Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:03:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TicianaMLA.pdf: 543419 bytes, checksum: 8d1c551389143e2634c1d0451175ecef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-09-28 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Plodia interpunctella (Indian meal moth) is a cosmopolitan pest that attacks not only a wide range of stored grain as well other food products. Due to its economic importance several researches have focused in a method with ability to control this pest with few or no damage to the environment. The study of digestive enzymes inhibitors, lectins and chitin-binding proteins, has often been proposed as an alternative to reduce insect damage. In this study we report the major classes of digestive enzymes during larval growth in P. Interpunctella, being those proteinases actives at pH 9.5 and optimum temperature of 50 oC to both larvae of the 3rd instar and pre-pupal stage of development. In vitro and zymogram assays presented the effects of several inhibitors, such as SBTI, TLCK and PMSF to intestinal homogenate of 3rd instar larvae of 62%, 92% and 87% of inhibition and In pre-pupal stage of 87%, 62 % and 55% of inhibition, respectively. Zymograms showed inhibition of two low molecular masses protein bands by TLCK and that in presence of SBTI were retarded. These results are indicative of predominance of digestive serine proteinases in gut homogenate from Plodia interpunctella larvae. This serine proteinase was then used as a target to evaluate the effect of SBTI on larvae in in vivo assay. Effect of SBTI on mortality and larval mass was not observed at until 4% of concentration (w/w) in diets. Chitin, another target to insecticidal proteins, was observed by chemical method. Moreover, optic microscopy confirmed the presence of a peritrophic membrane. Established this target, in vivo effect of EvV, a chitin binding vicilin, evaluated during the larval development of P. interpunctella and was obtained a LD50 of 0,23% and WD50 of 0,27% to this protein. Mechanism of action was proposed through of the in vivo digestibility of EvV methodology. During the passage through the larval digestive tract was observed that EvV was susceptible to digestive enzymes and a reactive fragment, visualized by Western blotting, produced by digestion was recovered after dissociation of the peritrophic membrane. The bound of EvV to peritrophic membrane was confirmed by immunohystochemical assays that showed strong immunofluorescent signal of EvV-FITC binding and peritrophic membrane. These results are a indicative that vicilins could be utilized as potential insecticide to Plodia interpunctella and a control methods using EvV as bioinsecticide should be studied to reduce lost caused by storage insect pests / Plodia interpunctella (tra?a-indiana-da-farinha) ? uma praga cosmopolita que ataca n?o somente uma ampla gama de produtos armazenados, mas tamb?m outros produtos aliment?cios. Devido a sua import?ncia econ?mica v?rias pesquisas t?m sido realizadas com o intuito de identificar um m?todo capaz de controlar esta praga sem danos ao ambiente. O estudo de inibidores de enzimas digestivas, lectinas e prote?nas que se ligam ? quitina tem sido proposto como uma alternativa para controlar o dano causado por estes insetos. Neste estudo alvos espec?ficos para inibidores de enzimas e prote?nas ligantes ? quitina foram identificados nas larvas desta praga. Para isso, durante o desenvolvimento de larvas de P. interpunctella as classes de enzimas digestivas alvos foram identificadas por ensaios de atividade in vitro e SDS-PAGE, pH e temperatura ?timos avaliados para a indica??o de poss?veis prote?nas inibidoras para a principal classe de proteinase detectadas no intestino das larvas. Outro alvo para prote?nas delet?rias foi indicado pela identifica??o da membrana peritr?fica por ensaios qu?micos de detec??o de quitina e por microscopia de luz. Durante o per?odo de desenvolvimento as larvas de P. interpunctella, alimentadas com uma dieta baseada em baga?o de cana, passaram por 5 ?nstares e pelo est?gio pr?-pupal. A maior atividade proteol?tica (UA/intestino) foi detectada no est?gio pr?-pupal, enquanto que a maior atividade proteol?tica espec?fica (UA/mg prote?na) foi observada no terceiro ?nstar, utilizando azocase?na como substrato a pH 9,5 e a 50?C. A inibi??o das proteinases presentes no homogenato intestinal de larvas de terceiro ?nstar foi mais evidente quando inibidores de proteinases ser?nicas (SBTI, TLCK e PMSF, com 96%, 89% e 20% de inibi??o, respectivamente) foram utilizados nos ensaios. No est?gio pr?-pupal, a maior inibi??o observada foi com SBTI (96%), TLCK (81 %) e TPCK (20%), indicando a predomin?ncia de atividade enzim?tica de proteinases ser?nicas a pH 9,5 no intestino de Plodia interpunctella. Por zimograma foi observada inibi??o de bandas de menor massa molecular por TLCK e um atraso na corrida eletrofor?tica dessas bandas causado por SBTI. Quando avaliado o efeito in vivo de SBTI no desenvolvimento larval, n?o foi observada mortalidade e nem efeito na massa das larvas sobreviventes. Estabelecido o segundo alvo de atua??o, baseado na liga??o ? quitina, bioensaios usando a vicilina EvV foram realizados, onde um LD50 de 0,23% e um WD50 de 0,27% foram estabelecidos para esta prote?na delet?ria. O mecanismo de a??o foi verificado por ensaios de digestibilidade de EvV durante a passagem pelo trato intestinal larval, sendo observado o envolvimento de um fragmento reativo, observado por imunodetec??o, no efeito delet?rio da vicilina. A liga??o de EvV ? membrana peritr?fica foi comprovada atrav?s de ensaios de imunohistoqu?mica. Estes resultados apontam para uma vicilina ligante ? quitina que pode vir a ser utilizada como bioinseticida para Plodia interpunctella

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O lÃtex vegetal à produzido e estocado em sistemas de canais formados por cÃlulas altamente especializadas, os laticÃferos. Uma caracterÃstica marcante destes fluidos à a presenÃa de sistemas proteolÃticos complexos. Muitos estudos relatam que proteÃnas de defesa contra insetos e fungos sÃo encontradas em lÃtex. No entanto, alguns insetos sobrepÃem esta defesa e alimentam-se de plantas laticÃferas, como Pseudosphinx tetrio e Danaus plexippus, ambas da ordem Lepidoptera. As bases bioquÃmicas da resistÃncia de insetos Ãs proteÃnas defensivas do lÃtex ainda nÃo sÃo amplamente elucidadas. Esta problemÃtica foi abordada neste trabalho. Inicialmente a atividade proteolÃtica do extrato intestinal de P. tetrio foi caracterizada e avaliada sua capacidade de degradar as proteÃnas do lÃtex de sua planta hospedeira, Plumeria rubra, bem como de plantas laticÃferas nÃo hospedeiras (Calotropis procera e Cryptostegia grandiflora). AlÃm disso, foi avaliado se inibidores de proteases de fluidos laticÃferos (C. procera, P. rubra e Cr. grandiflora) inibem as proteases intestinais de P. tetrio e D. plexippus e vice-versa. Em adiÃÃo, foi analisado o efeito de enzimas laticÃferas sobre a membrana peritrÃfica (MP) de D. plexippus. As proteases intestinais de P. tetrio sÃo predominantemente do tipo serÃnica e suas atividades sÃo maiores em pHs bÃsicos. O extrato intestinal de P. tetrio rapidamente e completamente digeriu as proteÃnas do lÃtex de sua planta hospedeira e de C. procera, bem como digeriu parcialmente as proteÃnas do lÃtex de Cr. grandiflora. Larvas de D. plexippus se desenvolveram plenamente quando alimentadas com dieta artificial contendo 1% das fraÃÃes proteicas dos lÃtex de plantas nÃo hospedeiras. Ensaios in vitro indicaram que ambos, extratos intestinais e lÃtex das espÃcies em estudo, possuem inibidores de proteases serÃnicas e cisteÃnicas. Inibidores provenientes dos fluidos laticÃferos em estudo inibiram a atividade proteolÃtica dos extratos intestinais de ambas as larvas. Entretanto, anÃlise in vivo demonstrou que estes inibidores nÃo afetam o desenvolvimento de D. plexippus. Somente o extrato intestinal de D. plexippus apresentou atividade inibidora de proteases do lÃtex de sua planta hospedeira (Calotropis procera). Apenas discretas mudanÃas foram observadas no perfil proteico das MPs de D. plexippus submetidas Ãs fraÃÃes proteicas dos fluidos laticÃferos in vivo, enquanto que o tratamento in vitro resultou em danos mais acentuados. A partir dos resultados obtidos conclui-se que proteÃlise e a inibiÃÃo de proteÃlise fazem parte do sistema defensivo das larvas especialistas em plantas laticÃferas e de suas plantas hospedeiras. Embora inibidores de proteases de fluidos laticÃferos sejam capazes de inibir as proteases intestinais das larvas (in vitro), in vivo, a habilidade das proteases intestinais em prontamente digerir as proteÃnas do lÃtex parece ser crucial para a sobreposiÃÃo da defesa vegetal. / Plant latex is produced and stored in channels formed by highly specialized cells structures. A remarkable feature of these fluids is the presence of complex proteolytic systems. Many studies report that latex possesses a variety of defense proteins against insects and fungi. However, some insects overlap this defense and feed on latex-producing plants, for example Pseudosphinx tetrio and Danaus plexippus, both of the order Lepidoptera. The biochemical aspects of insect resistance to latex defense proteins are still not widely elucidated. This issue was addressed in this work. Initially, the proteolytic activity of Pseudosphinx tetrio gut was characterized and evaluated in its ability to degrade latex proteins of its host plant (Plumeria rubra) and non-host plants (Calotropis procera e Cryptostegia grandiflora). Furthermore, we assessed whether protease inhibitors from latex fluids (C. procera, P. rubra and Cr. grandiflora) inhibit intestinal proteases from P. tetrio and D. plexippus and vice versa. The effect of latex enzymes on peritrophic membrane (PM) of D. plexippus was also assessed. Intestinal proteases from P. tetrio are predominantly of serine type and their activities are higher in basic pHs. P. tetrio gut proteases rapidly and completely digested latex proteins of its host plant and C. procera and partially digested proteins from Cr. grandiflora. D. plexippus larvae were not affected when fed on artificial diet containing latex proteins (1%) from non-host plants. In vitro assays detected serine and cysteine peptidase inhibitors in both gut homogenates and latex fluids. Protease inhibitors from latex inhibited the proteolytic activity of gut homogenates of both larvae. Nevertheless, in vivo analysis demonstrated that latex inhibitors do not affect the development of D. plexippus. Only the gut homogenate from D. plexippus showed inhibitory activity towards proteases latex from its host plant (Calotropis procera). Slight changes were observed in the protein profile of the PMs from D. plexippus subjected to latex protein fractions in vivo, whilst in vitro treatment resulted in more severe damage. This study concludes that proteolysis and inhibition of proteolysis are involved in the defensive systems of both caterpillars and their host plants. Even though latex peptidase inhibitors inhibit gut peptidases (in vitro), the ability of gut peptidases to promptly digest latex proteins (in vivo) regardless of their origin seems to be a pivotal event favoring caterpillars overcoming plant defense.

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) which are transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae). For the dixenous life cycle, leishmania parasites are equipped with enzymes that facilitate survival in both insect vectors and mammalian hosts. Gene for the enzyme catalase which protects cells from reactive oxygen species by the elimination of H2O2 and is present in related monoxenous trypanosomatids is, however, missing in Leishmania genome. Chitinase can be involved in the interaction of leishmania parasites with chitin-containing structures in sand flies (peritrophic matrix, stomodeal valve). The expression of the enzyme in amastigotes suggests its significant function also in the mammalian host. I tested the role of these enzymes in the life cycle of leishmania by direct comparison of L. mexicana mutants (i) with inserted catalase gene and (ii) with deleted chitinase gene with control groups. I conducted experimental infections of Lu. longipalpis including transmission of leishmania to the hosts by bite, tested the survival of leishmania in macrophages and performed experimental infections of BALB/c mice followed by xenodiagnoses. The experiments confirmed that the presence of catalase in leishmania does...

Digestion of proteins in the midgut of lepidopteran larvae relies on different types of peptidases, among the trypsins and chymotrypsins. In this work four chymotrypsinlike peptidases (MsCTLP1–4) were identified from the larval midgut of M. sexta, which are distantly related to another chymotrypsin (MsCT), a previously described peptidase present in the larval midgut of M. sexta. MsCTLP1–4 fit perfectly into a novel subgroup of insect CTLPs by sequence similarity and by the replacement of GP by SA in the highly conserved GDSGGP motif. Examination of MsCTLP expression in different tissues showed that most of the peptidases were predominantly expressed in the anterior and median midgut, while some were found in the Malpighian tubules. Expression analysis of MsCTLPs at different physiological states revealed that the mRNA amounts did not differ considerably in feeding and starving larvae except for MsCTLP2, whose mRNA dropped significantly upon starvation. During molting, however, the mRNA amounts of all MsCTLPs dropped significantly. Immunological determination of MsCTLP1 amounts showed that the mature peptidase was only detectable in the gut lumen of feeding and re-fed larvae, but not in that of starving or molting larvae, suggesting that MsCTLP1 secretion is suspended during starvation or molt. Differential regulation of transcript levels as well as their partial expression in Malpighian tubules might point to a role, which is distinct from digestion for at least some MsCTLPs. In line with this assumption, MsCTLP1 was shown to interact with the chitin synthase 2 (MsCHS2), necessary for chitin synthesis in the course of peritrophic matrix formation in the midgut of M. sexta. The occurrence of this interaction in vivo is supported by colocalization and co-immunoprecipitation. The data suggest that chitin synthesis is controlled by an intestinal proteolytic signaling cascade linking chitin synthase activity to the nutritional state of the larvae. As MsCTLP1 appears to be involved in such signaling cascades, other midgut peptidases could have other targets and may therefore regulate different activities. To gain more insight into the functions of CTLPs, the gene family encoding these peptidases in the genome of the red flour beetle, T. castaneum, was analyzed. Using an extended search pattern, 14 TcCTLP genes were identified that encode peptidases with S1 specificity pocket residues typically found in chymotrypsin-like enzymes. Analysis of the expression patterns of seven TcCTLP genes at various developmental stages revealed that some TcCTLP genes were exclusively expressed in feeding larval and adult stages (TcCTLP-5A/B, TcCTLP-6A). Others were also detected in non-feeding embryonic (TcCTLP-5C, TcCTLP-6D) and pupal stages (TcCTLP-5C, TcCTLP- 6C/D/E). TcCTLP genes were expressed predominantly in the midgut where they presumably function in digestion. However, TcCTLP-5C and TcCTLP-6C also showed considerable expression in the carcass. The latter two genes might therefore encode peptidases that act as molting fluid enzymes. To test this hypothesis, western blots were performed using protein extracts from larval exuviae. The extracts reacted with antibodies to TcCTLP-5C and TcCTLP-6C suggesting that the corresponding peptidases are secreted into the molting fluid. Finally, systemic RNAi experiments were performed. While injections of dsRNAs to TcCTLP-5A/B and TcCTLP-6A/D/E into penultimate larvae did not affect growth or development, injection of dsRNA for TcCTLP-5C and TcCTLP-6C resulted in severe molting defects. Recombinant expressed TcCTLP-5C2 was moreover activated by trypsin and was able to hydrolyze AAPF, hence making TcCTLP-5C the first described chymotrypsin-like peptidase ever to be involved in molting.