| 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 |
| the interaction between trypanosoma rangeli and the nitrophorins in the salivary glands of the triatomine rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera; reduviidae). | the parasite trypanosoma rangeli develops in the intestinal tract of triatomines and, particularly in species of the genus rhodnius, invades the hemolymph and salivary glands, where subsequent metacyclogenesis takes place. many aspects of the interaction between t. rangeli and triatomines are still unclear, especially concerning the development of the parasite in the salivary glands and how the parasite interacts with the saliva. in this work, we describe new findings on the process of t. rangel ... | 2013 | 23295786 |
| interaction between trypanosoma rangeli and the rhodnius prolixus salivary gland depends on the phosphotyrosine ecto-phosphatase activity of the parasite. | trypanosoma rangeli is the trypanosomatid that colonizes the salivary gland of its insect vector, with a profound impact on the feeding capacity of the insect. in this study we investigated the role of the phosphotyrosine (p-tyr) ecto-phosphatase activity of t. rangeli in its interaction with rhodnius prolixus salivary glands. long but not short epimastigotes adhered to the gland cells and the strength of interaction correlated with the enzyme activity levels in different strains. differential i ... | 2012 | 22749957 |
| trypanosoma (herpetosoma) rangeli tejera, 1920: study of the effects of the parasite on the vector. | for evaluation of the possible pathogenicity of trypanosoma (herpetosoma) rangeli tejera, 1920 to the triatomid vector, first-stage nymphs of laboratory-bred insects were engorged upon albino mice showing average parasitemias of 2 x 10(6) and 2 x 10(5) trypanosomes/ml blood. the vector strains were: rhodnius prolixus ("new" strain), triatoma pallidipennis, and triatoma vitticeps. an "old" strain of r. prolixus (maintained 30 years in the laboratory) was also employed to check the effects of labo ... | 1989 | 2701258 |
| transcription factors, chromatin proteins and the diversification of hemiptera. | availability of complete genomes provides a means to explore the evolution of enormous developmental, morphological, and behavioral diversity among insects. hemipterans in particular show great diversity of both morphology and life history within a single order. to better understand the role of transcription regulators in the diversification of hemipterans, using sequence profile searches and hidden markov models we computationally analyzed transcription factors (tfs) and chromatin proteins (cps ... | 2016 | 26226651 |
| serotonin has kinin-like activity in stimulating secretion by malpighian tubules of the house cricket acheta domesticus. | serotonin stimulates secretion by malpighian tubules (mt) of a number of insects, and functions as a diuretic hormone in rhodnius prolixus and in larval aedes aegypti. serotonin is here shown to be a potent stimulant of secretion by mt of the house cricket, acheta domesticus, with an apparent ec(50) of 9.4 nmol l(-1), although its diuretic activity is just 25% of the maximum achievable with either the native crf-related peptide, achdo-dh, or a crude extract of the corpora cardiaca. in this respe ... | 2011 | 20688119 |
| transepithelial transport of salicylate by the malpighian tubules of insects from different orders. | the organic anion salicylate is a plant secondary metabolite that protects plants against phytophagous insects. in this study, a combination of salicylate-selective microelectrodes and a radioisotope tracer technique was used to study the transepithelial transport of salicylate by the malpighian tubules of 10 species of insects from five orders. our results show that salicylate is transported into the lumen of the malpighian tubules in all the species evaluated, except rhodnius prolixus. the tra ... | 2007 | 17640663 |
| tetraethylammonium and nicotine transport by the malpighian tubules of insects. | we examined transepithelial transport of the prototypical type i organic cation (oc) tetraethylammonium (tea) and the plant alkaloid nicotine by the isolated malpighian tubules (mts) of nine insect species from six orders. isolated tubules were exposed to radiolabelled forms of either tea or nicotine in the bathing (basal) fluid. luminal (apical) secreted fluid was collected and tea or nicotine concentration was determined. active net transport of nicotine from bath to lumen was observed by the ... | 2006 | 16527303 |
| [action of development inhibitors on aedes aegypti l. mosquitoes and rhodnius prolixus stal. bugs. iv. the activity of precocenes]. | | 2015 | 7024772 |
| [action of insect growth inhibitors on aedes aegypti l. mosquitoes and rhodnius prolixus stal. bugs. iii. the activity of diarylidene cyclonones]. | | 2009 | 364291 |
| the biogeography and population genetics of neotropical vector species. | phylogenetic and population genetic data support the pliocene or pleistocene divergences of the co-distributed hematophagous insect vectors, the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis s.l., the mosquitoes anopheles darlingi and a. albitarsis s.l., and the triatomines rhodnius prolixus and r. robustus. we examined patterns of divergence and distribution in relation to three hypotheses of neotropical diversification: miocene/pliocene marine incursion, pliocene/pleistocene riverine barriers and pleistocene ... | 2007 | 17534382 |
| 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 |
| in search of magnetosensitivity and ferromagnetic particles in rhodnius prolixus: behavioral studies and vibrating sample magnetometry. | magnetoreception is a sensory mechanism with wide phylogenetic distribution, which many organisms use for navigation and orientation. radical pair reactions and the use of magnetic particles have been proposed as mechanisms for magnetosensitivity in terrestrial animals. magnetosensitivity and the presence of a ferromagnetic material were tested in the hematophagous bug rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae: triatominae) vector of chagas disease in colombia and venezuela. r. prolixus is well k ... | 2013 | 23291498 |
| nitrobindin: an ubiquitous family of all β-barrel heme-proteins. | rhodnius prolixus nitrophorins (rp-nps), arabidopsis thaliana nitrobindin (at-nb), and homo sapiens thap4 (hs-thap4) are the unique known proteins that use a β-barrel fold to bind ferric heme, which is devoted to no transport and/or catalysis. the eight-stranded antiparallel β-barrel rp-nps, which represent the only heme-binding lipocalins, are devoted to deliver no into the blood vessel of the host and to scavenge histamine during blood sucking. regarding nbs, crystallographic data suggest the ... | 2016 | 27080126 |
| a new model for proton pumping in animal cells: the role of pyrophosphate. | the h+-ppase activity was characterized in membrane fractions of ovary and eggs of rhodnius prolixus. this activity is totally dependent on mg2+, independent of k+ and strongly inhibited by naf, idp and ca2+. the membrane proteins of eggs were analyzed by western blot using antibodies to the h+-ppase from arabidopsis thaliana. the immunostain was associated with a single 65-kda polypeptide. this polypeptide was immunolocalized in yolk granule membranes by optical and transmission electron micros ... | 2004 | 14723894 |
| nurse cell-oocyte interaction in the telotrophic ovarioles of an insect, rhodnius prolixus. | microinjection of intracellular tracers fluorescein, procion yellow, lucifer yellow and horseradish peroxidase unequivocally showed the syncytial structure of the tropharium and its interaction with the oocytes. the tropharium tip is a separate isolated compartment. finger-like nurse cell projections comprising the syncytial tropharium interact via gap junctions along their abutting membranes and also via large cytoplasmic continuities at the central trophic core. the trophic cords connecting th ... | 1981 | 7013152 |
| ecdysteroidogenic action of bombyx prothoracicotropic hormone and bombyxin on the prothoracic glands of rhodnius prolixus in vitro. | an in-vitro assay for ecdysteroid synthesis by the prothoracic glands (pgs) of fifth instar rhodnius prolixus has been employed to evaluate the actions of prothoracicotropic neuropeptides from the silkmoth, bombyx mori. crude prothoracicotropic hormone (ptth) extracts of recently emerged adult brain complexes of bombyx induced a dose-dependent stimulation of ecdysteroid synthesis by rhodnius pgs, which was similar to that obtained using crude rhodnius ptth. in both cases, maximum stimulation was ... | 1997 | 12769976 |
| post-feeding physiology in rhodnius prolixus: the possible role of fglamide-related allatostatins. | allatostatins (asts) are neuropeptides that were first identified as inhibitors of juvenile hormone biosynthesis by the corpora allata of some insect species. the fglamide-related asts (fgla/asts) belong to one of three families of insect asts. previously, we showed that rhodnius prolixus fgla/asts (rhopr-fgla/asts) are present throughout the r. prolixus central nervous system and are associated with 5 dorsal unpaired median (dum) neurons in the mesothoracic ganglionic mass. a similar set of neu ... | 2013 | 24161751 |
| jaburetox affects gene expression and enzyme activities in rhodnius prolixus, a chagas' disease vector. | jaburetox, a recombinant peptide of ∼11kda derived from one of the canavalia ensiformis (jack bean) urease isoforms, is toxic and lethal to insects belonging to different orders when administered orally or via injection. previous findings indicated that jaburetox acts on insects in a complex fashion, inhibiting diuresis and the transmembrane potential of malpighian tubules, interfering with muscle contractility and affecting the immune system. in vitro, jaburetox forms ionic channels and alters ... | 2017 | 28108369 |
| 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 |
| role of lysine and acidic amino acid residues on the insecticidal activity of jackbean urease. | canavalia ensiformis has three isoforms of urease: jackbean urease (jbu), jackbean urease ii and canatoxin. these isoforms present several biological activities, independent from the enzymatic property, such as entomotoxicity and antifungal properties. the entomotoxic activity is a property of the whole protein, as well as of a 10 kda peptide released by insect digestive enzymes. here we have used chemical modification to observe the influence of lysines and acidic residues on jbu enzymatic and ... | 2013 | 23726854 |
| investigation of the potential involvement of eicosanoid metabolites in anti-diuretic hormone signaling in rhodnius prolixus. | the use of naturally occurring plant-derived compounds for controlling insect pests remains an attractive alternative to potentially dangerous synthetic chemical compounds. one prospective plant-based compound, isoforms of the so-called jack bean urease (jbu) from the jack bean, canavalia ensiformis, as well a derived peptide, jaburetox-2ec, have insecticidal effects on an array of insect species. in the chagas' disease vector, rhodnius prolixus, some of the physiological effects attributed to t ... | 2012 | 22079222 |
| proteolytic activation of canatoxin, a plant toxic protein, by insect cathepsin-like enzymes. | canatoxin is a protein isolated from jackbean (canavalia ensiformis), seeds. injected intraperitoneally, the toxin is lethal to mice but it is inactive if given orally. canatoxin is also lethal when fed to insects with cathepsin-based digestion while insects with trypsin-based digestion are not affected. the hypothesis that canatoxin is proteolytically activated by cathepsins was investigated. experiments were performed with 4(th) instar and adult rhodnius prolixus fed meals containing canatoxin ... | 2000 | 10918311 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| identification of a selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus. | the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (segpx) is a well-studied enzyme that detoxifies organic and hydrogen peroxides and provides cells or extracellular fluids with a key antioxidant function. the presence of a segpx has not been unequivocally demonstrated in insects. in the present work, we identified the gene and studied the function of a rhodnius prolixus segpx (rpsegpx). the rpsegpx mrna presents the uga codon that encodes the active site selenocysteine (sec) and a corresponding sec ... | 2016 | 26392061 |
| 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 |
| presence and activity of a dippu-dh31-like peptide in the blood-feeding bug, rhodnius prolixus. | the blood-feeding bug, rhodnius prolixus, ingests large blood meals, then undergoes a period of rapid diuresis which is under neurohormonal control. in both cockroach (diploptera punctata) and fruit fly (drosophila melanogaster) a calcitonin-like dh31 neuropeptide has been identified [coast gm, webster sg, schegg km, tobe ss, schooley da. the drosophila melanogaster homologue of an insect calcitonin-like diuretic peptide stimulates v-atpase activity in fruit fly malpighian tubules. j exp biol 20 ... | 2005 | 15626502 |
| amino acids modulate ion transport and fluid secretion by insect malpighian tubules. | insect haemolymph typically contains very high levels of free amino acids. this study shows that amino acids can modulate the secretion of ions and water by isolated malpighian tubules of rhodnius prolixus and drosophila melanogaster. secretion rates of rhodnius tubules in amino-acid-free saline increase after addition of serotonin to a peak value, then slowly decline to a plateau. addition of glutamine, glutamate or aspartate to such tubules increases secretion rates dramatically relative to th ... | 2003 | 12456699 |
| removal of insect basal laminae using elastase. | we have used the enzyme elastase to remove the basal lamina of epithelia from two insects: the upper malpighian tubules of rhodnius prolixus and imaginal discs of drosophila melanogaster. removal of the basal lamina was confirmed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. use of the technique on the malphighian tubules of rhodnius reveals for the first time the three-dimensional organization of the circumferential folds of the basal plasma membrane. elastase is much more effective in r ... | 1984 | 6431633 |
| amines from vertebrates guide triatomine bugs to resources. | most triatomine bugs (heteroptera: reduviidae) are nest-living insects that require vertebrate blood or invertebrate haemolymph to complete their life cycle. vertebrates accumulate excretory products in or near their nesting sites and we hypothesize that triatomines use emanations from such host wastes when searching for resources. here we recount how triatomine bugs increase upwind locomotion on a servosphere in response to volatile amine constituents of vertebrate excretions. fresh chicken fae ... | 2014 | 25260571 |
| description of rhodnius marabaensis sp. n. (hemiptera, reduviidae, triatominae) from pará state, brazil. | rhodnius marabaensissp. n. was collected on 12 may 2014 in the murumurú environmental reserve in the city of marabá, pará state, brazil. this study was based on previous consultation of morphological descriptions of 19 rhodnius species and compared to the identification key for the genus rhodnius. the examination included specimens from 18 rhodnius species held in the brazilian national and international triatomine taxonomy reference laboratory in the oswaldo cruz institute in rio de janeiro, br ... | 2016 | 27833419 |
| transposition burst of mariner-like elements in the sequenced genome of rhodnius prolixus. | transposable elements (tes) are widespread in insect's genomes. however, there are wide differences in the proportion of the total dna content occupied by these repetitive sequences in different species. we have analyzed the tes present in r. prolixus (vector of the chagas disease) and showed that 3.0% of this genome is occupied by class ii tes, belonging mainly to the tc1-mariner superfamily (1.65%) and mites (1.84%). interestingly, most of this genomic content is due to the expansion of two su ... | 2016 | 26363296 |
| the distribution and physiological effects of the myoinhibiting peptides in the kissing bug, rhodnius prolixus. | the myoinhibiting peptides (mips), also designated as allatostatin-bs or prothoracicostatic peptides in some insects, are neuropeptides that are characterized by two tryptophan (w) residues at the c-terminal, denoted as the w(x(6))wamide motif. they are believed to be the ancestral ligands for the drosophila sex peptide (sp) receptor. physiological functions of mips include the inhibition of contraction of insect visceral muscles, in addition to allatostatic and prothoracicostatic activities. th ... | 2012 | 22783161 |
| okb, a novel family of brain-gut neuropeptides from insects. | in insects, neuropeptides play a central role in the control of most physiological processes. the knowledge and characterization of new neuropeptide families, is of interest on the fields of genetics, genomics, neurobiology, endocrinology and evolution. this knowledge also provides the tools for the design of peptidomimetics, pseudopeptides or small molecules, capable of disrupting the physiological processes regulated by the signaling molecules and their receptors. this is a promising target fo ... | 2012 | 22480496 |
| characterization of the external female genitalia of six species of triatominae (hemiptera: reduviidade) by scanning electron microscopy. | by macroscopic and microscopic dorsal side observation, it was noted that the ix and x segments of two species each of panstrongylus and triatoma terminate in an elongated way, whereas they terminate abruptly in the two species of rhodnius. scanning observation of the dorsal, ventral, lateral and posterior sides of the female genitalia of panstrongylus herreri, panstrongylus megistus, rhodnius colombiensis, rhodnius prolixus, triatoma infestans and triatoma vitticeps revealed that these six spec ... | 2010 | 20512241 |
| crystallization and preliminary x-ray study of haem-binding protein from the bloodsucking insect rhodnius prolixus. | rhodnius haem-binding protein (rhbp) from the bloodsucking insect rhodnius prolixus, a 15 kda protein, has been crystallized using polyethylene glycol as a precipitant. x-ray diffraction data have been collected at a synchrotron source. the crystals belong to the space group p4(1(3))2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 64.98, c = 210.68 a, and diffract beyond 2.6 a resolution. | 2001 | 11375508 |
| potassium-induced release of the diuretic hormones of rhodnius prolixus and glossina austeni: ca dependence, time course and localization of neurohaemal areas. | | 1974 | 4153437 |
| 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 |
| the involvement of rhopr-crf/dh in feeding and reproduction in the blood-gorging insect rhodnius prolixus. | rhodnius prolixus is a blood-gorging insect and a vector for human chagas disease. the insect transmits the disease following feeding, when it excretes urine and feces contaminated with the trypanosoma cruzi parasite. a corticotropin-releasing factor-like peptide acts as a diuretic hormone in r. prolixus (rhopr-crf/dh); however, its distribution throughout the insect's central nervous system (cns) and the expression of its receptor in feeding-related tissue as well as the female reproductive sys ... | 2017 | 28694056 |
| catalase expression impairs oxidative stress-mediated signalling in trypanosoma cruzi. | trypanosoma cruzi is exposed to oxidative stresses during its life cycle, and amongst the strategies employed by this parasite to deal with these situations sits a peculiar trypanothione-dependent antioxidant system. remarkably, t. cruzi's antioxidant repertoire does not include catalase. in an attempt to shed light on what are the reasons by which this parasite lacks this enzyme, a t. cruzi cell line stably expressing catalase showed an increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide (h2o2) when comp ... | 2017 | 28653592 |
| proteomic analysis of the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus antenna. | reception of odorants is essential in insects' life since the chemical signals in the environment (=semiochemicals) convey information about availability of hosts for a blood meal, mates for reproduction, sites for oviposition and other relevant information for fitness in the environment. once they reach the antennae, these semiochemicals bind to odorant-binding proteins and are transported through the sensillar lymph until reach the odorant receptors. such perireceptor events, particularly the ... | 2017 | 28606853 |
| jaburetox-induced toxic effects on the hemocytes of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae). | jaburetox is a recombinant peptide derived from a canavalia ensiformis urease that presents toxic effects upon several species of insects, phytopathogenic fungi and yeasts of medical importance. so far, no toxicity of jaburetox to mammals has been shown. previous reports have identified biochemical targets of this toxic peptide in insect models, although its mechanism of action is not completely understood. in this work, we aimed to characterize the effects of jaburetox in hemolymphatic insect c ... | 2017 | 28602911 |
| [possible oral transmission of chagas disease among hydrocarbons sector workers in casanare, colombia, 2014]. | trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent for chagas disease, can be transmitted by oral intake of contaminated food or drinks. during epidemiological week 14 of 2014, two cases of acute chagas disease were notified among hydrocarbons sector workers in paz de ariporo, casanare. | 2017 | 28527286 |
| [diversity of triatominae (hemiptera: reduviidae) in santander, colombia: epidemiological implications]. | domestic and wild triatomines in the department of santander have an epidemiological impact, as recently they have been linked to outbreaks of acute chagas disease. the analysis of their diversity and temporal variation contributes to the understanding of their biology and ecology in one of the most endemic areas of the country. | 2017 | 28527247 |
| developmental roles of tyrosine metabolism enzymes in the blood-sucking insect rhodnius prolixus. | the phenylalanine/tyrosine degradation pathway is frequently described as a catabolic pathway that funnels aromatic amino acids into citric acid cycle intermediates. previously, we demonstrated that the accumulation of tyrosine generated during the hydrolysis of blood meal proteins in rhodnius prolixus is potentially toxic, a harmful outcome that is prevented by the action of the first two enzymes in the tyrosine degradation pathway. in this work, we further evaluated the relevance of all other ... | 2017 | 28469016 |
| rhodnius prolixus: from classical physiology to modern developmental biology. | the hemiptera rhodnius prolixus is a blood-feeding insect and a primary vector of trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of the chagas disease. over the past century, rhodnius has been the subject of intense investigations, which have contributed to unveil important aspects of metabolism and physiology in insects. recent technological innovations are helping dissect the genetic and molecular underpinnings of rhodnius embryogenesis and organogenesis, thus fostering the use of this important spe ... | 2017 | 28432816 |
| differences in competitive ability for the occupancy of shelters in triatomines. | triatomines (hemiptera: reduviidae: triatominae) are nocturnal blood-sucking insects. during daylight hours they remain in an akinetic state inside their shelters, whereas at dusk they become active and move outside. when they are outside their shelters during the photophase, triatomines are vulnerable to diurnal predators and the period just before dawn is critical to their survival. this work analyses the existence of competitive interactions involved in the occupancy of shelters by triatomine ... | 2017 | 28145576 |
| orcokinin neuropeptides regulate ecdysis in the hemimetabolous insect rhodnius prolixus. | to grow and develop insects must undergo ecdysis. during this process, the individual sheds the old cuticle to emerge as the following developmental stage. during ecdysis, different programed behaviors are regulated by neuropeptidergic pathways. in general, components of these pathways are better characterized in crustacean and holometabolous insects than in hemimetabola. in insects, the orkoninin gene produces two different neuropeptide precursors by alternative splicing: orcokinin a and orcoki ... | 2017 | 28089691 |
| the molecular sensory machinery of a chagas disease vector: expression changes through imaginal moult and sexually dimorphic features. | the triatomine bug rhodnius prolixus is a main vector of chagas disease, which affects several million people, mostly in latin-america. host searching, pheromone communication, and microclimatic preferences are aspects of its behaviour that depend on multimodal sensory inputs. the molecular bases of these sensory processes are largely unknown. the expression levels of genes transcribed in antennae were compared between 5(th) instar larvae, and female and male adults by means of rna-seq. the ante ... | 2017 | 28059141 |
| 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 |
| deficiency of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 decreases triacylglycerol storage and induces fatty acid oxidation in insect fat body. | glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases (gpat) catalyze the initial and rate-limiting step for the de novo synthesis of triacylglycerol (tag). four mammalian gpat isoforms have been identified: the mitochondria-associated gpat1 and 2, and the endoplasmic reticulum (er)-associated gpat3 and 4. in the insect rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas' disease, we previously predicted a mitochondrial-like isoform (rhoprgpat1) from genomic data. in the current study, we clone the rhoprgpat1 coding sequence ... | 2017 | 27956137 |
| genetic relationships and spatial genetic structure among populations of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) in colombia and venezuela based on mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences. | one hundred twenty rhodnius prolixus (stal) (hemiptera: reduviidae) specimens from 6 colombian departments and 1 venezuelan state had 594-bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene sequenced to improve the understanding of evolutionary processes that shape the main vector of chagas disease. the levels of genetic diversity for this species were low-medium with reference to other bugs. the genetic heterogeneity among the populations was very limited which means there has been extensive gene flow an ... | 2017 | 27889871 |
| lethal and sublethal effects of essential oil of lippia sidoides (verbenaceae) and monoterpenes on chagas' disease vector rhodnius prolixus. | the aim of this study was to identify the composition of the essential oil from leaves of lippia sidoides (eols), a typical shrub commonly found in the dry northeast of brazil, popularly known as "alecrim-pimenta". additionally, we investigated the nymphicidal, ovicidal, phagoinhibitory and excretion effects of eols, its major constituent thymol and its isomer carvacrol, on fourth instar nymphs and eggs of rhodnius prolixus, the chagas' disease vector. the nymphicidal and ovicidal activity of th ... | 2017 | 27878214 |
| 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 |
| an inside look at the sensory biology of triatomines. | although kissing bugs (triatominae: reduviidae) are perhaps best known as vectors of chagas disease, they are important experimental models in studies of insect sensory physiology, pioneered by the seminal studies of wigglesworth and gillet more than eighty years ago. since then, many investigations have revealed that the thermal, hygric, visual and olfactory senses play critical roles in the orientation of these blood-sucking insects towards hosts. here we review the current knowledge about the ... | 2017 | 27840287 |
| lipid metabolism in rhodnius prolixus: lessons from the genome. | the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus is both an important vector of chagas' disease and an interesting model for investigation into the field of physiology, including lipid metabolism. the publication of this insect genome will bring a huge amount of new molecular biology data to be used in future experiments. although this work represents a promising scenario, a preliminary analysis of the sequence data is necessary to identify and annotate the genes involved in lipid metabolism. here, we used bio ... | 2017 | 27697616 |
| neuropeptides in the regulation of rhodnius prolixus physiology. | in the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus, events such as diuresis, antidiuresis, development and reproduction are triggered by blood feeding. hence, these events can be accurately timed, facilitating physiological experiments. this, combined with its relatively big size, makes r. prolixus an excellent model in insect neuroendocrinological studies. the importance of r. prolixus as a chagas' disease vector as much as an insect model has motivated the sequencing of its genome in recent years, facilitat ... | 2017 | 27210592 |
| ecdysis period of rhodnius prolixus head investigated using phase contrast synchrotron microtomography. | microtomography using synchrotron sources is a useful tool in biological imaging research since the phase coherence of synchrotron beams can be exploited to obtain images with high contrast resolution. this work is part of a series of works using phase contrast synchrotron microtomography in the study of rhodnius prolixus head, the insect vector of chagas' disease, responsible for about 12,000 deaths per year. the control of insect vector is the most efficient method to prevent this disease and ... | 2016 | 27184550 |
| rhodnius prolixus intoxicated. | rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) is a hematophagous insect native from south america. by the end of the 20th century, it was one of the main vectors of chagas disease in venezuela, colombia, several central american countries and southern mexico. the aim of the present article is to review the literature regarding r. prolixus toxicology. british entomologist vincent b. wigglesworth carried out the first studies on this subject over seventy years ago. a wide bibliographical search allowe ... | 2017 | 27113321 |
| correction for mesquita et al., genome of rhodnius prolixus, an insect vector of chagas disease, reveals unique adaptations to hematophagy and parasite infection. | | 2016 | 26929356 |
| symbiont-mediated rna interference in insects. | rna interference (rnai) methods for insects are often limited by problems with double-stranded (ds) rna delivery, which restricts reverse genetics studies and the development of rnai-based biocides. we therefore delegated to insect symbiotic bacteria the task of: (i) constitutive dsrna synthesis and (ii) trauma-free delivery. rnaseiii-deficient, dsrna-expressing bacterial strains were created from the symbionts of two very diverse pest species: a long-lived blood-sucking bug, rhodnius prolixus, ... | 2016 | 26911963 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| comparing de novo and reference-based transcriptome assembly strategies by applying them to the blood-sucking bug rhodnius prolixus. | high throughput sequencing capabilities have made the process of assembling a transcriptome easier, whether or not there is a reference genome. but the quality of a transcriptome assembly must be good enough to capture the most comprehensive catalog of transcripts and their variations, and to carry out further experiments on transcriptomics. there is currently no consensus on which of the many sequencing technologies and assembly tools are the most effective. many non-model organisms lack a refe ... | 2016 | 26005117 |
| patterns of expression of odorant receptor genes in a chagas disease vector. | rhodnius prolixus is a triatomine bug acting as a relevant vector of chagas disease for which the genome sequence has been recently made available. based on this information, a set of olfactory (ors) and ionotropic receptor (irs) genes potentially related to olfactory processes was characterized, and the expression patterns along bug development and in different structures potentially involved in promoting chemosensory-mediated behaviors were studied. for this, diverse bioinformatic procedures w ... | 2016 | 26003917 |
| identification of g protein coupled receptors for opsines and neurohormones in rhodnius prolixus. genomic and transcriptomic analysis. | the importance of chagas disease motivated the scientific effort to obtain the complete genomic sequence of the vector species rhodnius prolixus, this information is also relevant to the understanding of triatomine biology in general. the central nervous system is the key regulator of insect physiology and behavior. neurohormones (neuropeptides and biogenic amines) are the chemical messengers involved in the regulation and integration of neuroendocrine signals. in insects, this signaling is main ... | 2016 | 25976540 |
| chitin is a component of the rhodnius prolixus midgut. | chitin is an essential component of the peritrophic matrix (pm), which is a structure that lines the insect's gut and protects against mechanical damage and pathogens. rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) does not have a pm, but it has an analogous structure, the perimicrovillar membrane (pmm); chitin has not been described in this structure. here, we show that chitin is present in the r. prolixus midgut using several techniques. the ftir spectrum of the koh-resistant putative chitin-materi ... | 2016 | 25910679 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| repellence produced by monoterpenes on rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) decreases after continuous exposure to these compounds. | botanical monoterpenes are secondary metabolites present in essential oils produced by plants. some of them are insect repellents. the bloodsucking bug rhodnius prolixus ståhl (hemiptera: reduviidae) is one of the main vectors of chagas disease in the north of south america and some countries in central america. in this study, we studied the repellence produced by two monoterpenes, menthyl acetate and geraniol, on fifth instar nymphs of r. prolixus. in the absence of other stimuli, both menthyl ... | 2014 | 25525113 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| evaluation of a co2 -free commercial mosquito attractant to capture triatomines in the laboratory. | efforts have been made to develop vertebrate odor-based attractants to lure hematophagous triatomines into traps. however, more work is needed to reach a practical, cheap, and efficient odor lure. we carried out attraction and capture tests in a dual-choice olfactometer and a pitfall trap. here we report that a three-component, co2 -free, synthetic blend of vertebrate odor (consisting of ammonia, l(+) lactic acid and hexanoic acid, and known as sweetscent®) significantly induces 3(rd) -instar rh ... | 2013 | 24581352 |
| effects of chitin synthase double-stranded rna on molting and oogenesis in the chagas disease vector rhodnius prolixus. | in this study, we provided the demonstration of the presence of a single chs gene in the rhodnius prolixus (a blood-sucking insect) genome that is expressed in adults (integument and ovary) and in the integument of nymphs during development. this chs gene appears to be essential for epidermal integrity and egg formation in r. prolixus. because injection of chs dsrna was effective in reducing chs transcript levels, phenotypic alterations in the normal course of ecdysis occurred. in addition, two ... | 2014 | 24398146 |
| behavioral and toxicological responses of rhodnius prolixus and triatoma infestans (hemiptera: reduviidae) to 10 monoterpene alcohols. | the effect on locomotor activity, the repellency, and the knock-down produced by 10 monoterpene alcohols were evaluated on first-instar nymphs of rhodnius prolixus and triatoma infestans, vectors of chagas disease. a video tracking technique was used to evaluate locomotor activity and repellency by exposure to papers impregnated with monoterpenes. eugenol on r. prolixus and (s)-cis-verbenol on t. infestans did not modify the locomotor activity. the remaining monoterpenes produced hyperactivity o ... | 2013 | 24180109 |
| a phospholipase a2 gene is linked to jack bean urease toxicity in the chagas' disease vector rhodnius prolixus. | ureases are multifunctional enzymes that display biological activities independent of their enzymatic function, including exocytosis induction and insecticidal effects. the hemipteran rhodnius prolixus is one of the known susceptible models for this toxicity. it has been shown that jack bean urease (jbu) has deleterious effects on r. prolixus, and these effects are modulated by eicosanoids, which are synthesized in a cascade involving phospholipase a2 (pla2) enzymes. | 2014 | 24055375 |
| the molecular characterization of the kinin transcript and the physiological effects of kinins in the blood-gorging insect, rhodnius prolixus. | the dramatic feeding-related activities of the chagas' disease vector, rhodnius prolixus are under the neurohormonal regulation of serotonin and various neuropeptides. one such family of neuropeptides, the insect kinins, possess diuretic, digestive and myotropic activities in many insects. in this study, we have cloned and examined the spatial expression of the r. prolixus kinin (rhopr-kinin) transcript. in addition, in situ hybridization has been used to map the distribution of neurons expressi ... | 2014 | 23624318 |
| impact of a community-based bug-hunting campaign on chagas disease control: a case study in the department of jalapa, guatemala. | chagas disease control requires an innovative approach to strengthen community participation in vector surveillance. this paper presents a case study of a community-based bug-hunting campaign in guatemala. the campaign was implemented in 2007 in the following three stages: (i) a four week preparation stage to promote bug-hunting, (ii) a one week bug-hunting stage to capture and collect bugs and (iii) a 10 week follow-up stage to analyse the bugs and spray insecticide. a total of 2,845 bugs were ... | 2013 | 23579801 |
| exploring the role of rhodtestolin, a cardio-inhibitor from the testes of rhodnius prolixus, in relation to the structure and function of reproductive organs in insect vectors of chagas disease. | rhodtestolin is a cardio-inhibitor that was first discovered in testes extracts of the blood-feeding insect, rhodnius prolixus. its role in reproduction remains unconfirmed, but if delivered to the female during spermatophore formation, it may serve to calm the female and/or relax the vaginal muscles to facilitate delivery and storage of the spermatophore. we describe here the anatomy of reproductive organs in r. prolixus and show that rhodtestolin is present in a low-molecular weight fraction o ... | 2013 | 26462525 |
| vector control intervention towards interruption of transmission of chagas disease by rhodnius prolixus, main vector in guatemala. | in guatemala, the ministry of health (moh) began a vector control project with japanese cooperation in 2000 to reduce the risk of chagas disease infection. rhodnius prolixus is one of the principal vectors and is targeted for elimination. the control method consisted of extensive residual insecticide spraying campaigns, followed by community-based surveillance with selective respraying. interventions in nine endemic departments identified 317 villages with r. prolixus of 4,417 villages surveyed. ... | 2012 | 23147143 |
| triacylglycerol biosynthesis occurs via the glycerol-3-phosphate pathway in the insect rhodnius prolixus. | although triacylglycerol (tag) stores play a critical role in organisms, mechanisms underlying tag synthesis are poorly understood in invertebrates. in mammals, the synthesis of glycerolipids, including tag, diacylglycerol (dag) and phospholipids (pl), occurs predominantly by the glycerol-3-phosphate (g3p) pathway in most cell types, except for in enterocytes. in these cells, the monoacylglycerol (mag) pathway accounts for the majority of glycerolipid production. the insect rhodnius prolixus, a ... | 2012 | 22902317 |