title: Identification and characterization of two novel lysozymes from Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease.
abstract: Lysozymes have been described in invertebrates as digestive or immune molecules. We report here the characterization of two novel c-type lysozymes, RpLys-A (EU250274) and RpLys-B (EU250275), isolated from the fat body and digestive tract of immune stimulated Rhodnius prolixus, a major vector of Chagas disease. Transcriptional profiles indicate that the temporal and spatial expression patterns of these two peptides are very different. RpLys-A is expressed predominantly in the midgut after ingestion of Trypanosoma cruzi in a bloodmeal, or after injection of bacteria into the hemocoel. RpLys-B is expressed primarily in the fat body after bacterial injection. Phylogenetic alignments indicate that RpLys-A aligns best with molecules from other hemipterans whose major expression is found in the intestinal tract whereas RpLys-B aligns best with mosquito and tick molecules whose expression is found principally in hemocytes and fat body and whose role has been described as immune-related. These data suggest a differential compartmentalized role of two closely related molecules; one for immunity in the hemocoel and the other for digestion in the midgut.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6. rursicbe@sfu.ca
authors.forename: Raul J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ursic-Bedoya
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nazzari
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Triana
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lowenberger
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000635:transmission; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016982:Micrococcus luteus / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009113:Muramidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013997:Time Factors; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009113:Muramidase