101
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Sun ZX, Kang K, Cai YJ, Zhang JQ, Zhai YF, Zeng RS, Zhang WQ. Transcriptional regulation of the vitellogenin gene through a fecundity-related single nucleotide polymorphism within a GATA-1 binding motif in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:365-372. [PMID: 29484744 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) with functions in insect fecundity promises to provide novel insight into genetic mechanisms of adaptation and to aid in effective control of insect populations. We previously identified several SNPs within the vitellogenin (Vg) promoter region between a high-fecundity population (HFP) and a low-fecundity population (LFP) of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). Here, we found that an A-to-T (HFP allele to LFP allele) transversion at nucleotide -953 upstream of Vg in a Nilaparvata lugens GATA-1 (NlGATA-1) binding motif is associated with the level of Vg transcription. We also characterized NlGATA-1, containing a double CX2 CX17 CX2 C zinc finger, which has been implicated in the activation of Vg gene expression. Knockdown of the NlGATA-1 gene results in a reduced basal level of expression of the Vg gene and fewer offspring of N. lugens in vivo, whereas overexpression of NlGATA-1 in cells increased Vg promoter activity. Moreover, upon cotransfection with NlGATA-1 expression vector, the luciferase activities of Vg reporter vectors with the A allele were significantly higher than those with the T allele. These findings support a mechanism in which a SNP within the promoter of Vg is associated with the level of Vg transcription by altering the binding activity of NlGATA-1 and subsequently affecting fecundity in N. lugens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z-X Sun
- College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - K Kang
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y-J Cai
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J-Q Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y-F Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - R-S Zeng
- College of Crop Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - W-Q Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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102
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Abstract
Transmission of flaviviruses by hematophagous insects such as mosquitoes requires acquisition of the virus during blood feeding on the host, with midgut as the primary infection site. Here, we report that N-glycosylation of the E protein, which is conserved among most flaviviruses, is critical for the Zika virus (ZIKV) to invade the vector midgut by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway of the mosquito immune system. Our data further show that removal of the ZIKV E glycosylation site prevents mosquito infection by flaviviruses via the oral route, whereas there is no effect on infection by intrathoracic microinjection, which bypasses the midgut. Interestingly, the defect in infection of the mosquito midgut by the mutant virus through blood feeding is rescued by reduction of the ROS level by application of vitamin C, a well-known antioxidant. Therefore, our data demonstrate that ZIKV utilizes the glycosylation on the envelope to antagonize the vector immune defense during infection.IMPORTANCE Most flaviviruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV), are transmitted between hosts by arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes, which acquire the virus during a blood meal. Here, by mutagenesis, we found a major role of the N-glycosylation of flavivirus E protein in its transmission circle, facilitating its survival against the vector immune system during invasion of the mosquito midgut while blood feeding on the host. In spite of the extensive studies of the involvement of N-glycan modification of flavivirus E protein in virus-host interactions, we discovered its critical role in virus-vector interaction and the evolution of flavivirus. Given the deleterious effects of ZIKV on human health, this study might have a significant impact on development of novel transmission-blocking strategies.
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103
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Roy S, Saha TT, Zou Z, Raikhel AS. Regulatory Pathways Controlling Female Insect Reproduction. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 63:489-511. [PMID: 29058980 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 302] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The synthesis of vitellogenin and its uptake by maturing oocytes during egg maturation are essential for successful female reproduction. These events are regulated by the juvenile hormones and ecdysteroids and by the nutritional signaling pathway regulated by neuropeptides. Juvenile hormones act as gonadotropins, regulating vitellogenesis in most insects, but ecdysteroids control this process in Diptera and some Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. The complex crosstalk between the juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling pathways differs distinctly depending on the reproductive strategies adopted by various insects. Molecular studies within the past decade have revealed much about the relationships among, and the role of, these pathways with respect to regulation of insect reproduction. Here, we review the role of juvenile hormones, ecdysteroids, and nutritional signaling, along with that of microRNAs, in regulating female insect reproduction at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Roy
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA; , ,
| | - Tusar T Saha
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 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;
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, and Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA; , ,
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104
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Abstract
Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes transmit the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the majority of fatal malaria cases worldwide. The hematophagous lifestyle defines mosquito reproductive biology and is exploited by P. falciparum for its own sexual reproduction and transmission. The two main phases of the mosquito reproductive cycle, previtellogenic (PV) and postblood meal (PBM), shape its capacity to transmit malaria. Transition between these phases is tightly coordinated to ensure homeostasis between mosquito tissues and successful reproduction. One layer of control is provided by microRNAs (miRNAs), well-known regulators of blood meal digestion and egg development in Aedes mosquitoes. Here, we report a global overview of tissue-specific miRNAs (miRNA) expression during the PV and PBM phases and identify miRNAs regulated during PV to PBM transition. The observed coordinated changes in the expression levels of a set of miRNAs in the energy-storing tissues suggest a role in the regulation of blood meal-induced metabolic changes.
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105
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Arthropod-borne pathogens of dogs and cats: From pathways and times of transmission to disease control. Vet Parasitol 2017; 251:68-77. [PMID: 29426479 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne pathogens have developed a close relationship with blood feeding arthropod ectoparasites (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks, phlebotomine sand flies, black flies, fleas, kissing bugs, lice) and exploited a huge variety of vector transmission routes. Therefore, the life cycles of these pathogens result in a long evolved balance with the respective arthropod biology, ecology and blood feeding habits, instrumentally to the infection of several animal species, including humans. Amongst the many parasite transmission modes, such as ingestion of the arthropod, with its faeces or secretions, blood feeding represents the main focus for this article, as it is a central event to the life of almost all arthropod vectors. The time frame in which pathogens are transmitted to any animal host is governed by a large number of biological variables related to the vector, the pathogen, the host and environmental factors. Scientific data available on transmission times for each pathogen are discussed relative to their impact for the success of vector-borne disease control strategies. Blocking pathogen transmission, and thus preventing the infection of dogs and cats, may be achievable by the use of chemical compounds if they are characterised by a fast onset of killing activity or repellence against arthropods. The fast speed of kill exerted by systemic isoxazoline, as well as the repellent effect of pyrethroids have renewed the interest of the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies towards reducing the burden of vector-borne diseases under field conditions. However, endosymbionts and vaccines targeting arthropods or pathogen antigens should be further investigated as alternative strategies towards the goal of achieving an effective integrated control of vector-borne diseases.
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106
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Henriques BS, Gomes B, da Costa SG, Moraes CDS, Mesquita RD, Dillon VM, Garcia EDS, Azambuja P, Dillon RJ, Genta FA. Genome Wide Mapping of Peptidases in Rhodnius prolixus: Identification of Protease Gene Duplications, Horizontally Transferred Proteases and Analysis of Peptidase A1 Structures, with Considerations on Their Role in the Evolution of Hematophagy in Triatominae. Front Physiol 2017; 8:1051. [PMID: 29326597 PMCID: PMC5736985 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatominae is a subfamily of the order Hemiptera whose species are able to feed in the vertebrate blood (i.e., hematophagy). This feeding behavior presents a great physiological challenge to insects, especially in Hemipteran species with a digestion performed by lysosomal-like cathepsins instead of the more common trypsin-like enzymes. With the aim of having a deeper understanding of protease involvement in the evolutionary adaptation for hematophagy in Hemipterans, we screened peptidases in the Rhodnius prolixus genome and characterized them using common blast (NCBI) and conserved domain analyses (HMMER/blast manager software, FAT, plus PFAM database). We compared the results with available sequences from other hemipteran species and with 18 arthropod genomes present in the MEROPS database. Rhodnius prolixus contains at least 433 protease coding genes, belonging to 71 protease families. Seven peptidase families in R. prolixus presented higher gene numbers when compared to other arthropod genomes. Further analysis indicated that a gene expansion of the protease family A1 (Eukaryotic aspartyl protease, PF00026) might have played a major role in the adaptation to hematophagy since most of these peptidase genes seem to be recently acquired, are expressed in the gut and present putative secretory pathway signal peptides. Besides that, most R. prolixus A1 peptidases showed high frequencies of basic residues at the protein surface, a typical structural signature of Cathepsin D-like proteins. Other peptidase families expanded in R. prolixus (i.e., C2 and M17) also presented significant differences between hematophagous (higher number of peptidases) and non-hematophagous species. This study also provides evidence for gene acquisition from microorganisms in some peptidase families in R. prolixus: (1) family M74 (murein endopeptidase), (2) family S29 (Hepatitis C virus NS3 protease), and (3) family S24 (repressor LexA). This study revealed new targets for studying the adaptation of these insects for digestion of blood meals and their competence as vectors of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca S Henriques
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno Gomes
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Samara G da Costa
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caroline da Silva Moraes
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael D Mesquita
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Viv M Dillon
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Eloi de Souza Garcia
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roderick J Dillon
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando A Genta
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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107
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Silva C, Wanderley-Teixeira V, Cunha FM, Oliveira JV, Dutra KA, Navarro DF, Teixeira A. Effects of citronella oil (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor) on Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) midgut and fat body. Biotech Histochem 2017; 93:36-48. [PMID: 29205073 DOI: 10.1080/10520295.2017.1379612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is the principal pest of corn in Brazil. Control is achieved primarily by synthetic insecticides, which cause problems for the agro-ecosystem. Alternative methods of control are under investigation and citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) essential oil appears to be a promising agent. We investigated the effects of citronella oil using histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The midgut of larvae treated with citronella exhibited altered epithelium including cytoplasmic protrusions, columnar cell extrusion, pyknotic nuclei, and increased periodic acid-Schiff positive granules. Regenerative cells in the epithelium of the midgut increased in number, which facilitated subsequent regeneration of this tissue. After exposure to citronella, trophocytes, the principal cell type of the fat body, possessed enlarged vacuoles and mitotic bodies, and contained reduced amounts of glycogen, lipid, and protein. Citronella oil caused morphological changes of the midgut and reduction of stored resources in the fat body, which may adversely affect insect reproduction and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cts Silva
- a Departments of 1Agronomy-Entomology
| | - V Wanderley-Teixeira
- a Departments of 1Agronomy-Entomology.,b Morphology and Animal Physiology , Rural Federal University of Pernambuco , Dois Irmãos
| | - F M Cunha
- c Frassinetti Faculty of Recife , Boa Vista
| | | | - K A Dutra
- a Departments of 1Agronomy-Entomology
| | - Dma Ferraz Navarro
- d Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Department of Fundamental Chemistry , Federal University of Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária , Recife , Brazil
| | - Aac Teixeira
- b Morphology and Animal Physiology , Rural Federal University of Pernambuco , Dois Irmãos
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108
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Mitchell SN, Catteruccia F. Anopheline Reproductive Biology: Impacts on Vectorial Capacity and Potential Avenues for Malaria Control. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2017; 7:a025593. [PMID: 28389513 PMCID: PMC5710097 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a025593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Vectorial capacity is a mathematical approximation of the efficiency of vector-borne disease transmission, measured as the number of new infections disseminated per case per day by an insect vector. Multiple elements of mosquito biology govern their vectorial capacity, including survival, population densities, feeding preferences, and vector competence. Intriguingly, biological pathways essential to mosquito reproductive fitness directly or indirectly influence a number of these elements. Here, we explore this complex interaction, focusing on how the interplay between mating and blood feeding in female Anopheles not only shapes their reproductive success but also influences their ability to sustain Plasmodium parasite development. Central to malaria transmission, mosquito reproductive biology has recently become the focus of research strategies aimed at malaria control, and we discuss promising new methods based on the manipulation of key reproductive steps. In light of widespread resistance to all public health-approved insecticides targeting mosquito reproduction may prove crucial to the success of malaria-eradication campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Mitchell
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Flaminia Catteruccia
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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109
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Ling L, Kokoza VA, Zhang C, Aksoy E, Raikhel AS. MicroRNA-277 targets insulin-like peptides 7 and 8 to control lipid metabolism and reproduction in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E8017-E8024. [PMID: 28874536 PMCID: PMC5617303 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1710970114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematophagous female mosquitoes transmit numerous devastating human diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and others. Because of their obligatory requirement of a vertebrate blood meal for reproduction, these mosquitoes need a lot of energy; therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms linking metabolism and reproduction is of particular importance. Lipids are the major energy store providing the fuel required for host seeking and reproduction. They are essential components of the fat body, a metabolic tissue that is the insect analog of vertebrate liver and adipose tissue. In this study, we found that microRNA-277 (miR-277) plays an important role in regulating mosquito lipid metabolism. The genetic disruption of miR-277 using the CRISPR-Cas9 system led to failures in both lipid storage and ovary development. miR-277 mimic injection partially rescued these phenotypic manifestations. Examination of subcellular localization of FOXO protein via CRISPR-assisted, single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide-mediated homology-directed repair revealed that insulin signaling is up-regulated in response to miR-277 depletion. In silico target prediction identified that insulin-like peptides 7 and 8 (ilp7 and ilp8) are putative targets of miR-277; RNA immunoprecipitation and a luciferase reporter assay confirmed that ilp7 and ilp8 are direct targets of this miRNA. CRISPR-Cas9 depletion of ilp7 and ilp8 led to metabolic and reproductive defects. These depletions identified differential actions of ILP7 and ILP8 in lipid homeostasis and ovarian development. Thus, miR-277 plays a critical role in mosquito lipid metabolism and reproduction by targeting ilp7 and ilp8, and serves as a monitor to control ILP7 and ILP8 mRNA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ling
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Vladimir A Kokoza
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Changyu Zhang
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Emre Aksoy
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521;
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
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110
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Peng L, Wang L, Yang YF, Zou MM, He WY, Wang Y, Wang Q, Vasseur L, You MS. Transcriptome profiling of the Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) ovary reveals genes involved in oogenesis. Gene 2017; 637:90-99. [PMID: 28916376 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a specialized organ, the insect ovary performs valuable functions by ensuring fecundity and population survival. Oogenesis is the complex physiological process resulting in the production of mature eggs, which are involved in epigenetic programming, germ cell behavior, cell cycle regulation, etc. Identification of the genes involved in ovary development and oogenesis is critical to better understand the reproductive biology and screening for the potential molecular targets in Plutella xylostella, a worldwide destructive pest of economically major crops. RESULTS Based on transcriptome sequencing, a total of 7.88Gb clean nucleotides was obtained, with 19,934 genes and 1861 new transcripts being identified. Expression profiling indicated that 61.7% of the genes were expressed (FPKM≥1) in the P. xylostella ovary. GO annotation showed that the pathways of multicellular organism reproduction and multicellular organism reproduction process, as well as gamete generation and chorion were significantly enriched. Processes that were most likely relevant to reproduction included the spliceosome, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, endocytosis, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, and focal adhesion were identified in the top 20 'highly represented' KEGG pathways. Functional genes involved in oogenesis were further analyzed and validated by qRT-PCR to show their potential predominant roles in P. xylostella reproduction. CONCLUSIONS Our newly developed P. xylostella ovary transcriptome provides an overview of the gene expression profiling in this specialized tissue and the functional gene network closely related to the ovary development and oogenesis. This is the first genome-wide transcriptome dataset of P. xylostella ovary that includes a subset of functionally activated genes. This global approach will be the basis for further studies on molecular mechanisms of P. xylostella reproduction aimed at screening potential molecular targets for integrated pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yi-Fan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Ming-Min Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wei-Yi He
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Liette Vasseur
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Min-Sheng You
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops and College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian-Taiwan Joint Innovation Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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111
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Fat storage in Drosophila suzukii is influenced by different dietary sugars in relation to their palatability. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183173. [PMID: 28817633 PMCID: PMC5560726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The peripheral sensitivity and palatability of different carbohydrates was evaluated and their nutritional value assessed in adult females of D. suzukii by means of an electrophysiological, behavioural and metabolic approach. The electrophysiological responses were recorded from the labellar "l" type sensilla stimulated with metabolizable mono- and disaccharides (glucose and maltose) and a non-metabolizable sugar (sucralose); the response rating and the palatability to the same sugars, evaluated by recording the proboscis extension reflex (PER), was maltose>glucose>sucralose. The nutritional value of carbohydrates was assessed by means of survival trials and fatty acids profile. Flies fed on a diet containing maltose had a longer lifespan than flies on monosaccharides, while flies fed on a diet containing sucralose had a shorter one. In addition, the ability to store fat seems to be influenced by the different sugars in the diet and is in relationship with their palatability. In fact, data showed a higher synthesis of palmitic and palmitoleic acids, most likely derived from de-novo lipogenesis with glucose as precursor, in flies fed with maltose and glucose than with non-metabolizable sucralose. In conclusion, these results suggest that the ability to select different sugars on the basis of their palatability may favour the storage of energy reserves such as fat by de-novo lipogenesis, determining a longer survival capability during prolonged periods of fasting.
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112
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Pimenta de Oliveira S, Dantas de Oliveira C, Viana Sant'Anna MR, Carneiro Dutra HL, Caragata EP, Moreira LA. Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes alters blood meal excretion and delays oviposition without affecting trypsin activity. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 87:65-74. [PMID: 28655666 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Blood feeding in Aedes aegypti is essential for reproduction, but also permits the mosquito to act as a vector for key human pathogens such as the Zika and dengue viruses. Wolbachia pipientis is an endosymbiotic bacterium that can manipulate the biology of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, making them less competent hosts for many pathogens. Yet while Wolbachia affects other aspects of host physiology, it is unclear whether it influences physiological processes associated with blood meal digestion. To that end, we examined the effects of wMel Wolbachia infection in Ae. aegypti, on survival post-blood feeding, blood meal excretion, rate of oviposition, expression levels of key genes involved in oogenesis, and activity levels of trypsin blood digestion enzymes. We observed that wMel infection altered the rate and duration of blood meal excretion, delayed the onset of oviposition and was associated with a greater number of eggs being laid later. wMel-infected Ae. aegypti also had lower levels of key yolk protein precursor genes necessary for oogenesis. However, all of these effects occurred without a change in trypsin activity. These results suggest that Wolbachia infection may disrupt normal metabolic processes associated with blood feeding and reproduction in Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Pimenta de Oliveira
- Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Caroline Dantas de Oliveira
- Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mauricio Roberto Viana Sant'Anna
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Heverton Leandro Carneiro Dutra
- Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eric Pearce Caragata
- Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Luciano Andrade Moreira
- Grupo Mosquitos Vetores: Endossimbiontes e Interação Patógeno-Vetor, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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113
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Iron availability affects West Nile virus infection in its mosquito vector. Virol J 2017; 14:103. [PMID: 28583206 PMCID: PMC5460528 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-017-0770-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of viruses, including dengue, West Nile and chikungunya viruses. Female mosquitoes are infected when they blood-feed on vertebrates, a required step for oogenesis. During this process, mosquitoes encounter high iron loads. Since iron is an essential nutrient for most organisms, including pathogens, one of the defense mechanisms for the host includes sequestration of iron away from the invading pathogen. Here, we determine whether iron availability affects viral replication in mosquitoes. Methods To elucidate effect of iron availability on mosquito cells during infection, Culex cells were treated with either ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) or the iron chelator, deferoxamine (DFX). Real time RT-PCR was performed using ferritin (heavy chain) and NRAMP as a measure of iron homeostasis in cells. To determine iron requirement for viral replication, Culex cells were knocked down for NRAMP using dsRNA. Finally, the results were validated in Culex mosquito-infection model, by treating infected mosquitoes with DFX to reduce iron levels. Results Our results show that infection of Culex cells led to induction in levels of ferritin (heavy chain) and NRAMP mRNAs in time-dependent manner. Results also showed that treatment of cells with FAC, reduced expression of NRAMP (iron transporter) and increase levels of ferritin (heavy chain). Interestingly, increasing iron levels increased viral titers; while reducing intracellular iron levels, either by NRAMP knock-down or using DFX, reduced viral titers. The results from Culex mosquito infection showed that mosquitoes treated with DFX had reduced viral titers compared with untreated controls in midgut as well as carcass 8 days pi. Saliva from mosquitoes treated with DFX also showed reduced viral titers compared with untreated controls, indicating low viral transmission capacity. Conclusions Our results indicate that iron is required for viral replication in mosquito cells. Mosquitoes respond to viral infection, by inducing expression of heavy chain ferritin, which sequesters available iron, reducing its availability to virus infected cells. The data indicates that heavy chain ferritin may be part of an immune mechanism of mosquitoes in response to viral infections.
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114
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Wang JL, Saha TT, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Raikhel AS. Juvenile hormone and its receptor methoprene-tolerant promote ribosomal biogenesis and vitellogenesis in the Aedes aegypti mosquito. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10306-10315. [PMID: 28446607 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.761387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) controls many biological activities in insects, including development, metamorphosis, and reproduction. In the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a vector of dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and zika viruses, the metabolic tissue (the fat body, which is an analogue of the vertebrate liver) produces yolk proteins for developing oocytes. JH is important for the fat body to acquire competence for yolk protein production. However, the molecular mechanisms of how JH promotes mosquito reproduction are not completely understood. In this study we show that stimulation of the JH receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met) activates expression of genes encoding the regulator of ribosome synthesis 1 (RRS1) and six ribosomal proteins (two ribosomal large subunit proteins, two ribosomal small subunit proteins, and two mitochondrial ribosomal proteins). Moreover, RNAi-mediated depletion of RRS1 decreased biosynthesis of the ribosomal protein L32 (RpL32). Depletion of Met, RRS1, or RpL32 led to retardation of ovarian growth and reduced mosquito fecundity, which may at least in part have resulted from decreased vitellogenin protein production in the fat body. In summary, our results indicate that JH is critical for inducing the expression of ribosomal protein genes and demonstrate that RRS1 mediates the JH signal to enhance both ribosomal biogenesis and vitellogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Lin Wang
- From the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Tusar T Saha
- From the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.,Institute for Integrative Genomic Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Yang Zhang
- From the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China, and
| | - Changyu Zhang
- From the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.,Guizhou Key Laboratory for Plant Pest Management of Mountain Region, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- From the Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, .,Institute for Integrative Genomic Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
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115
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Kariithi HM, Yao X, Yu F, Teal PE, Verhoeven CP, Boucias DG. Responses of the Housefly, Musca domestica, to the Hytrosavirus Replication: Impacts on Host's Vitellogenesis and Immunity. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:583. [PMID: 28424677 PMCID: PMC5380684 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hytrosaviridae family members replicate in the salivary glands (SGs) of their adult dipteran hosts and are transmitted to uninfected hosts via saliva during feeding. Despite inducing similar gross symptoms (SG hypertrophy; SGH), hytrosaviruses (SGHVs) have distinct pathobiologies, including sex-ratio distortions in tsetse flies and refusal of infected housefly females to copulate. Via unknown mechanism(s), SGHV replication in other tissues results in reduced fecundity in tsetse flies and total shutdown of vitellogenesis and sterility in housefly females. We hypothesized that vitellogenesis shutdown was caused by virus-induced modulation of hormonal titers. Here, we used RNA-Seq to investigate virus-induced modulation of host genes/pathways in healthy and virus-infected houseflies, and we validated expression of modulated genes (n = 23) by RT-qPCR. We also evaluated the levels and activities of hemolymph AMPs, levels of endogenous sesquiterpenoids, and impacts of exogenous hormones on ovarian development in viremic females. Of the 973 housefly unigenes that were significantly modulated (padj ≤ 0.01, log2FC ≤ -2.0 or ≥ 2.0), 446 and 527 genes were downregulated and upregulated, respectively. While the most downregulated genes were related to reproduction (embryogenesis/oogenesis), the repertoire of upregulated genes was overrepresented by genes related to non-self recognition, ubiquitin-protease system, cytoskeletal traffic, cellular proliferation, development and movement, and snRNA processing. Overall, the virus, Musca domestica salivary gland hytrosavirus (MdSGHV), induced the upregulation of various components of the siRNA, innate antimicrobial immune, and autophagy pathways. We show that MdSGHV undergo limited morphogenesis in the corpora allata/corpora cardiaca (CA/CC) complex of M. domestica. MdSGHV replication in CA/CC potentially explains the significant reduction of hemolymph sesquiterpenoids levels, the refusal to mate, and the complete shutdown of egg development in viremic females. Notably, hormonal rescue of vitellogenesis did not result in egg production. The mechanism underlying MdSGHV-induced sterility has yet to be resolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M Kariithi
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationNairobi, Kenya.,Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and AgricultureVienna, Austria
| | - Xu Yao
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fahong Yu
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Biotechnology Research, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, USA
| | - Peter E Teal
- Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, USDA, ARSGainesville, FL, USA
| | - Chelsea P Verhoeven
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, USA
| | - Drion G Boucias
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of FloridaGainesville, FL, USA
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116
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Hormone and receptor interplay in the regulation of mosquito lipid metabolism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E2709-E2718. [PMID: 28292900 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1619326114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit devastating human diseases because they need vertebrate blood for egg development. Metabolism in female mosquitoes is tightly coupled with blood meal-mediated reproduction, which requires an extremely high level of energy consumption. Functional analysis has shown that major genes encoding for enzymes involved in lipid metabolism (LM) in the mosquito fat bodies are down-regulated at the end of the juvenile hormone (JH)-controlled posteclosion (PE) phase but exhibit significant elevation in their transcript levels during the post-blood meal phase (PBM), which is regulated mainly by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Reductions in the transcript levels of genes encoding triacylglycerol (TAG) catabolism and β-oxidation enzymes were observed to correlate with a dramatic accumulation of lipids in the PE phase; in contrast, these transcripts were elevated significantly and lipid stores were diminished during the PBM phase. The RNAi depletion of Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and ecdysone receptor (EcR), receptors for JH and 20E, respectively, reversed the LM gene expression and the levels of lipid stores and metabolites, demonstrating the critical roles of these hormones in LM regulation. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4) RNAi-silenced mosquitoes exhibited down-regulation of the gene transcripts encoding TAG catabolism and β-oxidation enzymes and an inability to use lipids effectively, as manifested by TAG accumulation. The luciferase reporter assay showed direct regulation of LM-related genes by HNF4. Moreover, HNF4 gene expression was down-regulated by Met and activated by EcR and Target of rapamycin, providing a link between nutritional and hormonal regulation of LM in female mosquitoes.
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117
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Transcriptome-wide microRNA and target dynamics in the fat body during the gonadotrophic cycle of Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E1895-E1903. [PMID: 28223504 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701474114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is a major vector of numerous viral diseases, because it requires a blood meal to facilitate egg development. The fat body, a counterpart of mammalian liver and adipose tissues, is the metabolic center, playing a key role in reproduction. Therefore, understanding of regulatory networks controlling its functions is critical, and the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the process is largely unknown. We aimed to explore miRNA expression and potential targets in the female fat body of Ae. aegypti, as well as their changes postblood meal (PBM). Small RNA library analysis revealed five unique miRNA patterns sequentially expressed at five sampled time points, likely responding to, and affecting, waves of upstream hormonal signals and gene expression in the same period. To link miRNA identities with downstream targets, transcriptome-wide mRNA 3' UTR interaction sites were experimentally determined at 72 h posteclosion and 24 h PBM through Argonaute 1 cross-linking and immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing. Several target sites were validated by means of in vitro luciferase assays with wild-type and mutated 3' UTRs for six miRNA families. With established transgenic lines, consistent results were observed with spatiotemporal knockdown of miR-8 and luciferase assays. We further investigated miRNAs potentially regulating various physiological processes based on Clusters of Orthologous Groups functional categories. Hence, the present work comprehensively elucidated miRNA expression and target dynamics in the female mosquito fat body, providing a solid foundation for future functional studies of miRNA regulation during the gonadotrophic cycle.
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118
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Santiago PB, de Araújo CN, Motta FN, Praça YR, Charneau S, Bastos IMD, Santana JM. Proteases of haematophagous arthropod vectors are involved in blood-feeding, yolk formation and immunity - a review. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:79. [PMID: 28193252 PMCID: PMC5307778 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2005-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks, triatomines, mosquitoes and sand flies comprise a large number of haematophagous arthropods considered vectors of human infectious diseases. While consuming blood to obtain the nutrients necessary to carry on life functions, these insects can transmit pathogenic microorganisms to the vertebrate host. Among the molecules related to the blood-feeding habit, proteases play an essential role. In this review, we provide a panorama of proteases from arthropod vectors involved in haematophagy, in digestion, in egg development and in immunity. As these molecules act in central biological processes, proteases from haematophagous vectors of infectious diseases may influence vector competence to transmit pathogens to their prey, and thus could be valuable targets for vectorial control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Beatriz Santiago
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.,Faculdade de Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Centro Metropolitano, Conjunto A, Lote 01, 72220-275, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Flávia Nader Motta
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.,Faculdade de Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Centro Metropolitano, Conjunto A, Lote 01, 72220-275, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Yanna Reis Praça
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.,Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Sébastien Charneau
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Química de Proteínas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Izabela M Dourado Bastos
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Jaime M Santana
- Laboratório de Interação Patógeno-Hospedeiro, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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119
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Vogel KJ, Valzania L, Coon KL, Brown MR, Strand MR. Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Large-Scale Changes in Axenic Aedes aegypti Larvae. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005273. [PMID: 28060822 PMCID: PMC5245907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes host communities of microbes in their digestive tract that consist primarily of bacteria. We previously reported that Aedes aegypti larvae colonized by a native community of bacteria and gnotobiotic larvae colonized by only Escherichia coli develop very similarly into adults, whereas axenic larvae never molt and die as first instars. In this study, we extended these findings by first comparing the growth and abundance of bacteria in conventional, gnotobiotic, and axenic larvae during the first instar. Results showed that conventional and gnotobiotic larvae exhibited no differences in growth, timing of molting, or number of bacteria in their digestive tract. Axenic larvae in contrast grew minimally and never achieved the critical size associated with molting by conventional and gnotobiotic larvae. In the second part of the study we compared patterns of gene expression in conventional, gnotobiotic and axenic larvae by conducting an RNAseq analysis of gut and nongut tissues (carcass) at 22 h post-hatching. Approximately 12% of Ae. aegypti transcripts were differentially expressed in axenic versus conventional or gnotobiotic larvae. However, this profile consisted primarily of transcripts in seven categories that included the down-regulation of select peptidases in the gut and up-regulation of several genes in the gut and carcass with roles in amino acid transport, hormonal signaling, and metabolism. Overall, our results indicate that axenic larvae exhibit alterations in gene expression consistent with defects in acquisition and assimilation of nutrients required for growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Vogel
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KJV); (MRS)
| | - Luca Valzania
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kerri L. Coon
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mark R. Brown
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Strand
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KJV); (MRS)
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120
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Airs PM, Bartholomay LC. RNA Interference for Mosquito and Mosquito-Borne Disease Control. INSECTS 2017; 8:E4. [PMID: 28067782 PMCID: PMC5371932 DOI: 10.3390/insects8010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool to silence endogenous mosquito and mosquito-borne pathogen genes in vivo. As the number of studies utilizing RNAi in basic research grows, so too does the arsenal of physiological targets that can be developed into products that interrupt mosquito life cycles and behaviors and, thereby, relieve the burden of mosquitoes on human health and well-being. As this technology becomes more viable for use in beneficial and pest insect management in agricultural settings, it is exciting to consider its role in public health entomology. Existing and burgeoning strategies for insecticide delivery could be adapted to function as RNAi trigger delivery systems and thereby expedite transformation of RNAi from the lab to the field for mosquito control. Taken together, development of RNAi-based vector and pathogen management techniques & strategies are within reach. That said, tools for successful RNAi design, studies exploring RNAi in the context of vector control, and studies demonstrating field efficacy of RNAi trigger delivery have yet to be honed and/or developed for mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Airs
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Lyric C Bartholomay
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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121
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Laws KM, Drummond-Barbosa D. Control of Germline Stem Cell Lineages by Diet and Physiology. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 59:67-99. [PMID: 28247046 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-44820-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tight coupling of reproduction to environmental factors and physiological status is key to long-term species survival. In particular, highly conserved pathways modulate germline stem cell lineages according to nutrient availability. This chapter focuses on recent in vivo studies in genetic model organisms that shed light on how diet-dependent signals control the proliferation, maintenance, and survival of adult germline stem cells and their progeny. These signaling pathways can operate intrinsically in the germ line, modulate the niche, or act through intermediate organs to influence stem cells and their differentiating progeny. In addition to illustrating the extent of dietary regulation of reproduction, findings from these studies have implications for fertility during aging or disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin M Laws
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daniela Drummond-Barbosa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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122
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Torre D, Lolli F, Ciana P, Maggi A. Sexual Dimorphism and Estrogen Action in Mouse Liver. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1043:141-151. [PMID: 29224094 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-70178-3_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that in mice, the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is expressed in the liver and has a direct effect on the regulation of the hepatic genes relevant for energy metabolism and drug metabolism. The sex-related differential expression of the hepatic ERα raises the questions as to whether this receptor is responsible for the sexual differences observed in the physiopathology of the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Della Torre
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, MI, Italy
| | - Federica Lolli
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, MI, Italy
| | - Paolo Ciana
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, MI, Italy
| | - Adriana Maggi
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, MI, Italy.
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123
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Gonzales KK, Hansen IA. Artificial Diets for Mosquitoes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13121267. [PMID: 28009851 PMCID: PMC5201408 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13121267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more than a million human deaths every year. Modern mosquito control strategies such as sterile insect technique (SIT), release of insects carrying a dominant lethal (RIDL), population replacement strategies (PR), and Wolbachia-based strategies require the rearing of large numbers of mosquitoes in culture for continuous release over an extended period of time. Anautogenous mosquitoes require essential nutrients for egg production, which they obtain through the acquisition and digestion of a protein-rich blood meal. Therefore, mosquito mass production in laboratories and other facilities relies on vertebrate blood from live animal hosts. However, vertebrate blood is expensive to acquire and hard to store for longer times especially under field conditions. This review discusses older and recent studies that were aimed at the development of artificial diets for mosquitoes in order to replace vertebrate blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina K Gonzales
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
| | - Immo A Hansen
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
- Institute of Applied Biosciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
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Disrupting Mosquito Reproduction and Parasite Development for Malaria Control. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1006060. [PMID: 27977810 PMCID: PMC5158081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of mosquito populations with insecticide treated bed nets and indoor residual sprays remains the cornerstone of malaria reduction and elimination programs. In light of widespread insecticide resistance in mosquitoes, however, alternative strategies for reducing transmission by the mosquito vector are urgently needed, including the identification of safe compounds that affect vectorial capacity via mechanisms that differ from fast-acting insecticides. Here, we show that compounds targeting steroid hormone signaling disrupt multiple biological processes that are key to the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria. When an agonist of the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is applied to Anopheles gambiae females, which are the dominant malaria mosquito vector in Sub Saharan Africa, it substantially shortens lifespan, prevents insemination and egg production, and significantly blocks Plasmodium falciparum development, three components that are crucial to malaria transmission. Modeling the impact of these effects on Anopheles population dynamics and Plasmodium transmission predicts that disrupting steroid hormone signaling using 20E agonists would affect malaria transmission to a similar extent as insecticides. Manipulating 20E pathways therefore provides a powerful new approach to tackle malaria transmission by the mosquito vector, particularly in areas affected by the spread of insecticide resistance.
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125
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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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126
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Sansone CL, Cohen J, Yasunaga A, Xu J, Osborn G, Subramanian H, Gold B, Buchon N, Cherry S. Microbiota-Dependent Priming of Antiviral Intestinal Immunity in Drosophila. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 18:571-81. [PMID: 26567510 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Enteric pathogens must overcome intestinal defenses to establish infection. In Drosophila, the ERK signaling pathway inhibits enteric virus infection. The intestinal microflora also impacts immunity but its role in enteric viral infection is unknown. Here we show that two signals are required to activate antiviral ERK signaling in the intestinal epithelium. One signal depends on recognition of peptidoglycan from the microbiota, particularly from the commensal Acetobacter pomorum, which primes the NF-kB-dependent induction of a secreted factor, Pvf2. However, the microbiota is not sufficient to induce this pathway; a second virus-initiated signaling event involving release of transcriptional paused genes mediated by the kinase Cdk9 is also required for Pvf2 production. Pvf2 stimulates antiviral immunity by binding to the receptor tyrosine kinase PVR, which is necessary and sufficient for intestinal ERK responses. These findings demonstrate that sensing of specific commensals primes inflammatory signaling required for epithelial responses that restrict enteric viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Sansone
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jonathan Cohen
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ari Yasunaga
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Greg Osborn
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Harry Subramanian
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Beth Gold
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sara Cherry
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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127
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microRNA-309 targets the Homeobox gene SIX4 and controls ovarian development in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E4828-36. [PMID: 27489347 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1609792113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligatory blood-triggered reproductive strategy is an evolutionary adaptation of mosquitoes for rapid egg development. It contributes to the vectorial capacity of these insects. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive processes is of particular importance. Here, we report that microRNA-309 (miR-309) plays a critical role in mosquito reproduction. A spatiotemporal expression profile of miR-309 displayed its blood feeding-dependent onset and ovary-specific manifestation in female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Antagomir silencing of miR-309 impaired ovarian development and resulted in nonsynchronized follicle growth. Furthermore, the genetic disruption of miR-309 by CRISPR/Cas9 system led to the developmental failure of primary follicle formation. Examination of genomic responses to miR-309 depletion revealed that several pathways associated with ovarian development are down-regulated. Comparative analysis of genes obtained from the high-throughput RNA sequencing of ovarian tissue from the miR-309 antagomir-silenced mosquitoes with those from the in silico computation target prediction identified that the gene-encoding SIX homeobox 4 protein (SIX4) is a putative target of miR-309. Reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation confirmed that SIX4 is a direct target of miR-309. RNA interference of SIX4 was able to rescue phenotypic manifestations caused by miR-309 depletion. Thus, miR-309 plays a critical role in mosquito reproduction by targeting SIX4 in the ovary and serves as a regulatory switch permitting a stage-specific degradation of the ovarian SIX4 mRNA. In turn, this microRNA (miRNA)-targeted degradation is required for appropriate initiation of a blood feeding-triggered phase of ovarian development, highlighting involvement of this miRNA in mosquito reproduction.
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128
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Coon KL, Brown MR, Strand MR. Gut bacteria differentially affect egg production in the anautogenous mosquito Aedes aegypti and facultatively autogenous mosquito Aedes atropalpus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:375. [PMID: 27363842 PMCID: PMC4929711 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1660-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aedes aegypti and A. atropalpus are related mosquitoes that differ reproductively. Aedes aegypti must blood-feed to produce eggs (anautogenous) while A. atropalpus always produces a first clutch of eggs without blood-feeding (facultatively autogenous). We recently characterized the gut microbiota of A. aegypti and A. atropalpus that were reared identically in the laboratory. Here, we assessed the effects of specific members of the gut microbiota in A. aegypti and A. atropalpus on female fitness including egg production. Methods Gnotobiotic A. aegypti and A. atropalpus larvae were colonized by specific members of the gut microbiota. Survival, development time, size and egg production for each treatment was then compared to axenic and conventionally reared larvae. Results Most species of bacteria we tested supported normal development and egg production by A. aegypti but only one betaproteobacterium, a Comamonas, supported development and egg production by A. atropalpus to equivalent levels as conventionally reared females. Aedes atropalpus females colonized by Comamonas contained similar stores of glycogen and protein as conventionally reared females, whereas females colonized by Aquitalea did not. Small differences in bacterial loads were detected between gnotobiotic and conventionally reared A. aegypti and A. atropalpus, but this variation did not correlate with the beneficial effects of Comamonas in A. atropalpus. Conclusions Specific members of the gut microbiota more strongly affected survival, size and egg production by A. atropalpus than A. aegypti. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1660-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri L Coon
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, 420 Biological Sciences, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Mark R Brown
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, 420 Biological Sciences, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael R Strand
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, 420 Biological Sciences, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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Blariza MJ, Leyria J, Canavoso LE, Soria NW, García BA. Dynamics of expression of two vitellogenin genes in the Chagas' disease vector Triatoma infestans: Analysis throughout pre-vitellogenesis and vitellogenesis. Acta Trop 2016; 156:100-7. [PMID: 26772448 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The reproductive success of all oviparous species depends on vitellogenin (Vg) biosynthesis and its accumulation in the developing oocytes. The expression levels of two Vg genes (Vg1 and Vg2) were analyzed by qPCR and western blot in fat body and ovaries of adult females, at different times after ecdysis (pre-vitellogenic phase) and after blood feeding of females (vitellogenic phase). Vg genes were also evaluated in fat bodies of adult males as well as in female fifth instar nymphs. No trace of Vg mRNA was detected in adult males or in nymphs. Vg1 and Vg2 were expressed in the fat bodies and ovaries of adult females. The Vg genes start to be expressed slightly in both tissues of adult females during pre-vitellogenesis. After blood feeding, Vg1 and Vg2 were up regulated and significant levels of Vg transcripts as well as protein expression were observed in fat bodies sampled throughout vitellogenesis. During this period however, the distribution patterns of Vg1 and Vg2 transcripts showed two peaks around early and advanced vitellogenesis (days 4 and 12 post-feeding, respectively). In the ovaries, levels of mRNAs increased from the day 10 post-blood feeding onwards. In addition, the immunofluorescence assays showed a strong signal for vitellin in the yolk bodies of terminal follicles of vitellogenic females. The involvement of fat body and ovary in the synthesis of Vg suggests different roles of Vgs in supporting the growth of oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J Blariza
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA), CONICET and Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jimena Leyria
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología (CIBICI-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Lilián E Canavoso
- Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología (CIBICI-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Néstor W Soria
- Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos Especializados (LACE), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Beatriz A García
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA), CONICET and Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
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130
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Sisterson MS, Stenger DC. Disentangling Effects of Vector Birth Rate, Mortality Rate, and Abundance on Spread of Plant Pathogens. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 109:487-501. [PMID: 26637536 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Models on the spread of insect-transmitted plant pathogens often fix vector population size by assuming that deaths are offset by births. Although such mathematical simplifications are often justified, deemphasizing parameters that govern vector population size is problematic, as reproductive biology and mortality schedules of vectors of plant pathogens receive little empirical attention. Here, the importance of explicitly including parameters for vector birth and death rates was evaluated by comparing results from models with fixed vector population size with models with logistic vector population growth. In fixed vector population size models, increasing vector mortality decreased percentage of inoculative vectors, but had no effect on vector population size, as deaths were offset by births. In models with logistic vector population growth, increasing vector mortality decreased percentage of inoculative vectors and decreased vector population size. Consequently, vector mortality had a greater effect on pathogen spread in models with logistic vector population growth than in models with fixed vector population size. Further, in models with logistic vector population growth, magnitude of vector birth rate determined time required for vector populations to reach large size, thereby determining when pathogen spread occurred quickly. Assumptions regarding timing of vector mortality within a time step also affected model outcome. A greater emphasis of vector entomologists on studying reproductive biology and mortality schedules of insect species that transmit plant pathogens will facilitate identification of conditions associated with rapid growth of vector populations and could lead to development of novel control strategies.
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131
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TOR Pathway-Mediated Juvenile Hormone Synthesis Regulates Nutrient-Dependent Female Reproduction in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål). Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:438. [PMID: 27043527 PMCID: PMC4848894 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17040438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The “target of rapamycin” (TOR) nutritional signaling pathway and juvenile hormone (JH) regulation of vitellogenesis has been known for a long time. However, the interplay between these two pathways regulating vitellogenin (Vg) expression remains obscure. Here, we first demonstrated the key role of amino acids (AAs) in activation of Vg synthesis and egg development in Nilaparvata lugens using chemically defined artificial diets. AAs induced the expression of TOR and S6K (S6 kinase), whereas RNAi-mediated silencing of these two TOR pathway genes and rapamycin application strongly inhibited the AAs-induced Vg synthesis. Furthermore, knockdown of Rheb (Ras homologue enriched in brain), TOR, S6K and application of rapamycin resulted in a dramatic reduction in the mRNA levels of jmtN (juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase, JHAMT). Application of JH III on the RNAi (Rheb and TOR) and rapamycin-treated females partially rescued the Vg expression. Conversely, knockdown of either jmtN or met (methoprene-tolerant, JH receptor) and application of JH III had no effects on mRNA levels of Rheb, TOR and S6K and phosphorylation of S6K. In summary, our results demonstrate that the TOR pathway induces JH biosynthesis that in turn regulates AAs-mediated Vg synthesis in N. lugens.
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132
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McKinney DA, Eum JH, Dhara A, Strand MR, Brown MR. Calcium influx enhances neuropeptide activation of ecdysteroid hormone production by mosquito ovaries. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 70:160-169. [PMID: 26772671 PMCID: PMC4767660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A critical step in mosquito reproduction is the ingestion of a blood meal from a vertebrate host. In mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti, blood feeding stimulates the release of ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (OEH) and insulin-like peptide 3 (ILP3). This induces the ovaries to produce ecdysteroid hormone (ECD), which then drives egg maturation. In many immature insects, prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) stimulates the prothoracic glands to produce ECD that directs molting and metamorphosis. The receptors for OEH, ILP3 and PTTH are different receptor tyrosine kinases with OEH and ILP3 signaling converging downstream in the insulin pathway and PTTH activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Calcium (Ca(2+)) flux and cAMP have also been implicated in PTTH signaling, but the role of Ca(2+) in OEH, ILP3, and cAMP signaling in ovaries is unknown. Here, we assessed whether Ca(2+) flux affects OEH, ILP3, and cAMP activity in A. aegypti ovaries and also asked whether PTTH stimulated ovaries to produce ECD. Results indicated that Ca(2+) flux enhanced but was not essential for OEH or ILP3 activity, whereas cAMP signaling was dependent on Ca(2+) flux. Recombinant PTTH from Bombyx mori fully activated ECD production by B. mori PTGs, but exhibited no activity toward A. aegypti ovaries. Recombinant PTTH from A. aegypti also failed to stimulate either B. mori PTGs or A. aegypti ovaries to produce ECD. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of mosquito reproduction and ECD biosynthesis by insects generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A McKinney
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jai-Hoon Eum
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Animesh Dhara
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael R Strand
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Mark R Brown
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Bil M, Huybrechts R. PHARMACOLOGICAL REGULATION OF DIGESTION IN THE ANAUTOGENOUS FLESH FLY, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, BY SIMPLE INJECTION OF 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 91:137-151. [PMID: 26728276 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Female anautogenous Sarcophaga flesh flies need a protein meal to start large-scale yolk polypeptides (YPs) production and oocyte maturation. Protein meal rapidly elicits a brain-dependent increase in midgut proteolytic activity. Trypsin and chymotrypsin together represent over 80% of protease activity in liver-fed flies. Abdominal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) dose-dependently prohibits this increase in proteolytic activity at translational level in a similar way as post liver feeding decapitation. Delayed injection of 6-OHDA later than 6 h post liver meal has no effect. In flesh flies, chemical decapitation by 6-OHDA, by interrupting the brain-gut dopaminergic signaling, can be used as tool for the controlled inhibition of midgut proteolytic activity and subsequent ovarial development. Inhibition of ovarial development is probably indirect due to a deficit in circulating amino acids needed for YPs synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Bil
- Research group of Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roger Huybrechts
- Research group of Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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134
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Proteomics reveals major components of oogenesis in the reproductive tract of sugar-fed Anopheles aquasalis. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1977-89. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4940-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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135
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Abstract
Immune defense and reproduction are physiologically and energetically demanding processes and have been observed to trade off in a diversity of female insects. Increased reproductive effort results in reduced immunity, and reciprocally, infection and activation of the immune system reduce reproductive output. This trade-off can manifest at the physiological level (within an individual) and at the evolutionary level (genetic distinction among individuals in a population). The resource allocation model posits that the trade-off arises because of competition for one or more limiting resources, and we hypothesize that pleiotropic signaling mechanisms regulate allocation of that resource between reproductive and immune processes. We examine the role of juvenile hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor-like signaling in regulating both oogenesis and immune system activity, and propose a signaling network that may mechanistically regulate the trade-off. Finally, we discuss implications of the trade-off in an ecological and evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin A Schwenke
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development
- Department of Entomology
| | - Brian P Lazzaro
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development
- Department of Entomology
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853; , ,
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136
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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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137
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Gulia-Nuss M, Elliot A, Brown MR, Strand MR. Multiple factors contribute to anautogenous reproduction by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 82:8-16. [PMID: 26255841 PMCID: PMC4630150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is an anautogenous mosquito that must blood feed on a vertebrate host to produce and lay a clutch of eggs. The rockpool mosquito, Georgecraigius atropalpus, is related to A. aegypti but is a facultatively autogenous species that produces its first clutch of eggs shortly after emerging without blood feeding. Consumption of a blood meal by A. aegypti triggers the release of ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (OEH) and insulin-like peptide 3 (ILP3) from the brain, which stimulate egg formation. OEH and ILP3 also stimulate egg formation in G. atropalpus but are released at eclosion independently of blood feeding. These results collectively suggest that blood meal dependent release of OEH and ILP3 is one factor that prevents A. aegypti from reproducing autogenously. Here, we examined two other factors that potentially inhibit autogeny in A. aegypti: teneral nutrient reserves and the ability of OEH and ILP3 to stimulate egg formation in the absence of blood feeding. Measures of nutrient reserves showed that newly emerged A. aegypti females had similar wet weights but significantly lower protein and glycogen reserves than G. atropalpus females when larvae were reared under identical conditions. OEH stimulated non-blood fed A. aegypti females to produce ecdysteroid hormone and package yolk into oocytes more strongly than ILP3. OEH also reduced host seeking and blood feeding behavior, yet females produced few mature eggs. Overall, our results indicate that multiple factors prevent A. aegypti from reproducing autogenously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Gulia-Nuss
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Anne Elliot
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Mark R Brown
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Michael R Strand
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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138
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Substrate specificity and transport mechanism of amino-acid transceptor Slimfast from Aedes aegypti. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8546. [PMID: 26449545 PMCID: PMC4608377 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Anautogenous mosquitoes depend on vertebrate blood as nutrient source for their eggs. A highly efficient set of membrane transporters mediates the massive movement of nutrient amino acids between mosquito tissues after a blood meal. Here we report the characterization of the amino-acid transporter Slimfast (Slif) from the yellow-fever mosquito Aedes aegypti using codon-optimized heterologous expression. Slif is a well-known component of the target-of-rapamycin signalling pathway and fat body nutrient sensor, but its substrate specificity and transport mechanism were unknown. We found that Slif transports essential cationic and neutral amino acids with preference for arginine. It has an unusual dual-affinity mechanism with only the high affinity being Na+ dependent. Tissue-specific expression and blood meal-dependent regulation of Slif are consistent with conveyance of essential amino acids from gut to fat body. Slif represents a novel transport system and type of transceptor for sensing and transporting essential amino acids during mosquito reproduction. Anautogenous mosquitoes need to obtain essential amino acids from a blood meal for reproduction. Here, the authors examine the amino acid transporter Slimfast from the yellow-fever mosquito and describe both its specificity and mechanism of action.
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139
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Roy S, Saha TT, Johnson L, Zhao B, Ha J, White KP, Girke T, Zou Z, Raikhel AS. Regulation of Gene Expression Patterns in Mosquito Reproduction. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005450. [PMID: 26274815 PMCID: PMC4537244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, development, growth and reproduction require coordinated expression of numerous functional and regulatory genes. Insects, in addition to being the most speciose animal group with enormous biological and economical significance, represent outstanding model organisms for studying regulation of synchronized gene expression due to their rapid development and reproduction. Disease-transmitting female mosquitoes have adapted uniquely for ingestion and utilization of the huge blood meal required for swift reproductive events to complete egg development within a 72-h period. We investigated the network of regulatory factors mediating sequential gene expression in the fat body, a multifunctional organ analogous to the vertebrate liver and adipose tissue, of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Transcriptomic and bioinformatics analyses revealed that ~7500 transcripts are differentially expressed in four sequential waves during the 72-h reproductive period. A combination of RNA-interference gene-silencing and in-vitro organ culture identified the major regulators for each of these waves. Amino acids (AAs) regulate the first wave of gene activation between 3 h and 12 h post-blood meal (PBM). During the second wave, between 12 h and 36 h, most genes are highly upregulated by a synergistic action of AAs, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the Ecdysone-Receptor (EcR). Between 36 h and 48 h, the third wave of gene activation—regulated mainly by HR3—occurs. Juvenile Hormone (JH) and its receptor Methoprene-Tolerant (Met) are major regulators for the final wave between 48 h and 72 h. Each of these key regulators also has repressive effects on one or more gene sets. Our study provides a better understanding of the complexity of the regulatory mechanisms related to temporal coordination of gene expression during reproduction. We have detected the novel function of 20E/EcR responsible for transcriptional repression. This study also reveals the previously unidentified large-scale effects of HR3 and JH/Met on transcriptional regulation during the termination of vitellogenesis and remodeling of the fat body. In addition to being vectors of devastating human diseases, mosquitoes represent outstanding model organisms for studying regulatory mechanisms of differential gene expression due to their rapid reproductive cycles. About 7500 transcripts are differentially expressed in four sequential waves during the 72-h reproductive period in the fat body, a critical reproductive organ. The major regulators for these waves of gene expression are the two very important insect hormones, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and Juvenile hormone (JH), their respective receptors Ecdysone Receptor (EcR) and Methoprene-Tolerant (Met), amino acids and the orphan nuclear receptor HR3. These key regulators are responsible for activation and repression of co-regulated gene sets, at different time points, within the 72-h reproductive period. Importantly, this study, apart from providing an insight into the regulatory complexity involved in the temporal coordination of gene expression, also reveals the previously unidentified roles of 20E/EcR, JH/Met and HR3 during the 72-h period post blood meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Roy
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Tusar T. Saha
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Lisa Johnson
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Jisu Ha
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of 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
| | - Kevin P. White
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Thomas Girke
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (ZZ); (ASR)
| | - Alexander S. Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (ZZ); (ASR)
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140
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Shaw WR, Attardo GM, Aksoy S, Catteruccia F. A comparative analysis of reproductive biology of insect vectors of human disease. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 10:142-148. [PMID: 26140265 PMCID: PMC4484812 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Studying the reproductive strategies of insect species that transmit diseases to humans can identify new exploitable targets for the development of vector control methods. Here we describe shared characteristics and individual features of the reproductive biology of three major disease vectors: Anopheles gambiae, Aedes aegypti and Glossina morsitans. Current studies are identifying i) species-specific molecular cascades that determine female monandrous behavior, ii) core aspects of egg development that could be disrupted for controlling natural populations, and iii) the increasingly apparent role of resident microbiota in shaping reproductive success and disease transmission potential. The recent completion of multiple genome sequencing projects is allowing comparative genomics studies that not only increase our knowledge of reproductive processes but also facilitate the identification of novel targets for vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Robert Shaw
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Huntington Avenue, Boston MA 02115, United States of America
| | - Geoffrey M Attardo
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven CT 06520 United States of America
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven CT 06520 United States of America
| | - Flaminia Catteruccia
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Huntington Avenue, Boston MA 02115, United States of America ; Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy
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141
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Hou Y, Wang XL, Saha TT, Roy S, Zhao B, Raikhel AS, Zou Z. Temporal Coordination of Carbohydrate Metabolism during Mosquito Reproduction. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005309. [PMID: 26158648 PMCID: PMC4497655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematophagous mosquitoes serve as vectors of multiple devastating human diseases, and many unique physiological features contribute to the incredible evolutionary success of these insects. These functions place high-energy demands on a reproducing female mosquito, and carbohydrate metabolism (CM) must be synchronized with these needs. Functional analysis of metabolic gene profiling showed that major CM pathways, including glycolysis, glycogen and sugar metabolism, and citrate cycle, are dramatically repressed at post eclosion (PE) stage in mosquito fat body followed by a sharply increase at post-blood meal (PBM) stage, which were also verified by Real-time RT-PCR. Consistent to the change of transcript and protein level of CM genes, the level of glycogen, glucose and trehalose and other secondary metabolites are also periodically accumulated and degraded during the reproductive cycle respectively. Levels of triacylglycerols (TAG), which represent another important energy storage form in the mosquito fat body, followed a similar tendency. On the other hand, ATP, which is generated by catabolism of these secondary metabolites, showed an opposite trend. Additionally, we used RNA interference studies for the juvenile hormone and ecdysone receptors, Met and EcR, coupled with transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses to show that these hormone receptors function as major regulatory switches coordinating CM with the differing energy requirements of the female mosquito throughout its reproductive cycle. Our study demonstrates how, by metabolic reprogramming, a multicellular organism adapts to drastic and rapid functional changes. Mosquitoes transmit numerous devastating human diseases due to their obligatory hematophagy that is required for the efficient reproduction. Metabolism must be synchronized with high energetic needs of a female mosquito for host seeking, blood feeding and rapid egg development. Each reproductive cycle is divided into two phases that are sequentially governed by juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone. During the pre-blood meal phase, the JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant (Met) controls carbohydrate metabolism (CM) pathways and its RNA interference (RNAi) silencing caused up-regulation of CM enzymes at the transcript and protein levels activating glycolytic flux and depletion of storage and circulating sugars. During the second, post blood meal phase, CM was regulated by the ecdysone receptor EcR and its RNAi silencing had a dramatic effect opposite to that of Met RNAi. Thus, we show that Met and EcR function as regulatory switches coordinating carbohydrate metabolism with energetic requirements of the female mosquito reproductive cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tusar T. Saha
- 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
| | - Bo Zhao
- 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
- * E-mail: (ASR); (ZZ)
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (ASR); (ZZ)
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142
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Felix RC, Trindade M, Pires IRP, Fonseca VG, Martins RS, Silveira H, Power DM, Cardoso JCR. Unravelling the Evolution of the Allatostatin-Type A, KISS and Galanin Peptide-Receptor Gene Families in Bilaterians: Insights from Anopheles Mosquitoes. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130347. [PMID: 26135459 PMCID: PMC4489612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Allatostatin type A receptors (AST-ARs) are a group of G-protein coupled receptors activated by members of the FGL-amide (AST-A) peptide family that inhibit food intake and development in arthropods. Despite their physiological importance the evolution of the AST-A system is poorly described and relatively few receptors have been isolated and functionally characterised in insects. The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the origin and comparative evolution of the AST-A system. To determine how evolution and feeding modified the function of AST-AR the duplicate receptors in Anopheles mosquitoes, were characterised. Phylogeny and gene synteny suggested that invertebrate AST-A receptors and peptide genes shared a common evolutionary origin with KISS/GAL receptors and ligands. AST-ARs and KISSR emerged from a common gene ancestor after the divergence of GALRs in the bilaterian genome. In arthropods, the AST-A system evolved through lineage-specific events and the maintenance of two receptors in the flies and mosquitoes (Diptera) was the result of a gene duplication event. Speciation of Anopheles mosquitoes affected receptor gene organisation and characterisation of AST-AR duplicates (GPRALS1 and 2) revealed that in common with other insects, the mosquito receptors were activated by insect AST-A peptides and the iCa2+-signalling pathway was stimulated. GPRALS1 and 2 were expressed mainly in mosquito midgut and ovaries and transcript abundance of both receptors was modified by feeding. A blood meal strongly up-regulated expression of both GPRALS in the midgut (p < 0.05) compared to glucose fed females. Based on the results we hypothesise that the AST-A system in insects shared a common origin with the vertebrate KISS system and may also share a common function as an integrator of metabolism and reproduction. Highlights: AST-A and KISS/GAL receptors and ligands shared common ancestry prior to the protostome-deuterostome divergence. Phylogeny and gene synteny revealed that AST-AR and KISSR emerged after GALR gene divergence. AST-AR genes were present in the hemichordates but were lost from the chordates. In protostomes, AST-ARs persisted and evolved through lineage-specific events and duplicated in the arthropod radiation. Diptera acquired and maintained functionally divergent duplicate AST-AR genes.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Anopheles/classification
- Anopheles/genetics
- Anopheles/metabolism
- Calcium Signaling
- Evolution, Molecular
- Fat Body/chemistry
- Fat Body/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Genome, Insect
- Glucose/metabolism
- Insect Proteins/chemistry
- Insect Proteins/genetics
- Insect Proteins/metabolism
- Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism
- Intestines/chemistry
- Mice
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Multigene Family
- Ovary/chemistry
- Ovary/metabolism
- Phylogeny
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/chemistry
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
- Receptors, Galanin/chemistry
- Receptors, Galanin/genetics
- Receptors, Galanin/metabolism
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/chemistry
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/genetics
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/metabolism
- Reproduction/genetics
- Sequence Alignment
- Synteny
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Affiliation(s)
- Rute C. Felix
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Marlene Trindade
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Isa R. P. Pires
- Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais, UEI Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349–008, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Vera G. Fonseca
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Rute S. Martins
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Henrique Silveira
- Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais, UEI Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349–008, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Deborah M. Power
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
| | - João C. R. Cardoso
- Comparative Endocrinology and Integrative Biology, Centre of Marine Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005–139, Faro, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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143
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Wang YH, Hu Y, Xing LS, Jiang H, Hu SN, Raikhel AS, Zou Z. A Critical Role for CLSP2 in the Modulation of Antifungal Immune Response in Mosquitoes. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004931. [PMID: 26057557 PMCID: PMC4461313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi represent a promising class of bio-insecticides for mosquito control. Thus, detailed knowledge of the molecular mechanisms governing anti-fungal immune response in mosquitoes is essential. In this study, we show that CLSP2 is a modulator of immune responses during anti-fungal infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. With a fungal infection, the expression of the CLSP2 gene is elevated. CLSP2 is cleaved upon challenge with Beauveria bassiana conidia, and the liberated CLSP2 CTL-type domain binds to fungal cell components and B. bassiana conidia. Furthermore, CLPS2 RNA interference silencing significantly increases the resistance to the fungal challenge. RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis showed that the majority of immune genes were highly upregulated in the CLSP2-depleted mosquitoes infected with the fungus. The up-regulated immune gene cohorts belong to melanization and Toll pathways, but not to the IMD or JAK-STAT. A thioester-containing protein (TEP22), a member of α2-macroglobulin family, has been implicated in the CLSP2-modulated mosquito antifungal defense. Our study has contributed to a greater understanding of immune-modulating mechanisms in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Hu
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Long-Sheng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Song-Nian Hu
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Alexander S. Raikhel
- Department of Entomology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (ASR); (ZZ)
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (ASR); (ZZ)
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144
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Zhai Y, Sun Z, Zhang J, Kang K, Chen J, Zhang W. Activation of the TOR Signalling Pathway by Glutamine Regulates Insect Fecundity. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10694. [PMID: 26024507 PMCID: PMC4448656 DOI: 10.1038/srep10694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The target of rapamycin (TOR) positively controls cell growth in response to nutrients such as amino acids. However, research on the specific nutrients sensed by TOR is limited. Glutamine (Gln), a particularly important amino acid involved in metabolism in organisms, is synthesised and catalysed exclusively by glutamine synthetase (GS), and our previous studies have shown that Gln may regulate fecundity in vivo levels of the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens. Until now, it has remained unclear whether Gln activates or inhibits the TOR signalling pathway. Here, we performed the combined analyses of iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification) and DGE (tag-based digital gene expression) data in N. lugens at the protein and transcript levels after GS RNAi, and we found that 52 pathways overlap, including the TOR pathway. We further experimentally demonstrate that Gln activates the TOR pathway by promoting the serine/threonine protein kinase AKT and inhibiting the 5'AMP-activated protein kinase AMPK phosphorylation activity in the pest. Furthermore, TOR regulates the fecundity of N. lugens probably by mediating vitellogenin (Vg) expression. This work is the first report that Gln activates the TOR pathway in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhai
- 1] State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China [2] Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Zhongxiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jianqing Zhang
- 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
| | - Jie Chen
- 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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145
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Ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone requires a receptor tyrosine kinase to activate egg formation in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:5057-62. [PMID: 25848040 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1501814112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are major disease vectors because most species must feed on blood from a vertebrate host to produce eggs. Blood feeding by the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti triggers the release of two neurohormones, ovary ecdysteroidogenic hormone (OEH) and insulin-like peptides (ILPs), which activate multiple processes required for egg formation. ILPs function by binding to the insulin receptor, which activates downstream components in the canonical insulin signaling pathway. OEH in contrast belongs to a neuropeptide family called neuroparsins, whose receptor is unknown. Here we demonstrate that a previously orphanized receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) from A. aegypti encoded by the gene AAEL001915 is an OEH receptor. Phylogenetic studies indicated that the protein encoded by this gene, designated AAEL001915, belongs to a clade of RTKs related to the insulin receptor, which are distinguished by an extracellular Venus flytrap module. Knockdown of AAEL001915 by RNAi disabled OEH-mediated egg formation in A. aegypti. AAEL001915 was primarily detected in the mosquito ovary in association with follicular epithelial cells. Both monomeric and dimeric AAEL001915 were detected in mosquito ovaries and transfected Drosophila S2 cells. Functional assays further indicated that OEH bound to dimeric AAEL001915, which resulted in downstream phosphorylation of Ak strain transforming factor (Akt). We hypothesize that orthologs of AAEL001915 in other insects are neuroparsin receptors.
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146
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Ariani CV, Smith SCL, Osei-Poku J, Short K, Juneja P, Jiggins FM. Environmental and genetic factors determine whether the mosquito Aedes aegypti lays eggs without a blood meal. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 92:715-21. [PMID: 25646251 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Some mosquito strains or species are able to lay eggs without taking a blood meal, a trait named autogeny. This may allow populations to persist through times or places where vertebrate hosts are scarce. Autogenous egg production is highly dependent on the environment in some species, but the ideal conditions for its expression in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are unknown. We found that 3.2% of females in a population of Ae. aegypti from Kenya were autogenous. Autogeny was strongly influenced by temperature, with many more eggs laid at 28°C compared with 22°C. Good nutrition in larval stages and feeding on higher concentrations of sugar solution during the adult stage both result in more autogenous eggs being produced. The trait also has a genetic basis, as not all Ae. aegypti genotypes can lay autogenously. We conclude that Ae. aegypti requires a favorable environment and a suitable genotype to be able to lay eggs without a blood meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina V Ariani
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sophia C L Smith
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jewelna Osei-Poku
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Short
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Punita Juneja
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francis M Jiggins
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Benoit JB, Attardo GM, Baumann AA, Michalkova V, Aksoy S. Adenotrophic viviparity in tsetse flies: potential for population control and as an insect model for lactation. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:351-71. [PMID: 25341093 PMCID: PMC4453834 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.), vectors of African trypanosomes, are distinguished by their specialized reproductive biology, defined by adenotrophic viviparity (maternal nourishment of progeny by glandular secretions followed by live birth). This trait has evolved infrequently among insects and requires unique reproductive mechanisms. A key event in Glossina reproduction involves the transition between periods of lactation and nonlactation (dry periods). Increased lipolysis, nutrient transfer to the milk gland, and milk-specific protein production characterize lactation, which terminates at the birth of the progeny and is followed by a period of involution. The dry stage coincides with embryogenesis of the progeny, during which lipid reserves accumulate in preparation for the next round of lactation. The obligate bacterial symbiont Wigglesworthia glossinidia is critical to tsetse reproduction and likely provides B vitamins required for metabolic processes underlying lactation and/or progeny development. Here we describe findings that utilized transcriptomics, physiological assays, and RNA interference-based functional analysis to understand different components of adenotrophic viviparity in tsetse flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, McMicken School of Arts and Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Geoffrey M. Attardo
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
| | - Aaron A. Baumann
- Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147
| | - Veronika Michalkova
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
- Section of Molecular and Applied Zoology, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava 845 06 SR, Slovakia
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
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Galay RL, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Mochizuki M, Fujisaki K, Tanaka T. Iron metabolism in hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae): the antidote to their toxic diet. Parasitol Int 2014; 64:182-9. [PMID: 25527065 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are notorious parasitic arthropods, known for their completely host-blood-dependent lifestyle. Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) feed on their hosts for several days and can ingest blood more than a hundred times their unfed weight. Their blood-feeding habit facilitates the transmission of various pathogens. It is remarkable how hard ticks cope with the toxic nature of their blood meal, which contains several molecules that can promote oxidative stress including iron. While it is required in several physiological processes, high amounts of iron can be dangerous because iron can also participate in the formation of free radicals that may cause cellular damage and death. Here we review the current knowledge on heme and inorganic iron metabolism in hard ticks and compare it with that in vertebrates and other arthropods. We briefly discuss the studies on heme transport, storage and detoxification, and the transport and storage of inorganic iron, with emphasis on the functions of tick ferritins. This review points out other aspects of tick iron metabolism that warrant further investigation, as compared to mammals and other arthropods. Further understanding of this physiological process may help in formulating new control strategies for tick infestation and the spread of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remil Linggatong Galay
- Department of Pathological and Preventive Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan; Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Masami Mochizuki
- Department of Pathological and Preventive Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan; Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Kozo Fujisaki
- National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Department of Pathological and Preventive Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan; Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan.
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149
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Maciel C, Fujita A, Gueroni DI, Ramos AD, Capurro ML, Sá-Nunes A. Evans blue as a simple method to discriminate mosquitoes' feeding choice on small laboratory animals. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110551. [PMID: 25333369 PMCID: PMC4204902 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Temperature, humidity, vision, and particularly odor, are external cues that play essential roles to mosquito blood feeding and oviposition. Entomological and behavioral studies employ well-established methods to evaluate mosquito attraction or repellency and to identify the source of the blood meal. Despite the efficacy of such methods, the costs involved in the production or acquisition of all parts, components and the chemical reagents involved are unaffordable for most researchers from poor countries. Thus, a simple and relatively low-cost method capable of evaluating mosquito preferences and the blood volume ingested is desirable. Principal Findings By using Evans blue (EB) vital dye and few standard laboratory supplies, we developed and validated a system capable of evaluating mosquito’s choice between two different host sources of blood. EB-injected and PBS-injected mice submitted to a number of situations were placed side by side on the top of a rounded recipient covered with tulle fabric and containing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Homogenates from engorged mosquitoes clearly revealed the blood source (EB- or PBS-injected host), either visually or spectrometrically. This method was able to estimate the number of engorded mosquitoes, the volume of blood ingested, the efficacy of a commercial repellent and the attractant effects of black color and human sweat. Significance Despite the obvious limitations due to its simplicity and to the dependence of a live source of blood, the present method can be used to assess a number of host variables (diet, aging, immunity, etc) and optimized for several aspects of mosquito blood feeding and vector-host interactions. Thus, it is proposed as an alternative to field studies, and it could be used for initial screenings of chemical compound candidates for repellents or attractants, since it replicates natural conditions of exposure to mosquitoes in a laboratory environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceres Maciel
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - André Fujita
- Departamento de Ciência da Computação, Instituto de Matemática e Estatística, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Daniele I. Gueroni
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Anderson D. Ramos
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Margareth L. Capurro
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Anderson Sá-Nunes
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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150
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Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis in Insects: What Is New, What Do We Know, and What Questions Remain? INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARLY RESEARCH NOTICES 2014; 2014:967361. [PMID: 27382622 PMCID: PMC4897325 DOI: 10.1155/2014/967361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of JH biosynthesis has significantly changed in the last years. In this review I would like to discuss the following topics: (1) the progresses in understanding the JH biosynthesis pathway. Access to genome sequences has facilitated the identification of all the genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes and the completion of comprehensive transcriptional studies, as well as the expression and characterization of recombinant enzymes. Now the existence of different flux directionalites, feed-back loops and pathway branching points in the JH biosynthesis pathways can be explored; (2) the new concepts in the modulation of JH synthesis by allatoregulators. The list of putative JH modulators is increasing. I will discuss their possible role during the different physiological states of the CA; (3) the new theoretical and physiological frameworks for JH synthesis analysis. I will discuss the bases of the flux model for JH biosynthesis. JH plays multiple roles in the control of ovary development in female mosquitoes; therefore, the CA presents different physiological states, where JH synthesis is altered by gating the flux at distinctive points in the pathway; (4) in the final section I will identify new challenges and future directions on JH synthesis research.
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