The sialotranscriptome of the blood-sucking bug Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Jul;37(7):702-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2007.04.004. Epub 2007 Apr 14.

Abstract

Triatoma brasiliensis is the most important autochthon vector of Trypanosoma cruzi in Brazil, where it is widely distributed in the semiarid areas of the Northeast. In order to advance the knowledge of the salivary biomolecules of Triatominae, a salivary gland cDNA library of T. brasiliensis was mass sequenced and analyzed. Polypeptides were sequenced by HPLC/Edman degradation experiments. Then 1712 cDNA sequences were obtained and grouped in 786 clusters. The housekeeping category had 24.4% and 17.8% of the clusters and sequences, respectively. The putatively secreted category contained 47.1% of the clusters and 68.2% of the sequences. Finally, 28.5% of the clusters, containing 14% of all sequences, were classified as unknown. The sialoma of T. brasiliensis showed a high amount and great variety of different lipocalins (93.8% of secreted proteins). Remarkably, a great number of serine proteases that were not observed in previous blood-sucking sialotranscriptomes were found. Nine Kazal peptides were identified, among them one with high homology to the tabanid vasodilator vasotab, suggesting that the Triatoma vasodilator could be a Kazal protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Apyrase / chemistry
  • Blood
  • Brazil
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Computational Biology*
  • Eating
  • Gene Library*
  • Hemeproteins
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry
  • Insect Proteins / genetics*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Insect Vectors
  • Phylogeny
  • Saliva / chemistry*
  • Salivary Glands / chemistry*
  • Salivary Glands / physiology
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Serine Endopeptidases / isolation & purification
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Triatoma / classification
  • Triatoma / genetics
  • Triatoma / metabolism*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / physiology

Substances

  • Hemeproteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides
  • nitrophorin
  • triabin
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Apyrase