Transcriptomics Applied to the Study of Chagas Disease Vectors

Chagas disease is a neglected disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, and is transmitted mainly by the feces of contaminated triatomines. Knowledge of the biological, ecological, behavioral, genetic, taxonomic, and systematic aspects of these vectors can contribute to the planning of vector control programs, because all species are considered to be potential vectors of Chagas disease. Transcriptomic studies, in general, provided a new view of the physiology of triatomines (aiding in the knowledge of reproductive aspects of the hematophagy process and even the immune system and the sensory apparatus) and even contributed, as a new tool, to the taxonomy and systematics of these insects. Thus, we conducted a review of the transcriptomic studies on Chagas disease vectors.

Omics Tools Applied to the Study of Chagas Disease Vectors: Cytogenomics and Genomics

Chagas disease is an illness caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi that is distributed in 21 countries of Latin America. The main way of transmission of T. cruzi is through the feces of triatomines (Hemiptera and Triatominae) infected with the parasite. With technological advances came new technologies called omics. In the pre-genomic era, the omics science was based on cytogenomic studies of triatomines. With the Rhodnius prolixus genome sequencing project, new omics tools were applied to understand the organism at a systemic level and not just from a genomic point of view. Thus, the present review aims to put together the cytogenomic and genomic information available in the literature for Chagas disease vectors. Here, we review all studies related to cytogenomics and genomics of Chagas disease vectors, contributing to the direction of further research with these insect vectors, because it was evident that most studies focus on cytogenomic knowledge of the species. Given the importance of genomic studies, which contributed to the knowledge of taxonomy, systematics, as well as the vector's biology, the need to apply these techniques in other genera and species of Triatominae subfamily is emphasized.

Zika virus NS2B/NS3 proteinase: A new target for an old drug - Suramin a lead compound for NS2B/NS3 proteinase inhibition

Zika virus infection is the focus of much research due to the medical and social repercussions. Due the role of the viral NS2B/NS3 proteinase in maturation of the viral proteins, it had become an attractive antiviral target. Numerous investigations on viral epidemiology, structure and function analysis, vaccines, and therapeutic drugs have been conducted around the world. At present, no approved vaccine or even drugs have been reported. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop therapeutic agents to cure this epidemic disease. In the present study, we identified the polyanion suramin, an approved antiparasitic drug with antiviral properties, as a potential inhibitor of Zika virus complex NS2B/NS3 proteinase with IC₅₀ of 47 μM. Using fluorescence spectroscopy results we could determine a k_d value of 28 μM and had shown that the ligand does not affect the thermal stability of the protein. STD NMR spectroscopy experiments and molecular docking followed by molecular dynamics simulation identified the binding epitopes of the molecule and shows the mode of interaction, respectively. The computational analysis showed that suramin block the Ser135 residue and interact with the catalytically histidine residue.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a novel sphingomyelinase D from Loxosceles gaucho venom

Brown spider envenomation results in dermonecrosis, intravascular coagulation, haemolysis and renal failure, mainly owing to the action of sphingomyelinases D (SMases D), which catalyze the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to produce ceramide 1-phosphate and choline or the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine to produce lysophosphatidic acid. Here, the heterologous expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of LgRec1, a novel SMase D from Loxosceles gaucho venom, are reported. The crystals belonged to space group P21212, with unit-cell parameters a = 52.98, b = 62.27, c = 84.84 Å and diffracted to a maximum resolution of 2.6 Å.