Genome of Rhodnius prolixus , an insect vector of Chagas disease, reveals unique adaptations to hematophagy and parasite infection

RAFAEL D. MESQUITA A,B,1,2 , RAQUEL J. VIONETTE-AMARAL C,1 , CARL LOWENBERGER D , ROLANDO RIVERA-POMAR E,F , FERNANDO A. MONTEIRO B,G , PATRICK MINX H , JOHN SPIETH; A. BERNARDO CARVALHO B,I , FRANCISCO PANZERA J , DANIEL LAWSON K , ANDRÉ Q. TORRES A,G , JOSE M. C. RIBEIRO L , MARCOS H. F. SORGINE; ROBERT M. WATERHOUSE M,N,O,P , MICHAEL J. MONTAGUE H , FERNANDO ABAD-FRANCH Q,3 , MICHELE ALVES-BEZERRA C , LAURENCE R. AMARAL R , HELENA M. ARAUJO B,S , RICARDO N. ARAUJO; L. ARAVIND U , GEORGIA C. ATELLA B,C , PATRICIA AZAMBUJA B,G , MATEUS BERNI S , PAULA R. BITTENCOURT-CUNHA C , GLORIA R. C. BRAZ A,B , GUSTAVO CALDERÓN-FERNÁNDEZ V , CLAUDIA M. A. CARARETO; MIKKEL B. CHRISTENSEN K , IGOR R. COSTA C , SAMARA G. COSTA G , MARILVIA DANSA X , CARLOS R. O. DAUMAS-FILHO C , IRON F. DE-PAULA C , FELIPE A. DIAS B,C , GEORGE DIMOPOULOS; SCOTT J. EMRICH Z , NATALIA ESPONDA-BEHRENS E , PATRICIA FAMPA AA , RITA D. FERNANDEZ-MEDINA BB , RODRIGO N. DA FONSECA B,CC , MARCIO FONTENELE B,S , CATRINA FRONICK H , LUCINDA A. FULTON

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

NATL ACAD SCIENCES

Año: 2015

0027-8424

Rhodnius prolixus not only has served as a model organism for the study of insect physiology, but also is a major vector of Chagas disease, an illness that affects approximately seven million people world-wide. We sequenced the genome of R. prolixus,generated assembled sequences covering 95% of the genome (∼702 Mb), including 15,456putative protein-coding genes, and completed comprehensive genomic analyses of this obligate blood-feeding insect. Although immunedeficiency (IMD)-mediated immune responses were observed, R. prolixus putatively lacks key components of the IMD pathway, suggesting a reorganization of the canonical immune signaling network. Although both Toll and IMD effectors controlled intestinal microbiota, neither affected Trypanosoma cruzi , the causal agent of Chagas disease, implying the existence of evasion or tolerance mechanisms. R. prolixus has experienced an extensive loss of selenoprotein genes,with its repertoire reduced to only two proteins, one of which is a selenocysteine-based glutathione peroxidase, the first found in insects.The genome contained actively transcribed, horizontally transferred genes from Wolbachiasp., which showed evidence of codon use evolution toward the insect use pattern. Comparative protein analyses revealed many lineage-specific expansions and putative gene absences inR.prolixus, including tandem expansions of genes related to chemoreception, feeding,and digestion that possibly contributed to the evolution of a blood-feeding lifestyle. The genome assembly and these associated analyses provide critical information on the physiology and evolution of this important vector species and should be instrumental for the development of innovative disease control methods.