The insect fat body is a multifunctional organ analogous to the vertebrate liver. The fat body is involved in the metabolism of juvenile hormone, regulation of environmental stress, production of immunity regulator-like proteins in cells and protein storage. However, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in fat body physiology in stingless bees. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of the fat body from the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris. In silico analysis of a set of cDNA library sequences yielded 1728 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and 997 high-quality sequences that were assembled into 29 contigs and 117 singlets. The BLAST X tool showed that 86% of the ESTs shared similarity with Apis mellifera (honeybee) genes. The M. scutellaris fat body ESTs encoded proteins with roles in numerous physiological processes, including anti-oxidation, phosphorylation, metabolism, detoxification, transmembrane transport, intracellular transport, cell proliferation, protein hydrolysis and protein synthesis. This is the first report to describe a transcriptomic analysis of specific organs of M. scutellaris. Our findings provide new insights into the physiological role of the fat body in stingless bees.

In colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 workers can be found with four ganglion nerve cells, a morphological characteristic of the queen. It is hypothesized that these workers, called intercastes, or phenocopies, are phenotypically-like workers, but genotypically identical to queens due to this specific trait. Workers with the same number of ganglion as queens seem to be intercastes between queens and workers. Our objective was to analyze the mRNA pro files of workers, queens, and intercastes of M. scutellaris through DDRT-PCR. Three hundred (300) pupae with white eyes were collected and externally identified according to the number of abdominal nerve ganglions: workers (5 ganglions), queens (4 ganglions) and intercastes (4 ganglions). The analysis identified differentially expressed transcripts that were present only in workers, but absent in intercastes and queens, confirming the hypothesis, by demonstrating the environmental effect on the queen genotype that generated phenotype-like workers.

Muitas espécies de formigas de comportamento sinantrópico que tiveram sucesso na dispersão em áreas urbanas podem causar problemas em hospitais ao atuarem como vetoras, transportando bactérias. Neste estudo, foram encontradas bactérias em formigas coletadas no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, no campus e em residências próximas. As formigas coletadas foram identificadas como Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) e Camponotus vittatus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) e as cepas bacterianas encontradas pertenciam ao grupo dos estafilococos coagulase positivos, estafilococos coagulase negativos e bacilos gram negativos, tendo sido encontradas cepas resistentes a antimicrobianos. O estudo de bactérias encontradas nas formigas e no ambiente mostrou que algumas formigas carreavam bactérias não isoladas do mesmo ambiente e com níveis de resistência mais elevados, evidenciando o potencial transmissor desses insetos.

Many ant species displaying synanthropic behavior that have successfully dispersed in urban areas can cause problems in hospitals by acting as bacterial vectors. In this study, we encountered bacteria on ants collected at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia hospital, in the campus and at households nearby. The ants were identified as Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Camponotus vittatus (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the bacterial strains found here belong to the group of the coagulase-positive staphylococcus, coagulase-negative staphylococcus and gram negative bacilli, including antimicrobial drug-resistant strains. An investigation of the bacteria found in the ants and in the environment revealed that some ants carried non-isolated bacteria from the same environment and with high levels of resistance, evidencing the transmission potential of these insects.

A cidade de Uberlândia, MG, vem apresentando um processo de urbanização acelerado, com crescimento populacional de 3,54% ao ano, acima da média nacional. Entre os problemas causados pela urbanização está o fornecimento de hábitats para uma grande variedade de insetos. Neste estudo objetivou-se identificar espécies de formigas que ocorrem nos domicílios de Uberlândia, relacionando-as ao tempo de urbanização e infra-estrutura dos bairros e ao estado de conservação das residências. As formigas foram coletadas utilizando isca-armadilha em 120 residências de 12 bairros reunidos em três grupos. Registraram-se 14 espécies de formigas, sendo Camponotus (Mayr), Monomorium (Mayr) e Tapinoma (Foerster), respectivamente, os gêneros mais freqüentes. Somente Camponotus vittatus (Forel), Monomorium pharaonis (L.), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) e Brachymyrmex sp. (Mayr) foram coletadas nos três grupos. A relação entre as formigas mais freqüentes no interior dos domicílios e seu estado de conservação mostrou que Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) foi mais freqüente (60%) em construções mal conservadas ou precárias. C. vittatus e Camponotus melanoticus (Emery) ocorreram em locais que correspondem às três categorias de estado de conservação. C. vittatus foi a espécie de formiga mais freqüente nessa área urbana de Cerrado, o que não foi encontrado em nenhum outro levantamento publicado sobre formigas urbanas.

Uberlândia, MG, Brazil, underwent an accelerated process of urbanization with a population growth of 3,54% each year, higher than the national average. One of the problems emergent from urbanization is the use of different habitats for a great variety of insects. The objective of this study was to identify species of house-invading ants that occur in the urban area of Uberlândia. The occurrence of the house-invading species in regard to the time of urbanization, neighborhood infrastructure, age and maintenance of private houses was also assessed. The ants were collected using bait-traps in 120 residences from 12 neighborhoods which were put in three groups. Fourteen species of ants were catalogued, with Camponotus (Mayr), Monomorium (Mayr) and Tapinoma (Foerster) being the most frequent genera. Only Camponotus vittatus (Forel), Monomorium pharaonis (L.), Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius) and Brachymyrmex sp. (Mayr) were collected in all three groups. The relation between the ants collected and the age and maintenance of the private houses showed that Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) was most frequent (60%) in poorly preserved or precarious constructions. Whereas, C. vittatus and Camonotus melanoticus (Emery) occurred in all categories of maintenance. Overall, C. vittatus which had not been found in any previously published survey of urban ants, was the most frequent species in urban areas of the Cerrado.

Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA) e Staphylococcus coagulase negativo resistente à meticilina (MRCoNS) são os agentes mais freqüentes em infecções hospitalares mundialmente, justificando o incremento no uso de vancomicina. Neste estudo avaliamos a presença de Staphylococcus resistentes aos glicopeptideos em 41 pacientes, em uso de vancomicina, hospitalizados no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia em Uberlândia-MG. Todos os isolados foram semeados em agar Mueller-Hinton acrescido do antimicrobiano. A resistência a vancomicina foi confirmada por crescimento após incubação por 24-48 horas a 35ºC. A heterorresistência foi avaliada por semeadura com inóculo mais denso (10(8) UFC/mL). Um paciente com nefrite, no programa de hemodiálise teve o fenótipo de Staphylococcus aureus com resistência intermediária à vancomicina (VISA) (CIM= 8 mig/mL) e em oito pacientes as amostras apresentaram heterorresistência (hVISA). Além do uso prévio de vancomicina outros fatores de risco incluindo três ou mais antimicrobianos, cirurgia e três ou mais procedimentos invasivos, foram observados. A análise molecular foi realizada por amplificação randômica de DNA polimórfico em reação em cadeia da polimerase (RAPD-PCR) mostrando dois clusters com duas amostras cada um, em pacientes cirúrgicos, com relação temporal espacial e com perfil de susceptibilidade semelhantes quando frente à vários outros antimicrobianos.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) are among the most frequent causes of hospital infections worldwide, thus justifying the increasing use of vancomycin. In this study, we evaluated the presence of glycopeptide-resistant staphylococci, in 41 patients hospitalized in the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia in Uberlândia, MG, who were being treated with vancomycin. All isolates were plated on Mueller-Hinton agar containing vancomycin. Vancomycin resistance was confirmed by surface growth after incubation for 24-48 h at 35ºC. Heteroresistance was evaluated by plating with a large inoculum (10(8) CFU/mL). One patient with nephritis who was on a hemodialysis program was diagnosed with the phenotype isolate of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) (CIM = 8 mug/mL) and in eight patients, strains of heteroresistant Staphylococcus corresponding to the hVISA phenotype were isolated. In addition to the extended use of vancomycin, other risk factors associated with the presence of these microorganisms included the use of three or more antimicrobial agents, surgery, and three or more invasive procedures. Molecular analysis by randon amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) showed two clusters involving two samples each one of them, in surgical patients, with temporal and spatial relationship and isolates similarity concerning the susceptibility range to antimicrobial agents.