagas, 1909. in its natural forest environment, this triatomine is mainly found in palm tree crowns, where it easily establishes and develops dense populations. the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the physiognomy and reproductive status of attalea butyracea on the population relative density and age structure of r. prolixus and to determine the vector's population stratification accordi ...	2015	25889617
the effect of convection on infrared detection by antennal warm cells in the bloodsucking bug rhodnius prolixus.	previous work revealed that bloodsucking bugs can discriminate between oscillating changes in infrared (ir) radiation and air temperature (t) using two types of warm cells located in peg-in-pit sensilla and tapered hairs (zopf lm, lazzari cr, tichy h. j neurophysiol 111: 1341-1349, 2014). these two stimuli are encoded and discriminated by the response quotient of the two warm cell types. ir radiation stimulates the warm cell in the peg-in-pit sensillum more strongly than that in the tapered hair ...	2015	25609113
nmr studies of the dynamics of high-spin nitrophorins: comparative studies of np4 and np2 at close to physiological ph.	the β-barrel nitrophorin (np) heme proteins are found in the saliva of the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus, which synthesizes and stores nitric oxide (no) in the salivary glands. no is bound to iron of the nps and is released by dilution and an increase in ph when the insect spits its saliva into the tissues of a victim, to aid in obtaining a blood meal. in the adult insect, there are four nitrophorins, np1-np4, which have sequence similarities in two pairs, np1 and np4 (90% identical) an ...	2015	25486224
myoinhibitors controlling oviduct contraction within the female blood-gorging insect, rhodnius prolixus.	muscle activity can be regulated by stimulatory and inhibitory neuropeptides allowing for contraction and relaxation. there are various families of neuropeptides that can be classified as inhibitors of insect muscle contraction. this study focuses on rhodnius prolixus and three neuropeptide families that have been shown to be myoinhibitors in insects: a-type allatostatins, myoinhibiting peptides (b-type allatostatins) and myosuppressins. fgla/ast-like immunoreactive axons and blebs were found on ...	2015	25482544
identification, characterization and expression of a receptor for the unusual myosuppressin in the blood-feeding bug, rhodnius prolixus.	myosuppressins are a family of the fmrfamide-like peptides. they have been characterized in many insects and shown to inhibit visceral muscle contraction. rhodnius prolixus possesses an unusual myosuppressin in that the typical flrfamide c-terminal motif is unique and ends with fmrfamide. in the present study, we isolated the cdna sequence for the r. prolixus receptor for this unusual myosuppressin (rhoprmsr). quantitative pcr indicates high relative transcript expression of rhoprmsr in the cent ...	2015	25318350
structure-activity relationships of two rhodnius prolixus calcitonin-like diuretic hormone analogs.	the calcitonin-like diuretic hormone (ct/dh) in rhodnius prolixus influences various tissues associated with feeding-related physiological events. the receptors for this peptide have also been identified and shown to be expressed in these tissues. in the present study, we have investigated the effects of two r. prolixus ct/dh analogs (full-length form and n-terminal truncated form) on hindgut contractions and in a heterologous receptor expression system. the analogs contained the amino acid meth ...	2015	24703964
adipokinetic hormone signalling system in the chagas disease vector, rhodnius prolixus.	neuropeptides and their g protein-coupled receptors are widespread throughout metazoa and in several cases, clear orthologues can be identified in both protostomes and deuterostomes. one such neuropeptide is the insect adipokinetic hormone (akh), which is related to the mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone. akh has been studied extensively and is known to mobilize lipid, carbohydrates and proline for energy-consuming activities such as flight. in order to determine the possible roles for thi ...	2015	25545120
calcium-induced lipid peroxidation is mediated by rhodnius heme-binding protein (rhbp) and prevented by vitellin.	lipid peroxidation is promoted by the quasi-lipoxygenase (ql) activity of heme proteins and enhanced by the presence of free calcium. unlike mammalian plasma, the hemolymph of rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas disease, contains both a free heme-binding protein (rhbp) and circulating lipoproteins. rhbp binds and prevents the heme groups of the proteins from participating in lipid peroxidation reactions. herein, we show that despite being bound to rhbp, heme groups promote lipid peroxidation t ...	2015	26111116
identification, functional characterization, and pharmacological profile of a serotonin type-2b receptor in the medically important insect, rhodnius prolixus.	in the chagas disease vector, rhodnius prolixus, two diuretic hormones act synergistically to dramatically increase fluid secretion by the malpighian tubules (mts) during the rapid diuresis that is initiated upon engorgement of vertebrate blood. one of these diuretic hormones is the biogenic amine, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-ht), which controls a variety of additional activities including cuticle plasticization, salivary gland secretion, anterior midgut absorption, cardioacceleratory acti ...	2015	26041983
identification and characterization of the adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide signaling system in rhodnius prolixus.	the mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone is evolutionarily related to the arthropod adipokinetic hormone and the recently discovered adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide (acp). the function of the acp signaling system in arthropods is currently unknown. in the present study, we identify and characterize the acp signaling system in the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus. we isolated the complete cdna sequence encoding r. prolixus acp (rhopr-acp) and examined its expression pattern. rhopr ...	2015	26138617
circadian modulation of learning ability in a disease vector insect, rhodnius prolixus.	despite the drastic consequences it may have on the transmission of parasites, the ability of disease vectors to learn and retain information has just begun to be characterised. the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas disease, is an excellent model, particularly because conditioning the proboscis extension response (per) constitutes a valuable paradigm to study their cognitive abilities under carefully controlled conditions. another characteristic of these bugs is the temporal orga ...	2015	26276862
thermosensation and the trpv channel in rhodnius prolixus.	the thermal sense of triatomine bugs, vectors of chagas disease, is unique among insects. not only do these bugs exhibit the highest sensitivity to heat known in any animal up to date, but they can also perceive the infrared radiation emitted by the body of their warm-blooded hosts. the sensory basis of this capacity has just started to be unravelled. to shed additional light on our understanding of thermosensation, we initiated an analysis of the genetic basis of the thermal sense in rhodnius p ...	2015	26225467
rhodnius prolixus smells repellents: behavioural evidence and test of present and potential compounds inducing repellency in chagas disease vectors.	insect repellents are known since many decades ago and constitute a major tool for personal protection against the biting of mosquitoes. despite their wide use, the understanding of why and how repellents repel is relatively recent. in particular, the question about to what extent insects other than mosquitoes are repulsed by repellents remains open. we developed a series of bioassays aimed to test the performance of well established as well as potential repellent molecules on the chagas disease ...	2015	26210345
evaluation of reference genes for insect olfaction studies.	quantitative reverse transcription pcr (qrt-pcr) is a robust and accessible method to assay gene expression and to infer gene regulation. being a chain of procedures, this technique is subject to systematic error due to biological and technical limitations mainly set by the starting material and downstream procedures. thus, rigorous data normalization is critical to grant reliability and repeatability of gene expression quantification by qrt-pcr. a number of 'housekeeping genes', involved in bas ...	2015	25896676
identification and functional characterization of fglamide-related allatostatin receptor in rhodnius prolixus.	fglamide-related asts (fgla/asts) are a family of brain/gut peptides with numerous physiological roles, including inhibition of juvenile hormone (jh) biosynthesis by the corpora allata and inhibition of visceral muscle contraction. fgla/asts mediate their effects by binding to a rhodopsin-like g-protein coupled receptor that is evolutionarily related to the vertebrate galanin receptor. here we determine the cdna sequence encoding fgla/ast receptor (fgla/ast-r) from the chagas disease vector, rho ...	2015	25500190
[morphogenetic effects of precocene ii on nymphs of rhodnius prolixus (stal, 1859) (hemiptera-triatominae)].	the morphogenetic effects of precocene ii in nymphs of 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-instar of rhodnius prolixus were studied. a high number of insects underwent precocious metamorphosis by topical treatment (10-30 micrograms/insect) or adding the drug to the blood meal (25 micrograms/ml of blood). adultoids of 4th- and 5th-instar, obtained by both treatments of 3rd- and 4th-instar, respectively, had mainly fully adult abdominal cuticle, ocelli, three segmented tarsi, rudimentary wings containing ad ...	2015	6398392
vital statistics of triatominae (hemiptera: reduviidae) under laboratory conditions: iv. panstrongylus geniculatus.	a cohort of 100 eggs of panstrongylus geniculatus (latreille) was reared in the laboratory under constant conditions (temperature 26 ± 1°c, 60 ± 10% rh), with mortality and fecundity data recorded weekly. we calculated stage-specific development times, age-specific mortality and fecundity (18.4 eggs/♀/wk), and stage-specific and total preadult mortality (31.6%), and the weekly intrinsic rate of natural increase (r(o) = 0.096), the finite population growth rate (λ = 1.109), the net reproductive r ...	2015	26336251
short- and long-term effects of azadirachtin a on development and egg production of rhodnius prolixus.	azadirachtin a was given through a blood meal to 4th-instar larvae and to adult females of rhodnius prolixus. development (ecdysis) and egg production were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. long-term experiments with subsequent four feedings on azadirachtin-free blood were performed with 4th-instar larvae and with adult females. only in the low-dose azadirachtin larval groups (0.01 and 0.1 microgram/ml of blood), development was partially restored; after a single 1.0 microgram/ml treatment a ...	2015	2215221
an antigonadotropin from the ovaries of the insect rhodnius prolixus stål.		2015	4571873
chemosterilization of adult rhodnius prolixus by metepa.		2015	4556431
endocrinological and other factors influencing testis development in rhodnius prolixus.		2015	4607736
genome of rhodnius prolixus, an insect vector of chagas disease, reveals unique adaptations to hematophagy and parasite infection.	rhodnius prolixus not only has served as a model organism for the study of insect physiology, but also is a major vector of chagas disease, an illness that affects approximately seven million people worldwide. we sequenced the genome of r. prolixus, generated assembled sequences covering 95% of the genome (∼ 702 mb), including 15,456 putative protein-coding genes, and completed comprehensive genomic analyses of this obligate blood-feeding insect. although immune-deficiency (imd)-mediated immune ...	2015	26627243
allatotropin modulates myostimulatory and cardioacceleratory activities in rhodnius prolixus (stal).	haematophagous insects can ingest large quantities of blood in a single meal and eliminate high volumes of urine in the next few hours. this rise in diuresis is possible because the excretory activity of the malpighian tubules is facilitated by an increase in haemolymph circulation as a result of intensification of aorta contractions combined with an increase of the anterior midgut peristaltic waves. it has been previously described that haemolymph circulation during post-prandial diuresis is st ...	2015	25897783
rhodnius prolixus life history outcomes differ when infected with different trypanosoma cruzi i strains.	the effect of a parasite on the life history of its vector is important for understanding and predicting disease transmission. chagas disease agent trypanosoma cruzi is a generalist parasite that is diverse across scales from its genetic diversity to the 100s of mammal and vector species it infects. its vertebrate hosts show quite variable responses to infection, however, to date there are no studies looking at how t. cruzi variability might result in variable outcomes in its invertebrate host. ...	2015	26078316
trypanosomes modify the behavior of their insect hosts: effects on locomotion and on the expression of a related gene.	as a result of evolution, the biology of triatomines must have been significantly adapted to accommodate trypanosome infection in a complex network of vector-vertebrate-parasite interactions. arthropod-borne parasites have probably developed mechanisms, largely still unknown, to exploit the vector-vertebrate host interactions to ensure their transmission to suitable hosts. triatomines exhibit a strong negative phototaxis and nocturnal activity, believed to be important for insect survival agains ...	2015	26291723
oviposition in the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus is modulated by host odors.	triatomine bugs are blood-sucking insects, vectors of chagas disease. despite their importance, their oviposition behavior has received relatively little attention. some triatomines including rhodnius prolixus stick their eggs to a substrate. it is known that mechanical cues stimulate oviposition in this species. however, it is not clear if chemical signals play a role in this behavior. we studied the role of host cues, including host odor, in the oviposition behavior of the triatomine r. prolix ...	2015	25956818
eco-epidemiological study of an endemic chagas disease region in northern colombia reveals the importance of triatoma maculata (hemiptera: reduviidae), dogs and didelphis marsupialis in trypanosoma cruzi maintenance.	in colombia, rhodnius prolixus and triatoma dimidiata are the main domestic triatomine species known to transmit t. cruzi. however, there are multiple reports of t. cruzi transmission involving secondary vectors. in this work, we carried out an eco-epidemiological study on margarita island, located in the caribbean region of colombia, where chagas disease is associated with non-domiciliated vectors.	2015	26394766
genetically modifying the insect gut microbiota to control chagas disease vectors through systemic rnai.	technologies based on rna interference may be used for insect control. sustainable strategies are needed to control vectors of chagas disease such as rhodnius prolixus. the insect microbiota can be modified to deliver molecules to the gut. here, escherichia coli ht115(de3) expressing dsrna for the rhodnius heme-binding protein (rhbp) and for catalase (cat) were fed to nymphs and adult triatomine stages. rhbp is an egg protein and cat is an antioxidant enzyme expressed in all tissues by all devel ...	2015	25675102
mariner transposons are sailing in the genome of the blood-sucking bug rhodnius prolixus.	the triatomine bug rhodnius prolixus is a vector of trypanosoma cruzi, which causes the chagas disease in latin america. r. prolixus can also transfer transposable elements horizontally across a wide range of species. we have taken advantage of the availability of the 700 mbp complete genome sequence of r. prolixus to study the dynamics of invasion and persistence of transposable elements in this species.	2015	26666222
rhodnius prolixus interaction with trypanosoma rangeli: modulation of the immune system and microbiota population.	trypanosoma rangeli is a protozoan that infects a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans. its main insect vector is rhodnius prolixus and is found in several latin american countries. the r. prolixus vector competence depends on the t. rangeli strain and the molecular interactions, as well as the insect's immune responses in the gut and haemocoel. this work focuses on the modulation of the humoral immune responses of the midgut of r. prolixus infected with t. rangeli macias strain, conside ...	2015	25888720
risks associated with dispersive nocturnal flights of sylvatic triatominae to artificial lights in a model house in the northeastern plains of colombia.	control initiatives and continuous surveillance of vector-borne transmission have proved to be effective measures for diminishing the incidence of chagas disease in endemic countries. however, the active dispersal of infected sylvatic adult triatomines by flight represents one of the main obstacles to eliminating domestic transmission.	2015	26582012
[entomological study of trypanosoma cruzi vectors in the rural communities of sucre state, venezuela].	the ecological niche of reduvidae vectors has been modified due to environmental changes and human encroachment into the rural areas.	2015	26535547
monitoring of the parasite load in the digestive tract of rhodnius prolixus by combined qpcr analysis and imaging techniques provides new insights into the trypanosome life cycle.	here we report the monitoring of the digestive tract colonization of rhodnius prolixus by trypanosoma cruzi using an accurate determination of the parasite load by qpcr coupled with fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging (bli). these complementary methods revealed critical steps necessary for the parasite population to colonize the insect gut and establish vector infection.	2015	26496442
global climate change effects on venezuela's vulnerability to chagas disease is linked to the geographic distribution of five triatomine species.	we analyzed the possible effects of global climate change on the potential geographic distribution in venezuela of five species of triatomines (eratyrus mucronatus (stal, 1859), panstrongylus geniculatus (latreille, 1811), rhodnius prolixus (stål, 1859), rhodnius robustus (larrousse, 1927), and triatoma maculata (erichson, 1848)), vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of chagas disease. to obtain the future potential geographic distributions, expressed as climatic niche suitability ...	2015	26336258
protein 2de reference map of the anterior midgut of the blood-sucking bug rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus is an important vector of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas' disease, an illness that affects 20% of latin america population. the obligatory course of the parasite in the vector digestive tract has made it an important target for investigation in order to control the parasite transmission and thus interrupt its biological cycle in the insect vector. therefore, an insight into the vector midgut physiology is valuable for insect control as well as to provide poten ...	2015	26314381
the impact of landscape transformation on the reinfestation rates of rhodnius prolixus in the orinoco region, colombia.	trypanosoma cruzi, the agent responsible for chagas disease, is widely distributed in the americas in association to insect vectors and animal reservoirs. triatomines are common vectors of chagas disease and they vary in their distribution and affinity to human or sylvatic environments. thus, control programs that include house spraying have been successful in regions were insects have a tendency to domiciliation. in the orinoco region of colombia, rhodnius prolixus is the main vector presenting ...	2015	26254003
detection of high percentage of trypanosoma cruzi infection, the etiologic agent of chagas disease, in wild populations of colombian caribbean triatomines.	in colombia it is estimated that about 900,000 persons are infected with t. cruzi. there are 25 triatomine species and 5 of them have been reported infected with t. cruzi in the colombian caribbean region. in order to obtain more information about the triatomine populations in this region, 89 wild triatomines were collected from four colombian departments. the most frequent specie collected was rhodnius pallescens (65%), followed by rhodnius prolixus (20%), panstrongylus geniculatus (10.1%) and ...	2015	26204001
insecticide resistance in vector chagas disease: evolution, mechanisms and management.	chagas disease is a chronic parasitic infection restricted to america. the disease is caused by the protozoa trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to human through the feces of infected triatomine insects. because no treatment is available for the chronic forms of the disease, vector chemical control represents the best way to reduce the incidence of the disease. chemical control has been based principally on spraying dwellings with insecticide formulations and led to the reduction of triatomi ...	2015	26003952
new scenarios of trypanosoma cruzi transmission in the orinoco region of colombia.	rhodnius prolixus, a blood-sucking triatomine with domiciliary anthropophilic habits, is the main vector of chagas disease. the current paradigm of trypanosoma cruzi transmission in columbia includes a sylvatic and domiciliary cycle co-existing with domestic and sylvatic populations of reservoirs. the aim of this study is to evaluate the population densities and relative abundance of triatomines and mammals that may be involved in the sylvatic cycle of chagas disease to clarify the epidemiologic ...	2015	25830543
trypanosoma cruzi, etiological agent of chagas disease, is virulent to its triatomine vector rhodnius prolixus in a temperature-dependent manner.	it is often assumed that parasites are not virulent to their vectors. nevertheless, parasites commonly exploit their vectors (nutritionally for example) so these can be considered a form of host. trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan found in mammals and triatomine bugs in the americas, is the etiological agent of chagas disease that affects man and domestic animals. while it has long been considered avirulent to its vectors, a few reports have indicated that it can affect triatomine fecundity. we test ...	2015	25793495
a kazal-type inhibitor is modulated by trypanosoma cruzi to control microbiota inside the anterior midgut of rhodnius prolixus.	the triatomine insect, rhodnius prolixus, is a vector of trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite that causes chagas disease. the parasite must overcome immune response and microbiota to develop inside the midgut of triatomines. in this study, we expressed, purified and characterized a kazal-type inhibitor from the midgut of r. prolixus, named rpti, which may be involved in microbiota - t. cruzi interactions. the qpcr showed that the rpti transcript was primarily expressed in tissues from the int ...	2015	25731714
the impact of climate change on the geographical distribution of two vectors of chagas disease: implications for the force of infection.	chagas disease, caused by the parasite trypanosoma cruzi, is the most important vector-borne disease in latin america. the vectors are insects belonging to the triatominae (hemiptera, reduviidae), and are widely distributed in the americas. here, we assess the implications of climatic projections for 2050 on the geographical footprint of two of the main chagas disease vectors: rhodnius prolixus (tropical species) and triatoma infestans (temperate species). we estimated the epidemiological implic ...	2015	25688019
the main sceneries of chagas disease transmission. the vectors, blood and oral transmissions--a comprehensive review.	this review deals with transmission of trypanosoma cruzi by the most important domestic vectors, blood transfusion and oral intake. among the vectors, triatoma infestans, panstrongylus megistus, rhodnius prolixus, triatoma dimidiata, triatoma brasiliensis, triatoma pseudomaculata, triatoma sordida, triatoma maculata, panstrongylus geniculatus, rhodnius ecuadoriensis and rhodnius pallescens can be highlighted. transmission of chagas infection, which has been brought under control in some countrie ...	2015	25466622
house-level risk factors for triatoma dimidiata infestation in colombia.	in colombia, the main vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease, are rhodnius prolixus and triatoma dimidiata. t. dimidiata is present in the east region of colombia as domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic populations, resulting in difficulties for its control. a cost-effective way to prioritize houses for treatment is to stratify houses based on risk factors. in this study, risk factors were evaluated for potential associations with domicile infestation of t. dimidiata ...	2015	25349372
[action of development inhibitors on aedes aegypti l. mosquitoes and rhodnius prolixus stal. bugs. iv. the activity of precocenes].		2015	7024772
conserved molecular switch interactions in modeled cardioactive rf-nh2 peptide receptors: ligand binding and activation.	peptides may act through g protein-coupled receptors to influence cardiovascular performance; thus, delineating mechanisms involved in signaling is a molecular-based strategy to influence health. molecular switches, often represented by conserved motifs, maintain a receptor in an inactive state. however, once the switch is broken, the transmembrane regions move and activation occurs. the molecular switches of drosophila melanogaster myosuppressin (ms) receptors were previously identified to incl ...	2015	26211890
cardiac contractility structure-activity relationship and ligand-receptor interactions; the discovery of unique and novel molecular switches in myosuppressin signaling.	peptidergic signaling regulates cardiac contractility; thus, identifying molecular switches, ligand-receptor contacts, and antagonists aids in exploring the underlying mechanisms to influence health. myosuppressin (ms), a decapeptide, diminishes cardiac contractility and gut motility. myosuppressin binds to g protein-coupled receptor (gpcr) proteins. two drosophila melanogaster myosuppressin receptors (drmms-rs) exist; however, no mechanism underlying ms-r activation is reported. we predicted dr ...	2015	25793503
comparative analysis of zygotic developmental genes in rhodnius prolixus genome shows conserved features on the tracheal developmental pathway.	most of the in-depth studies on insect developmental genetic have been carried out in the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster, an holometabolous insect, so much more still remains to be studied in hemimetabolous insects. having rhodnius prolixus sequenced genome available, we search for orthologue genes of zygotic signaling pathways, segmentation, and tracheogenesis in the r. prolixus genome and in three species of triatoma genus transcriptomes, concluding that there is a high level of gene conser ...	2015	26187251
genomic and functional characterization of a methoprene-tolerant gene in the kissing-bug rhodnius prolixus.	metamorphosis, which depends upon a fine balance between two groups of lipid-soluble hormones such as juvenile hormones (jhs) and ecdysteroids, is an important feature in insect evolution. while it is clear that the onset of metamorphosis depends on the decrease of jh levels, the way in which these hormones exert their activities is not fully understood in triatominae species. the discovery of a drosophila melanogaster mutant resistant to the treatment with the jh analog methoprene, led finally ...	2015	25963043
functional characterization and expression analysis of the myoinhibiting peptide receptor in the chagas disease vector, rhodnius prolixus.	myoinhibiting peptides (mips), which are also known as b-type allatostatins, are a family of neuropeptides found in protostomes. their primary structure is characterized by an amidated carboxyl-terminal motif consisting of a conserved pair of tryptophan residues normally separated by six non-conserved amino acids (w(x6)wamide). in the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster, mips are likely the ancestral ligands of the sex peptide receptor, which plays an important role in courtship and reproduction. ...	2015	25218475
the gap gene krüppel of rhodnius prolixus is required for segmentation and for repression of the homeotic gene sex comb-reduced.	the establishment of the anterior-posterior segmentation in insects requires the concerted action of a hierarchical gene network. here, we study the orthologue of krüppel gap gene in the hemipteran rhodnius prolixus (rp-kr). we characterized its structure, expression pattern and function. the genomic sequence upstream of the rp-kr transcriptional unit shows a putative regulatory region conserved in the orthologue genes from drosophila melanogaster and tribolium castaneum. rp-kr expression is zyg ...	2014	24406318
jack bean (canavalia ensiformis) urease induces eicosanoid-modulated hemocyte aggregation in the chagas' disease vector rhodnius prolixus.	ureases are multifunctional proteins that display biological activities independently of their enzymatic function, such as induction of exocytosis and insecticidal effects. rhodnius prolixus, a major vector of chagas' disease, is a model for studies on the entomotoxicity of jack bean urease (jbu). we have previously shown that jbu induces the production of eicosanoids in isolated tissues of r. prolixus. in insects, the immune response comprises cellular and humoral reactions, and is centrally mo ...	2014	24561121
rhodnius prolixus: modulation of antioxidant defenses by trypanosoma rangeli.	trypanosoma rangeli is a protozoan parasite of insects and mammals that is challenged by the constant action of reactive oxygen species, generated either by its own metabolism or through the host immune response. the aim of this work was to investigate whether t. rangeli is able to modify the redox state of its insect vector, rhodnius prolixus, through the modulation of such antioxidant enzymes as superoxide dismutase (sod), catalase, and gpx present in the midgut of the insect. we verified that ...	2014	25131776
trypanosoma cruzi transmission in a colombian caribbean region suggests that secondary vectors play an important epidemiological role.	colombia, as part of the andean countries initiative has given priority to triatomine control programs to eliminate primary (domiciliated) vector species such as rhodnius prolixus and triatoma dimidiata. however, recent events of trypanosoma cruzi transmission in localities where r. prolixus and t. dimidiata are not present suggest that other species are involved in the t. cruzi transmission cycle.	2014	25141852
tci/tcii co-infection can enhance trypanosoma cruzi growth in rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus is an obligate haematophagous insect and one of the most important vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease in the americas. t. cruzi is a highly variable parasite which is not transmitted in the same efficiency by the different triatomine vectors. because different t. cruzi genotypes are aetiopathologically divergent, further elucidation of the transmission abilities of different chagas disease vectors is extremely important.	2014	24593987
intravital microscopy and image analysis of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) hematophagy: the challenge of blood intake from mouse skin.	hematophagous insects transmit many of the most dangerous parasitic diseases. the transmission usually occurs during hematophagy or just after as this is when the vector and the host are in contact. the contact time is determined by the feeding performance of the insect in each host. in triatomines, feeding performance interferes with both their life cycle and the vectorial competence to transmit the hemoflagellate trypanosoma cruzi. triatomine bugs are vessel feeders, obtaining their blood meal ...	2014	23886517
decoding the anti-trypanosoma cruzi action of hiv peptidase inhibitors using epimastigotes as a model.	aspartic peptidase inhibitors have shown antimicrobial action against distinct microorganisms. due to an increase in the occurrence of chagas' disease/aids co-infection, we decided to explore the effects of hiv aspartic peptidase inhibitors (hiv-pis) on trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of chagas' disease.	2014	25464510
panstrongylus geniculatus and four other species of triatomine bug involved in the trypanosoma cruzi enzootic cycle: high risk factors for chagas' disease transmission in the metropolitan district of caracas, venezuela.	chagas' disease is caused by the protozoan trypanosoma cruzi and is autochthonous to the americas. its distribution depends on triatomine bugs that are responsible for the transmission of the disease. in 2005, we reported the presence of panstrongylus geniculatus as a risk for chagas' disease transmission in caracas and neighboring areas. three massive oral outbreaks occurred in the following years. here we report the results of a 7-year study on triatomine species found in the metropolitan dist ...	2014	25532708
preparation of nitrophorin 7(δ1-3) from rhodnius prolixus without start-methionine using recombinant expression in escherichia coli.	the heterologous recombinant expression of proteins in escherichia coli without start-methionine is a common problem. the nitrophorin 7 heme properties and function strongly depend on the accurate n-terminal amino acid sequence. leading protein expression into the periplasm by fusion with the leader peptide pelb yields functional protein; however, the folded protein sticks to the cell debris. therefore, the periplasmic fraction was dissolved in guanidinium chloride and folded by a drop-in method ...	2014	24463016
humoral responses in rhodnius prolixus: bacterial feeding induces differential patterns of antibacterial activity and enhances mrna levels of antimicrobial peptides in the midgut.	the triatomine, rhodnius prolixus, is a major vector of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease in latin america. it has a strictly blood-sucking habit in all life stages, ingesting large amounts of blood from vertebrate hosts from which it can acquire pathogenic microorganisms. in this context, the production of antimicrobial peptides (amps) in the midgut of the insect is vital to control possible infection, and to maintain the microbiota already present in the digestive tract.	2014	24885969
genotyping of trypanosoma cruzi in a hyper-endemic area of colombia reveals an overlap among domestic and sylvatic cycles of chagas disease.	chagas disease is a neglected illness caused by the trypanosoma cruzi parasite, which widely affects american communities. this study attempted to identify t. cruzi genotypes circulating in four indigenous communities of the sierra nevada of santa marta, colombia, to investigate parasite transmission dynamics in these communities. in addition, some epidemiological variables to determine the risk factors for infection with this parasite, such as the prevalence of t. cruzi infection, the triatomin ...	2014	24656115
eco-epidemiology of chagas disease in an endemic area of colombia: risk factor estimation, trypanosoma cruzi characterization and identification of blood-meal sources in bugs.	the sierra nevada de santa marta (snsm) is a mountainous area in colombia that is highly endemic to chagas disease. we explored some eco-epidemiological attributes involved in the chagas disease transmission scenario in three indigenous communities. an epidemiological survey was done, where parasite infection in reservoirs and insects, trypanosoma cruzi genotyping, identification of blood-meal sources in intradomiciliary insects using the high-resolution melting technique, and some risk factors ...	2014	25331808
effects of infection by trypanosoma cruzi and trypanosoma rangeli on the reproductive performance of the vector rhodnius prolixus.	the insect rhodnius prolixus is responsible for the transmission of trypanosoma cruzi, which is the etiological agent of chagas disease in areas of central and south america. besides this, it can be infected by other trypanosomes such as trypanosoma rangeli. the effects of these parasites on vectors are poorly understood and are often controversial so here we focussed on possible negative effects of these parasites on the reproductive performance of r. prolixus, specifically comparing infected a ...	2014	25136800
[histologic study of neurosecretion of the brain and the subesophageal ganglion of rhodnius prolixus stål (hemiptera)].		2014	4180635
dimerization of nitrophorin 4 at low ph and comparison to the k1a mutant of nitrophorin 1.	nitrophorin 4, one of the four no-carrying heme proteins from the salivary glands of rhodnius prolixus, forms a homodimer at ph 5.0 with a kd of ∼8 μm. this dimer begins to dissociate at ph 5.5 and is completely dissociated to monomer at ph 7.3, even at 3.7 mm. the dimer is significantly stabilized by binding no to the heme and at ph 7.3 would require dilution to well below 0.2 mm to completely dissociate the np4-no homodimer. the primary techniques used for investigating the homodimer and the m ...	2014	25489673
infrared detection without specialized infrared receptors in the bloodsucking bug rhodnius prolixus.	bloodsucking bugs use infrared radiation (ir) for locating warm-blooded hosts and are able to differentiate between infrared and temperature (t) stimuli. this paper is concerned with the neuronal coding of ir in the bug rhodnius prolixus. data obtained are from the warm cells in the peg-in-pit sensilla (psw cells) and in the tapered hairs (thw cells). both warm cells responded to oscillating changes in air t and ir with oscillations in their discharge rates. the psw cells produced stronger respo ...	2014	24944223
an insight into the transcriptome of the digestive tract of the bloodsucking bug, rhodnius prolixus.	the bloodsucking hemipteran rhodnius prolixus is a vector of chagas' disease, which affects 7-8 million people today in latin america. in contrast to other hematophagous insects, the triatomine gut is compartmentalized into three segments that perform different functions during blood digestion. here we report analysis of transcriptomes for each of the segments using pyrosequencing technology. comparison of transcript frequency in digestive libraries with a whole-body library was used to evaluate ...	2014	24416461
ca2+ and camp signaling pathways interact to increase the diuretic effect of serotonin in malpighian tubules of the kissing bug. focus on "serotonin triggers camp- and pka-1-mediated intracellular calcium waves in malpighian tubules of rhodnius prolixus".		2014	25275012
toll signals regulate dorsal-ventral patterning and anterior-posterior placement of the embryo in the hemipteran rhodnius prolixus.	insect embryonic dorso-ventral patterning depends greatly on two pathways: the toll pathway and the bone morphogenetic protein pathway. while the relative contribution of each pathway has been investigated in holometabolous insects, their role has not been explored in insects with a hemimetabolous type of development. the hemimetabolous insect rhodnius prolixus, an important vector of chagas disease in the americas, develops from an intermediate germ band and displays complex movements during ka ...	2014	25908955
[histophysiologic research on neurosecretion in the ventral nerve chain of rhodnius prolixus stal (hemiptera) during imago life].		2014	4180582
[artificial feeding of rhodnius prolixus stal. (heteroptera, triatomidae) in laboratory].		2014	4894414
[technic for extracting a considerable quantity of hemolymph and for easily isolating the salivary glands in fifth-stage nymphs and adults of rhodnius prolixus].		2014	4956468
metabolism and water loss rate of the haematophagous insect rhodnius prolixus: effect of starvation and temperature.	haematophagous insects suffer big changes in water needs under different levels of starvation. rhodnius prolixus is the most important haematophagous vector of chagas disease in the north of south america and a model organism in insect physiology. although there have been some studies on patterns of gas exchange and metabolic rates, there is little information regarding water loss in r. prolixus. we investigated whether there is any modulation of water loss and metabolic rate under different req ...	2014	25394633
hunger is the best spice: effects of starvation in the antennal responses of the blood-sucking bug rhodnius prolixus.	blood-sucking insects strongly rely on olfactory cues to find their vertebrate hosts. as in other insects with different lifestyles, it has been shown that endogenous and exogenous factors modulate olfactory responses. the triatomine bug rhodnius prolixus is an important vector of chagas disease and a classical model for studies of physiology and behavior. in this species, the behavioral response to host-derived odorants is modulated by both the time of the day and the starvation. here i investi ...	2014	25280630
zanthoxylum caribaeum (rutaceae) essential oil: chemical investigation and biological effects on rhodnius prolixus nymph.	a chemical investigation and bioassays against fifth-instar nymphae of the hematophagous insect rhodnius prolixus, vector of chagas disease, were conducted with the essential oil from zanthoxylum caribaeum. the main results may be summarized as follows: (i) 54 components were identified, corresponding to 90.4% of the relative composition; sesquiterpenes (47.3%) and monoterpenes (41.2%) are the major constituents; (ii) muurola-4,5-trans-diene and isodaucene are described for the first time as che ...	2014	25224729
serotonin triggers camp and pka-mediated intracellular calcium waves in malpighian tubules of rhodnius prolixus.	rhodnius prolixus is a hematophagous insect vector of chagas disease capable of ingesting up to 10 times its unfed body weight in blood in a single meal. the excess water and ions ingested with the meal are expelled through a rapid postprandial diuresis driven by the malpighian tubules. diuresis is triggered by at least two diuretic hormones, a crf-related peptide and serotonin, which were traditionally believed to trigger camp as an intracellular second messenger. recently, calcium has been sug ...	2014	25009218
identification of uncoupling protein 4 from the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus and its possible role on protection against oxidative stress.	uncoupling proteins (ucps) play a critical role in the control of the mitochondrial membrane potential (δψm) due to their ability to dissipate the proton gradient, which results in the uncoupling of mitochondrial respiration from atp production. most reactive oxygen species generation in mitochondria occurs in complex iii, due to an increase of semiquinone (q(-)) half-life. when active, ucps can account as a potential antioxidant system by decreasing δψm and increasing mitochondrial respiration, ...	2014	24746771
molecular phylogeny of triatomini (hemiptera: reduviidae: triatominae).	the triatomini and rhodniini (hemiptera: reduviidae) tribes include the most diverse chagas disease vectors; however, the phylogenetic relationships within the tribes remain obscure. this study provides the most comprehensive phylogeny of triatomini reported to date.	2014	24685273
[comparison of methods for the capture of triatomines ( hemiptera: reduviidae ) in attalea butyracea palms in the eastern plains of colombia].	studying triatominae in their natural ecotopes has great significance in the epidemiology of chagas disease. gathering live insects and the establishment of insectaries allows countless studies. therefore, effective methods are needed for capturing wild triatomines, especially intrusive species such as rhodnius prolixus .	2014	24652219