Vector Biology: Tyrosine Degradation Protects Blood Feeders from Death via La Grande Bouffe

Petr Kopáček; Jan Perner

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.068

Vector Biology: Tyrosine Degradation Protects Blood Feeders from Death via La Grande Bouffe

Curr Biol. 2016 Aug 22;26(16):R763-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.068.

Authors

Petr Kopáček¹, Jan Perner²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Electronic address: kopajz@paru.cas.cz.
² Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Electronic address: perner@paru.cas.cz.

PMID: 27554655
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.068

Abstract

Blood-feeding arthropods digest vast amounts of host-blood nutrients. A new study suggests that tyrosine degradation is essential for the survival of blood-fed kissing bugs, mosquitoes, and ticks. This finding presents a promising target for the control of these disease vectors.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Arthropods*
Culicidae
Death
Disease Vectors*
Feeding Behavior
Humans
Insect Vectors
Tyrosine

Substances

Tyrosine