title: An insight into the transcriptome of the digestive tract of the bloodsucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus.
abstract: The bloodsucking hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus is a vector of Chagas' disease, which affects 7-8 million people today in Latin America. In contrast to other hematophagous insects, the triatomine gut is compartmentalized into three segments that perform different functions during blood digestion. Here we report analysis of transcriptomes for each of the segments using pyrosequencing technology. Comparison of transcript frequency in digestive libraries with a whole-body library was used to evaluate expression levels. All classes of digestive enzymes were highly expressed, with a predominance of cysteine and aspartic proteinases, the latter showing a significant expansion through gene duplication. Although no protein digestion is known to occur in the anterior midgut (AM), protease transcripts were found, suggesting secretion as pro-enzymes, being possibly activated in the posterior midgut (PM). As expected, genes related to cytoskeleton, protein synthesis apparatus, protein traffic, and secretion were abundantly transcribed. Despite the absence of a chitinous peritrophic membrane in hemipterans - which have instead a lipidic perimicrovillar membrane lining over midgut epithelia - several gut-specific peritrophin transcripts were found, suggesting that these proteins perform functions other than being a structural component of the peritrophic membrane. Among immunity-related transcripts, while lysozymes and lectins were the most highly expressed, several genes belonging to the Toll pathway - found at low levels in the gut of most insects - were identified, contrasting with a low abundance of transcripts from IMD and STAT pathways. Analysis of transcripts related to lipid metabolism indicates that lipids play multiple roles, being a major energy source, a substrate for perimicrovillar membrane formation, and a source for hydrocarbons possibly to produce the wax layer of the hindgut. Transcripts related to amino acid metabolism showed an unanticipated priority for degradation of tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. Analysis of transcripts related to signaling pathways suggested a role for MAP kinases, GTPases, and LKBP1/AMP kinases related to control of cell shape and polarity, possibly in connection with regulation of cell survival, response of pathogens and nutrients. Together, our findings present a new view of the triatomine digestive apparatus and will help us understand trypanosome interaction and allow insights into hemipteran metabolic adaptations to a blood-based diet.
authors.affiliation: Section of Vector Biology, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: José M C
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Genta
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos H F
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sorgine
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Logullo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Paiva-Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Majerowicz
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Metrologia Qualidade e Tecnologia, Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada às Ciências da Vida, Programa de Biotecnologia, Prédio 27, CEP 25250-020, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21944-970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koerich
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Walter R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clélia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: André C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bisch
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle M P
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Center for Technological Innovation, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Lídio
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: da S G V Junior
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Metrologia Qualidade e Tecnologia, Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada às Ciências da Vida, Programa de Biotecnologia, Prédio 27, CEP 25250-020, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuela L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Parasitologia do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Caroline P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gandara
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Biology and Medicine (IBMM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brosson
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Biology and Medicine (IBMM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bousbata
authors.affiliation: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: González-Caballero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ariel Mariano
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silber
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alves-Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katia C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Gondim
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Alberto C
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Silva-Neto
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Georgia C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Atella
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Polycarpo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vionette-Amaral
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia, DBA, UFRRJ, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fampa
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Claudia A
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Bioquímica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aparecida S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Zoology/Parasitology Group, Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balczun
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Henrique M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata L S
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21944-970, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lazoski
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Florencio Varela, Argentina ; Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivera-Pomar
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Florencio Varela, Argentina.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diambra
authors.affiliation: Zoology/Parasitology Group, Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Günter A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Schaub
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elói S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azambuja
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glória R C
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D007843:Latin America; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins