A targeted approach to the identification of candidate genes determining susceptibility to Plasmodium gallinaceum in Aedes aegypti

Two avian Plasmodium species trigger different transcriptional responses on their vector Culex pipiens

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium that affects both humans and wildlife. The fitness consequences of infections by avian malaria are well known in birds, however, little information exists on its impact on mosquitoes. Here we study how Culex pipiens mosquitoes transcriptionally respond to infection by two different Plasmodium species, P. relictum and P. cathemerium, differing in their virulence (mortality rate) and transmissibility (parasite presence in exposed mosquitoes' saliva). We studied the mosquito response to the infection at three critical stages of parasite development: the formation of ookinetes at 24 h post-infection (hpi), the release of sporozoites into the hemocoel at 10 days post-infection (dpi), and the storage of sporozoites in the salivary glands at 21 dpi. For each time point, we characterized the gene expression of mosquitoes infected with each P. relictum and P. cathemerium and mosquitoes fed on an uninfected bird and, subsequently, compared their transcriptomic responses. Differential gene expression analysis showed that most transcriptomic changes occurred during the early infection stage (24 hpi), especially when comparing P. relictum and P. cathemerium-infected mosquitoes. Differentially expressed genes in mosquitoes infected with each species were related mainly to the metabolism of the immune response, trypsin, and other serine-proteases. We conclude that these differences in response may partly play a role in the differential virulence and transmissibility previously observed between P. relictum and P. cathemerium in Cx. pipiens.

A conserved female-specific larval requirement for MtnB function facilitates sex separation in multiple species of disease vector mosquitoes

Background

Clusters of sex-specific loci are predicted to shape the boundaries of the M/m sex-determination locus of the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, but the identities of these genes are not known. Identification and characterization of these loci could promote a better understanding of mosquito sex chromosome evolution and lead to the elucidation of new strategies for male mosquito sex separation, a requirement for several emerging mosquito population control strategies that are dependent on the mass rearing and release of male mosquitoes. This investigation revealed that the methylthioribulose-1-phosphate dehydratase (MtnB) gene, which resides adjacent to the M/m locus and encodes an evolutionarily conserved component of the methionine salvage pathway, is required for survival of female larvae.

Results

Larval consumption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) strains engineered to express interfering RNA corresponding to MtnB resulted in target gene silencing and significant female death, yet had no impact on A. aegypti male survival or fitness. Integration of the yeast larvicides into mass culturing protocols permitted scaled production of fit adult male mosquitoes. Moreover, silencing MtnB orthologs in Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus revealed a conserved female-specific larval requirement for MtnB among different species of mosquitoes.

Conclusions

The results of this investigation, which may have important implications for the study of mosquito sex chromosome evolution, indicate that silencing MtnB can facilitate sex separation in multiple species of disease vector insects.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04844-w.

A functional requirement for sex-determination M/m locus region lncRNA genes in Aedes aegypti female larvae

Although many putative long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes have been identified in insect genomes, few of these genes have been functionally validated. A screen for female-specific larvicides that facilitate Aedes aegypti male sex separation uncovered multiple interfering RNAs with target sites in lncRNA genes located in the M/m locus region, including loci within or tightly linked to the sex determination locus. Larval consumption of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) strain engineered to express interfering RNA corresponding to lncRNA transcripts resulted in significant female death, yet had no impact on male survival or fitness. Incorporation of the yeast larvicides into mass culturing protocols facilitated scaled production and separation of fit adult males, indicating that yeast larvicides could benefit mosquito population control strategies that rely on mass releases of male mosquitoes. These studies functionally verified a female-specific developmental requirement for M/m locus region lncRNA genes, suggesting that sexually antagonistic lncRNA genes found within this highly repetitive pericentromeric DNA sequence may be contributing to the evolution of A. aegypti sex chromosomes.

Identification and Characterization of Aminopeptidase N 1 Gene of the Indian Malaria Vector Anopheles culicifacies (Diptera: Culicidae)

Aminopeptidase N1 (APN) is one of the important enzymes involved in blood digestion and is up-regulated along with several other enzymes in response to bloodmeal ingestion. APN is a zinc metalloprotease that cleaves one amino acid residue at a time from the amino terminus of the protein. The APN1 gene of the Indian malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies Giles was cloned and characterized. The An. culicifacies APN1 (AcAPN1) gene has an Open Reading Frame of 3084 basepairs which encodes a putative protein of 1027 amino acids. The coding region of the gene shares 81% and 78% similarity to the APN1 genes found in An. stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) and An. gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae), respectively. The organization of the APN1 gene was studied in available mosquito genomes and a three-dimensional structure of AcAPN1 modeled using homology structure modeling. The enzymatic active site was predicted to consist of HEYAH and GAMEN amino acid residues, and a comparison of the protein sequences among different genera revealed the conservation of zinc-binding residues. The expression pattern of AcAPN1 showed that the gene was expressed rapidly in response to the ingestion of the bloodmeal and therefore this gene may be used to exploit its promoter region as an antiparasite candidate molecule.

Temperature Dramatically Shapes Mosquito Gene Expression With Consequences for Mosquito-Zika Virus Interactions

Vector-borne flaviviruses are emerging threats to human health. For successful transmission, the virus needs to efficiently enter mosquito cells and replicate within and escape several tissue barriers while mosquitoes elicit major transcriptional responses to flavivirus infection. This process will be affected not only by the specific mosquito-pathogen pairing but also by variation in key environmental variables such as temperature. Thus far, few studies have examined the molecular responses triggered by temperature and how these responses modify infection outcomes, despite substantial evidence showing strong relationships between temperature and transmission in a diversity of systems. To define the host transcriptional changes associated with temperature variation during the early infection process, we compared the transcriptome of mosquito midgut samples from mosquitoes exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) and non-exposed mosquitoes housed at three different temperatures (20, 28, and 36°C). While the high-temperature samples did not show significant changes from those with standard rearing conditions (28°C) 48 h post-exposure, the transcriptome profile of mosquitoes housed at 20°C was dramatically different. The expression of genes most altered by the cooler temperature involved aspects of blood-meal digestion, ROS metabolism, and mosquito innate immunity. Further, we did not find significant differences in the viral RNA copy number between 24 and 48 h post-exposure at 20°C, suggesting that ZIKV replication is limited by cold-induced changes to the mosquito midgut environment. In ZIKV-exposed mosquitoes, vitellogenin, a lipid carrier protein, was most up-regulated at 20°C. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the temperature-triggered transcriptional changes in Aedes aegypti and can be used to further define the molecular mechanisms driven by environmental temperature variation.

Evaluation of reference genes at different developmental stages for quantitative real-time PCR in Aedes aegypti

The mosquito Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is the most notorious vector of illness-causing viruses such as Dengue, Chikugunya, and Zika. Although numerous genetic expression studies utilizing quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) have been conducted with regards to Ae. aegypti, a panel of genes to be used suitably as references for the purpose of expression-level normalization within this epidemiologically important insect is presently lacking. Here, the usability of seven widely-utilized reference genes i.e. actin (ACT), eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha (eEF1α), alpha tubulin (α-tubulin), ribosomal proteins L8, L32 and S17 (RPL8, RPL32 and RPS17), and glyceraldeyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were investigated. Expression patterns of the reference genes were observed in sixteen pre-determined developmental stages and in cell culture. Gene stability was inferred from qPCR data through three freely available algorithms i.e. BestKeeper, geNorm, and NormFinder. The consensus rankings generated from stability values provided by these programs suggest a combination of at least two genes for normalization. ACT and RPS17 are the most dependably expressed reference genes and therefore, we propose an ACT/RPS17 combination for normalization in all Ae. aegypti derived samples. GAPDH performed least desirably, and is thus not a recommended reference gene. This study emphasizes the importance of validating reference genes in Ae. aegypti for qPCR based research.

Apoptosis-related genes control autophagy and influence DENV-2 infection in the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary urban vector for dengue virus (DENV) worldwide. Insight into interactions occurring between host and pathogen is important in understanding what factors contribute to vector competence. However, many of the molecular mechanisms for vector competence remain unknown. Our previous global transcriptional analysis suggested that differential expression of apoptotic proteins is involved in determining refractoriness vs susceptibility to DENV-2 infection in Ae. aegypti females following a DENV-infected blood meal. To determine whether DENV-refractory Ae. aegypti showed more robust apoptosis upon infection, we compared numbers of apoptotic cells from midguts of refractory and susceptible strains and observed increased numbers of apoptotic cells in only the refractory strain upon DENV-2 infection. Thereafter, we manipulated apoptosis through dsRNA interference of the initiator caspase, Aedronc. Unexpectedly, dsAedronc-treated females showed both decreased frequency of disseminated infection and decreased virus titer in infected individuals. Insect caspases have also previously been identified as regulators of the cellular recycling process known as autophagy. We observed activation of autophagy in midgut and fat body tissues following a blood meal, as well as programmed activation of several apoptosis-related genes, including the effector caspase, Casps7. To determine whether autophagy was affected by caspase knockdown, we silenced Aedronc and Casps7, and observed reduced activation of autophagy upon silencing. Our results provide evidence that apoptosis-related genes are also involved in regulating autophagy, and that Aedronc may play an important role in DENV-2 infection success in Ae. aegypti, possibly through its regulation of autophagy.

Comparative analysis of midgut bacterial communities in three aedine mosquito species from dengue-endemic and non-endemic areas of Rajasthan, India

Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female aedine mosquitoes. Differences in the composition and structure of bacterial communities in the midguts of mosquitoes may affect the vector's ability to transmit the disease. To investigate and analyse the role of midgut bacterial communities in viral transmission, midgut bacteria from three species, namely Stegomyia aegypti (= Aedes aegypti), Fredwardsius vittatus (= Aedes vittatus) and Stegomyia albopicta (= Aedes albopictus) (all: Diptera: Culicidae), from dengue-endemic and non-endemic areas of Rajasthan, India were compared. Construction and analyses of six 16S rRNA gene libraries indicated that Serratia spp.-related phylotypes dominated all clone libraries of the three mosquito species from areas in which dengue is not endemic. In dengue-endemic areas, phylotypes related to Aeromonas, Enhydrobacter spp. and uncultivated bacterium dominated the clone libraries of S. aegypti, F. vittatus and S. albopicta, respectively. Diversity indices analysis and real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction assays showed bacterial diversity and abundance in the midguts of S. aegypti to be higher than in the other two species. Significant differences observed among midgut bacterial communities of the three mosquito species from areas in which dengue is and is not endemic, respectively, may be related to the vectorial capacity of mosquitoes to carry dengue viruses and, hence, to the prevalence of disease in some areas.

Recombinant allergens for diagnosis of cockroach allergy

Molecular cloning of cockroach allergens and their expression as recombinant proteins have allowed a better understanding of the mechanisms of cockroach allergic disease. Recombinant cockroach allergens have been used for skin testing or in vitro methods to measure IgE antibody levels in serum. Early studies evaluating selected U.S. patients revealed that a cocktail of four cockroach allergens, Bla g 1, Bla g 2, Bla g 4, and Bla g 5, would identify 95 % of cockroach allergic patients. More recent studies pointed to an important role of sensitization to tropomyosin among certain populations, and suggested that a cocktail of five allergens Bla g 1 and/or Per a 1, Bla g 2, Bla g 4, Bla g 5, and Bla g 7, and/or Per a 7, would be expected to diagnose 50- 64 % of cockroach-allergic patients worldwide. Variation in IgE reactivity profiles could be in part due to IgE responses to cross-reactive homologous allergens from different origins. The availability of purified natural or recombinant cockroach allergens provides the capacity to improve diagnosis of cockroach allergy and to develop novel forms of immunotherapy for cockroach-allergic patients.

Positive selection drives accelerated evolution of mosquito salivary genes associated with blood-feeding

The saliva of bloodsucking animals contains dozens to hundreds of proteins that counteract their hosts' haemostasis, inflammation and immunity. It was previously observed that salivary proteins involved in haematophagy are much more divergent in their primary sequence than those of housekeeping function, when comparisons were made between closely related organisms. While this pattern of evolution could result from relaxed selection or drift, it could alternatively be the result of positive selection driven by the intense pressure of the host immune system. We investigated the polymorphism of five different genes associated with blood-feeding in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae and obtained evidence in four genes for sites with signatures of positive selection. These results add salivary gland genes from bloodsucking arthropods to the small list of genes driven by positive selection.

Investigating cockroach allergens: aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment of cockroach allergic patients

Cockroach allergy is an important health problem associated with the development of asthma, as a consequence of chronic exposure to low levels of allergens in susceptible individuals. In the last 20 years, progress in understanding the disease has been possible, thanks to the identification and molecular cloning of cockroach allergens and their expression as recombinant proteins. Assays for assessment of environmental allergen exposure have been developed and used to measure Bla g 1 and Bla g 2, as markers of cockroach exposure. IgE antibodies to cockroach extracts and to specific purified allergens have been measured to assess sensitization and analyze association with exposure and disease. With the development of the field of structural biology and the expression of recombinant cockroach allergens, insights into allergen structure, function, epitope mapping and allergen-antibody interactions have provided further understanding of mechanisms of cockroach allergic disease at the molecular level. This information will contribute to develop new approaches to allergen avoidance and to improve diagnosis and therapy of cockroach allergy.

Methylerythritol phosphate pathway to isoprenoids: kinetic modeling and in silico enzyme inhibitions in Plasmodium falciparum

The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) has become an attractive target for anti-malarial drug discovery. This study describes a kinetic model of this pathway, its use in validating 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) as drug target from the systemic perspective, and additional target identification, using metabolic control analysis and in silico inhibition studies. In addition to DXR, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) can be targeted because it is the first enzyme of the pathway and has the highest flux control coefficient followed by that of DXR. In silico inhibition of both enzymes caused large decrement in the pathway flux. An added advantage of targeting DXS is its influence on vitamin B1 and B6 biosynthesis. Two more potential targets, 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase and 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate synthase, were also identified. Their inhibition caused large accumulation of their substrates causing instability of the system. This study demonstrates that both types of enzyme targets, one acting via flux reduction and the other by metabolite accumulation, exist in P. falciparum MEP pathway. These groups of targets can be exploited for independent anti-malarial drugs.

Fine-scale analysis of parasite resistance genes in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Parasite infection impacts population dynamics through effects on fitness and fecundity of the individual host. In addition to the known roles of environmental factors, host susceptibility to parasites has a genetic basis that has not been well characterized. We previously mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for susceptibility to rat tapeworm (Hymenolepis diminuta) infection in Tribolium castaneum using dominant AFLP markers; however, the resistance genes were not identified. Here, we refined the QTL locations and increased the marker density in the QTL regions using new microsatellite markers, sequence-tagged site markers, and single-strand conformational polymorphism markers. Resistance QTL in three linkage groups (LG3, LG6, and LG8) were each mapped to intervals <1.0 cM between two codominant markers. The effects of 21 genes in the three QTL regions were investigated by using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, and transcription profiles were obtained from the resistant TIW1 and the susceptible cSM strains. Based on transcription data, eight genes were selected for RNA interference analysis to investigate their possible roles in H. diminuta resistance, including cytochrome P450 (LOC657454) and Toll-like receptor 13 (TLR13, LOC662131). The transcription of P450 and TLR13 genes in the resistant TIW1 strains was reduced more than ninefold relative to the control. Moreover, the effects of gene knockdown of P450 and TLR13 caused resistant beetles to become susceptible to tapeworm infection, which strongly suggests an important role for each in T. castaneum resistance to H. diminuta infection.

Comparative analysis of midgut bacterial communities of Aedes aegypti mosquito strains varying in vector competence to dengue virus

Differences in midgut bacterial communities of Aedes aegypti, the primary mosquito vector of dengue viruses (DENV), might influence the susceptibility of these mosquitoes to infection by DENV. As a first step toward addressing this hypothesis, comparative analysis of bacterial communities from midguts of mosquito strains with differential genetic susceptibility to DENV was performed. 16S rRNA gene libraries and real-time PCR approaches were used to characterize midgut bacterial community composition and abundance in three Aedes aegypti strains: MOYO, MOYO-R, and MOYO-S. Although Pseudomonas spp.-related clones were predominant across all libraries, some interesting and potentially significant differences were found in midgut bacterial communities among the three strains. Pedobacter sp.- and Janthinobacterium sp.-related phylotypes were identified only in the MOYO-R strain libraries, while Bacillus sp. was detected only in the MOYO-S strain. Rahnella sp. was found in MOYO-R and MOYO strains libraries but was absent in MOYO-S libraries. Both 16S rRNA gene library and real-time PCR approaches confirmed the presence of Pedobacter sp. only in the MOYO-R strain. Further, real-time PCR-based quantification of 16S rRNA gene copies showed bacterial abundance in midguts of the MOYO-R strain mosquitoes to be at least 10-100-folds higher than in the MOYO-S and MOYO strain mosquitoes. Our study identified some putative bacteria with characteristic physiological properties that could affect the infectivity of dengue virus. This analysis represents the first report of comparisons of midgut bacterial communities with respect to refractoriness and susceptibility of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to DENV and will guide future efforts to address the potential interactive role of midgut bacteria of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in determining vectorial capacity for DENV.

Selective inhibitors of digestive enzymes from Aedes aegypti larvae identified by phage display

Dengue is a serious disease transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti during blood meal feeding. It is estimated that the dengue virus is transmitted to millions of individuals each year in tropical and subtropical areas. Dengue control strategies have been based on controlling the vector, Ae. aegypti, using insecticide, but the emergence of resistance poses new challenges. The aim of this study was the identification of specific protease inhibitors of the digestive enzymes from Ae. aegypti larvae, which may serve as a prospective alternative biocontrol method. High affinity protein inhibitors were selected by all of the digestive serine proteases of the 4th instar larval midgut, and the specificity of these inhibitors was characterized. These inhibitors were obtained from a phage library displaying variants of HiTI, a trypsin inhibitor from Haematobia irritans, that are mutated in the reactive loop (P1-P4'). Based on the selected amino acid sequence pattern, seven HiTI inhibitor variants were cloned, expressed and purified. The results indicate that the HiTI variants named T6 (RGGAV) and T128 (WNEGL) were selected by larval trypsin-like (IC(50) of 1.1 nM) and chymotrypsin-like enzymes (IC(50) of 11.6 nM), respectively. The variants T23 (LLGGL) and T149 (GGVWR) inhibited both larval chymotrypsin-like (IC(50) of 4.2 nM and 29.0 nM, respectively) and elastase-like enzymes (IC(50) of 1.2 nM for both). Specific inhibitors were successfully obtained for the digestive enzymes of Ae. aegypti larvae by phage display. Our data also strongly suggest the presence of elastase-like enzymes in Ae. aegypti larvae. The HiTI variants T6 and T23 are good candidates for the development as a larvicide to control the vector.

RNAi knock-downs support roles for the mucin-like (AeIMUC1) gene and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) gene in Aedes aegypti susceptibility to Plasmodium gallinaceum

The mosquito midgut represents the first barrier encountered by the Plasmodium parasite (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) when it is ingested in blood from an infected vertebrate. Previous studies identified the Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) mucin-like (AeIMUC1) and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) genes as midgut-expressed candidate genes influencing susceptibility to infection by Plasmodium gallinaceum (Brumpt). We used RNA inference (RNAi) by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injections to examine ookinete survival to the oocyst stage following individual gene knock-downs. Double-stranded RNA gene knock-downs were performed 3 days prior to P. gallinaceum infection and oocyst development was evaluated at 7 days post-infection. Mean numbers of parasites developing to the oocyst stage were significantly reduced by 52.3% in dsAeIMUC1-injected females and by 36.5% in dsSDR-injected females compared with females injected with a dsβ-gal control. The prevalence of infection was significantly reduced in dsAeIMUC1- and dsSDR-injected females compared with females injected with dsβ-gal; these reductions resulted in a two- and three-fold increase in the number of uninfected individuals, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that both AeIMUC1 and SDR play a role in Ae. aegypti vector competence to P. gallinaceum.

Biochemistry of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid pathway

The non-mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid (terpenoid) biosynthesis is essential in many eubacteria including the major human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in apicomplexan protozoa including the Plasmodium spp. causing malaria, and in the plastids of plants. The metabolic route is absent in humans and is therefore qualified as a promising target for new anti-infective drugs and herbicides. Biochemical and structural knowledge about all enzymes involved in the pathway established the basis for discovery and development of inhibitors by high-throughput screening of compound libraries and/or structure-based rational design.

Transcript profiling of the meiotic drive phenotype in testis of Aedes aegypti using suppressive subtractive hybridization

The meiotic drive gene in Aedes aegypti is tightly linked with the sex determination locus on chromosome 1, and causes highly male-biased sex ratios. We prepared cDNA libraries from testes from the Ae. aegypti T37 strain (driving) and RED strain (non-driving), and used suppressive subtraction hybridization techniques to enrich for T37 testes-specific transcripts. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained from a total of 2784 randomly selected clones from the subtracted T37 (subT37) library as well as the primary libraries for each strain (pT37 and pRED). Sequence analysis identified a total of 171 unique genes in the subT37 library and 299 unique genes among the three libraries. The majority of genes enriched in the subT37 library were associated with signal transduction, development, reproduction, metabolic process and cell cycle functions. Further, as observed with meiotic drive systems in Drosophila and mouse, a number of these genes were associated with signaling cascades that involve the Ras superfamily of regulatory small GTPases. Differential expression of several of these genes was verified in Ae. aegypti pupal testes using qRT-PCR. This study increases our understanding of testes gene expression enriched in adult males from the meiotic drive strain as well as insights into the basic testes transcriptome in Ae. aegypti.

Semaphorin-1a is required for Aedes aegypti embryonic nerve cord development

Although mosquito genome projects have uncovered orthologues of many known developmental regulatory genes, extremely little is known about mosquito development. In this study, the role of semaphorin-1a (sema1a) was investigated during vector mosquito embryonic ventral nerve cord development. Expression of sema1a and the plexin A (plexA) receptor are detected in the embryonic ventral nerve cords of Aedes aegypti (dengue vector) and Anopheles gambiae (malaria vector), suggesting that Sema1a signaling may regulate mosquito nervous system development. Analysis of sema1a function was investigated through siRNA-mediated knockdown in A. aegypti embryos. Knockdown of sema1a during A. aegypti development results in a number of nerve cord phenotypes, including thinning, breakage, and occasional fusion of the longitudinal connectives, thin or absent commissures, and general distortion of the nerve cord. Although analysis of Drosophila melanogaster sema1a loss-of-function mutants uncovered many similar phenotypes, aspects of the longitudinal phenotypes differed between D. melanogaster and A. aegypti. The results of this investigation suggest that Sema1a is required for development of the insect ventral nerve cord, but that the developmental roles of this guidance molecule have diverged in dipteran insects.

siRNA-mediated gene targeting in Aedes aegypti embryos reveals that frazzled regulates vector mosquito CNS development

Although mosquito genome projects uncovered orthologues of many known developmental regulatory genes, extremely little is known about the development of vector mosquitoes. Here, we investigate the role of the Netrin receptor frazzled (fra) during embryonic nerve cord development of two vector mosquito species. Fra expression is detected in neurons just prior to and during axonogenesis in the embryonic ventral nerve cord of Aedes aegypti (dengue vector) and Anopheles gambiae (malaria vector). Analysis of fra function was investigated through siRNA-mediated knockdown in Ae. aegypti embryos. Confirmation of fra knockdown, which was maintained throughout embryogenesis, indicated that microinjection of siRNA is an effective method for studying gene function in Ae. aegypti embryos. Loss of fra during Ae. aegypti development results in thin and missing commissural axons. These defects are qualitatively similar to those observed in Dr. melanogaster fra null mutants. However, the Aa. aegypti knockdown phenotype is stronger and bears resemblance to the Drosophila commissureless mutant phenotype. The results of this investigation, the first targeted knockdown of a gene during vector mosquito embryogenesis, suggest that although Fra plays a critical role during development of the Ae. aegypti ventral nerve cord, mechanisms regulating embryonic commissural axon guidance have evolved in distantly related insects.

RNA-seq analyses of blood-induced changes in gene expression in the mosquito vector species, Aedes aegypti

Background

Hematophagy is a common trait of insect vectors of disease. Extensive genome-wide transcriptional changes occur in mosquitoes after blood meals, and these are related to digestive and reproductive processes, among others. Studies of these changes are expected to reveal molecular targets for novel vector control and pathogen transmission-blocking strategies. The mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae), a vector of Dengue viruses, Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) and Chikungunya virus (CV), is the subject of this study to look at genome-wide changes in gene expression following a blood meal.

Results

Transcriptional changes that follow a blood meal in Ae. aegypti females were explored using RNA-seq technology. Over 30% of more than 18,000 investigated transcripts accumulate differentially in mosquitoes at five hours after a blood meal when compared to those fed only on sugar. Forty transcripts accumulate only in blood-fed mosquitoes. The list of regulated transcripts correlates with an enhancement of digestive activity and a suppression of environmental stimuli perception and innate immunity. The alignment of more than 65 million high-quality short reads to the Ae. aegypti reference genome permitted the refinement of the current annotation of transcript boundaries, as well as the discovery of novel transcripts, exons and splicing variants. Cis-regulatory elements (CRE) and cis-regulatory modules (CRM) enriched significantly at the 5'end flanking sequences of blood meal-regulated genes were identified.

Conclusions

This study provides the first global view of the changes in transcript accumulation elicited by a blood meal in Ae. aegypti females. This information permitted the identification of classes of potentially co-regulated genes and a description of biochemical and physiological events that occur immediately after blood feeding. The data presented here serve as a basis for novel vector control and pathogen transmission-blocking strategies including those in which the vectors are modified genetically to express anti-pathogen effector molecules.

Functional analysis of genes in Aedes aegypti embryos

Blood-feeding mosquitoes, including the dengue and yellow fever vector Aedes aegypti, transmit many of the world's deadliest diseases. Such diseases have resurged in developing countries and pose clear threats for epidemic outbreaks in developed countries. Recent mosquito genome projects have stimulated interest in the potential for arthropod-borne disease control by genetic manipulation of vector insects, and genes that regulate development are of particular interest. In recent years, RNA interference (RNAi) has proven to be an effective strategy for inhibiting gene function in many organisms. This protocol describes a method for knockdown of embryonic genes in Ae. aegypti embryos by microinjection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) designed to target a specific gene of interest. The procedure includes a strategy for siRNA design, microinjection, and measurement of knockdown effectiveness.

Inbreeding depression affects life-history traits but not infection by Plasmodium gallinaceum in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases represent an increasingly significant public health challenge. While geographic variation among populations of vector species for susceptibility to pathogen infection and vector competence has been thoroughly documented, relatively little attention has been devoted to understanding the ultimate evolutionary causes of this intraspecific variation. Local genetic drift is known to influence genetic differentiation among populations for a variety of container-inhabiting mosquito species, including Aedes albopictus. Because genetic drift is expected to reduce genetic variation and lead to the accumulation of (partially) recessive deleterious alleles, we hypothesized that reduced genetic variation might affect susceptibility to pathogen infection in a model pathogen-vector system. We therefore created replicate inbred (two generations of full-sib mating, expected f=0.375) and control (expected f approximately 0.07) lines of Ae. albopictus and measured life-history traits including larval survivorship, adult longevity, and female wing length (body size) as well as susceptibility to infection by a model pathogen, Plasmodium gallinaceum. Inbred mosquitoes had significantly reduced larval survivorship and female adult longevity but inbreeding did not affect male adult longevity or female wing length (body size). Furthermore, there was no effect of inbreeding on susceptibility to infection by P. gallinaceum. Therefore, while our results did not support the hypothesis that reduced genetic variation influences susceptibility to pathogen infection in this system, we did find evidence for an effect of reduced genetic variation on female adult longevity, an important component of vectorial capacity. We suggest that additional research is needed to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of intraspecific variation in traits related to disease transmission and discuss the implications of our results for the efficacy of creating transgenic strains refractory to disease transmission.

Generation, annotation, and analysis of ESTs from midgut tissue of adult female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes

Background

Malaria is a tropical disease caused by protozoan parasite, Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans by various species of female anopheline mosquitoes. Anopheles stephensi is one such major malaria vector in urban parts of the Indian subcontinent. Unlike Anopheles gambiae, an African malaria vector, transcriptome of A. stephensi midgut tissue is less explored. We have therefore carried out generation, annotation, and analysis of expressed sequence tags from sugar-fed and Plasmodium yoelii infected blood-fed (post 24 h) adult female A. stephensi midgut tissue.

Results

We obtained 7061 and 8306 ESTs from the sugar-fed and P. yoelii infected mosquito midgut tissue libraries, respectively. ESTs from the combined dataset formed 1319 contigs and 2627 singlets, totaling to 3946 unique transcripts. Putative functions were assigned to 1615 (40.9%) transcripts using BLASTX against UniProtKB database. Amongst unannotated transcripts, we identified 1513 putative novel transcripts and 818 potential untranslated regions (UTRs). Statistical comparison of annotated and unannotated ESTs from the two libraries identified 119 differentially regulated genes. Out of 3946 unique transcripts, only 1387 transcripts were mapped on the A. gambiae genome. These also included 189 novel transcripts, which were mapped to the unannotated regions of the genome. The EST data is available as ESTDB at .

Conclusion

3946 unique transcripts were successfully identified from the adult female A. stephensi midgut tissue. These data can be used for microarray development for better understanding of vector-parasite relationship and to study differences or similarities with other malaria vectors. Mapping of putative novel transcripts from A. stephensi on the A. gambiae genome proved fruitful in identification and annotation of several genes. Failure of some novel transcripts to map on the A. gambiae genome indicates existence of substantial genomic dissimilarities between these two potent malaria vectors.

Coquillettidia (Culicidae, Diptera) mosquitoes are natural vectors of avian malaria in Africa

Background

The mosquito vectors of Plasmodium spp. have largely been overlooked in studies of ecology and evolution of avian malaria and other vertebrates in wildlife.

Methods

Plasmodium DNA from wild-caught Coquillettidia spp. collected from lowland forests in Cameroon was isolated and sequenced using nested PCR. Female Coquillettidia aurites were also dissected and salivary glands were isolated and microscopically examined for the presence of sporozoites.

Results

In total, 33% (85/256) of mosquito pools tested positive for avian Plasmodium spp., harbouring at least eight distinct parasite lineages. Sporozoites of Plasmodium spp. were recorded in salivary glands of C. aurites supporting the PCR data that the parasites complete development in these mosquitoes. Results suggest C. aurites, Coquillettidia pseudoconopas and Coquillettidia metallica as new and important vectors of avian malaria in Africa. All parasite lineages recovered clustered with parasites formerly identified from several bird species and suggest the vectors capability of infecting birds from different families.

Conclusion

Identifying the major vectors of avian Plasmodium spp. will assist in understanding the epizootiology of avian malaria, including differences in this disease distribution between pristine and disturbed landscapes.

Molecular analysis of the Aedes aegypti carboxypeptidase gene family

To gain a better understanding of coordinate regulation of protease gene expression in the mosquito midgut, we undertook a comprehensive molecular study of digestive carboxypeptidases in Aedes aegypti. Through a combination of cDNA cloning using degenerate PCR primers, and database mining of the recently completed A. aegypti genome, we cloned and characterized 18 A. aegypti carboxypeptidase genes. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that 11 of these genes belong to the carboxypeptidase A family (AaCPA-I through AaCPA-XI), and seven to the carboxypeptidase B gene family (AaCPB-I through AaCPB-VII). Phylogenetic analysis of 32 mosquito carboxypeptidases from five different species indicated that most of the sequence divergence in the carboxypeptidase gene family occurred prior to the separation of Aedes and Anopheles mosquito lineages. Unlike the CPA genes that are scattered throughout the A. aegypti genome, six of seven CPB genes were found to be located within a single 120 kb genome contig, suggesting that they most likely arose from multiple gene duplication events. Quantitative expression analysis revealed that 11 of the A. aegypti carboxypeptidase genes were induced up to 40-fold in the midgut in response to blood meal feeding, with peak expression times ranging from 3 to 36 h post-feeding depending on the gene.

Nonmevalonate terpene biosynthesis enzymes as antiinfective drug targets: substrate synthesis and high-throughput screening methods

The nonmevalonate isoprenoid pathway is an established target for antiinfective drug development. This paper describes high-throughput methods for the screening of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol synthase (IspC protein), 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol synthase (IspD protein), 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol kinase (IspE protein), and 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (IspF protein) against large compound libraries. The assays use up to three auxiliary enzymes. They are all monitored photometrically at 340 nm and are robust as documented by Z-factors of >or=0.86. 13C NMR assays designed for hit verification via direct detection of the primary reaction product are also described. Enzyme-assisted methods for the preparation, on a multigram scale, of isoprenoid biosynthesis intermediates required as substrates for these assays are reported. Notably, these methods enable the introduction of single or multiple 13C labels as required for NMR-monitored assays. The preparation of 4-diphosphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2-phosphate in multigram quantities is described for the first time.

An annotated catalogue of salivary gland transcripts in the adult female mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Background

Saliva of blood-sucking arthropods contains a cocktail of antihemostatic agents and immunomodulators that help blood feeding. Mosquitoes additionally feed on sugar meals and have specialized regions of their glands containing glycosidases and antimicrobials that might help control bacterial growth in the ingested meals. To expand our knowledge on the salivary cocktail of Ædes ægypti, a vector of dengue and yellow fevers, we analyzed a set of 4,232 expressed sequence tags from cDNA libraries of adult female mosquitoes.

Results

A nonredundant catalogue of 614 transcripts (573 of which are novel) is described, including 136 coding for proteins of a putative secretory nature. Additionally, a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of salivary gland (SG) homogenates followed by tryptic digestion of selected protein bands and MS/MS analysis revealed the expression of 24 proteins. Analysis of tissue-specific transcription of a subset of these genes revealed at least 31 genes whose expression is specific or enriched in female SG, whereas 24 additional genes were expressed in female SG and in males but not in other female tissues. Most of the 55 proteins coded by these SG transcripts have no known function and represent high-priority candidates for expression and functional analysis as antihemostatic or antimicrobial agents. An unexpected finding is the occurrence of four protein families specific to SG that were probably a product of horizontal transfer from prokaryotic organisms to mosquitoes.

Conclusion

Overall, this paper contributes to the novel identification of 573 new transcripts, or near 3% of the Æ. ægypti proteome assuming a 20,000-protein set, and to the best-described sialome of any blood-feeding insect.

Cockroach allergen biology and mitigation in the indoor environment

For nearly a half century, cockroaches have been recognized as a major cause of asthma morbidity in the urban, inner-city environment. Several cockroach-produced allergens have been identified and characterized, and a few have been produced as recombinant proteins. Recent research has moved beyond clinical, patient-based investigations to a more entomological perspective that addresses the production, physiological regulation, and developmental expression of cockroach allergens, thus providing insight into their functional biology and their relationship to current cockroach control strategies. Although successful removal of cockroach allergens from the infested environment has been difficult to accomplish with remedial sanitation, large-scale reductions in cockroach allergens below clinically relevant thresholds have recently been realized through suppression of cockroach populations. Here we review the current understanding of cockroach allergen biology and the demographics associated with human exposure and sensitization. We also critically evaluate allergen mitigation studies from an entomological perspective, highlighting disparities between successful and failed attempts to lessen the cockroach allergen burden in homes.

Analysis of ESTs from Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies and their contribution toward understanding the insect-parasite relationship

An expressed sequence tag library has been generated from a sand fly vector of visceral leishmaniasis, Lutzomyia longipalpis. A normalized cDNA library was constructed from whole adults and 16,608 clones were sequenced from both ends and assembled into 10,203 contigs and singlets. Of these 58% showed significant similarity to known genes from other organisms, < 4% were identical to described sand fly genes, and 42% had no match to any database sequence. Our analyses revealed putative proteins involved in the barrier function of the gut (peritrophins, microvillar proteins, glutamine synthase), digestive physiology (secreted and membrane-anchored hydrolytic enzymes), and the immune response (gram-negative binding proteins, thioester proteins, scavenger receptors, galectins, signaling pathway factors, caspases, serpins, and peroxidases). Sequence analysis of this transcriptome dataset has provided new insights into genes that might be associated with the response of the vector to the development of Leishmania.

Genetic Regulation of Polerovirus and Luteovirus Transmission in the Aphid Schizaphis graminum

ABSTRACT Sexual forms of two genotypes of the aphid Schizaphis graminum, one a vector, the other a nonvector of two viruses that cause barley yellow dwarf disease (Barley yellow dwarf virus [BYDV]-SGV, luteovirus and Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV, polerovirus), were mated to generate F1 and F2 populations. Segregation of the transmission phenotype for both viruses in the F1 and F2 populations indicated that the transmission phenotype is under genetic control and that the parents are heterozygous for genes involved in transmission. The ability to transmit both viruses was correlated within the F1 and F2 populations, suggesting that a major gene or linked genes regulate the transmission. However, individual hybrid genotypes differed significantly in their ability to transmit each virus, indicating that in addition to a major gene, minor genes can affect the transmission of each virus independently. Gut and salivary gland associated transmission barriers were identified in the nonvector parent and some progeny, while other progeny possessed only a gut barrier or a salivary gland barrier. Hemolymph factors do not appear to be involved in determining the transmission phenotype. These results provide direct evidence that aphid transmission of luteoviruses is genetically regulated in the insect and that the tissue-specific barriers to virus transmission are not genetically linked.

Identification and characterization of a novel peritrophic matrix protein, Ae-Aper50, and the microvillar membrane protein, AEG12, from the mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Immuno-screening of an adult Aedes aegypti midgut cDNA expression library with anti-peritrophic matrix antibodies identified cDNAs encoding a novel peritrophic matrix protein, termed Ae. aegypti Adult Peritrophin 50 (Ae-Aper50), and the epithelial cell-surface membrane protein, AEG12. Both genes are expressed exclusively in the midguts of adult female mosquitoes and their expression is strongly induced by blood feeding. Ae-Aper50 has a predicted secretory signal peptide and five chitin-binding domains with intervening mucin-like domains. Localization of Ae-Aper50 to the peritrophic matrix was demonstrated by immuno-electron microscopy. Recombinant Ae-Aper50 expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells binds chitin in vitro. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to study the role that cysteine residues from a single chitin-binding domain play in the binding to a chitin substrate. Most of the cysteine residues proved to be critical for binding. AEG12 has a putative secretory signal peptide at the amino-terminus and a putative glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor signal at its carboxyl-terminus and the protein was localized by immuno-electron microscopy to the midgut epithelial cell microvilli.

Isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways as anti-infective drug targets

IPP (isopentenyl diphosphate) and DMAPP (dimethylallyl diphosphate) serve as the universal precursors for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. Besides the well-known mevalonate pathway, the existence of a second biosynthetic pathway conducive to IPP and DMAPP formation through 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate and 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate was discovered approx. 10 years ago in plants and certain eubacteria. It is now known that this pathway is widely distributed in the bacterial kingdom including major human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori. The pathway is also essential in the malaria vector Plasmodium falciparum. During the last few years, the genes, enzymes, intermediates and mechanisms of the biosynthetic route have been elucidated by a combination of comparative genomics, enzymology, advanced NMR technology and crystallography. The results provide the basis for the development of novel anti-infective drugs.

Expression, production and excretion of Bla g 1, a major human allergen, in relation to food intake in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica (Linnaeus) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), produces several potent human allergens, one of which, Blattella germanica allergen 1 (Bla g 1), is produced in the midgut and excreted in faeces. We tested with descriptive and experimental approaches the hypothesis that Bla g 1 production is related to food intake in adult males and females of the German cockroach. Bla g 1 mRNA expression in the female midgut (assayed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction), her Bla g 1 content (assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and the female's faeces production and its Bla g 1 content tracked a cyclic pattern in relation to the gonadotrophic cycle. All four measures rose as food intake increased, declined before oviposition in relation to diminishing food intake, and remained low while the female carried an egg case for 20 days. After her first clutch of embryos hatched, the female resumed feeding, and faeces and Bla g 1 production increased concomitantly. Both Bla g 1 mRNA expression and Bla g 1 protein levels remained low in experimentally starved females. However, when starved females were allowed to feed, Bla g 1 production elevated and the gonadotrophic cycle resumed. Bla g 1 mRNA expression also increased six-fold in response to feeding compared to starved females. By contrast, there were no apparent cycles in the pattern of Bla g 1 production in males, reflecting their low and non-cyclic food intake. Our results therefore demonstrate that Bla g 1 production in B. germanica is modulated in relation to food intake.

Perspectives in anti-infective drug design. The late steps in the biosynthesis of the universal terpenoid precursors, isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate

A mevalonate-independent pathway for the biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) that has been elucidated during the last decade is essential in plants, many eubacteria and apicomplexan parasites, but is absent in Archaea and animals. The enzymes of the pathway are potential targets for the development of novel antibiotic, antimalarial and herbicidal agents. This review is focused on the late steps of this pathway. The intermediate 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate is converted into IPP and DMAPP via 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate by the consecutive action of the iron-sulfur proteins IspG and IspH. IPP and DMAPP can be interconverted by IPP isomerase which is essential in microorganisms using the mevalonate pathway, whereas its presence is optional in microorganisms using the non-mevalonate pathway. A hitherto unknown family of IPP isomerases using FMN as coenzyme has been discovered recently in Archaea and certain eubacteria.

Gene expression and tissue distribution of the major human allergen Bla g 1 in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

Exposure and sensitization to cockroach allergens is an important risk factor for allergic disease in humans. Despite a recent burgeoning of clinical and socioeconomic studies regarding environmental pervasiveness and human exposure to cockroach allergens, little is known about the basic biology of these proteins. The purpose of this study was to ascertain gene expression patterns and the tissue distribution of Blattella germanica allergen 1 (Bla g 1), a perennial indoor environmental allergen, thought to be involved in digestion in cockroaches. We also investigated the relative potential contribution of different life stages of the German cockroach to environmental Bla g 1. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify the Bla g 1 contents of feces and various anatomical tissues, and Northern blot analysis was used to elucidate tissue-specific expression of Bla g 1. Results showed that the Bla g 1 protein is most prevalent in the midgut, and the Bla g 1 gene is exclusively expressed by midgut cells. Although Bla g 1 is produced by both sexes and all life stages of the German cockroach, adult females produce and excrete significantly more Bla g 1 in their feces than males or nymphs, even when corrected for body mass or mass of voided feces. Our results show that the concentration of Bla g 1 in feces of adult females is 6- to 7- and 30-fold higher than in adult males and nymphs, respectively, probably because females process more food than other life stages of the German cockroach.

Mosquito--malaria interactions: a reappraisal of the concepts of susceptibility and refractoriness

This paper considers the available literature on the transmission of malaria by insects and concludes that, in contrast to the commonly held view (that implies mosquitoes are naturally vectors of malaria), it is more useful to consider that mosquitoes, like plants, normally express a variety of gene products, which together render the host resistant to infection. The consequences of this hypothesis upon current research are that when studying the passage of the malarial parasite through a competent vector it is relevant to ask either 'How have the natural innate defences of the insect failed?' or 'What mechanisms has the parasite used to overcome these defences?' At the population level, the hypothesis is consistent with the conclusions of Koella et al. that the evolutionary cost of maintaining defence mechanisms that can render the mosquito refractory (e.g. melanization) has prevented fixation of the necessary gene(s) in the insect population. We simply extend that concept by stating the innate and genetic defences that confer the natural (and sometimes incomplete) resistance to infection are of sustainable cost, with the consequence that the encoding genes may become highly prevalent or fixed in a population.