Human lice, Pediculus humanus, include the head louse and the body louse, which evolved from the head louse once we began wearing clothing. These lice are ecotypes of the same species as they share virtually the same genome, with phenotypic differences likely regulated at the transcriptional level. Given its simple lifestyle, a small genome was predicted and found with reductions in specific gene families, including those involved in xenobiotic metabolism and the innate immune response. With a well annotated genome and the in vitro rearing system, we are now studying: 1) the functional role of genes involved in insecticide resistance and 2) why only body lice vector bacterial diseases to humans. With these tools, a non-invasive induction assay identified genes causing insecticide tolerance that can be monitored proactively for resistance and differential gene transcription of immunoresponsive genes appear involved in the vector competence of human body lice.

Human lice: Simple lifestyle, small genome, much misery

248th National Meeting (2014)

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