An insight into the sialome of the oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis (Rots).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The salivary glands of hematophagous animals contain a complex cocktail that interferes with the host hemostasis and inflammation pathways, thus increasing feeding success. Fleas represent a relatively recent group of insects that evolved hematophagy independently of other insect orders.

Results

Analysis of the salivary transcriptome of the flea Xenopsylla cheopis, the vector of human plague, indicates that gene duplication events have led to a large expansion of a family of acidic phosphatases that are probably inactive, and to the expansion of the FS family of peptides that are unique to fleas. Several other unique polypeptides were also uncovered. Additionally, an apyrase-coding transcript of the CD39 family appears as the candidate for the salivary nucleotide

SUBMITTER: Andersen JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1876217 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature