Brasiliensin: A novel intestinal thrombin inhibitor from Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) with an important role in blood intake.

ABSTRACT: Every hematophagous invertebrate studied to date produces at least one inhibitor of coagulation. Among these, thrombin inhibitors have most frequently been isolated. In order to study the thrombin inhibitor from Triatoma brasiliensis and its biological significance for the bug, we sequenced the corresponding gene and evaluated its biological function. The T. brasiliensis intestinal thrombin inhibitor, termed brasiliensin, was sequenced and primers were designed to synthesize double strand RNA (dsRNA). Gene knockdown (RNAi) was induced by two injections of 15mug of dsRNA into fourth instar nymphs. Forty-eight hours after the second injection, bugs from each group were allowed to feed on hamsters. PCR results showed that injections of dsRNA reduced brasiliensin expression in the anterior mid

SUBMITTER: Araujo RN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2653937 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature