| arrest of oogenesis in the bug rhodnius prolixus challenged with the fungus aspergillus niger is mediated by immune response-derived pge2. | in this work we characterized the immune response of the insect rhodnius prolixus to a direct injection into the hemocoel of the non-entomopathogenic fungus aspergillus niger, and evaluated its consequences on host oogenesis. these animals were able to respond by mounting effective cellular and humoral responses to this fungus; these responses were shown, however, to have reproductive fitness costs, as the number of eggs laid per female was significantly reduced. the disturbance of egg formation ... | 2009 | 19059412 |
| a panel of ten microsatellite loci for the chagas disease vector rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae). | rhodnius prolixus is the main vector of chagas disease in venezuela, where it is found colonising rural housing consisting of unplastered adobe walls with palm and/or metal roofs. vector control failure in venezuela may be due to the invasion of houses by silvatic populations of r. prolixus found in palms. as part of a study to determine if domestic and silvatic populations of r. prolixus are isolated, thus clarifying the role of silvatic populations in maintaining house infestations, we constru ... | 2009 | 19061974 |
| allatostatin c and its paralog allatostatin double c: the arthropod somatostatins. | arthropods do not have one, but two genes encoding an allatostatin c-like peptide. the newly discovered paralog gene was called ast-cc, and the peptide which it is predicted to make was called allatostatin double c (astcc). genes for both allatostatin c (astc) and its paralog were found in the tick ixodes scapularis as well as dipteran, lepidopteran, coleopteran, aphidoidean and phthirapteran insect species. in addition partial or complete cdnas derived from ast-ccs were found in a number of spe ... | 2009 | 19063967 |
| invitro effect of canavalia ensiformis urease and the derived peptide jaburetox-2ec on rhodnius prolixus malpighian tubules. | ureases are metalloenzymes that are widespread among plants, fungi and bacteria. urease isoforms (jack bean urease-jbu and canatoxin) from canavalia ensiformis seeds are toxic to insects and fungi, suggesting a role in plant defense. the entomotoxic effect is due to the release of a 10-kda peptide by cathepsin-like enzymes in the insect's midgut. urease causes a decrease in post-feeding weight loss in rhodnius prolixus, suggesting an effect on water balance. to investigate how this impairment oc ... | 2009 | 19121321 |
| haplotype identification within trypanosoma cruzi i in colombian isolates from several reservoirs, vectors and humans. | genetic variability in the trypanosoma cruzi i group has recently been revealed in colombian isolates from humans, reservoirs and vectors. genomic rearrangements and the polymorphic regions in taxonomic markers, such as the miniexon gene, have led to the development of molecular tools to identify phylogenetic haplotypes in t. cruzi isolates. from genetic polymorphisms found in t. cruzi i isolates, they have been classified into four haplotypes according to their epidemiologic transmission cycles ... | 2009 | 19135020 |
| physalin b inhibits rhodnius prolixus hemocyte phagocytosis and microaggregation by the activation of endogenous paf-acetyl hydrolase activities. | the effects of physalin b (a natural secosteroidal chemical from physalis angulata, solanaceae) on phagocytosis and microaggregation by hemocytes of 5th-instar larvae of rhodnius prolixus were investigated. in this insect, hemocyte phagocytosis and microaggregation are known to be induced by the platelet-activating factor (paf) or arachidonic acid (aa) and regulated by phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)) and paf-acetyl hydrolase (paf-ah) activities. phagocytic activity and formation of hemocyte microagg ... | 2009 | 19232405 |
| state-dependency of host-seeking in rhodnius prolixus: the post-ecdysis time. | the source of blood of most haematophagous insects plays at the same time the double role of host and potential predator. feeding behaviour should be triggered only when necessary and should be completed as quickly as possible. from an epidemiological point of view, this modulation has an impact on the feeding frequency of disease vectors and, as a consequence, on the transmission of parasites. at present, not many data are available on the influence of the physiological state on the motivation ... | 2009 | 19418597 |
| diuretic and antidiuretic hormones in the blood-gorging bug rhodnius prolixus. | insect salt and water homeostasis is controlled by diuretic and antidiuretic hormones that can act upon the malpighian tubules, midgut, and hindgut. much is known about the physiological events stimulating diuresis and their signaling cascades; however, the factors inhibiting diuresis are less well known. an endogenous peptide in rhodnius prolixus inhibits absorption by the anterior midgut and secretion from the malpighian tubules. we have cloned the gene, sequenced this antidiuretic peptide, an ... | 2009 | 19456399 |
| the metasternal and brindley's glands of triatoma brasiliensis neiva (hemiptera: reduviidae). | triatoma brasiliensis neiva is the most important vector of the chagas' disease in the semiarid zones of north-eastern brazil. adult bugs have two main pairs of exocrine glands, the metasternal and the brindley's glands, which release volatiles possibly with defense, alarm and/or mating functions. to date, anatomical and histological studies of the metasternal and the brindley's glands in the genus triatoma are scarce and, considering the relevance of these exocrine glands, the present work aime ... | 2009 | 19488512 |
| the role of salivary and intestinal complement system inhibitors in the midgut protection of triatomines and mosquitoes. | saliva of haematophagous arthropods contain biomolecules involved directly or indirectly with the haematophagy process, and among them are encountered some complement system inhibitors. the most obvious function for these inhibitors would be the protection of the midgut against injury by the complement. to investigate this hypothesis, triatoma brasiliensis nymphs were forced to ingest human serum in conditions in which the protection of midgut by the inhibitors is bypassed. in these conditions, ... | 2009 | 19557176 |
| trypanosoma rangeli: a new perspective for studying the modulation of immune reactions of rhodnius prolixus. | abstract: insects are exposed to a wide range of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses) and have interconnected powerful immune reactions. although insects lack an acquired immune system they have well-developed innate immune defences that allow a general and rapid response to infectious agents.over the last few decades we have observed a dramatic increase in the knowledge of insect innate immunity, which relies on both humoral and cellular responses. however, innate reactions t ... | 2009 | 19615044 |
| transmission dynamics of trypanosoma cruzi determined by low-stringency single primer polymerase chain reaction and southern blot analyses in four indigenous communities of the sierra nevada de santa marta, colombia. | this study attempted to evaluate the transmission dynamics of trypanosoma cruzi in four indigenous communities of sierra nevada de santa marta (snsm), colombia. low-stringency single primer-polymerase chain reaction (lssp-pcr) of the minicircles and southern blot analyses were used to characterize samples from patients, vectors, and reservoirs in these communities. the lssp-pcr profiles revealed a high genetic variability but with similarities among the parasites present in the samples of vector ... | 2009 | 19706903 |
| biology, diversity and strategies for the monitoring and control of triatomines--chagas disease vectors. | despite the relevant achievements in the control of the main chagas disease vectors triatoma infestans and rhodnius prolixus, several factors still promote the risk of infection. the disease is a real threat to the poor rural regions of several countries in latin america. the current situation in brazil requires renewed attention due to its high diversity of triatomine species and to the rapid and drastic environmental changes that are occurring. using the biology, behaviour and diversity of tri ... | 2009 | 19753457 |
| sylvatic triatominae: a new challenge in vector control transmission. | over the last 10 years, uruguay, chile and brazil have been certified as being free from disease transmission by triatoma infestans, the main domiciliated vector for chagas disease in the southern cone countries. this demonstrates that programmes addressing the vector for the disease's transmission are effective. these programmes have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the incidence of chagas disease in latin america. guatemala was certified a few months ago as being free from disease transmissi ... | 2009 | 19753461 |
| in vitro and in vivo documentation of quantum dots labeled trypanosoma cruzi--rhodnius prolixus interaction using confocal microscopy. | semiconductor quantum dots (qds) are highly fluorescent nanocrystals markers that allow long photobleaching and do not destroy the parasites. in this paper, we used fluorescent core shell quantum dots to perform studies of live parasite-vector interaction processes without any observable effect on the vitality of parasites. these nanocrystals were synthesized in aqueous medium and physiological ph, which is very important for monitoring live cells activities, and conjugated with molecules such a ... | 2009 | 19756738 |
| attraction of triatoma dimidiata and rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) to combinations of host cues tested at two distances. | the "kissing bugs," triatoma dimidiata (latreille) and rhodnius prolixus (stål) (reduviidae: triatominae) are major vectors of chagas disease in central and south america. to further uncover the attraction to certain host cues by these vectors at long and short distances from their host, the behavioral responses of two life stages (fifth-instar nymphs and adult males) of these two species to different known or suspected attractants, alone or in combination, were investigated. tests were done usi ... | 2009 | 19769037 |
| neurohormones implicated in the control of malpighian tubule secretion in plant sucking heteropterans: the stink bugs acrosternum hilare and nezara viridula. | plant sucking heteropteran bugs feed regularly on small amounts of k(+)-rich plant material, in contrast to their hematophagous relatives which imbibe large volumes of na(+)-rich blood. it was anticipated that this would be reflected in the endocrine control of malpighian tubule (mt) secretion. to explore this, neuroendocrine factors known to influence mt secretion were tested on mt of the pentatomid plant sucking stink bugs, acrosternum hilare and nezara viridula, and the results compared with ... | 2010 | 19772880 |
| trypanosoma rangeli genotypes association with rhodnius prolixus and r. pallescens allopatric distribution in central america. | previous kdna polymorphism-based reports have revealed the existence of two trypanosoma rangeli genotypes (kp1+ and kp1-): sl and ssu rrna gene polymorphism-based studies have revealed that five genotypes (a-e) are distributed throughout different latin-american countries. some evidence has shown that the genotypes' biogeographical distribution is associated with sympatric rhodnius species. 12 t. rangeli isolates from humans and reservoirs from el salvador, guatemala, honduras, costa rica and pa ... | 2009 | 19778637 |
| immunogenic salivary proteins of triatoma infestans: development of a recombinant antigen for the detection of low-level infestation of triatomines. | triatomines are vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of chagas disease in latin america. the most effective vector, triatoma infestans, has been controlled successfully in much of latin america using insecticide spraying. though rarely undertaken, surveillance programs are necessary in order to identify new infestations and estimate the intensity of triatomine bug infestations in domestic and peridomestic habitats. since hosts exposed to triatomines develop immune responses to sal ... | 2009 | 19841746 |
| preliminary evidence of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: triatominae) attraction to human skin odour extracts. | host-seeking behaviour displayed by the haematophagous triatomine rhodnius prolixus stål, 1859 is influenced by different cues involving heat, moisture and odours. concentrations of volatile odours present in human sweat and breath that activate, attract or non-attract triatomines were tested behaviourally with a double choice olfactometer in adults of r. prolixus. attraction of a mixture of substances carried by a controlled air-stream was established and compared with volatiles from human extr ... | 2010 | 19879853 |
| behavioral and electrophysiological responses of triatoma brasiliensis males to volatiles produced in the metasternal glands of females. | in many insects, mate finding is mediated by volatile sex pheromones, but evidence for this phenomenon in triatomines (heteroptera: reduviidae) is still fragmentary. recently, it was shown that metasternal glands (mgs) are involved in producing signals related to the sexual communication of triatoma infestans and rhodnius prolixus. based on this, we tested whether mg volatiles could be involved in the sexual communication of triatoma brasiliensis. odor-mediated orientation responses were studied ... | 2009 | 19902303 |
| trypanosoma rangeli: differential expression of ecto-phosphatase activities in response to inorganic phosphate starvation. | in this work, we showed that living cells of trypanosoma rangeli express different ecto-phosphatase activities in response to different inorganic phosphate (pi) concentrations in the culture medium. the ecto-phosphatase activity from t. rangeli grown at low-pi concentration was inhibited by the increase of the ph, while the ecto-phosphatase of the cells grown at high pi concentration was not modulated by the change of the ph of the medium. okadaic acid inhibited only the ecto-phosphatase activit ... | 2010 | 20034491 |
| physiological activity of neuropeptide f on the hindgut of the blood-feeding hemipteran, rhodnius prolixus. | current hypotheses propose that, in the invertebrates, neuropeptide f (npf), the vertebrate npy homologue, may be capable of regulating responses to diverse cues related to nutritional status and feeding. an investigation into the effects of drosophila melanogaster npf (drmnpf) and anopheles gambiae npf (angnpf) on hindgut physiology of rhodnius prolixus stal (heimptera: reduviidae) suggests a myoinhibitory role for these peptides and the r. prolixus native peptide. extracts of the central nervo ... | 2009 | 20050776 |
| discovery of a novel insect neuropeptide signaling system closely related to the insect adipokinetic hormone and corazonin hormonal systems. | neuropeptides and their g protein-coupled receptors (gpcrs) play a central role in the physiology of insects. one large family of insect neuropeptides are the adipokinetic hormones (akhs), which mobilize lipids and carbohydrates from the insect fat body. other peptides are the corazonins that are structurally related to the akhs but represent a different neuropeptide signaling system. we have previously cloned an orphan gpcr from the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae that was structurally inter ... | 2010 | 20068045 |
| the triatominae species of french guiana (heteroptera: reduviidae). | an annotated list of the triatomine species present in french guiana is given. it is based on field collections carried out between 1993-2008, museum collections and a literature review. fourteen species, representing four tribes and six genera, are now known in this country and are illustrated (habitus). three species are recorded from french guiana for the first time: cavernicola pilosa, microtriatoma trinidadensis and rhodnius paraensis. the two most common and widely distributed species are ... | 2009 | 20140371 |
| trypanosoma cruzi: synergistic cytotoxicity of multiple amphipathic anti-microbial peptides to t. cruzi and potential bacterial hosts. | the parasite trypanasoma cruzi is responsible for chagas disease and its triatomine vector, rhodnius prolixus, has a symbiotic relationship with the soil bacterium, rhodococcus rhodnii. r. rhodnii that was previously genetically engineered to produce the anti-microbial peptide, cecropin a was co-infected with t. cruzi into r. prolixus resulting in clearance of the infectious t. cruzi in 65% of the vectors. similar anti-microbial peptides have been isolated elsewhere and were studied for differen ... | 2010 | 20206169 |
| the formation and structure of the micropylar complex in the egg-shell of rhodnius prolixus stähl; (heteroptera reduviidae). | | 1947 | 20292360 |
| cytogenetics and genome evolution in the subfamily triatominae (hemiptera, reduviidae). | the subfamily triatominae (hemiptera, reduviidae), vectors of chagas disease, includes over 140 species. karyotypic information is currently available for 80 of these species. this paper summarizes the chromosomal variability of the subfamily and how it may reveal aspects of genome evolution in this group. the triatominae present a highly conserved chromosome number. all species, except 3, present 20 autosomes. the differences in chromosome number are mainly caused by variation in the number of ... | 2010 | 20407223 |
| a role for host-parasite interactions in the horizontal transfer of transposons across phyla. | horizontal transfer (ht), or the passage of genetic material between non-mating species, is increasingly recognized as an important force in the evolution of eukaryotic genomes. transposons, with their inherent ability to mobilize and amplify within genomes, may be especially prone to ht. however, the means by which transposons can spread across widely diverged species remain elusive. here we present evidence that host-parasite interactions have promoted the ht of four transposon families betwee ... | 2010 | 20428170 |
| primary culture of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) salivary gland cells. | in the present paper, we developed a primary culture of rhodnius prolixus salivary gland and main salivary canal cells. cells remained viable in culture for 30 days. three types of cells were indentified in the salivary gland cultures, with binuclear cells being the most abundant. the supernatants of salivary cultures contained mainly 16-24 kda proteins and presented anticoagulant and apyrase activities. secretion vesicles were observed budding from the cellular monolayer of the main salivary ca ... | 2010 | 20428670 |
| morphometry and morphology of the antennae of panstrongylus megistus burmeister, rhodnius neglectus lent, rhodnius prolixus stal and triatoma vitticeps stal (hemiptera: reduviidae). | the length of the four right antennal segments from nymphs and adults of panstrongylus megistus burmeister, rhodnius neglectus lent, rhodnius prolixus stal and triatoma vitticeps stal were measured. the length of the antennal segments of the adults of all four species, 4th and 5th instars of p. megistus, and 5th instar of r. neglectus and r. prolixus followed the same pattern: 2nd>3rd>4th>1st. the pattern of 1st and 2nd instars of p. megistus was: 4th>3rd>2nd>1st. for 3rd instars of p. megistus, ... | 2010 | 20498958 |
| feeding through artificial membranes reduces fecundity for females of the blood-feeding insect, rhodnius prolixus. | the blood-feeding insect, rhodnius prolixus, has been raised in the laboratory for close to 100 years. various feeding techniques have been employed ranging from the use of warm-blooded hosts, to the use of previously collected blood offered through artificial membranes. this study compared the fecundity in mated and unmated females fed rabbit blood directly from the shaved belly of a rabbit to that of females fed defibrinated rabbit blood through an artificial membrane. these results confirm pr ... | 2010 | 20513058 |
| commercial coconut palm as an ecotope of chagas disease vectors in north-eastern venezuela. | there are few reports of coccus nucifera (palmae) infestation by triatomines (hemiptera, reduviidae, triatominae), vectors of trypanosoma cruzi (kinetoplastida: trypanosomatidae), the causal agent of american trypanosomiasis. the aim of this study was to determine if this palm is an appropriate ecotope for rhodnius prolixus and triatoma maculata, the main vectors in venezuela. | 2010 | 20539044 |
| a standardizable protocol for infection of rhodnius prolixus with trypanosoma rangeli, which mimics natural infections and reveals physiological effects of infection upon the insect. | trypanosoma rangeli is a protozoan parasite that shares hosts - mammals and triatomines - with trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of chagas disease. although t. rangeli is customarily considered to be non-pathogenic to human hosts, it is able to produce pathologies in its invertebrate hosts. however, advances are hindered by a lack of standardization of infection procedures and these pathologies need documentation. to establish a suitable, and standardizable, infection protocol, the durati ... | 2010 | 20546751 |
| cuticular plasticization in the tick, amblyomma hebraeum (acari: ixodidae): possible roles of monoamines and cuticular ph. | the degree of plasticization of the alloscutal cuticle of a 'hard' (ixodid) tick, amblyomma hebraeum, and a 'soft' (argasid) tick, ornithodoros moubata, was assessed throughout the blood-feeding period. cuticle viscosity was calculated from rate of creep of cuticle under constant load using a maxwell model. feeding-related plasticization (i.e. increased rate of extension under a constant load) occurred in a. hebraeum but not in o. moubata. maxwell viscosity of unfed a. hebraeum cuticle was relat ... | 2010 | 20675552 |
| validation of a less invasive blood sampling technique in rabies serology using reduviid bugs (triatominae, hemiptera). | during serologic rabies surveys, bleeding is often difficult or almost impossible in small or endangered mammals such as bats. therefore, the usefulness of an alternative, less invasive technique--that is, the use of blood-sucking reduviid bugs (dipetalogaster maximus and rhodnius prolixus)--was investigated. bugs were used in combination with a conventional method (retro-orbitale bleeding) to obtain blood samples from the same individual nmri-mice (mus musculus) vaccinated against rabies. rabie ... | 2010 | 20722255 |
| genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships within trypanosoma cruzi i isolated in colombia based on miniexon gene sequences. | phylogenetic studies of trypanosoma cruzi have identified the existence of two groups: t. cruzi i and t. cruzi ii. there are aspects that still remain unknown about the genetic variability within the t. cruzi i group. given its epidemiological importance, it is necessary to have a better understanding of t. cruzi transmission cycles. our purpose was to corroborate the existence of haplotypes within the t. cruzi i group and to describe the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships, based ... | 2010 | 20798881 |
| paralytic activity of lysophosphatidylcholine from saliva of the waterbug belostoma anurum. | lysophosphatidylcholine (lpc) is a major bioactive lipid that is enzymatically generated by phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)). previously, we showed that lpc is present in the saliva of the blood-sucking hemipteran rhodnius prolixus and modulates cell-signaling pathways involved in vascular biology, which aids blood feeding. here, we show that the saliva of the predator insect belostoma anurum contains a large number of lipids with lpc accounting for 25% of the total phospholipids. a pla(2) enzyme lik ... | 2010 | 20833923 |
| nitrophorin 2, a factor ix(a)-directed anticoagulant, inhibits arterial thrombosis without impairing haemostasis. | nitrophorin 2 (np2) is a 20 kda lipocalin identified in the salivary gland of the blood sucking insect, rhodnius prolixus. it functions as a potent inhibitor of the intrinsic pathway of coagulation upon binding to factor ix (fix) or fixa. herein we have investigated the in vivo antithrombotic properties of np2. surface plasmon resonance assays demonstrated that np2 binds to rat fix and fixa with high affinities (kd = 43 and 47 nm, respectively), and prolongs the aptt without affecting the pt. in ... | 2010 | 20838739 |
| sn-protoporphyrin inhibits both heme degradation and hemozoin formation in rhodnius prolixus midgut. | hematophagy is a feeding habit that involves the ingestion of huge amounts of heme. the hematophagous hemipteran rhodnius prolixus evolved many genetic resources to protect cells against heme toxicity. the primary barrier against the deleterious effects of heme is the aggregation of heme into hemozoin in the midgut lumen. hemozoin formation is followed by the enzymatic degradation of heme by means of a unique pathway whose end product is dicysteinyl-biliverdin ix-γ (rhodnius prolixus biliverdin, ... | 2010 | 20851767 |
| [genetic differentiation of three colombian populations of triatoma dimidiata (heteroptera: reduviidae) by nd4 mitochondrial gene molecular analysis]. | triatoma dimidiata is the second most important vector of chagas disease in colombia after rhodnius prolixus. population genetic studies are essential for the adequate design and implementation of vector control and surveillance strategies. | 2010 | 20890568 |
| neuropeptide precursor gene discovery in the chagas disease vector rhodnius prolixus. | we show a straightforward workflow combining homology search in rhodnius prolixus genome sequence with cloning by rapid amplification of cdna ends and mass spectrometry. we have identified 32 genes and their transcripts that encode a number of neuropeptide precursors leading to 194 putative peptides. we validated by mass spectrometry 82 of those predicted neuropeptides in the brain of r. prolixus to achieve the first comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic and neuropeptidomic analysis of an insect ... | 2010 | 20958806 |
| the control of malpighian tubule secretion in a predacious hemipteran insect, the spined soldier bug podisus maculiventris (heteroptera, pentatomidae). | spined soldier bugs, podisus maculiventris, are heteropteran insects that feed voraciously on other insects, particular the soft bodied larval forms of lepidoptera and coleoptera. the response of p. maculiventris malpighian tubules (mts) to serotonin and known diuretic and antidiuretic peptides has been investigated, and is compared with that of mt from the hematophagous and phytophagous heteropteran bugs rhodnius prolixus and acrosternum hilare, respectively. a crf-related peptide diuretic horm ... | 2010 | 21093508 |
| effects of platelet-activating factor on the interaction of trypanosoma cruzi with rhodnius prolixus. | we investigated the effects of platelet-activating factor (paf) on the interaction of trypanosoma cruzi with rhodnius prolixus. the parasites (epimastigotes) were treated with paf and/or web 2086 (paf antagonist) for 1 h prior to the interaction experiments. paf stimulated both in vivo and ex vivo interactions between t. cruzi and r. prolixus while web 2086 abrogated these effects. paf-treated epimastigotes also showed an increase in surface negativity and in the amount of surface sialic acid. n ... | 2010 | 21161276 |
| influence of the intestinal anticoagulant in the feeding performance of triatomine bugs (hemiptera; reduviidae). | triatomines are haematophagous insects in all post-embryonic life stages. they are vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease. their vectorial ability is influenced by their feeding performance, which varies greatly amongst species. recent work showed that inhibition of the coagulation process in the anterior midgut (crop) environment considerably influences the blood meal size. in this work, we performed a comparative study of the level of anticoagulant activity in the ... | 2011 | 21447340 |
| mdl28170, a calpain inhibitor, affects trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis, ultrastructure and attachment to rhodnius prolixus midgut. | trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of chagas' disease. during the parasite life cycle, many molecules are involved in the differentiation process and infectivity. peptidases are relevant for crucial steps of t. cruzi life cycle; as such, it is conceivable that they may participate in the metacyclogenesis and interaction with the invertebrate host. | 2011 | 21483751 |
| importance and physiological effects of hemolymphagy in triatomines (hemiptera: reduviidae). | triatomines are hematophagous insects and the vectors for trypanosoma cruzi in the americas. although their preferred meal is blood from vertebrate hosts, unfed triatomine nymphs are often seen feeding on different arthropod species. triatomine saliva has a wide range of activities that aid the hematophagic process. however, nothing is known about its role during hemolymphagy. in the current study, we reproduced hemolymphagy under laboratory conditions and evaluated the influence of hemolymphagy ... | 2011 | 21485376 |
| microscopic and molecular characterization of ovarian follicle atresia in rhodnius prolixus stahl under immune challenge. | in this work we characterized the degenerative process of ovarian follicles of the bug rhodnius prolixus challenged with the non-entomopathogenic fungus aspergillus niger. an injection of a. niger conidia directly into the hemocoel of adult r. prolixus females at the onset of vitellogenesis caused no effect on host lifespan but elicited a net reduction in egg batch size. direct inspection of ovaries from the mycosed insects revealed that fungal challenge led to atresia of the vitellogenic follic ... | 2011 | 21540034 |
| mitochondrial disfunction in trypanosoma cruzi: the role of serratia marcescens prodigiosin in the alternative treatment of chagas disease. | abstract: background: chagas disease is a health threat for many people, mostly those living in latin america. one of the most important problems in treatment is the limitation of existing drugs. prodigiosin, produced by serratia marcescens (rhodnius prolixus endosymbiont), belongs to the red-pigmented bacterial prodiginine family, which displays numerous biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antimalarial, immunosuppressive, and anticancer properties. here we ... | 2011 | 21548954 |
| modeling horizontal gene transfer (hgt) in the gut of the chagas disease vector rhodnius prolixus. | abstract: background: paratransgenesis is an approach to reducing arthropod vector competence using genetically modified symbionts. when applied to control of chagas disease, the symbiont bacterium rhodococcus rhodnii, resident in the gut lumen of the triatomine vector rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae), is transformed to export cecropin a, an insect immune peptide. cecropin a is active against trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease.while proof of concept has been achiev ... | 2011 | 21569540 |
| nmr studies of nitrophorin distal pocket side chain effects on the heme orientation and seating of np2 as compared to np1. | the nitrophorins (np) of the adult blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus fall into two pairs based on sequence identity (np1,4 (90%) and np2,3 (79%)), which differ significantly in the size of side chains of residues which contact the heme. these residues include those in the distal pocket of np2 (i120) and np1 (t121) and the "belt" that surrounds the heme of np2 (s40, f42), and np1(a42, l44). to determine the importance of these residues and others conserved or very similar for the two pairs, ... | 2011 | 21767470 |
| behavioural responses to human skin extracts and antennal phenotypes of sylvatic first filial generation and long rearing laboratory colony rhodnius prolixus. | chagas disease is a major public health issue and is mainly spread by triatominae insects (hemiptera: reduviidae). rhodnius prolixus is the main vector species in northern south america. host-seeking behaviour in r. prolixus is mediated by different compounds that are produced by and emanate from the host or microbiota on the host's skin. we tested the behavioural responses of sylvatic first filial generation (f1) and colony insects to extracts of human skin with a dual choice olfactometer. in a ... | 2011 | 21739035 |
| cathepsin l of triatoma brasiliensis (reduviidae, triatominae): sequence characterization, expression pattern and zymography. | triatoma brasiliensis is considered one of the main vectors of chagas disease commonly found in semi-arid areas of northeastern brazil. these insects use proteases, such as carboxypeptidase b, aminopeptidases and different cathepsins for blood digestion. in the present study, two genes encoding cathepsin l from the midgut of t. brasiliensis were identified and characterized. mature t. brasiliensis cathepsin l-like proteinases (tbcatl-1, tbcatl-2) showed a high level of identity to the cathepsin ... | 2012 | 22100382 |
| prolixicin: a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from rhodnius prolixus with differential activity against bacteria and trypanosoma cruzi. | we identified and characterized the activity of prolixicin, a novel antimicrobial peptide (amp) isolated from the hemipteran insect, rhodnius prolixus. sequence analysis reveals one region of prolixicin that may be related to the diptericin/attacin family of amps. prolixicin is an 11-kda peptide containing a putative 21 amino acid signal peptide, two putative phosphorylation sites and no glycosylation sites. it is produced by both adult fat body and midgut tissues in response to bacterial infect ... | 2011 | 21906194 |
| involvement of sulfated glycosaminoglycans on the development and attachment of trypanosoma cruzi to the luminal midgut surface in the vector, rhodnius prolixus. | summaryin the present study, we investigated the involvement of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in both the in vivo development and adhesion of t. cruzi epimastigotes to the luminal surface of the digestive tract of the insect vector, rhodnius prolixus. pre-incubation of t. cruzi, dm 28c epimastigotes with heparin, chondroitin 4-sulfate, chondroitin 6-sulfate or protamine chloridrate inhibited in vitro attachment of parasites to the insect midgut. enzymatic removal of heparan sulfate moieties by hep ... | 2011 | 21902871 |
| characterization of jbure-iib isoform of canavalia ensiformis (l.) dc urease. | ureases, nickel-dependent enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and bicarbonate, are widespread in plants, bacteria, and fungi. previously, we cloned a cdna encoding a canavalia ensiformis urease isoform named jbure-ii, corresponding to a putative smaller urease protein (78kda) when compared to other plant ureases. aiming to produce the recombinant protein, we obtained jbure-iib, with different 3' and 5' ends, encoding a 90kda urease. three peptides unique to the jbure-ii/-ii ... | 2011 | 21893219 |
| female metasternal gland odours mediate male aggregation in rhodnius prolixus, a triatomid bug. | we investigated whether metasternal gland (mg) products mediate male aggregation during mating in rhodnius prolixus (heteroptera: reduviidae) stål, 1859, through selective occlusion of female mgs. pairs of insects presenting intact mgs mated and other males aggregated around them confirming conclusions from previous studies. however, when female mgs were occluded, males did not aggregate. conversely, the occlusion of male mgs did not affect aggregation of males. the present experiments demonstra ... | 2011 | 22077398 |
| genetics and evolution of triatomines: from phylogeny to vector control. | triatomines are hemipteran bugs acting as vectors of the protozoan parasite trypanosoma cruzi. this parasite causes chagas disease, one of the major parasitic diseases in the americas. studies of triatomine genetics and evolution have been particularly useful in the design of rational vector control strategies, and are reviewed here. the phylogeography of several triatomine species is now slowly emerging, and the struggle to reconcile the phenotypic, phylogenetic, ecological and epidemiological ... | 2011 | 21897436 |
| lysophosphatidylcholine: a novel modulator of trypanosoma cruzi transmission. | lysophosphatidylcholine is a bioactive lipid that regulates a large number of cellular processes and is especially present during the deposition and infiltration of inflammatory cells and deposition of atheromatous plaque. such molecule is also present in saliva and feces of the hematophagous organism rhodnius prolixus, a triatominae bug vector of chagas disease. we have recently demonstrated that lpc is a modulator of trypanosoma cruzi transmission. it acts as a powerful chemoattractant for inf ... | 2012 | 22132309 |
| Looking for reference genes for real-time quantitative PCR experiments in Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). | Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has become one of the most used techniques to measure gene expression. However, normalization of gene expression data against reference genes is essential, although these are usually used without any kind of validation. The expression of seven genes was compared in organs of Rhodnius prolixus under diverse conditions, using published software to test gene expression stability. Rp18S and elongation factor 1 (RpEF -1) were the most reliable genes for normalization ... | 2011 | 21929722 |
| [seroprevalence for trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated factors in an endemic area of venezuela]. | this study investigated risk factors associated with positive serological status for trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in 26 rural communities including 905 households, 2,156 humans, and 333 dogs in lara state, venezuela. serology was performed with elisa and maba. data were obtained from entomological, demographic, and clinical surveys. risk factors were determined through binary logistic regression. seroprevalence was 7.24% in humans and 6.9% in canines. positive serological status was positively a ... | 2011 | 22031196 |
| vital statistics of triatominae (hemiptera: reduviidae) under laboratory conditions: iii. rhodnius neglectus. | five cohorts of 100 eggs of rhodnius neglectus lent 1954 (hemiptera reduviidae) were reared simultaneously in the laboratory under constant conditions (26 +/- 1 degrees c and 60 +/- 10% rh), with mortality and fecundity data recorded weekly. we calculated stage-specific developmental times, age-specific mortality and fecundity, stage-specific and total preadult mortality, and the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r0 = 0.21), the finite population growth rate (h = 1.23), the net reproductive ra ... | 2011 | 21845936 |
| VectorBase: improvements to a bioinformatics resource for invertebrate vector genomics. | VectorBase (http://www.vectorbase.org) is a NIAID-supported bioinformatics resource for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens. It hosts data for nine genomes: mosquitoes (three Anopheles gambiae genomes, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus), tick (Ixodes scapularis), body louse (Pediculus humanus), kissing bug (Rhodnius prolixus) and tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans). Hosted data range from genomic features and expression data to population genetics and ontologies. We describe improvements ... | 2012 | 22135296 |
| [evaluation of the toxic activity of the pyrethroid insecticides deltamethrin and lambdacyhalothrin in two panamanian field populations of rhodnius pallescens (hemíptera: reduviidae)]. | systematic evaluation of the susceptibility of disease vectors to insecticides permits the detection of the development of insecticide resistance over time. this is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of control methods and to plan management strategies of the resistance. | 2011 | 22159478 |
| phase contrast x-ray synchrotron imaging for assessing external and internal morphology of rhodnius prolixus. | phc-sr-μct is a nondestructive technique that allows the microanatomical investigations and 3d images reconstructions. this technique is performed in blood sucker, rhodnius prolixus-one of the most important insect vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, ethiologic agent of chagas' disease in latin america-was able to provide excellent information about the microanatomy of the thorax and head allowing a new tool for further studies of development and physiology of triatomine by a non-invasive method of ob ... | 2011 | 22137661 |
| Paratransgenic control of vector borne diseases. | Conventional methodologies to control vector borne diseases with chemical pesticides are often associated with environmental toxicity, adverse effects on human health and the emergence of insect resistance. In the paratransgenic strategy, symbiotic or commensal microbes of host insects are transformed to express gene products that interfere with pathogen transmission. These genetically altered microbes are re-introduced back to the insect where expression of the engineered molecules decreases th ... | 2011 | 22110385 |
| structure and ligand-binding properties of the biogenic amine-binding protein from the saliva of a blood-feeding insect vector of trypanosoma cruzi. | proteins that bind small-molecule mediators of inflammation and hemostasis are essential for blood-feeding by arthropod vectors of infectious disease. in ticks and triatomine insects, the lipocalin protein family is greatly expanded and members have been shown to bind biogenic amines, eicosanoids and adp. these compounds are potent mediators of platelet activation, inflammation and vascular tone. in this paper, the structure of the amine-binding protein (abp) from rhodnius prolixus, a vector of ... | 2012 | 23275168 |
| cruzipain promotes trypanosoma cruzi adhesion to rhodnius prolixus midgut. | trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of chagas' disease. cysteine peptidases are relevant to several aspects of the t. cruzi life cycle and are implicated in parasite-mammalian host relationships. however, little is known about the factors that contribute to the parasite-insect host interaction. | 2012 | 23272264 |
| topographical variations in the structure of the smooth septate junction. | smooth septate junctions in the midgut of musca domestica and in malpighian tubules of both musca and rhodnius prolixus are described. details of the structures revealed after standard fixation, fixation in the presence of the stain, lanthanum hydroxide, and after freeze-fracture are discussed in the light of models previously put forward to explain the interrelations of the images obtained by these different methods. the organization of the junction between cells of the midgut varies in the api ... | 2000 | 90053 |
| chemosterilization of adult rhodnius prolixus by metepa. | | 2015 | 4556431 |
| endocrinological and other factors influencing testis development in rhodnius prolixus. | | 2015 | 4607736 |
| [structure of the female reproductive system of triatomid bugs, rhodnius prolixus and triatoma infestans, and determination of their physiological age]. | | 2016 | 4885880 |
| [artificial feeding of rhodnius prolixus stal. (heteroptera, triatomidae) in laboratory]. | | 2014 | 4894414 |
| [action of insect development inhibitors on aedes aegypti l. mosquitoes and on rhodnius prolixus stal. but. ii. the juvenile activity of metoprene and structurally close compounds]. | | 1979 | 353473 |
| morphogenetic effects of precocene ii on the immature stages of rhodnius prolixus. | | 1985 | 366817 |
| chemical structure, juvenile hormone activity and persistence within the insect of juvenile hormone mimics for rhodnius prolixus. | | 1986 | 323368 |
| changes in fine structure of the ventral intersegmental abdominal muscles in the adult of rhodnius prolixus. | in rhodnius prolixus, after the imaginal molt, the intersegmental muscles completely lose their contractile material, and are transformed into thin strands containing nuclei. it is possible that these muscular strands are finally pinched off as mononucleated myoblasts. these residual muscles apparently maintain a normal innervation--which persists to the end of the imago's life. moreover, they appear to show some aspects of synthetic activity after the adult has been fed: in this case, there is ... | 2004 | 524342 |
| [histophysiologic research on neurosecretion in the ventral nerve chain of rhodnius prolixus stal (hemiptera) during imago life]. | | 2014 | 4180582 |
| an antigonadotropin from the ovaries of the insect rhodnius prolixus stål. | | 2015 | 4571873 |
| distribution of fmrfamide-related peptides in the blood-feeding bug, rhodnius prolixus. | immunohistochemistry was used to study the distribution of fmrfamide-like material in the central and peripheral nervous systems and visceral tissues of 5th instar rhodnius prolixus. over 200 immunoreactive cell bodies and their processes as well as extensive neuropile regions were distributed throughout the nervous system. immunoreactive processes were seen over the cephalic aorta, corpus cardiacum/corpus allatum complex, and in neurohaemal sites on the abdominal nerves. in visceral tissues, im ... | 2007 | 1939734 |
| proteolytic enzymes in the rhodnius prolixus midgut. | sequential chromatographic fractionation of rhodnius prolixus midgut homogenate yielded only one endopeptidase, but revealed the presence of carboxypeptidase-a and b-like enzyme, di- and tripeptidases, as well as aminopeptidase activities. | 1971 | 376330 |
| morphology of the dorsal vessel in the abdomen of the blood-feeding insect rhodnius prolixus. | the dorsal vessel (dv) in the abdomen of the blood-feeding insect rhodnius prolixus was divided functionally into two regions, the heart, into which haemolymph entered the dv through four pairs of ostia located in abdominal segment vii, and the aorta, along which the haemolymph was propelled from abdominal segment vi to the thorax. osmium-fixed whole mounts revealed the dv to consist of spirally arranged striated muscle fibers and to possess two rows of ventrally attached longitudinal fibers ext ... | 1983 | 2187100 |
| extracellular application of cobalt: a fast and simple method for delineating invertebrate neurosecretory pathways. | the extracellular cobalt backfilling technique was shown to be an excellent method to obtain cobalt backfills of invertebrate neurosecretory cells (nscs). aqueous cobalt was placed in an extracellular suction electrode into which a portion of a neurohaemal (nh) region containing the axons and/or terminals of nscs was drawn. spontaneously discharging extracellular action potentials were recorded as the cobalt was applied to the nh region, and the greater the electrical activity, the more extensiv ... | 2012 | 3347089 |
| induced-antibacterial factors in the hemolymph of rhodnius prolixus. | | 2011 | 3075694 |
| [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 |
| structure and ligand-binding mechanism of a cysteinyl leukotriene-binding protein from a blood-feeding disease vector. | blood-feeding disease vectors mitigate the negative effects of hemostasis and inflammation through the binding of small-molecule agonists of these processes by salivary proteins. in this study, a lipocalin protein family member (ltbp1) from the saliva of rhodnius prolixus, a vector of the pathogen trypanosoma cruzi, is shown to sequester cysteinyl leukotrienes during feeding to inhibit immediate inflammatory responses. calorimetric binding experiments showed that ltbp1 binds leukotrienes c4 (ltc ... | 2016 | 27124118 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| everybody loves sugar: first report of plant feeding in triatomines. | triatomines, which are the vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, have been considered to be exclusive blood feeders for more than 100 years, since the discovery of chagas disease. | 2016 | 26928036 |
| 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 |
| alpha-glucosidase promotes hemozoin formation in a blood-sucking bug: an evolutionary history. | hematophagous insects digest large amounts of host hemoglobin and release heme inside their guts. in rhodnius prolixus, hemoglobin-derived heme is detoxified by biomineralization, forming hemozoin (hz). recently, the involvement of the r. prolixus perimicrovillar membranes in hz formation was demonstrated. | 2009 | 19742319 |
| disintegrins from hematophagous sources. | bloodsucking arthropods are a rich source of salivary molecules (sialogenins) which inhibit platelet aggregation, neutrophil function and angiogenesis. here we review the literature on salivary disintegrins and their targets. disintegrins were first discovered in snake venoms, and were instrumental in our understanding of integrin function and also for the development of anti-thrombotic drugs. in hematophagous animals, most disintegrins described so far have been discovered in the salivary gland ... | 2012 | 22778902 |
| isolation, expression analysis, and functional characterization of the first antidiuretic hormone receptor in insects. | diuresis following blood-gorging in rhodnius prolixus is the major process leading to the transmission of chagas' disease. we have cloned the cdna of the first receptor known to be involved in an antidiuretic strategy in insects, a strategy that prevents diuresis. this receptor belongs to the insect capa receptor family known in other insects to be activated by peptides encoded within the capability gene. we characterize the expression profile in fifth-instars and find expression is localized to ... | 2010 | 20479227 |
| 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 |
| trypanosoma cruzi immune response modulation decreases microbiota in rhodnius prolixus gut and is crucial for parasite survival and development. | trypanosoma cruzi in order to complete its development in the digestive tract of rhodnius prolixus needs to overcome the immune reactions and microbiota trypanolytic activity of the gut. we demonstrate that in r. prolixus following infection with epimastigotes of trypanosoma cruzi clone dm28c and, in comparison with uninfected control insects, the midgut contained (i) fewer bacteria, (ii) higher parasite numbers, and (iii) reduced nitrite and nitrate production and increased phenoloxidase and an ... | 2012 | 22574189 |
| effect of the saliva from different triatomine species on the biology and immunity of tlr-4 ligand and trypanosoma cruzi-stimulated dendritic cells. | triatomines are blood-sucking vectors of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease. during feeding, triatomines surpass the skin host response through biomolecules present in their saliva. dendritic cells (dcs) play a crucial role in the induction of the protection to aggressive agents, including blood-sucking arthropods. here, we evaluated if salivary components of triatomines from different genera evade the host immunity by modulating the biology and the function of lps- or t. c ... | 2016 | 27938380 |
| 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 |
| impact of trypanosoma cruzi on antimicrobial peptide gene expression and activity in the fat body and midgut of rhodnius prolixus. | rhodnius prolixus is a major vector of trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease in latin america. in natural habitats, these insects are in contact with a variety of bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites that they acquire from both their environments and the blood of their hosts. microorganism ingestion may trigger the synthesis of humoral immune factors, including antimicrobial peptides (amps). the objective of this study was to compare the expression levels of amps (defensins an ... | 2016 | 26931761 |
| demographic fitness of belminus ferroae (hemiptera: triatominae) on three different hosts under laboratory conditions. | triatominae are widely recognised for their role as vectors of trypanosoma cruzi. one of the main biological characteristics of this subfamily is their obligate haematophagous condition. however, previous studies on belminus herreri and belminus ferroae suggested that cockroaches are their principal hosts in domiciles. due to this peculiar behaviour, the aim of this study was to analyse several demographic and reproductive parameters of b. ferroae fed on three different hosts (mice, cockroaches ... | 0 | 24141961 |