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Metalloproteases and egg-hatching in Pediculus humanus, the body (clothes) louse of humans (Phthiraptera: Insecta)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2007

V. M. BOWLES ,
A. R. YOUNG  and
S. C. BARKER
V. M. BOWLES*
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
A. R. YOUNG
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Australia
S. C. BARKER
Affiliation:
Parasitology Section, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
*
*Corresponding author: Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, 3010, Australia. Tel: +61 3 8344 4439. Fax: +61 3 9347 4083. E-mail: v.bowles@vet.unimelb.edu.au
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Summary

To investigate the biochemical components of egg-hatch in the body louse, Pediculus humanus, egg-shell-washings (ESW) were collected during the first 2 h post-hatching and analysed by gelatin SDS-PAGE. These ESW contained proteases with molecular mass in the range of 25–100 kDa; the most abundant proteases were ~25 kDa. The 3 main regions of protease activity in the one-dimensional gelatin SDS-PAGE gels resolved to at least 23 distinct regions of protease activity when analysed by two-dimensional gelatin SDS-PAGE, with iso-electric points spread over the entire 3 to 10 pH range. Mechanistic characterization indicated that the ESW contained proteases of the metallo-class, inhibited by both 1,10-phenanthroline and EDTA. Several protease inhibitors were tested for their ability to inhibit louse egg-hatch in vitro. The metalloprotease inhibitor 1,10-phenanthroline and the aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin significantly inhibited (P<0·05) louse egg-hatch (100% and 58%, respectively). The presence of metalloproteases at the time of egg-hatch and the inhibition of egg-hatch in P. humanus by metalloprotease inhibitors suggests a crucial role for these proteases in the hatching of this medically important parasite.

Keywords

liceegg-hatchproteases and metalloproteases
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 135 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 125 - 130
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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