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Modulation of mitochondrial metabolism as a biochemical trait in blood feeding organisms: the redox vampire hypothesis redux
Author(s) -
Ferreira Caroline M.,
Oliveira Matheus P.,
Paes Marcia C.,
Oliveira Marcus F.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
cell biology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1095-8355
pISSN - 1065-6995
DOI - 10.1002/cbin.10945
Subject(s) - biology , bioenergetics , metabolism , mitochondrion , cellular respiration , digestion (alchemy) , respiratory chain , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , chemistry , chromatography
Hematophagous organisms undergo remarkable metabolic changes during the blood digestion process, increasing fermentative glucose metabolism, and reducing respiratory rates, both consequence of functional mitochondrial remodeling. Here, we review the pathways involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial functionality in a comparative framework across different hematophagous species, and consider how these processes regulate redox homeostasis during blood digestion. The trend across distinct species indicate that a switch in energy metabolism might represent an important defensive mechanism to avoid the potential harmful interaction of oxidants generated from aerobic energy metabolism with products derived from blood digestion. Indeed, in insect vectors, blood feeding transiently reduces respiratory rates and oxidant production, irrespective of tissue and insect model. On the other hand, a different scenario is observed in several unrelated parasite species when exposed to blood digestion products, as respiratory rates reduce and mitochondrial oxidant production increase. The emerging picture indicates that re‐wiring of energy metabolism, through reduced mitochondrial function, culminates in improved tolerance to redox insults and seems to represent a key step for hematophagous organisms to cope with the overwhelming and potentially toxic blood meal.