Chemosensory proteins in Triatoma infestans: gene annotation and comparative analysis across hemipterans

Abstract

Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in the southern cone. Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides reported in T. infestans populations could be one of the main causes of the persistence of vectorial transmission in the Argentinean Gran Chaco ecoregion. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are small soluble proteins from arthropods, with a studied role in olfaction. Recent evidence points to a role of these proteins in insecticide susceptibility and resistance. Accordingly, previous results from our group showed that some members of T. infestans CSP family are modulated four hours after an intoxication with deltamethrin.