Genomic analysis on Brazilian strains of Anaplasma marginale.

Anaplasma marginale is a vector-borne pathogen that causes a disease known as anaplasmosis. No sequenced genomes of Brazilian strains are yet available. The aim of this work was to compare whole genomes of Brazilian strains of A.

Molecular basis of resistance to organophosphate insecticides in the New World screw-worm fly.

Background: The emergence of insecticide resistance is a fast-paced example of the evolutionary process of natural selection. In this study, we investigated the molecular basis of resistance in the myiasis-causing fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to dimethyl-organophosphate (OP) insecticides.

Methods: By sequencing the RNA from surviving larvae treated with dimethyl-OP (resistant condition) and non-treated larvae (control condition), we identified genes displaying condition-specific polymorphisms, as well as those differentially expressed.

Evolution of coding sequence and gene expression of blowflies and botflies with contrasting feeding habits.

The Oestroidea superfamily is characterized by the diversity of feeding preferences among closely-related species; these flies are saprophagous, obligate parasites, or facultative parasites. We used gene expression and coding sequence data from five species (Cochliomyia hominivorax, Chrysomya megacephala, Lucilia cuprina, Dermatobia hominis, and Oestrus ovis) to identify underlying genetic differences involved in the diverse lifestyles. We tested whether 1287 orthologs have different expression and evolutionary constraints under different scenarios.

Evolution of genes involved in feeding preference and metabolic processes in Calliphoridae (Diptera: Calyptratae).

Background: The genotype-phenotype interactions among traits governing feeding preference are of fundamental importance to behavioral genetics and evolutionary biology. The genetic basis of behavioral traits has been explored in different taxa using different approaches. However, the complex nature of the genetic mechanisms undergirding behavior is poorly understood.

Selection and validation of reference genes for functional studies in the Calliphoridae family.

The genera Cochliomyia and Chrysomya contain both obligate and saprophagous flies, which allows the comparison of different feeding habits between closely related species. Among the different strategies for comparing these habits is the use of qPCR to investigate the expression levels of candidate genes involved in feeding behavior. To ensure an accurate measure of the levels of gene expression, it is necessary to normalize the amount of the target gene with the amount of a reference gene having a stable expression across the compared species.