Bacterial symbiosis and paratransgenic control of vector-borne Chagas disease
Bacterial symbiosis and paratransgenic control of vector-borne Chagas disease
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DOI：
10.1016/s0020-7519(01)00165-5
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发表时间：
2001-05-01
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Durvasula, RV
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Beard, CB;Dotson, EM;Durvasula, RV
恰加斯病的锥蝽病媒是专性食血昆虫，在整个发育周期中以脊椎动物的血液为食。由于从单一食物来源获取营养，他们的饮食缺乏某些维生素和营养素。因此，这些昆虫在它们的肠道内藏匿了大量的细菌共生体，这些细菌共生体提供了它们饮食中缺乏的所需营养。我们已经从各种triatomine物种中分离和鉴定了共生培养物，并开发了一种遗传转化它们的方法。然后我们可以将它们重新引入它们原来的宿主物种，从而产生稳定的准转基因昆虫，我们可以在其中表达异源基因产物。使用这种方法，我们已经产生了对克氏锥虫感染难治性的副转基因长尾菱鲆。目前有两个潜在难治性基因的例子正在准转基因昆虫中表达。这些包括昆虫免疫肽cecropin A和活性单链抗体片段。我们还开发了一种方法，允许将转基因细菌共生体引入恰加斯病病媒的自然种群。这种方法利用了这些昆虫的食虫行为，这是自然界中共生体在昆虫种群中传播的方式。生产和最终释放用于公共卫生的转基因或副转基因昆虫可能非常有前途，但也值得对环境、政治和人类安全问题进行仔细考虑。(C) 2001澳大利亚寄生虫学学会Elsevier Science Ltd.出版。版权所有。
The triatomine vectors of Chagas disease are obligate haematophagous insects, feeding on vertebrate blood throughout their entire developmental cycle. As a result of obtaining their nutrition from a single food source, their diet is devoid of certain vitamins and nutrients. Consequently, these insects harbour populations of bacterial symbionts within their intestinal tract, which provide the required nutrients that are lacking from their diet. We have isolated and characterised symbiont cultures from various triatomine species and developed a method for genetically transforming them. We can then reintroduce them into their original host species, thereby producing stable paratransgenic insects in which we are able to express heterologous gene products. Using this methodology, we have generated paratransgenic Rhodnius prolixus that are refractory for infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. Two examples of potentially refractory genes are currently being expressed in paratransgenic insects. These include the insect immune peptide cecropin A and active single chain antibody fragments. We have also developed an approach that would allow introduction of genetically modified bacterial symbionts into natural populations of Chagas disease vectors. This approach utilises the coprophagic behaviour of these insects, which is the way in which the symbionts are transmitted among bug populations in nature. The production and ultimate release of transgenic or paratransgenic insects for public health applications is potentially very promising but also worthy of much careful consideration with respect to environmental, political, and human safety concerns. (C) 2001 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.