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Loshouarn H, Guarneri AA. The interplay between temperature, Trypanosoma cruzi parasite load, and nutrition: Their effects on the development and life-cycle of the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011937. [PMID: 38306403 PMCID: PMC10866482 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi transmitted by blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae, is a major neglected tropical disease affecting 6 to 7 million of people worldwide. Rhodnius prolixus, one of the most important vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America, is known to be highly sensitive to environmental factors, including temperature. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different temperatures on R. prolixus development and life-cycle, its relationship with T. cruzi, and to gather information about the nutritional habits and energy consumption of R. prolixus. We exposed uninfected and infected R. prolixus to four different temperatures ranging from 24°C to 30°C, and monitored their survival, developmental rate, body and blood meal masses, urine production, and the temporal dynamics of parasite concentration in the excreted urine of the triatomines over the course of their development. Our results demonstrate that temperature significantly impacts R. prolixus development, life-cycle and their relationship with T. cruzi, as R. prolixus exposed to higher temperatures had a shorter developmental time and a higher mortality rate compared to those exposed to lower temperatures, as well as a lower ability to retain weight between blood meals. Infection also decreased the capacity of the triatomines to retain weight gained by blood-feeding to the next developmental stage, and this effect was proportional to parasite concentration in excreted urine. We also showed that T. cruzi multiplication varied depending on temperature, with the lowest temperature having the lowest parasite load. Our findings provide important insights into the potential impact of climate change on the epidemiology of Chagas disease, and can contribute to efforts to model the future distribution of this disease. Our study also raises new questions, highlighting the need for further research in order to understand the complex interactions between temperature, vector biology, and parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Loshouarn
- Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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2
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Kelley M, Holmes CJ, Herbert C, Rayhan A, Joves J, Uhran M, Frigard R, Singh K, Limbach PA, Addepalli B, Benoit JB. Tyrosine transfer RNA levels and modifications during blood-feeding and vitellogenesis in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569187. [PMID: 38076852 PMCID: PMC10705485 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti must consume a blood meal for the nutrients necessary for egg production. Several transcriptome and proteome changes occur post blood meal that likely corresponds with codon usage alterations. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the adapter molecule that reads messenger RNA (mRNA) codons to add the appropriate amino acid during protein synthesis. Chemical modifications to tRNA enhance codons' decoding, improving the accuracy and efficiency of protein synthesis. Here, we examined tRNA modifications and transcripts associated with the blood meal and subsequent periods of vitellogenesis in A. aegypti. More specifically, we assessed tRNA transcript abundance and modification levels in the fat body at critical times post blood-feeding. Based on a combination of alternative codon usage and identification of particular modifications, we identified that increased transcription of tyrosine tRNAs is likely critical during the synthesis of egg yolk proteins in the fat body following a blood meal. Altogether, changes in both the abundance and modification of tRNA are essential factors in the process of vitellogenin production after blood-feeding in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | - Cassandra Herbert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Asif Rayhan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Judd Joves
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Melissa Uhran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Ronja Frigard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Khwahish Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | | | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
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3
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Costanzo K, Occhino D. Effects of Temperature on Blood Feeding and Activity Levels in the Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus. INSECTS 2023; 14:752. [PMID: 37754720 PMCID: PMC10531981 DOI: 10.3390/insects14090752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Temperature has been shown to have profound effects on mosquito population dynamics and life history. Understanding these effects can provide insight into how mosquito populations and the diseases they transmit may vary across space and time and under the changes imposed by climate change. In this study, we evaluated how temperature affects the blood feeding and general activity patterns in the globally invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus. We reared cohorts of Ae. albopictus from hatch through adulthood across three temperatures (26 °C, 29 °C, and 32 °C). The propensity of adult females to take a blood meal and the size of the blood meal were compared across temperatures. We also observed the overall activity levels of adult females over a 13.5 h period. At the highest temperature tested (32 °C), females were less likely to take a blood meal and were most active, as measured through frequency of movement. We postulate that our highest-temperature treatment imposes heat stress on adult female Ae. albopictus, where many abstain from blood feeding and increase movement in an attempt to escape the heat stress and find a more favorable resting location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Costanzo
- Biology Department, Canisius University, 2001 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14208, USA;
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4
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Differential expression of Phlebotomus tobbi Adler, Theodor & Lourie, 1930 (Diptera: Psychodidae) genes under different environmental conditions. Acta Trop 2023; 239:106808. [PMID: 36577475 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Phlebotomus tobbi is a widely distributed sand fly species in Turkey and is the proven vector of Leishmania infantum and several Phleboviruses. Information regarding the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity is crucial for managing vector-borne diseases, as the changing environmental conditions have consequences for the survival of arthropods and the disease agents they transmit. However, limited data is available on the impacts of environmental conditions on the traits associated with sand fly survival, reproduction, and vectorial competence. The present study aimed to reveal the changes in the expression levels of three selected P. tobbi genes using laboratory-reared and wild-caught populations. A nervous system protein, Cacophony (PtCac), related to the life history traits of sand flies, and two sand fly salivary protein genes, PtSP32 and PtSP38, influence the infection of the vertebrate hosts, were assessed. Sand flies were maintained at 23 °C and 27 °C in the laboratory to evaluate the relationship between temperature and the expressed phenotypes. Field collections were carried out in three climatically distinct regions of Turkey to establish the regional differences in the gene expression levels of natural P. tobbi populations. In the laboratory, PtCac expression increased with the temperature. However, PtCac expression was negatively correlated with local temperature and humidity conditions. No differences were detected in the PtSP32 gene expression levels of both laboratory-reared and wild-caught females, but a negative correlation was observed with relative humidity in natural populations. Although the expression levels of PtSP38 did not differ among the females collected from distinct regions, a positive correlation was detected in the laboratory-reared colony. The findings indicated that changes in environmental conditions could drive the expression levels of P. tobbi genes, which influence population dynamics and the transmission risk of the disease.
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Benoit JB, Lahondère C, Attardo GM, Michalkova V, Oyen K, Xiao Y, Aksoy S. Warm Blood Meal Increases Digestion Rate and Milk Protein Production to Maximize Reproductive Output for the Tsetse Fly, Glossina morsitans. INSECTS 2022; 13:997. [PMID: 36354821 PMCID: PMC9695897 DOI: 10.3390/insects13110997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The ingestion of blood represents a significant burden that immediately increases water, oxidative, and thermal stress, but provides a significant nutrient source to generate resources necessary for the development of progeny. Thermal stress has been assumed to solely be a negative byproduct that has to be alleviated to prevent stress. Here, we examined if the short thermal bouts incurred during a warm blood meal are beneficial to reproduction. To do so, we examined the duration of pregnancy and milk gland protein expression in the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans, that consumed a warm or cool blood meal. We noted that an optimal temperature for blood ingestion yielded a reduction in the duration of pregnancy. This decline in the duration of pregnancy is due to increased rate of blood digestion when consuming warm blood. This increased digestion likely provided more energy that leads to increased expression of transcript for milk-associated proteins. The shorter duration of pregnancy is predicted to yield an increase in population growth compared to those that consume cool or above host temperatures. These studies provide evidence that consumption of a warm blood meal is likely beneficial for specific aspects of vector biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B. Benoit
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Entomology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univerity, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Geoffrey M. Attardo
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Veronika Michalkova
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Section of Molecular and Applied Zoology, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 814 38 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Kennan Oyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Yanyu Xiao
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Maldonado-Ruiz LP, Urban J, Davis BN, Park JJ, Zurek L, Park Y. Dermal secretion physiology and thermoregulation in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101962. [PMID: 35525214 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that transmit a wide range of pathogens. The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is one of the most widely distributed ticks in the Midwest and Eastern United States. Lone star ticks, as other three-host ixodid ticks, can survive in harsh environments for extended periods without a blood meal. Physiological mechanisms that allow them to survive during hot and dry seasons include thermal tolerance and water homeostasis. Dermal fluid secretions have been described in metastriate ticks including A. americanum. We hypothesized that tick dermal secretion in the unfed tick plays a role in thermoregulation, as described in other hematophagous arthropods during blood feeding. In this study, we found that physical contact with a heat probe at 45 °C or high environmental temperature at ∼50 °C can trigger dermal secretion in A. americanum and other metastriate ticks in the off-host period. We demonstrated that dermal secretion plays a role in evaporative cooling when ticks are exposed to high temperatures. We find that type II dermal glands, having paired two cells and forming large glandular structures, are the source of dermal secretion. The secretion was triggered by an injection of serotonin, and the serotonin-mediated secretion was suppressed by a pretreatment with ouabain, a Na/K-ATPase blocker, implying that the secretion is controlled by serotonin and the downstream Na/K-ATPase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua Urban
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS66506, USA
| | - Brianna N Davis
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS66506, USA
| | - Jessica J Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS66506, USA
| | - Ludek Zurek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Czech Agricultural University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS66506, USA.
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7
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Lahondère C, Bonizzoni M. Thermal biology of invasive Aedes mosquitoes in the context of climate change. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 51:100920. [PMID: 35421621 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The increasing incidence of arboviral diseases in tropical endemic areas and their emergence in new temperate countries is one of the most important challenges that Public Health agencies are currently facing. Because mosquitoes are poikilotherms, shifts in temperature influence physiological functions besides egg viability. These traits impact not only vector density, but also their interaction with their hosts and arboviruses. As such the relationship among mosquitoes, arboviral diseases and temperature is complex. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the thermal biology of Aedes invasive mosquitoes, highlighting differences among species. We also emphasize the need to expand knowledge on the variability in thermal sensitivity across populations within a species, especially in light of climate change that encompasses increase not only in mean environmental temperature but also in the frequency of hot and cold snaps. Finally, we suggest a novel experimental approach to investigate the molecular architecture of thermal adaptation in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, USA; The Fralin Life Science Institute, USA; Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, USA; The Global Change Center, USA; Department of Entomology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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8
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Kelley M, Uhran M, Herbert C, Yoshida G, Watts ER, Limbach PA, Benoit JB. Abundances of transfer RNA modifications and transcriptional levels of tRNA-modifying enzymes are sex-associated in mosquitoes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 143:103741. [PMID: 35181477 PMCID: PMC9034435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
As carriers of multiple human diseases, understanding the mechanisms behind mosquito reproduction may have implications for remediation strategies. Transfer RNA (tRNA) acts as the adapter molecule of amino acids and are key components in protein synthesis. A critical factor in the function of tRNAs is chemical modifications which contribute to codon-anticodon interactions. Here, we provide an assessment of tRNA modifications between sexes for three mosquito species and examine the correlation of transcript levels underlying key proteins involved in tRNA modification. Thirty-three tRNA modifications were detected among mosquito species and most of these modifications are higher in females compared to males for three mosquito species. Analysis of previous male and female RNA-seq datasets indicated a similar increase in transcript levels of tRNA-modifying enzymes in females among six mosquito species, supporting our observed female enrichment of tRNA modifications. Tissues-specific expressional studies revealed higher transcript levels for tRNA-modifying enzymes in the ovaries for Aedes aegypti, but not male reproductive tissues. These studies suggest that tRNA modifications may be critical to reproduction in mosquitoes, representing a potential novel target for control through suppression of fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA.
| | - Melissa Uhran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA
| | - Cassandra Herbert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA
| | - George Yoshida
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA
| | - Emmarie R Watts
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA
| | - Patrick A Limbach
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45211, USA.
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9
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Ma G, Ma CS. Potential distribution of invasive crop pests under climate change: incorporating mitigation responses of insects into prediction models. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 49:15-21. [PMID: 34728406 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change facilitates biological invasions globally. Predicting potential distribution shifts of invasive crop pests under climate change is essential for global food security in the context of ongoing world population increase. However, existing predictions often omit the capacity of crop pests to mitigate the impacts of climate change by using microclimates, as well as through thermoregulation, life history variation and evolutionary responses. Microclimates provide refugia buffering climate extremes. Thermoregulation and life history variation can reduce the effects of diurnal and seasonal temperature variability. Evolutionary responses allow insects to adapt to long-term climate change. Neglecting these ecological processes may lead to overestimations in the negative impacts of climate change on invasive pests whereas in turn cause underestimations in their range expansions. To improve model predictions, we need to incorporate the fine-scale microclimates experienced by invasive crop pests and the mitigation responses of insects to climate change into species distribution models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Ma
- Climate Change Biology Research Group, State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chun-Sen Ma
- Climate Change Biology Research Group, State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Reinhold JM, Chandrasegaran K, Oker H, Crespo JE, Vinauger C, Lahondère C. Species-Specificity in Thermopreference and CO 2-Gated Heat-Seeking in Culex Mosquitoes. INSECTS 2022; 13:92. [PMID: 35055936 PMCID: PMC8779787 DOI: 10.3390/insects13010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Combining thermopreference (Tp) and CO2-gated heat-seeking assays, we studied the thermal preferendum and response to thermal cues in three Culex mosquito species exhibiting differences in native habitat and host preference (e.g., biting cold and/or warm-blooded animals). Results show that these species differ in both Tp and heat-seeking behavior. In particular, we found that Culex territans, which feed primarily on cold-blood hosts, did not respond to heat during heat-seeking assays, regardless of the CO2 concentration, but exhibited an intermediate Tp during resting. In contrast, Cx. quinquefasciatus, which feeds on warm blooded hosts, sought the coolest locations on a thermal gradient and responded only moderately to thermal stimuli when paired with CO2 at higher concentrations. The third species, Cx. tarsalis, which has been shown to feed on a wide range of hosts, responded to heat when paired with high CO2 levels and exhibited a high Tp. This study provides the first insights into the role of heat and CO2 in the host seeking behavior of three disease vectors in the Culex genus and highlights differences in preferred resting temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M. Reinhold
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (J.M.R.); (K.C.); (H.O.); (C.V.)
| | - Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (J.M.R.); (K.C.); (H.O.); (C.V.)
| | - Helen Oker
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (J.M.R.); (K.C.); (H.O.); (C.V.)
| | - José E. Crespo
- Laboratorio de Entomología Experimental—Grupo de Ecología Térmica en Insectos (GETI), Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, CONICET—Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina;
| | - Clément Vinauger
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (J.M.R.); (K.C.); (H.O.); (C.V.)
- The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (J.M.R.); (K.C.); (H.O.); (C.V.)
- The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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11
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Rodríguez M, Pagola L, Norry FM, Ferrero P. Cardiac performance in heat-stressed flies of heat-susceptible and heat-resistant Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 133:104268. [PMID: 34171365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Thermotolerance is a complex trait that can greatly differ between heat-susceptible (HS) and heat-adapted populations of small insects including Drosophila, with short-term effects after a sub-lethal level of heat stress on many physiological functions. Cardiac performance could accordingly be more robust in heat-resistant (HR) than in HS individuals under heat stress. Here, we tested heart performance under heat-stress effects in two recombinant inbred lines (RIL) of Drosophila melanogaster that dramatically differ in heat knockdown resistance. Heart rate did not strongly differ between heat-susceptible and heat-tolerant flies after a sub-lethal heat stress. Instead, heat-susceptible flies showed a much higher arrhythmia incidence, a longer duration of each heartbeat, and a larger amount of bradycardia than heat-tolerant flies. The highly conserved cardiac proteins SERCA, RyR and NCX that participate in the excitation/contraction coupling, did not differ in activity level between HR and HS flies. Available information for both RIL suggests that heart performance under heat stress may be linked, at least partially, to candidate genes of previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for thermotolerance. This study indicates that HR flies can be genetically more robust in their heart performance than HS flies under even sub-lethal levels of heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maia Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino 2700, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucía Pagola
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabian M Norry
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C-1428-EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA) - CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C-1428-EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Paola Ferrero
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Experimentales, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino 2700, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, La Plata 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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12
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Davies B, Rosendale AJ, Gantz JD, Lee RE, Denlinger DL, Benoit JB. Cross-tolerance and transcriptional shifts underlying abiotic stress in the seabird tick, Ixodes uriae. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02887-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Fieler AM, Rosendale AJ, Farrow DW, Dunlevy MD, Davies B, Oyen K, Xiao Y, Benoit JB. Larval thermal characteristics of multiple ixodid ticks. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 257:110939. [PMID: 33794367 PMCID: PMC8500258 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Temperature limits the geographic ranges of several tick species. Little is known about the thermal characteristics of these pests outside of a few studies on survival related to thermal tolerance. In this study, thermal tolerance limits, thermal preference, and the impact of temperature on activity levels and metabolic rate were examined in larvae for six species of ixodid ticks. Tolerance of low temperatures ranged from -15 to -24 °C with Dermacentor andersoni surviving the lowest temperatures. High temperature survival ranged from 41 to 47 °C, with Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato having the highest upper lethal limit. Ixodes scapularis showed the lowest survival at both low and high temperatures. Thermal preference temperatures were tested from 0 to 41 °C. The majority of species preferred temperatures between 17 and 22 °C, while Dermacentor variabilis preferred significantly lower temperatures, near 12 °C. Overall activity was measured across a range of temperatures from 10 to 60 °C, and most tick species had the greatest activity near 30 °C. Metabolic rate was the greatest between 30 and 40 °C for all tick species and was relatively stable from 5 to 20 °C. The optimal temperature for tick larvae is likely near the thermal preference for each species, where oxygen consumption is low and activity occurs that will balance questing and conservation of nutrient reserves. In summary, tick species vary greatly in their thermal characteristics, and our results will be critical to predict distribution of these ectoparasites with changing climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M Fieler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Andrew J Rosendale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; Department of Biology, Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - David W Farrow
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Megan D Dunlevy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Kennan Oyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Yanyu Xiao
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA.
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Lazzari CR, Fauquet A, Lahondère C, Araújo RN, Pereira MH. Soft ticks perform evaporative cooling during blood-feeding. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 130:104197. [PMID: 33545105 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Feeding on the blood of warm-blooded vertebrates is associated to thermal stress in haematophagous arthropods. It has been demonstrated that blood-sucking insects protect their physiological integrity either by synthesising heat-shock proteins or by means of thermoregulatory mechanisms. In this work, we describe the first thermoregulatory mechanism in a tick species, Ornithodoros rostratus. By performing real-time infrared thermography during feeding on mice we found that this acarian eliminates big amounts of fluid (urine) through their coxal glands; this fluid quickly spreads over the cuticular surface and its evaporation cools-down the body of the tick. The spread of the fluid is possible thanks to capillary diffusion through the sculptured exoskeleton of Ornithodoros. We discuss our findings in the frame of the adaptive strategies to cope with the thermal stress experienced by blood-sucking arthropods at each feeding event on warm-blooded hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio R Lazzari
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261 - Université de Tours, France.
| | - Aurélie Fauquet
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261 - Université de Tours, France
| | - Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ricardo N Araújo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcos H Pereira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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15
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Reinhold JM, Shaw R, Lahondère C. Beat the heat: Culex quinquefasciatus regulates its body temperature during blood feeding. J Therm Biol 2021; 96:102826. [PMID: 33627266 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are regarded as one of the most dangerous animals on earth. Because they are responsible for the spread of a wide range of both human and animal pathogens, research of the underlying mechanisms of their feeding behavior and physiology is critical. Among disease vector mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus, a known carrier of West Nile virus and Western Equine Encephalitis, remains relatively understudied. As blood-sucking insects, adaptations (either at the molecular or physiological level) while feeding on warm blood are crucial to their survival, as overheating can result in death due to heat stress. Our research aims to determine how Cx. quinquefasciatus copes with the heat associated with warm blood meal ingestion and possibly uncover the adaptations this species uses to avoid thermal stress. Through the use of thermographic imaging, we analyzed the body temperature of Cx. quinquefasciatus while blood feeding. Infrared thermography has allowed us to identify a cooling strategy, evaporative cooling via the production of fluid droplets, and an overall low body temperature in comparison to the blood temperature during feeding. Understanding Cx. quinquefasciatus' adaptations and the strategies they employ to reduce their body temperature while blood feeding constitutes the first step towards discovering potential targets that could be used for their control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M Reinhold
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Ryan Shaw
- Departement of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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16
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Giachetto PF, Cunha RC, Nhani A, Garcia MV, Ferro JA, Andreotti R. Gene Expression in the Salivary Gland of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Fed on Tick-Susceptible and Tick-Resistant Hosts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:477. [PMID: 32039052 PMCID: PMC6985549 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of cattle tick fixation largely depends on the secretion of substances that alter the immune response of the host. The majority of these substances are expressed by the parasite salivary gland and secreted in tick saliva. It is known that hosts can mount immune responses against ticks and bovine European breeds, and bovine industrial crossbreeds are more susceptible to infestations than are Bos indicus cattle. To identify candidates for the development of novel control strategies for the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, a salivary gland transcriptome analysis of engorged females fed on susceptible or resistant hosts was performed. Using RNA-Seq, transcriptomes were de novo assembled and produced a total of 235,451 contigs with 93.3% transcriptome completeness. Differential expression analysis identified 137 sequences as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ticks raised on tick-susceptible or tick-resistant cattle. DEGs predicted to be secreted proteins include innexins, which are transmembrane proteins that form gap junction channels; the transporters Na+/dicarboxylate, Na+/tricarboxylate, and phosphate transporter and a putative monocarboxylate transporter; a phosphoinositol 4-phosphate adaptor protein; a cysteine-rich protein containing a trypsin inhibitor-like (TIL) domain; a putative defense protein 3 containing a reeler domain; and an F-actin-uncapping protein LRRC16A with a CARMIL_C domain; these genes were upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle. DEGs predicted to be non-secreted proteins included a small heat shock protein and the negative elongation factor B-like, both acting in a coordinated manner to increase HSP transcript levels in the salivary glands of the ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; the 26S protease regulatory subunit 6B and another chaperone with similarity to calnexin, also upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; an EF-hand calcium binding protein and a serine carboxypeptidase (SCP), both involved in the blood coagulation cascade and upregulated in ticks fed on tick-susceptible cattle; and two ribosomal proteins, the 60S acidic ribosomal protein P2 and the 60S ribosomal protein L19. These results help to characterize cattle tick salivary gland gene expression in tick-susceptible and tick-resistant hosts and suggest new putative targets for the control of tick infestations, as those genes involved in the mechanism of stress response during blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodrigo Casquero Cunha
- Bolsista do CNPq (157460/2018-5), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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