IDENTIFICATION OF GLOSSINA MORSITANS MORSITANS ODORANT BINDING PROTEINS GENES IN GLOSSINA FUSCIPES FUSCIPES: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Abstract

Tsetse  flies  are  vectors  of  trypanosome  parasites,  causative  agents  of Trypanosomiasis  in  humans  and  animals.  Odorant  Binding  Proteins  (OBPs)  are critical in insect olfaction as they bind volatile odours from the environment and transport  them  to  receptors  within  olfactory  receptor  neurons  for  processing providing critical information for host identification. Glossina morsitans morsitans primers designed for conventional PCR were used to screen OBP genes in Glossina fuscipes fuscipes  in female head, thorax, abdomen and leg tissues.   A total of 31.8% of OBPs were identified in G. f. fuscipes head while 18.2% were detected in the thorax. The abdomen had 22.7% OBPs identified and the legs revealed 18.2% OBPs.  OBP5 and OBP6 were the most predominant since they were detected in the head, thorax and abdomen of G. fuscipes fuscipes which may provide the need to identify their functions in both G. morsitans morsitans and G. fuscipes fuscipes. This study confirms  genetic  differences  between  OBPs  from  riverine  (G.  f.  fuscipes)  and savanna (G. m morsitans) species which may be key in understanding the role of olfaction in enhancing vector competence of G. m. morsitans and G. f. fuscipes.  Such information will be critical in designing better vector control strategies based on olfactory mediated behavior.