Obtaining transgenic lineage of Aedes aegypti expressing hemolina

• Grant number: 13/05682-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Margareth de Lara Capurro-Guimarães
• Grantee: Flavia Rosa Navarrete
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Malaria is a disease considered endemic in the African and American continents, causing serious public health problems. Despite all efforts, there is no efficient method to eradicate this disease. . Antimicrobial peptides produced by the insect immune system has been studied as parasite development effector molecules in invertebrate host. One of this peptides, hemolin, isolated from Lepidoptera, shown to be an effective parasiticide in Plasmodium falciparum cell cultures. Other study using Anopheles stephensi and P. falciparum in an in vivo model, showed an oocyst development inhibition effect when an infected blood meal containing hemolin was offered to mosquitoes, preventing parasite to complete the cycle in the definitive host. The main objective of this project is to generate Aedes aegypti transgenic lines that express hemolin. These strains will be tested for effectiveness in blocking the P. gallinaceum development. (AU)