1
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Lau NC, Macias VM. Transposon and Transgene Tribulations in Mosquitoes: A Perspective of piRNA Proportions. DNA 2024; 4:104-128. [PMID: 39076684 PMCID: PMC11286205 DOI: 10.3390/dna4020006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Mosquitoes, like Drosophila, are dipterans, the order of "true flies" characterized by a single set of two wings. Drosophila are prime model organisms for biomedical research, while mosquito researchers struggle to establish robust molecular biology in these that are arguably the most dangerous vectors of human pathogens. Both insects utilize the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway to generate small RNAs to silence transposons and viruses, yet details are emerging that several RNAi features are unique to each insect family, such as how culicine mosquitoes have evolved extreme genomic feature differences connected to their unique RNAi features. A major technical difference in the molecular genetic studies of these insects is that generating stable transgenic animals are routine in Drosophila but still variable in stability in mosquitoes, despite genomic DNA-editing advances. By comparing and contrasting the differences in the RNAi pathways of Drosophila and mosquitoes, in this review we propose a hypothesis that transgene DNAs are possibly more intensely targeted by mosquito RNAi pathways and chromatin regulatory pathways than in Drosophila. We review the latest findings on mosquito RNAi pathways, which are still much less well understood than in Drosophila, and we speculate that deeper study into how mosquitoes modulate transposons and viruses with Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) will yield clues to improving transgene DNA expression stability in transgenic mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson C. Lau
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Genome Science Institute and National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Vanessa M. Macias
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USA
- Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USA
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2
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Coutinho-Abreu IV, Akbari OS. Technological advances in mosquito olfaction neurogenetics. Trends Genet 2023; 39:154-166. [PMID: 36414481 PMCID: PMC10564117 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Gene-editing technologies have revolutionized the field of mosquito sensory biology. These technologies have been used to knock in reporter genes in-frame with neuronal genes and tag specific mosquito neurons to detect their activities using binary expression systems. Despite these advances, novel tools still need to be developed to elucidate the transmission of olfactory signals from the periphery to the brain. Here, we propose the development of a set of tools, including novel driver lines as well as sensors of neuromodulatory activities, which can advance our knowledge of how sensory input triggers behavioral outputs. This information can change our understanding of mosquito neurobiology and lead to the development of strategies for mosquito behavioral manipulation to reduce bites and disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iliano V Coutinho-Abreu
- School of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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3
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Coutinho-Abreu IV, Serafim TD, Meneses C, Kamhawi S, Oliveira F, Valenzuela JG. Leishmania infection induces a limited differential gene expression in the sand fly midgut. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:608. [PMID: 32887545 PMCID: PMC7487717 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07025-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sand flies are the vectors of Leishmania parasites. To develop in the sand fly midgut, Leishmania multiplies and undergoes various stage differentiations giving rise to the infective form, the metacyclic promastigotes. To determine the changes in sand fly midgut gene expression caused by the presence of Leishmania, we performed RNA-Seq of uninfected and Leishmania infantum-infected Lutzomyia longipalpis midguts from seven different libraries corresponding to time points which cover the various Leishmania developmental stages. RESULTS The combined transcriptomes resulted in the de novo assembly of 13,841 sand fly midgut transcripts. Importantly, only 113 sand fly transcripts, about 1%, were differentially expressed in the presence of Leishmania parasites. Further, we observed distinct differentially expressed sand fly midgut transcripts corresponding to the presence of each of the various Leishmania stages suggesting that each parasite stage influences midgut gene expression in a specific manner. Two main patterns of sand fly gene expression modulation were noted. At early time points (days 1-4), more transcripts were down-regulated by Leishmania infection at large fold changes (> 32 fold). Among the down-regulated genes, the transcription factor Forkhead/HNF-3 and hormone degradation enzymes were differentially regulated on day 2 and appear to be the upstream regulators of nutrient transport, digestive enzymes, and peritrophic matrix proteins. Conversely, at later time points (days 6 onwards), most of the differentially expressed transcripts were up-regulated by Leishmania infection with small fold changes (< 32 fold). The molecular functions of these genes have been associated with the metabolism of lipids and detoxification of xenobiotics. CONCLUSION Overall, our data suggest that the presence of Leishmania produces a limited change in the midgut transcript expression profile in sand flies. Further, Leishmania modulates sand fly gene expression early on in the developmental cycle in order to overcome the barriers imposed by the midgut, yet it behaves like a commensal at later time points where a massive number of parasites in the anterior midgut results only in modest changes in midgut gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iliano V Coutinho-Abreu
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Tiago Donatelli Serafim
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Claudio Meneses
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Fabiano Oliveira
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
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Pondeville E, Puchot N, Parvy JP, Carissimo G, Poidevin M, Waterhouse RM, Marois E, Bourgouin C. Hemocyte-targeted gene expression in the female malaria mosquito using the hemolectin promoter from Drosophila. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 120:103339. [PMID: 32105779 PMCID: PMC7181189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hemocytes, the immune cells in mosquitoes, participate in immune defenses against pathogens including malaria parasites. Mosquito hemocytes can also be infected by arthropod-borne viruses but the pro- or anti-viral nature of this interaction is unknown. Although there has been progress on hemocyte characterization during pathogen infection in mosquitoes, the specific contribution of hemocytes to immune responses and the hemocyte-specific functions of immune genes and pathways remain unresolved due to the lack of genetic tools to manipulate gene expression in these cells specifically. Here, we used the Gal4-UAS system to characterize the activity of the Drosophila hemocyte-specific hemolectin promoter in the adults of Anopheles gambiae, the malaria mosquito. We established an hml-Gal4 driver line that we further crossed to a fluorescent UAS responder line, and examined the expression pattern in the adult progeny driven by the hml promoter. We show that the hml regulatory region drives hemocyte-specific transgene expression in a subset of hemocytes, and that transgene expression is triggered after a blood meal. The hml promoter drives transgene expression in differentiating prohemocytes as well as in differentiated granulocytes. Analysis of different immune markers in hemocytes in which the hml promoter drives transgene expression revealed that this regulatory region could be used to study phagocytosis as well as melanization. Finally, the hml promoter drives transgene expression in hemocytes in which o'nyong-nyong virus replicates. Altogether, the Drosophila hml promoter constitutes a good tool to drive transgene expression in hemocyte only and to analyze the function of these cells and the genes they express during pathogen infection in Anopheles gambiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Pondeville
- CNRS Unit of Evolutionary Genomics, Modeling, and Health (UMR2000), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
| | - Nicolas Puchot
- CNRS Unit of Evolutionary Genomics, Modeling, and Health (UMR2000), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Guillaume Carissimo
- CNRS Unit of Evolutionary Genomics, Modeling, and Health (UMR2000), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Mickael Poidevin
- Centre de Génétique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 2167, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Catherine Bourgouin
- CNRS Unit of Evolutionary Genomics, Modeling, and Health (UMR2000), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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5
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Homem RA, Davies TGE. An overview of functional genomic tools in deciphering insecticide resistance. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 27:103-110. [PMID: 30025625 PMCID: PMC6060081 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In this short review, we highlight three functional genomic technologies that have recently been contributing to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning insecticide resistance: the GAL4/UAS system, a molecular tool used to express genes of interest in a spatiotemporal controlled manner; the RNAi system, which is used to knock-down gene expression; and the most recently developed gene editing tool, CRISPR/Cas9, which can be used to knock-out and knock-in sequences of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael A Homem
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
| | - Thomas G Emyr Davies
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
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Zhao B, Lucas KJ, Saha TT, Ha J, Ling L, Kokoza VA, Roy S, Raikhel AS. MicroRNA-275 targets sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) to control key functions in the mosquito gut. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006943. [PMID: 28787446 PMCID: PMC5560755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is the major vector of arboviruses, causing numerous devastating human diseases, such as dengue and yellow fevers, Chikungunya and Zika. Female mosquitoes need vertebrate blood for egg development, and repeated cycles of blood feeding are tightly linked to pathogen transmission. The mosquito’s posterior midgut (gut) is involved in blood digestion and also serves as an entry point for pathogens. Thus, the mosquito gut is an important tissue to investigate. The miRNA aae-miR-275 (miR-275) has been shown to be required for normal blood digestion in the female mosquito; however, the mechanism of its action has remained unknown. Here, we demonstrate that miR-275 directly targets and positively regulates sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+adenosine triphosphatase, which is implicated in active transport of Ca2+ from the cytosol to the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum. We utilized a combination of the gut-specific yeast transcription activator protein Gal4/upstream activating sequence (Gal4/UAS) system and miRNA Tough Decoy technology to deplete the endogenous level of miR-275 in guts of transgenic mosquitoes. This gut-specific reduction of miR-275 post blood meal decreased SERCA mRNA and protein levels of the digestive enzyme late trypsin. It also resulted in a significant reduction of gut microbiota. Moreover, the decrease of miR-275 and SERCA correlated with defects in the Notch signaling pathway and assembly of the gut actin cytoskeleton. The adverse phenotypes caused by miR-275 silencing were rescued by injections of miR-275 mimic. Thus, we have discovered that miR-275 directly targets SERCA, and the maintenance of its level is critical for multiple gut functions in mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes transmit numerous devastating human diseases. The mosquito gut, in addition to its primary function as a site of blood digestion, represents the entry point for pathogen colonization in mosquito vectors. The conserved microRNA, miR-275, was shown to be required for blood digestion and egg development. In this study, we investigated the target of miR-275 contributing to the regulation of mosquito gut functions. We achieved spatiotemporal suppression of miR-275 using a transgenic Tough Decoy RNA approach in the A. aegypti female mosquito gut. Furthermore, we have uncovered that miR-275 targets sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+- adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA), affecting numerous gut functions including blood digestion, production of digestive proteases, and assembly of the gut actin cytoskeleton. SERCA is essential for maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis, and its disturbance, in humans, leads to cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure and cancers. Therefore, the finding that the miRNA miR-275 targets SERCA not only contributes to the knowledge of mosquito gut regulation but also significantly adds to the general understanding of mechanisms governing this critical molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhao
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Keira J Lucas
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Tusar T Saha
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Jisu Ha
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Lin Ling
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Vladimir A Kokoza
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Sourav Roy
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
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7
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Lucas KJ, Zhao B, Roy S, Gervaise AL, Raikhel AS. Mosquito-specific microRNA-1890 targets the juvenile hormone-regulated serine protease JHA15 in the female mosquito gut. RNA Biol 2016; 12:1383-90. [PMID: 26488481 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2015.1101525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Females of the hematophagous mosquito species require a vertebrate blood meal to supply amino acids and other nutrients necessary for egg development, serving as the driving force for the spread of many vector-borne diseases in humans. Blood digestion utilizes both early and late phase serine proteases (SPs) that are differentially regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. To uncover the regulatory complexity of SPs in the female mosquito midgut, we investigated involvement of miRNAs in regulating the juvenile hormone (JH)-controlled chymotrypsin-like SP, JHA15. We identified regulatory regions complementary to the mosquito-specific miRNA, miR-1890, within the 3' UTR of JHA15 mRNA. The level of the JHA15 transcript is highest post eclosion and drastically declines post blood meal (PBM), exhibiting an opposite trend to miR-1890 that peaks at 24 h PBM. Depletion of miR-1890 results in defects in blood digestion, ovary development and egg deposition. JHA15 mRNA and protein levels are elevated in female mosquitoes with miR-1890 inhibition. JHA15 RNA interference in the miR-1890 depletion background alleviates miR-1890 depletion phenotypes. The miR-1890 gene is activated by the 20-hydroxyecdysone pathway that involves the ecdysone receptor and the early genes, E74B and Broad Z2. Our study suggests that miR-1890 controls JHA15 mRNA stability in a stage- and tissue- specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keira J Lucas
- a Department of Entomology ; University of California, Riverside ; Riverside , CA USA.,b Graduate Program in Genetics; Genomics and Bioinformatics; University of California Riverside , Riverside , CA USA
| | - Bo Zhao
- a Department of Entomology ; University of California, Riverside ; Riverside , CA USA.,c Institute for Integrative Genome Biology; University of California Riverside , Riverside , CA USA
| | - Sourav Roy
- a Department of Entomology ; University of California, Riverside ; Riverside , CA USA.,c Institute for Integrative Genome Biology; University of California Riverside , Riverside , CA USA
| | - Amanda L Gervaise
- a Department of Entomology ; University of California, Riverside ; Riverside , CA USA
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- a Department of Entomology ; University of California, Riverside ; Riverside , CA USA.,c Institute for Integrative Genome Biology; University of California Riverside , Riverside , CA USA
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8
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Zhao B, Hou Y, Wang J, Kokoza VA, Saha TT, Wang XL, Lin L, Zou Z, Raikhel AS. Determination of juvenile hormone titers by means of LC-MS/MS/MS and a juvenile hormone-responsive Gal4/UAS system in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 77:69-77. [PMID: 27530057 PMCID: PMC5028310 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In anautogenous mosquitoes, juvenile hormone III (JH) plays an essential role in female post-eclosion (PE) development, preparing them for subsequent blood feeding and egg growth. We re-examined the JH titer during the reproductive cycle of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Using liquid chromatography coupled with triple tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS/MS), we have shown that it reaches its peak at 48-54 h PE in the female hemolymph and at 72 h PE in whole body extracts. This method represents an effective assay for determination of JH titers. The 2.1-kb 5' promoter region of the Early Trypsin (ET) gene, which is specifically expressed in the female midgut under the control of JH during the PE phase, was utilized to genetically engineer the Ae. aegypti mosquito line with the ET-Gal4 activator. We then established the ET-GAL4>UAS-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) system in Ae. aegypti. In ET-Gal4>UAS-EGFP female mosquitoes, the intensity of the midgut-specific EGFP signal was observed to correspond to the ET gene transcript level and follow the JH titer during the PE phase. The EGFP signal and the EGFP transcript level were significantly diminished in midguts of transgenic female mosquitoes after RNA interference depletion of the JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant (Met), providing evidence of the control of ET gene expression by Met. Topical JH application caused premature enhancement of the EGFP signal and the EGFP transcript level in midguts of newly eclosed ET-Gal4>UAS-EGFP female mosquitoes, in which endogenous JH titer is still low. Hence, this novel ET-Gal4>UAS system permits JH-dependent gene overexpression in the midgut of Ae. aegypti female mosquitoes prior to a blood meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhao
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Yuan Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA; College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Vladimir A Kokoza
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Tusar T Saha
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Xue-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling Lin
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA; The Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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9
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Fu X, Li T, Chen J, Dong Y, Qiu J, Kang K, Zhang W. Functional screen for microRNAs of Nilaparvata lugens reveals that targeting of glutamine synthase by miR-4868b regulates fecundity. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 83:22-9. [PMID: 26546713 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Insect fecundity is regulated by the interaction of genotypes and the environment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) also act in insect development and reproduction by regulating genes involved in these physiological processes. Although hundreds of insect miRNAs have been identified, the biological roles of most remain poorly understood. Here, we used a multi-algorithm approach for miRNA target prediction in 3'UTRs of fecundity-related genes in the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens and identified 38 putative miRNAs targeting 9 fecundity-related genes. High-ranked miRNAs were selected for target validation. Using a dual luciferase reporter assay in S2 cells, we experimentally verified N. lugens glutamine synthetase (NlGS) as an authentic target of microRNA-4868b (miR-4868b). In the females, NlGS protein expression was down-regulated after injection of a miR-4868b mimic but up-regulated after injection of a miR-4868b inhibitor. In addition, overexpression of miR-4868b reduced fecundity, and disrupted ovary development and Vg expression in N. lugens. These findings showed that miR-4868b is involved in regulating N. lugens fecundity by targeting NlGS. Moreover, this study may lead to better understanding of the fecundity of this important agricultural insect pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Tengchao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jieqi Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Kui Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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10
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Zhang G, Niu G, Franca CM, Dong Y, Wang X, Butler NS, Dimopoulos G, Li J. Anopheles Midgut FREP1 Mediates Plasmodium Invasion. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:16490-501. [PMID: 25991725 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.623165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria transmission depends on sexual stage Plasmodium parasites successfully invading Anopheline mosquito midguts following a blood meal. However, the molecular mechanisms of Plasmodium invasion of mosquito midguts have not been fully elucidated. Previously, we showed that genetic polymorphisms in the fibrinogen-related protein 1 (FREP1) gene are significantly associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection in Anopheles gambiae, and FREP1 is important for Plasmodium berghei infection of mosquitoes. Here we identify that the FREP1 protein is secreted from the mosquito midgut epithelium and integrated as tetramers into the peritrophic matrix, a chitinous matrix formed inside the midgut lumen after a blood meal feeding. Moreover, we show that the FREP1 can directly bind Plasmodia sexual stage gametocytes and ookinetes. Notably, ablating FREP1 expression or targeting FREP1 with antibodies significantly decreases P. falciparum infection in mosquito midguts. Our data support that the mosquito-expressed FREP1 mediates mosquito midgut invasion by multiple species of Plasmodium parasites via anchoring ookinetes to the peritrophic matrix and enabling parasites to penetrate the peritrophic matrix and the epithelium. Thus, targeting FREP1 can limit malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genwei Zhang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Guodong Niu
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Caio M Franca
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Yuemei Dong
- the W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, and
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
| | - Noah S Butler
- the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
| | - George Dimopoulos
- the W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, and
| | - Jun Li
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019,
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11
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Kean J, Rainey SM, McFarlane M, Donald CL, Schnettler E, Kohl A, Pondeville E. Fighting Arbovirus Transmission: Natural and Engineered Control of Vector Competence in Aedes Mosquitoes. INSECTS 2015; 6:236-78. [PMID: 26463078 PMCID: PMC4553541 DOI: 10.3390/insects6010236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Control of aedine mosquito vectors, either by mosquito population reduction or replacement with refractory mosquitoes, may play an essential role in the fight against arboviral diseases. In this review, we will focus on the development and application of biological approaches, both natural or engineered, to limit mosquito vector competence for arboviruses. The study of mosquito antiviral immunity has led to the identification of a number of host response mechanisms and proteins that are required to control arbovirus replication in mosquitoes, though more factors influencing vector competence are likely to be discovered. We will discuss key aspects of these pathways as targets either for selection of naturally resistant mosquito populations or for mosquito genetic manipulation. Moreover, we will consider the use of endosymbiotic bacteria such as Wolbachia, which in some cases have proven to be remarkably efficient in disrupting arbovirus transmission by mosquitoes, but also the use of naturally occurring insect-specific viruses that may interfere with arboviruses in mosquito vectors. Finally, we will discuss the use of paratransgenesis as well as entomopathogenic fungi, which are also proposed strategies to control vector competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Kean
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Stephanie M Rainey
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Melanie McFarlane
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Claire L Donald
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Esther Schnettler
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Alain Kohl
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
| | - Emilie Pondeville
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
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