?Toxic effects of the urease-derived peptide jaburetox in the hemocytes of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)?

MOYETTA NR; BROLL VALQUIRIA; PERIN APA; UBERTI AF; COSTE GRAHL MV; STANISÇUASKI FERNANDA; CARLINI CR; FRUTTERO LL

La Falda

Jornada; XXI Annual Scientific Meeting; 2017

Jaburetox (JBTX) is a recombinant peptide derived from a Canavalia ensiformis urease that presents toxic effects upon several species ofinsects, fungi and yeasts. Although the toxicity of this compound has been reported more than 20 years ago, its mechanism of action is notfully understood. In the present work, we characterized the effects of JBTX in hemolymphatic cells of the insect model and Chagas? diseasevector, Rhodnius prolixus. In vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that JBTX interacts with a subset of hemocytes and that it can befound in various subcellular compartments. The injection with the peptide increased the gene expression of the mRNA of the enzymesUDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) and chitin synthase. Nevertheless, the treatment did not modify the enzymaticactivities of UAP and acid phosphatase (a possible UAP regulator). In addition, it did not induce changes in the phosphorylation state ofproteins. Finally, JBTX activated the hemocytes without increasing their phagocytic behavior. Taken together, these findings contribute toour understanding of the toxic effects of JBTX, a peptide with biotechnological applications and a prospective tool for rational insectcontrol.