Study of the expression of genes related with the antiviral response in the caterpillars of Saturniidae family

• Grant number: 12/23115-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Entomology and Malacology of Parasites and Vectors
• Principal Investigator: Ronaldo Zucatelli Mendonca
• Grantee: Ronaldo Zucatelli Mendonca
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Carolina Viegas Carmo ; Enéas de Carvalho ; Fernando Luiz Kamitani

Abstract

Brazil has a very large biological diversity, which is an almost inexhaustible source of proteins for biotechnological and pharmaceutical interest. Recently, the group has identified and isolated proteins of pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest in the hemolymph of caterpillars of the family Saturniida. In these studies, two proteins have a most important concern, one with anti-apoptotic activity (FAPESP 01/09040-8) and a second with antiviral action (FAPESP 06/02108-0). These proteins were expressed in baculovirus system / insect cells system(FAPESP 08/57263-5) and are currently being expressed in bacterial system.The present study aims the implementation of a transcriptome of the tegument of normal and infected Lonomia obliqua, to study the expression of genes related to antiviral effect observed previously. (AU)