| Grant number: | 13/26017-7 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |
| Effective date (Start): | September 01, 2014 |
| Effective date (End): | September 30, 2016 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Entomology and Malacology of Parasites and Vectors |
| Cooperation agreement: | Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) |
| Principal Investigator: | Lincoln Suesdek Rocha |
| Grantee: | Caroline Louise Garcia Mendes |
| Home Institution: | Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract Aedes aegypti is a mosquito vector of several pathogens, being the most important vector of dengue viruses in Brazil. This insect is synantropic, highly adapted to the urban environment and has exhibited resistance to insecticides, which is particularly problematic to public health. Nowadays, it has grown the search for fundamental genes of this species which may be useful for the elaboration of control methods of the mosquito vector. As an example, we can mention the gene of enzyme laccase 2, which acts in eggs and body cuticle tanning in insects. When the expression of laccase 2 is knocked down in adults of Aedes albopictus (a congener of Ae. aegypti) their females produce hyaline and unviable eggs. Theoretically, this would be a good candidate for gene manipulation and biological control based in genetically modified organisms. Although the pratical viability of such an idea has not yet been tested, data from the literature have reinforced the need for research on this gene. A laccase 2-like gene (hoomologous) has already been sequenced in the genoma of Aedes aegypti, but despite the promising scenario, its has not yet been subjected to functional studies in this species. Aiming to reduce this knowledge gap, we propose to quantitatively describe in Ae. aegypti the expression profile of laccase 2, as well as the phenotypic effects (viability and survivorship) of laccase 2 knocking down on the development of chorion of eggs when the gene is knocked down in adult females. (AU) | |