Discovering of developmental genes in Rhodnius prolixus

ESPONDA BEHRENS, N.; PAGOLA L.; LAVORE, A.; RIVERA POMAR, R.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 4th International Meeting of the Latin Américan Society of Developmental Biology; 2008

Latin American Society of Develpmental Biology

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-font-alt:Courier; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Times; mso-fareast-font-family:Times; mso-hansi-font-family:Times; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Comparative developmental genetics of hemipterans will provide essential data to understand insect body plan evolution. The model organisms Oncopeltus fasciatus provides insights on the developmental processes. However, as the genome is not sequenced so far, we miss the link to comparative regulatory processes. A draft of the genome of Rhodnius prolixus, another hemipteran with similar embryologycal processes, is almost completed. We used the genomic data to identify genes involved in developmental processes and their regulatory relationships. We cloned several homeobox-containing genes from Rhodnius prolixus and we sequenced the complete transcription unit of a sex-comb-reduced (scr)ortholog. With this data we initiated an in silico walk on the trace sequences of the genome. We identified component of the HOM-C cluster and analyzed putative regulatory regions. On the other hand, components of the developmental transcriptional cascades were identified. We compared those genes with other insect orthologs to determine hypothetical evolutionary relationships among different insect orders and possible regulatory networks using a systems biology approach.