title: Genome size determination in chagas disease transmitting bugs (hemiptera-triatominae) by flow cytometry.
abstract: Because information about genome size in triatomines is scarce and contradictory, we performed DNA quantification by flow cytometry in 13 species belonging to five genera (Dipetalogaster, Eratyrus, Panstrongylus, Rhodnius, and Triatoma) to infer overall tendencies and phylogenetic associations. The results show that the haploid DNA content of the subfamily Triatominae varies nearly 4-fold, from<0.7 pg in Rhodnius species (0.6x10(9) bp) to 2.7 pg in Triatoma delpontei (2.6x10(9) bp). Considering that triatomines present similar chromosome numbers, we suggest that genome size differences are the result of variation in the quantity of repetitive DNA sequences localized in hetero and euchromatin. Changes in heterochromatin are particularly important when considering populations or closely related species; in more distant taxa, euchromatic changes also play a role. Our analyses indicate that flow cytometry is a useful tool for population, taxonomic, and evolutionary studies in this subfamily.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. fpanzera@correo.insp.mx
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Panzera
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferrandis
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Paz M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Salazar-Schettino
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabrera
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monroy
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bargues
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mas-Coma
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Víctor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Angulo
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000635:transmission*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D049750:Genome, Insect; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D014225:Triatominae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA