HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Biglutaminyl-biliverdin IX alpha as a heme degradation product in the dengue fever insect-vector Aedes aegypti.

Abstract
Hemoglobin digestion in the midgut of hematophagous animals results in the release of its prosthetic group, heme, which is a pro-oxidant molecule. Heme enzymatic degradation is a protective mechanism that has been described in several organisms, including plants, bacteria, and mammals. This reaction is catalyzed by heme oxygenase and results in formation of carbon monoxide, ferrous ion, and biliverdin IXalpha. During digestion, a large amount of a green pigment is produced and secreted into the intestinal lumen of Aedes aegypti adult females. In the case of another blood-sucking insect, the kissing-bug Rhodnius prolixus, we have recently shown that heme degradation involves a complex pathway that generates dicysteinyl-biliverdin IX gamma. The light absorption spectrum of the Aedes purified pigment was similar to that of biliverdin, but its mobility on a reverse-phase chromatography column suggested a compound less hydrophobic than biliverdin IXalpha. Structural characterization by ESI-MS revealed that the mosquito pigment is the alpha isomer of biliverdin bound to two glutamine residues by an amide bond. This biglutaminyl-biliverdin is formed by oxidative cleavage of the heme porphyrin ring followed by two subsequent additions of glutamine residues to the biliverdin IXalpha. The role of this pathway in the adaptation of this insect vector to a blood-feeding habit is discussed.
AuthorsLuiza O R Pereira, Pedro L Oliveira, Igor C Almeida, Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
JournalBiochemistry (Biochemistry) Vol. 46 Issue 23 Pg. 6822-9 (Jun 12 2007) ISSN: 0006-2960 [Print] United States
PMID17508725 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Bile Pigments
  • Insect Proteins
  • Pigments, Biological
  • biglutaminyl-biliverdin IX alpha
  • Heme
  • Biliverdine
Topics
  • Aedes (metabolism)
  • Animals
  • Bile Pigments (chemistry, isolation & purification)
  • Biliverdine (analogs & derivatives, chemistry, metabolism)
  • Dengue
  • Heme (metabolism)
  • Insect Proteins (metabolism)
  • Insect Vectors
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Pigments, Biological (chemistry, isolation & purification, metabolism)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: