Exploring Natural Alkaloids from Brazilian Biodiversity as Potential Inhibitors of the Aedes aegypti Juvenile Hormone Enzyme: A Computational Approach for Vector Mosquito Control

This study explores the potential inhibitory activity of alkaloids, a class of natural compounds isolated from Brazilian biodiversity, against the mJHBP enzyme of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito is a significant vector of diseases such as dengue, zika, and chikungunya. The interactions between the ligands and the enzyme at the molecular level were evaluated using computational techniques such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD), and molecular mechanics with generalized Born surface area (MMGBSA) free energy calculation. The findings suggest that these compounds exhibit a high binding affinity with the enzyme, as confirmed by the binding free energies obtained in the simulation. Furthermore, the specific enzyme residues that contribute the most to the stability of the complex with the compounds were identified: specifically, Tyr33, Trp53, Tyr64, and Tyr129. Notably, Tyr129 residues were previously identified as crucial in the enzyme inhibition process. This observation underscores the significance of the research findings and the potential of the evaluated compounds as natural insecticides against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These results could stimulate the development of new vector control agents that are more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Chromosomal Evolution in the Phylogenetic Context: A Remarkable Karyotype Reorganization in Neotropical Parrot Myiopsitta monachus (Psittacidae)

Myiopsitta monachus is a small Neotropical parrot (Psittaciformes: Arini Tribe) from subtropical and temperate regions of South America. It has a diploid chromosome number 2n = 48, different from other members of the Arini Tribe that have usually 70 chromosomes. The species has the lowest 2n within the Arini Tribe. In this study, we combined comparative chromosome painting with probes generated from chromosomes of Gallus gallus and Leucopternis albicollis, and FISH with bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) selected from the genome library of G. gallus with the aim to shed light on the dynamics of genome reorganization in M. monachus in the phylogenetic context. The homology maps showed a great number of fissions in macrochromosomes, and many fusions between microchromosomes and fragments of macrochromosomes. Our phylogenetic analysis by Maximum Parsimony agree with molecular data, placing M. monachus in a basal position within the Arini Tribe, together with Amazona aestiva (short tailed species). In M. monachus many chromosome rearrangements were found to represent autopomorphic characters, indicating that after this species split as an independent branch, an intensive karyotype reorganization took place. In addition, our results show that M. monachus probes generated by flow cytometry provide novel cytogenetic tools for the detection of avian chromosome rearrangements, since this species presents breakpoints that have not been described in other species.

A Comprehensive Cytogenetic Analysis of Several Members of the Family Columbidae (Aves, Columbiformes)

The Columbidae species (Aves, Columbiformes) show considerable variation in their diploid numbers (2n = 68-86), but there is limited understanding of the events that shaped the extant karyotypes. Hence, we performed whole chromosome painting (wcp) for paints GGA1-10 and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes for chromosomes GGA11-28 for Columbina passerina, Columbina talpacoti, Patagioenas cayennensis, Geotrygon violacea and Geotrygon montana. Streptopelia decaocto was only investigated with paints because BACs for GGA10-28 had been previously analyzed. We also performed phylogenetic analyses in order to trace the evolutionary history of this family in light of chromosomal changes using our wcp data with chicken probes and from Zenaida auriculata, Columbina picui, Columba livia and Leptotila verreauxi, previously published. G-banding was performed on all these species. Comparative chromosome paint and G-banding results suggested that at least one interchromosomal and many intrachromosomal rearrangements had occurred in the diversification of Columbidae species. On the other hand, a high degree of conservation of microchromosome organization was observed in these species. Our cladistic analysis, considering all the chromosome rearrangements detected, provided strong support for L. verreauxi and P. cayennensis, G. montana and G. violacea, C. passerina and C. talpacoti having sister taxa relationships, as well as for all Columbidae species analyzed herein. Additionally, the chromosome characters were mapped in a consensus phylogenetic topology previously proposed, revealing a pericentric inversion in the chromosome homologous to GGA4 in a chromosomal signature unique to small New World ground doves.

Chromosomal evolution and phylogeny in the Nullicauda group (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae): evidence from multidirectional chromosome painting

BACKGROUND

The family Phyllostomidae (Chiroptera) shows wide morphological, molecular and cytogenetic variation; many disagreements regarding its phylogeny and taxonomy remains to be resolved. In this study, we use chromosome painting with whole chromosome probes from the Phyllostomidae Phyllostomus hastatus and Carollia brevicauda to determine the rearrangements among several genera of the Nullicauda group (subfamilies Gliphonycterinae, Carolliinae, Rhinophyllinae and Stenodermatinae).

RESULTS

These data, when compared with previously published chromosome homology maps, allow the construction of a phylogeny comparable to those previously obtained by morphological and molecular analysis. Our phylogeny is largely in agreement with that proposed with molecular data, both on relationships between the subfamilies and among genera; it confirms, for instance, that Carollia and Rhinophylla, previously considered as part of the same subfamily are, in fact, distant genera.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of the karyotype considered ancestral for this family in several different branches suggests that the diversification of Phyllostomidae into many subfamilies has occurred in a short period of time. Finally, the comparison with published maps using human whole chromosome probes allows us to track some syntenic associations prior to the emergence of this family.

Phylogenetic reconstruction by cross-species chromosome painting and G-banding in four species of Phyllostomini tribe (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in the Brazilian Amazon: an independent evidence for monophyly

The subfamily Phyllostominae comprises taxa with a variety of feeding strategies. From the cytogenetic point of view, Phyllostominae shows different rates of chromosomal evolution between genera, with Phyllostomus hastatus probably retaining the ancestral karyotype for the subfamily. Since chromosomal rearrangements occur rarely in the genome and have great value as phylogenetic markers and in taxonomic characterization, we analyzed three species: Lophostoma silvicola (LSI), Phyllostomus discolor (PDI) and Tonatia saurophila (TSA), representing the tribe Phyllostomini, collected in the Amazon region, by classic and molecular cytogenetic techniques in order to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships within this tribe. LSA has a karyotype of 2n=34 and FN=60, PDI has 2n=32 and FN=60 and TSA has 2n=16 and FN=20. Comparative analysis using G-banding and chromosome painting show that the karyotypic complement of TSA is highly rearranged relative to LSI and PHA, while LSI, PHA and PDI have similar karyotypes, differing by only three chromosome pairs. Nearly all chromosomes of PDI and PHA were conserved in toto, except for chromosome 15 that was changed by a pericentric inversion. A strongly supported phylogeny (bootstrap=100 and Bremer=10 steps), confirms the monophyly of Phyllostomini. In agreement with molecular topologies, TSA was in the basal position, while PHA and LSI formed sister taxa. A few ancestral syntenies are conserved without rearrangements and most associations are autapomorphic traits for Tonatia or plesiomorphic for the three genera analyzed here. The karyotype of TSA is highly derived in relation to that of other phyllostomid bats, differing from the supposed ancestral karyotype of Phyllostomidae by multiple rearrangements. Phylogenies based on chromosomal data are independent evidence for the monophyly of tribe Phyllostomini as determined by molecular topologies and provide additional support for the paraphyly of the genus Tonatia by the exclusion of the genus Lophostoma.

A phylogenetic analysis using multidirectional chromosome painting of three species (Uroderma magnirostrum, U. bilobatum and Artibeus obscurus) of subfamily Stenodermatinae (Chiroptera-Phyllostomidae)

The species of genera Uroderma and Artibeus are medium-sized bats belonging to the family Phyllostomidae and subfamily Stenodermatinae (Mammalia, Chiroptera) from South America. They have a wide distribution in the Neotropical region, with two currently recognized species in Uroderma and approximately 20 species in Artibeus. These two genera have different rates of chromosome evolution, with Artibeus probably having retained the ancestral karyotype for the subfamily. We used whole chromosome paint probe sets from Carollia brevicauda and Phyllostomus hastatus on Uroderma magnirostrum, Uroderma bilobatum, and Artibeus obscurus. With the aim of testing the previous phylogenies of these bats using cytogenetics, we compared these results with published painting maps on Phyllostomidae. The genome-wide comparative maps based on chromosome painting and chromosome banding reveal the chromosome forms that characterize each taxonomic level within the Phyllostomidae and show the chromosome evolution of this family. Based on this, we are able to suggest an ancestral karyotype for Phyllostomidae. Our cladistic analysis is an independent confirmation using multidirectional chromosome painting of the previous Phyllostomidae phylogenies.

Karyotypic variation in Rhinophylla pumilio Peters, 1865 and comparative analysis with representatives of two subfamilies of Phyllostomidae (Chiroptera)

The family Phyllostomidae belongs to the most abundant and diverse group of bats in the Neotropics with more morphological traits variation at the family level than any other group within mammals. In this work, we present data of chromosome banding (G, C and Ag-NOR) and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) for representatives of Rhinophylla pumilio Peters, 1865 collected in four states of Brazil (Amazonas, Bahia, Mato Grosso and Pará). Two karyomorphs were found in this species: 2n=34, FN=64 in populations from western Pará and Mato Grosso states and 2n=34, FN=62 from Amazonas, Bahia, and northeastern Pará and Marajó Island (northern). Difference in the Fundamental Number is determined by variation in the size of the Nucleolar Organizer Region (NOR) accompanied with heterochromatin on chromosomes of pair 16 or, alternatively, a pericentric inversion. The C-banding technique detected constitutive heterochromatin in the centromeric regions of all chromosomes and on the distal part of the long arm of pair 15 of specimens from all localities. FISH with a DNA telomeric probe did not show any interstitial sequence, and an 18S rDNA probe and silver staining revealed the presence of NOR in the long arm of the pair 15, associated with heterochromatin, and in the short arm of the pair 16 for all specimens. The intra-specific analysis using chromosome banding did not show any significant difference between the samples. The comparative analyses using G-banding have shown that nearly all chromosomes of Rhinophylla pumilio were conserved in the chromosome complements of Glossophaga soricina Pallas, 1766, Phyllostomus hastatus Pallas, 1767, Phyllostomus discolor Wagner, 1843 and Mimon crenulatum Geoffroy, 1801, with a single chromosomal pair unique to Rhinophylla pumilio (pair 15). However, two chromosomes of Mimon crenulatum are polymorphic for two independent pericentric inversions. The karyotype with 2n=34, NF=62 is probably the ancestral one for the other karyotypes described for Rhinophylla pumilio.

Chromosomal homologies among vampire bats revealed by chromosome painting (phyllostomidae, chiroptera)

Substantial effort has been made to elucidate karyotypic evolution of phyllostomid bats, mostly through comparisons of G-banding patterns. However, due to the limited number of G-bands in respective karyotypes and to the similarity of non-homologous bands, an accurate evolutionary history of chromosome segments remains questionable. This is the case for vampire bats (Desmodontinae). Despite several proposed homologies, banding data have not yet provided a detailed understanding of the chromosomal changes within vampire genera. We examined karyotype differentiation of the 3 species within this subfamily using whole chromosomal probes from Phyllostomus hastatus (Phyllostominae) and Carollia brevicauda (Carolliinae). Painting probes of P. hastatus respectively detected 22, 21 and 23 conserved segments in Diphylla ecaudata, Diaemus youngi, and Desmodus rotundus karyotypes, whereas 27, 27 and 28 were respectively detectedwith C. brevicauda paints. Based on the evolutionary relationships proposed by morphological and molecular data, we present probable chromosomal synapomorphies for vampire bats and propose chromosomes that were present in the common ancestor of the 5 genera analyzed. Karyotype comparisons allowed us to relate a number of conserved chromosomal segments among the 5 species, providing a broader database for understanding karyotype evolution in the family.