JABURETOX AFFECTS GENE EXPRESSION AND ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN RHODNIUS PROLIXUS, A CHAGAS? DISEASE VECTOR

FRUTTERO, L.L.; MOYETTA, N.R.; SIEBRA KRUG, M.; BROLL, V.; COSTE GRAHL, M.V.; REAL-GUERRA, R.; STANISÇUASKI, F.; CARLINI, C.R.

ACTA TROPICA

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2017 vol. 168 p. 54 - 54

0001-706X

aburetox, a recombinant peptide of ~11 kDa 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 permeability of artificial lipid membranes. Moreover, recent data suggested that the central nervous system (CNS) is a target organ for ureases and Jaburetox. In this work, we employed biochemical, molecular and cellular approaches to explore the mode of action of Jaburetox using Rhodnius prolixus, one of the main Chagas? disease vectors, as experimental model. In vitro incubations with fluorescently labeled Jaburetox indicated a high affinity of the peptide for the CNS but not for salivary gla