Digestive α-L-fucosidase activity in after blood feeding: effect of secretagogue and nutritional stimuli.

(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is an important vector of , the causative agent of Chagas Disease. This insect is a model for the study of insect physiology, especially concerning the digestion of blood. Among the enzymes produced in the midgut of after blood feeding there is a α-L-fucosidase activity.

Structure and expression of GH18 chitinases and chitinase-like proteins: Characterization of the physiological role of , a gene from subgroup VIII, in vector fitness and reproduction.

Chitinases are enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of glycosidic linkages within chitin chains. In insects, chitinases are typically members of the multigenic glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18). They participate in the relocation of chitin during development and molt, and in digestion in detritivores and predatory insects, and they control the peritrophic membrane thickness.

Biochemical and Functional Characterization of Glycoside Hydrolase Family 16 Genes in Larvae: Identification of the Major Digestive β-1,3-Glucanase.

Insect β-1,3-glucanases belong to Glycoside Hydrolase Family 16 (GHF16) and are involved in digestion of detritus and plant hemicellulose. In this work, we investigated the role of GHF16 genes in larvae, due to their detritivore diet. genome has six genes belonging to GHF16 (Aae GH16.