Lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Katia C GondimDavid Majerowicz

Abstract

More than a third of the world population is at constant risk of contracting some insect-transmitted disease, such as Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, malaria, Chagas' disease, African trypanosomiasis, and others. Independent of the life cycle of the pathogen causing the disease, the insect vector hematophagous habit is a common and crucial trait for the transmission of all these diseases. This lifestyle is unique, as hematophagous insects feed on blood, a diet that is rich in protein but relatively poor in lipids and carbohydrates, in huge amounts and low frequency. Another unique feature of these insects is that blood meal triggers essential metabolic processes, as molting and oogenesis and, in this way, regulates the expression of various genes that are involved in these events. In this paper, we review current knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors, comparing with classical models whenever possible. We address lipid digestion and absorption, hemolymphatic transport, and lipid storage by the fat body and ovary. In this context, both de novo fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis are discussed, including the related fatty acid activation process and the intracellular lipi...Continue Reading

Citations

May 1, 2019·Cell and Tissue Research·Michiel HoltofJozef Vanden Broeck
Jul 6, 2020·Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology·Mariana de M C BatalhaLuciano A M Grillo
Sep 20, 2020·Communications Biology·Cassandra KohElizabeth A McGraw
Nov 5, 2020·Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology·Elaine R M N SilvaEmerson G Pontes
Mar 20, 2021·Frontiers in Physiology·Octavio A C TalyuliGabriela O Paiva-Silva
Mar 24, 2021·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Fernanda Almeida-OliveiraLaura Palanker Musselman
Nov 8, 2020·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids·Gleidson Silva-OliveiraKatia C Gondim
Nov 20, 2020·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Fabian O RamosLilian E Canavoso
Dec 6, 2020·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Felipe B SaraivaKatia C Gondim
Apr 20, 2021·Frontiers in Physiology·Petter F EntringerKatia C Gondim

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