Abstract
The objective of this project is to describe the molecular events underlying midgut physiological phenomena of insect types pertaining to different orders. The aim of these studies is to find out general principles from which hypotheses can be advanced in relation to the digestive processes of insects not previously studied. Such studies are necessary for developing new insect control procedures. The project is divided into 4 parts: (a) Insect-purified or recombinant digestive enzymes in a search for peculiarities that set them apart from vertebrate enzymes and that led insects to overcome plant defense; (b) Midgut molecular physiology, which models will be based on cDNA deep sequencing associated with data on digestive enzymes, buffering systems, and transporters, etc .. The models will be tested by protein silencing with the aid of RNAi; (c) Digestive secretory mechanisms that are unique to insects. Secretory models will be advanced based on transcriptomes prepared from chosen midgut regions and the models will be tested as in (b); (d) Evolution of insect digestive systems. The present proposal will be improved by studying insect groups not considered before, such as leafhoppers, thrips, and stick insects and by "phylotranscriptomics", the comparative analysis of whole or part of the midgut transcriptomes (obtained by pyrosequencing) we have available or intend to prepare. (AU)
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