Expression of active trypsin-like serine peptidases in the midgut of sugar-feeding female Anopheles aquasalis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Anopheles aquasalis is a dipteran of the family Culicidae that is widely distributed in the coastal regions of South and Central America. This species acts as a vector of Plasmodium vivax, an important etiological agent of malaria, which represents a serious public health problem. In mosquitoes, trypsin-like serine proteases are important in blood meal digestion, immune responses and reproductive functions. The study of peptidases expressed in the mosquito midgut is essential to understanding the mechanisms of parasite-host interaction and the physiological process of nutrient digestion.

Methods

Our study aimed to identify and characterize the proteolytic activities in the midgut of sugar-fed An. aquasalis females using zymographic analyses (substrate-SDS-PAGE), i

SUBMITTER: Dias-Lopes G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4459661 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature