An insight into the sialotranscriptome of Triatoma matogrossensis, a kissing bug associated with fogo selvagem in South America

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Jun;86(6):1005-14. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0690.

Abstract

Triatoma matogrossensis is a Hemiptera that belongs to the oliveirai complex, a vector of Chagas' disease that feeds on vertebrate blood in all life stages. Hematophagous insects' salivary glands (SGs) produce potent pharmacologic compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. Exposure to T. matogrossensis was also found to be a risk factor associated with the endemic form of the autoimmune skin disease pemphigus foliaceus, which is described in the same regions where Chagas' disease is observed in Brazil. To obtain a further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacologic diversity of this kissing bug and to identify possible allergens that might be associated with this autoimmune disease, a cDNA library from its SGs was randomly sequenced. We present the analysis of a set of 2,230 (SG) cDNA sequences, 1,182 of which coded for proteins of a putative secretory nature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Autoimmune Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / parasitology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / pathology
  • Brazil
  • Computational Biology
  • Gene Library
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Insect Vectors / genetics
  • Insect Vectors / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Pemphigus / epidemiology*
  • Pemphigus / parasitology
  • Pemphigus / pathology
  • Salivary Glands / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transcriptome*
  • Triatoma / classification
  • Triatoma / genetics*

Substances

  • Insect Proteins

Supplementary concepts

  • Pemphigus and fogo selvagem