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  • Title: Identification and characterization of a novel factor XIIa inhibitor in the hematophagous insect, Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).
    Author: Campos IT, Tanaka-Azevedo AM, Tanaka AS.
    Journal: FEBS Lett; 2004 Nov 19; 577(3):512-6. PubMed ID: 15556638.
    Abstract:
    Recently, we have cloned several Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors from the midgut of the Triatoma infestans bug. A single gene composed of multi Kazal-type domains, in tandem, encodes these inhibitors. In this work, we describe the purification and characterization of recombinant infestins 3-4 and 4, which are potent factor XIIa inhibitors (KI=67 pM and 128 pM, respectively). We also identified the first native factor XIIa inhibitor from a hematophagous insect. The factor XIIa inhibitory activity of infestin 4 demonstrates extremely efficient anticoagulant activity, prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time by approximately 3 times. Our results suggest that infestins perform a very important role in the T. infestans midgut during meal acquisition and digestion by controlling blood coagulation by means of inhibiting thrombin and factor XIIa.
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