Publications by authors named "M Sterkel"
Bed bugs are blood-feeders that rapidly proliferate into large indoor infestations. Their bites can cause allergies, secondary infections and psychological stress, among other problems. Although several tactics for their management have been used, bed bugs continue to spread worldwide wherever humans reside.
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- Blood-feeding in triatomines triggers key physiological changes like development and reproduction, influenced by their specific feeding habits.
- The gut of these blood-sucking insects must adapt post-feeding due to the varying quality and quantity of blood, with gene expression regulation playing a crucial role.
- Silencing the gene eIF3m in Rhodnius prolixus revealed significant impacts on digestion, growth, and reproduction, highlighting its unique function in these insects compared to what is known in Drosophila melanogaster.
Article Synopsis
- In ecdysozoan animals, the process of moulting, which involves shedding and forming a new exoskeleton, is triggered by the hormone ecdysone and a complex signaling cascade involving neuropeptides.
- This study focuses on the insect Rhodnius prolixus to explore if the neuropeptide mechanisms for ecdysis found in Holometabola (complete metamorphosis) are also present in Hemimetabola (incomplete metamorphosis), while also examining their role in female reproduction.
- Results show that reducing specific hormones like ecdysis triggering hormone (ETH) affects nymph survival and egg hatching but doesn't change oviposition,
Background: Blood-sucking insects incorporate many times their body weight of blood in a single meal. Because proteins are the major component of vertebrate blood, its digestion in the gut generates extremely high concentrations of free amino acids. Previous reports showed that the tyrosine degradation pathway plays an essential role in adapting these animals to blood feeding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of chemical insecticides is the main control method for Blattella germanica worldwide. The prolonged and frequent use of insecticides produced the selection of insecticide-resistant individuals. The German cockroach is one of the most widespread urban pests in Argentina.
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