The saliva proteome of the bloodfeeding insect Triatoma infestans is rich in platelet-aggregation inhibitors

[Orbitrap_SciLib]

Charneau S, Junqueira M, Costa CM, Pires DL, Fernandes ES, Bussacos AC, Sousa MV, Ricart CAO, Shevchenko A, Teixeira ARL.
Intl. J. Mass Spectrom. 2007, 268, 265-276
The saliva of the bloodsucking bug Triatoma infestans vector of Chagas disease contains an anti-hemostatic molecular cocktail that prevents coagulation, vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation in a vertebrate prey. In order to characterize T. infestans saliva proteome, we separated the secreted saliva by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). More than 200 salivary proteins were detected on the 2-DE map, mainly in the alkaline region. By nanoLC–MS/MS analysis using a LTQ–Orbitrap equipment followed by a combination of conventional and sequence-similarity searches, we identified 58 main protein spots. Most of such proteins possess potential blood-feeding associated functions, particularly anti-platelet aggregation proteins belonging to lipocalin and apyrase families. The saliva protein composition indicates a highly specific molecular mechanism of early response to platelet aggregation. This first proteome analysis of the T. infestans secreted saliva provides a basis for a better understanding of this fluid protein composition highly directed to counterpart hemostasis of the prey, thus promoting the bug's blood-feeding.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1387380607002217
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Protein Chemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília, Brasilia 70910-900-DF, Brazil