(Below N is a link to NCBI taxonomic web page and E link to ESTHER at designed phylum.) > cellular organisms: NE > Eukaryota: NE > Opisthokonta: NE > Metazoa: NE > Eumetazoa: NE > Bilateria: NE > Protostomia: NE > Ecdysozoa: NE > Panarthropoda: NE > Arthropoda: NE > Mandibulata: NE > Pancrustacea: NE > Hexapoda: NE > Insecta: NE > Dicondylia: NE > Pterygota: NE > Neoptera: NE > Paraneoptera: NE > Psocodea: NE > Phthiraptera: NE > Anoplura: NE > Pediculidae: NE > Pediculus: NE > Pediculus humanus: NE > Pediculus humanus corporis: NE
LegendThis sequence has been compared to family alignement (MSA) red => minority aminoacid blue => majority aminoacid color intensity => conservation rate title => sequence position(MSA position)aminoacid rate Catalytic site Catalytic site in the MSA GGGASVQTQSAHFVEHDSLKFSERNNLGLGEGNMHLNRKDRSEFGAQNKD LKNDYRFVDDKKNDPLIVSTTKGKVRGVTLQGANGKYVDAWLGIPYAQKP IGNLRFRHPRPIEKWDPEIFNATKPPNSCVQILDTVFGDFPGATMWNPNT PLSEDCLYINVVVPKPRPRKSAVMVWIFGGGFYSGTATLDVYDPKTLVSE ENVIVVSMQYRIASLGFLYFGTPDVPGNAGLFDQLMALQWVHDNIRSFGG NPYNVTLFGESAGAVSVSTHLLSPLSRNLFSQAIMESGSPTAPWAIIPTE ESILRGLRLAEAVNCPHDRFQLSAVVECLRNTNASLLVNNEWGTLGICEF PFVPVIDGAFLDELPELALANKNFKKTNILMGSNTEEGYYFIIYYLTELL RKEENVYVNRDEFIKAVRELNPYINNIARQAIIFEYTDWLNPDDPARNRD ALDKMVGDYHFTCSVNEFAHRYAETGNKVYMYYFTHRSAGNPWPSWTGVM HGDEINYIFGEPLNPLKNYQVEEQELSRRIMRYWANFAKTGNPSMSEDGT WTPVVWPEHTAHGREYLTLAVNNTSTGRGPRLKQCAFWKKYLPQLLALTK NIKSNNQIQNCQSKGSKSTFLHFSHFIPPYFTLLLLLLLSLGKIF
As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) is an important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences of the body louse and its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The body louse has the smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite its status as an obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal insect repertoire of 10,773 protein-coding genes and 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous insects, the genome of the body louse thus provides a reference for studies of holometabolous insects. Compared with other insect genomes, the body louse genome contains significantly fewer genes associated with environmental sensing and response, including odorant and gustatory receptors and detoxifying enzymes. The unique architecture of the 18 minicircular mitochondrial chromosomes of the body louse may be linked to the loss of the gene encoding the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein. The genome of the obligatory louse endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola encodes less than 600 genes on a short, linear chromosome and a circular plasmid. The plasmid harbors a unique arrangement of genes required for the synthesis of pantothenate, an essential vitamin deficient in the louse diet. The human body louse, its primary endosymbiont, and the bacterial pathogens that it vectors all possess genomes reduced in size compared with their free-living close relatives. Thus, the body louse genome project offers unique information and tools to use in advancing understanding of coevolution among vectors, symbionts, and pathogens.
Two cDNA sequences encoding Drosophila Ace-orthologous and -paralogous acetylcholinesterase precursors (AO- and AP-AChE precursors, respectively), were identified from the body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus L. In vitro inhibition studies with an insecticide-susceptible body louse strain exhibited a simplex inhibitory response of AChE. The I50 values of fenitroxon and carbaryl were estimated to be 2.2 and 1.9 microM for the susceptible lice, respectively. The mRNA level of AP-AChE gene was 3.1- and 9.3-fold higher than that of AO-AChE gene in the abdomen and the combined parts of the head and thorax, respectively, suggesting, due to its abundance, the potential significance of the AP-AChE isoform in Pediculus human lice in association with the efficacy of AChE-targeting pediculicides.
