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Lee S, Eom S, Pyeon M, Moon M, Yun J, Lee J, Choi YS, Lee JH. Identification of 2,4-Di- tert-butylphenol as a Novel Agonist for Insect Odorant Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:220. [PMID: 38203390 PMCID: PMC10779170 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010220] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Odorant molecules interact with odorant receptors (ORs) lining the pores on the surface of the sensilla on an insect's antennae and maxillary palps. This interaction triggers an electrical signal that is transmitted to the insect's nervous system, thereby influencing its behavior. Orco, an OR coreceptor, is crucial for olfactory transduction, as it possesses a conserved sequence across the insect lineage. In this study, we focused on 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (DTBP), a single substance present in acetic acid bacteria culture media. We applied DTBP to oocytes expressing various Drosophila melanogaster odor receptors and performed electrophysiology experiments. After confirming the activation of DTBP on the receptor, the binding site was confirmed through point mutations. Our findings confirmed that DTBP interacts with the insect Orco subunit. The 2-heptanone, octanol, and 2-hexanol were not activated for the Orco homomeric channel, but DTBP was activated, and the EC50 value was 13.4 ± 3.0 μM. Point mutations were performed and among them, when the W146 residue changed to alanine, the Emax value was changed from 1.0 ± 0 in the wild type to 0.0 ± 0 in the mutant type, and all activity was decreased. Specifically, DTBP interacted with the W146 residue of the Orco subunit, and the activation manner was concentration-dependent and voltage-independent. This molecular-level analysis provides the basis for novel strategies to minimize pest damage. DTBP, with its specific binding to the Orco subunit, shows promise as a potential pest controller that can exclusively target insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinhui Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
| | - Sanung Eom
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
| | - Minsu Pyeon
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
| | - Myungmi Moon
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jihwon Yun
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jaehyeong Lee
- Organic Agriculture Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yong-Seok Choi
- Bioenvironmental Division, Chungnam Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Yesan 32418, Republic of Korea
| | - Junho H. Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (S.L.); (S.E.); (J.Y.)
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2
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da Silva Bastos A, Dos Santos NAC, Andrade AO, Pontual JDC, Araújo JE, Medeiros JF, da Silva Araújo M. Evaluation of insemination, blood feeding, and Plasmodium vivax infection effects on locomotor activity patterns of the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasitol Res 2023; 123:15. [PMID: 38060049 PMCID: PMC10703739 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08053-5] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Circadian behavioral patterns in mosquitoes can be observed through their locomotor activity, which includes fundamental behaviors such as foraging, mating, and oviposition. These habits, which are fundamental to the life cycle of Anopheles mosquitoes, are closely related to pathogen transmission to humans. While rhythmic cycles of locomotor activity have been described in Anopheles species, no studies have been conducted on Anopheles darlingi species, the main malaria vector in the Amazon region. The aim of this study was to investigate how insemination status, blood meal, and Plasmodium vivax infection affect the locomotor activity of An. darlingi. The experiments were performed with 3- to 10-day-old An. darlingi females, which had been fed with 15% honey solution. These mosquitoes were obtained from the Malaria Vector Production and Infection Platform (PIVEM)/FIOCRUZ-RO. The experimental groups were divided into four categories: virgin vs. inseminated, unfed virgin vs. blood-fed virgin, unfed inseminated vs. blood-fed inseminated, and infected blood vs. uninfected blood. Locomotor activity was monitored using the Flybox equipment, capturing images that were subsequently converted into video to measure the insect activity, using PySoLo software. The periodicity and rhythmicity of mosquito locomotor activity were analyzed using MatLab® software. The locomotor activity of An. darlingi females showed a nocturnal and bimodal pattern under LD conditions. When comparing the insemination states and blood meal, there was a reduction in the locomotor activity in inseminated and blood-fed females. However, the P. vivax+ infection did not increase locomotor activity of An. darlingi species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra da Silva Bastos
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, FIOCRUZ Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Najara Akira Costa Dos Santos
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, FIOCRUZ Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Alice Oliveira Andrade
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 01246-904, Brazil
| | - José Daniel Costa Pontual
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Evangelista Araújo
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, FIOCRUZ Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, FIOCRUZ Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Maisa da Silva Araújo
- Plataforma de Produção E Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM), Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Conservação e uso de Recursos Naturais-PPGReN, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Translacional E Clínica, Centro de Pesquisa Em Medicina Tropical, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
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Li M, Kandul NP, Sun R, Yang T, Benetta ED, Brogan DJ, Antoshechkin I, Sánchez C. HM, Zhan Y, DeBeaubien NA, Loh YM, Su MP, Montell C, Marshall JM, Akbari OS. Targeting Sex Determination to Suppress Mosquito Populations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.18.537404. [PMID: 37131747 PMCID: PMC10153225 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.18.537404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insufficient, necessitating innovations. In response, here we generate a next generation CRISPR-based precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for Aedes aegypti that disrupts genes essential for sex determination and fertility, producing predominantly sterile males that can be deployed at any life stage. Using mathematical models and empirical testing, we demonstrate that released pgSIT males can effectively compete with, suppress, and eliminate caged mosquito populations. This versatile species-specific platform has the potential for field deployment to effectively control wild populations of disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nikolay P. Kandul
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ruichen Sun
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ting Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Elena D. Benetta
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Daniel J. Brogan
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Héctor M. Sánchez C.
- Divisions of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Yinpeng Zhan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Nicolas A. DeBeaubien
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - YuMin M. Loh
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Matthew P. Su
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Craig Montell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - John M. Marshall
- Divisions of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Akbari O, Li M, Kandul N, Sun R, Yang T, Dalla Benetta E, Brogan D, Antoshechkin I, Sánchez C H, Zhan YP, DeBeaubien N, Loh Y, Su M, Montell C, Marshall J. Targeting Sex Determination to Suppress Mosquito Populations. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2834069. [PMID: 37162925 PMCID: PMC10168471 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2834069/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insuficient, necessitating innovations. In response, here we generate a next generation CRISPR-based precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for Aedes aegypti that disrupts genes essential for sex determination and fertility, producing predominantly sterile males that can be deployed at any life stage. Using mathematical models and empirical testing, we demonstrate that released pgSIT males can effectively compete with, suppress, and eliminate caged mosquito populations. This versatile species-specific platform has the potential for field deployment to control wild populations, safely curtailing disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California
| | - Ming Li
- University of California, San Diego
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Héctor Sánchez C
- Divisions of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Yin Peng Zhan
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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5
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Kohlmeier P, Billeter JC. Genetic mechanisms modulating behaviour through plastic chemosensory responses in insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:45-60. [PMID: 36239485 PMCID: PMC10092625 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16739] [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: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The ability to transition between different behavioural stages is a widespread phenomenon across the animal kingdom. Such behavioural adaptations are often linked to changes in the sensitivity of those neurons that sense chemical cues associated with the respective behaviours. To identify the genetic mechanisms that regulate neuronal sensitivity, and by that behaviour, typically *omics approaches, such as RNA- and protein-sequencing, are applied to sensory organs of individuals displaying differences in behaviour. In this review, we discuss these genetic mechanisms and how they impact neuronal sensitivity, summarize the correlative and functional evidence for their role in regulating behaviour and discuss future directions. As such, this review can help interpret *omics data by providing a comprehensive list of already identified genes and mechanisms that impact behaviour through changes in neuronal sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kohlmeier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Latorre Estivalis JM, Traverso L, Pontes G, Lorenzo MG. The antennal transcriptome of Triatoma infestans reveals substantial expression changes triggered by a blood meal. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:861. [PMID: 36585617 PMCID: PMC9801554 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09059-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the Americas, currently transmitting it in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Many T. infestans populations present insecticide resistance, reducing the efficiency of control campaigns. Alternative vector control methods are needed, and molecular targets mediating fundamental physiological processes can be a promising option to manipulate kissing bug behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize the main sensory targets, as well as to determine whether they are modulated by physiological factors. In order to identify gene candidates potentially mediating host cue detection, the antennal transcripts of T. infestans fifth instar larvae were sequenced and assembled. Besides, we evaluated whether a blood meal had an effect on transcriptional profiles, as responsiveness to host-emitted sensory cues depends on bug starvation. RESULTS The sensory-related gene families of T. infestans were annotated (127 odorant receptors, 38 ionotropic receptors, 11 gustatory receptors, 41 odorant binding proteins, and 25 chemosensory proteins, among others) and compared to those of several other hemipterans, including four triatomine species. Several triatomine-specific lineages representing sensory adaptations developed through the evolution of these blood-feeding heteropterans were identified. As well, we report here various conserved sensory gene orthogroups shared by heteropterans. The absence of the thermosensor pyrexia, of pickpocket receptor subfamilies IV and VII, together with clearly expanded takeout repertoires, are revealed features of the molecular bases of heteropteran antennal physiology. Finally, out of 2,122 genes whose antennal expression was significantly altered by the ingestion of a blood meal, a set of 41 T. infestans sensory-related genes (9 up-regulated; 32 down-regulated) was detected. CONCLUSIONS We propose that the set of genes presenting nutritionally-triggered modulation on their expression represent candidates to mediate triatomine host-seeking behavior. Besides, the triatomine-specific gene lineages found represent molecular adaptations to their risky natural history that involves stealing blood from an enormously diverse set of vertebrates. Heteropteran gene orthogroups identified may represent unknown features of the sensory specificities of this largest group of hemipteroids. Our work is the first molecular characterization of the peripheral modulation of sensory processes in a non-dipteran vector of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Manuel Latorre Estivalis
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucila Traverso
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos (LNI), Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CENEXA, CONICET, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gina Pontes
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Laboratorio de Eco-Fisiología de Insectos del Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA-UBA-CONICET), DBBE - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Gustavo Lorenzo
- grid.418068.30000 0001 0723 0931Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou - FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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7
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Mosquito host-seeking diel rhythm and chemosensory gene expression is affected by age and Plasmodium stages. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18814. [PMID: 36335172 PMCID: PMC9637142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23529-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites can affect vector-related behaviours, increasing transmission success. Using Anopheles gambiae and Plasmodium falciparum, we consider the effect of interaction between infection stage and vector age on diel locomotion in response to human odour and the expression of antennal chemosensory genes. We identified age-dependent behavioural diel compartmentalisation by uninfected females post-blood meal. Infection disrupts overall and diel activity patterns compared with age-matched controls. In this study, mosquitoes carrying transmissible sporozoites were more active, shifting activity periods which corresponded with human host availability, in response to human odour. Older, uninfected, blood-fed females displayed reduced activity during their peak host-seeking period in response to human odour. Age- and infection stage-specific changes in odour-mediated locomotion coincide with altered transcript abundance of select chemosensory genes suggesting a possible molecular mechanism regulating the behaviour. We hypothesize that vector-related behaviours of female mosquitoes are altered by infection stage and further modulated by the age post-blood meal of the vector. Findings may have important implications for malaria transmission and disease dynamics.
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Deletion of the Serotonin Receptor 7 Gene Changed the Development and Behavior of the Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13080671. [PMID: 35893026 PMCID: PMC9332693 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) plays a vital role in many physiological processes in insects, regulating physiological activities such as growth and movement through multiple 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs), which were potential targets for some new insecticides. However, the specific function of individual 5-HTRs in Ae. aegypti is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of the 5-HT7A receptor during Ae. aegypti development. 5-HTR7A transcripts were detected at all stages of development by real-time PCR. The results indicated that the gene expression was highest in the limbs (p < 0.01). We also generated 5-HTR7A mutant mosquitoes using CRISPR-mediated gene editing. The mutants had an abnormal phenotype at the larval stage, including an aberrant head-to-chest ratio and decreased motor activity. The mutant pupae developed abnormally, and most died (56.67%) (p < 0.0001). Using external stimuli to larvae and pupae with abnormal phenotypes, we found the mutant G1 and G2 generations responded to external stimuli in a longer time than the wild-type (WT) mosquitoes, and most of the mutants were 2 to 3 s slower than the WTs to respond to external stimuli (p < 0.01). Due to higher mortality, mutant larvae and pupae had fewer numbers than the WTs. The egg hatching rate of mutant G1 and G2 generations was lower than that of the WTs (p < 0.01). The expression level of 5-HTR7A in the mutants decreased by about 65% compared with the control group using real-time PCR (p < 0.05). In all, the 5-HT7A receptor plays an important role in the metamorphosis, development and motor function of Aedes aegypti.
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Ortega-Insaurralde I, Barrozo RB. The closer the better: Sensory tools and host-association in blood-sucking insects. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 136:104346. [PMID: 34896372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104346] [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: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many hematophagous insects acquire medical and veterinary relevance because they transmit disease causing pathogens to humans. Hematophagy is only fulfilled once a blood feeder successfully locates a vertebrate host by means of fine sensory systems. In nature, blood-sucking insects can exploit environments with differential association with their hosts. Given the relevance of the sensory systems during host searching, we review the current state of knowledge of the sensory machinery of four blood-sucking insects: human lice, bed bugs, kissing bugs and mosquitoes. Each one is representative of highly anthropophilic behaviours and a different degree of association with human hosts. We compare the number, arrangement and functional type of cuticular sensory structures dispersed on the main sensory organs. We also compare the genetic machinery potentially involved in the detection of host stimuli. Finally, we discuss the sensory diversity of the insects studied here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ortega-Insaurralde
- Grupo de Neuroetología de Insectos Vectores, Laboratorio Fisiología de Insectos, Instituto Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA, UBA-CONICET), Departamento Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Facultad Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Romina B Barrozo
- Grupo de Neuroetología de Insectos Vectores, Laboratorio Fisiología de Insectos, Instituto Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA, UBA-CONICET), Departamento Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (DBBE), Facultad Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Carr AL, Rinker DC, Dong Y, Dimopoulos G, Zwiebel LJ. Transcriptome profiles of Anopheles gambiae harboring natural low-level Plasmodium infection reveal adaptive advantages for the mosquito. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22578. [PMID: 34799605 PMCID: PMC8604914 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01842-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Anopheline mosquitoes are the sole vectors for the Plasmodium pathogens responsible for malaria, which is among the oldest and most devastating of human diseases. The continuing global impact of malaria reflects the evolutionary success of a complex vector-pathogen relationship that accordingly has been the long-term focus of both debate and study. An open question in the biology of malaria transmission is the impact of naturally occurring low-level Plasmodium infections of the vector on the mosquito’s health and longevity as well as critical behaviors such as host-preference/seeking. To begin to answer this, we have completed a comparative RNAseq-based transcriptome profile study examining the effect of biologically salient, salivary gland transmission-stage Plasmodium infection on the molecular physiology of Anopheles gambiae s.s. head, sensory appendages, and salivary glands. When compared with their uninfected counterparts, Plasmodium infected mosquitoes exhibit increased transcript abundance of genes associated with olfactory acuity as well as a range of synergistic processes that align with increased fitness based on both anti-aging and reproductive advantages. Taken together, these data argue against the long-held paradigm that malaria infection is pathogenic for anophelines and, instead suggests there are biological and evolutionary advantages for the mosquito that drive the preservation of its high vectorial capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann L Carr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - David C Rinker
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Yuemei Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Laurence J Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
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11
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Differential Gene Expression in the Heads of Behaviorally Divergent Culex pipiens Mosquitoes. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12030271. [PMID: 33806861 PMCID: PMC8005152 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Host preferences of Cx. pipiens, a bridge vector for West Nile virus to humans, have the potential to drive pathogen transmission dynamics. Yet much remains unknown about the extent of variation in these preferences and their molecular basis. We conducted host choice assays in a laboratory setting to quantify multi-day human and avian landing rates for Cx. pipiens females. Assayed populations originated from five above-ground and three below-ground breeding and overwintering habitats. All three below-ground populations were biased toward human landings, with rates of human landing ranging from 69-85%. Of the five above-ground populations, four had avian landing rates of >80%, while one landed on the avian host only 44% of the time. Overall response rates and willingness to alternate landing on the human and avian hosts across multiple days of testing also varied by population. For one human- and one avian-preferring population, we examined patterns of differential expression and splice site variation at genes expressed in female heads. We also compared gene expression and splice site variation within human-seeking females in either gravid or host-seeking physiological states to identify genes that may regulate blood feeding behaviors. Overall, we identified genes with metabolic and regulatory function that were differentially expressed in our comparison of gravid and host-seeking females. Differentially expressed genes in our comparison of avian- and human-seeking females were enriched for those involved in sensory perception. We conclude with a discussion of specific sensory genes and their potential influence on the divergent behaviors of avian- and human-seeking Cx. pipiens.
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Hill SR, Taparia T, Ignell R. Regulation of the antennal transcriptome of the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, during the first gonotrophic cycle. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:71. [PMID: 33478394 PMCID: PMC7821643 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07336-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the light of dengue being the fastest growing transmissible disease, there is a dire need to identify the mechanisms regulating the behaviour of the main vector Aedes aegypti. Disease transmission requires the female mosquito to acquire the pathogen from a blood meal during one gonotrophic cycle, and to pass it on in the next, and the capacity of the vector to maintain the disease relies on a sustained mosquito population. Results Using a comprehensive transcriptomic approach, we provide insight into the regulation of the odour-mediated host- and oviposition-seeking behaviours throughout the first gonotrophic cycle. We provide clear evidence that the age and state of the female affects antennal transcription differentially. Notably, the temporal- and state-dependent patterns of differential transcript abundance of chemosensory and neuromodulatory genes extends across families, and appears to be linked to concerted differential modulation by subsets of transcription factors. Conclusions By identifying these regulatory pathways, we provide a substrate for future studies targeting subsets of genes across disparate families involved in generating key vector behaviours, with the goal to develop novel vector control tools. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-020-07336-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Rose Hill
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 54, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Tanvi Taparia
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 54, Alnarp, Sweden.,Business Unit Biointeractions and Plant Health, Wageningen University and Research, AA, 6700, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 54, Alnarp, Sweden
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Abstract
Mosquitoes are emerging as model systems with which to study innate behaviours through neuroethology and functional genomics. Decades of work on these disease vectors have provided a solid behavioural framework describing the distinct repertoire of predominantly odour-mediated behaviours of female mosquitoes, and their dependence on life stage (intrinsic factors) and environmental cues (extrinsic factors). The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how intrinsic factors, including adult maturation, age, nutritional status, and infection, affect the attraction to plants and feeding on plant fluids, host seeking, blood feeding, supplemental feeding behaviours, pre-oviposition behaviour, and oviposition in female mosquitoes. With the technological advancements in the recent two decades, we have gained a better understanding of which volatile organic compounds are used by mosquitoes to recognise and discriminate among various fitness-enhancing resources, and characterised their neural and molecular correlates. In this review, we present the state of the art of the peripheral olfactory system as described by the neural physiology, functional genomics, and genetics underlying the demonstrated changes in the behavioural repertoire in female mosquitoes. The review is meant as a summary introduction to the current conceptual thinking in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon R Hill
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Växtskyddsvägen 3, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Växtskyddsvägen 3, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden.
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Camargo C, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Amaro IA, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, Avila FW. Mating and blood-feeding induce transcriptome changes in the spermathecae of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14899. [PMID: 32913240 PMCID: PMC7484758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors of numerous viruses that impact human health. As manipulation of reproduction has been proposed to suppress mosquito populations, elucidation of biological processes that enable males and females to successfully reproduce is necessary. One essential process is female sperm storage in specialized structures called spermathecae. Aedes aegypti females typically mate once, requiring them to maintain sperm viably to fertilize eggs they lay over their lifetime. Spermathecal gene products are required for Drosophila sperm storage and sperm viability, and a spermathecal-derived heme peroxidase is required for long-term Anopheles gambiae fertility. Products of the Ae. aegypti spermathecae, and their response to mating, are largely unknown. Further, although female blood-feeding is essential for anautogenous mosquito reproduction, the transcriptional response to blood-ingestion remains undefined in any reproductive tissue. We conducted an RNAseq analysis of spermathecae from unfed virgins, mated only, and mated and blood-fed females at 6, 24, and 72 h post-mating and identified significant differentially expressed genes in each group at each timepoint. A blood-meal following mating induced a greater transcriptional response in the spermathecae than mating alone. This study provides the first view of elicited mRNA changes in the spermathecae by a blood-meal in mated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Camargo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia.
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