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Oke CE, Reece SE, Schneider P. Testing a non-destructive assay to track Plasmodium sporozoites in mosquitoes over time. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:401. [PMID: 37925480 PMCID: PMC10625196 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06015-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extrinsic incubation period (EIP), defined as the time it takes for malaria parasites in a mosquito to become infectious to a vertebrate host, is one of the most influential parameters for malaria transmission but remains poorly understood. The EIP is usually estimated by quantifying salivary gland sporozoites in subsets of mosquitoes, which requires terminal sampling. However, assays that allow repeated sampling of individual mosquitoes over time could provide better resolution of the EIP. METHODS We tested a non-destructive assay to quantify sporozoites of two rodent malaria species, Plasmodium chabaudi and Plasmodium berghei, expelled throughout 24-h windows, from sugar-soaked feeding substrates using quantitative-PCR. RESULTS The assay is able to quantify sporozoites from sugar-soaked feeding substrates, but the prevalence of parasite-positive substrates was low. Various methods were attempted to increase the detection of expelled parasites (e.g. running additional technical replicates; using groups rather than individual mosquitoes), but these did not increase the detection rate, suggesting that expulsion of sporozoites is variable and infrequent. CONCLUSIONS We reveal successful detection of expelled sporozoites from sugar-soaked feeding substrates. However, investigations of the biological causes underlying the low detection rate of sporozoites (e.g. mosquito feeding behaviour, frequency of sporozoite expulsion or sporozoite clumping) are needed to maximise the utility of using non-destructive assays to quantify sporozoite dynamics. Increasing detection rates will facilitate the detailed investigation on infection dynamics within mosquitoes, which is necessary to explain the highly variable EIP of Plasmodium and to improve understanding of malaria transmission dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Oke
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Sarah E Reece
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Petra Schneider
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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2
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Guissou E, Waite JL, Jones M, Bell AS, Suh E, Yameogo KB, Djègbè N, Da DF, Hien DFDS, Yerbanga RS, Ouedraogo AG, Dabiré KR, Cohuet A, Thomas MB, Lefèvre T. A non-destructive sugar-feeding assay for parasite detection and estimating the extrinsic incubation period of Plasmodium falciparum in individual mosquito vectors. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9344. [PMID: 33927245 PMCID: PMC8085177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88659-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite its epidemiological importance, the time Plasmodium parasites take to achieve development in the vector mosquito (the extrinsic incubation period, EIP) remains poorly characterized. A novel non-destructive assay designed to estimate EIP in single mosquitoes, and more broadly to study Plasmodium-Anopheles vectors interactions, is presented. The assay uses small pieces of cotton wool soaked in sugar solution to collect malaria sporozoites from individual mosquitoes during sugar feeding to monitor infection status over time. This technique has been tested across four natural malaria mosquito species of Africa and Asia, infected with Plasmodium falciparum (six field isolates from gametocyte-infected patients in Burkina Faso and the NF54 strain) and across a range of temperatures relevant to malaria transmission in field conditions. Monitoring individual infectious mosquitoes was feasible. The estimated median EIP of P. falciparum at 27 °C was 11 to 14 days depending on mosquito species and parasite isolate. Long-term individual tracking revealed that sporozoites transfer onto cotton wool can occur at least until day 40 post-infection. Short individual EIP were associated with short mosquito lifespan. Correlations between mosquito/parasite traits often reveal trade-offs and constraints and have important implications for understanding the evolution of parasite transmission strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwige Guissou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. .,MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France. .,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. .,Université Nazi Boni, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
| | - Jessica L Waite
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,Green Mountain Antibodies, Inc. 1 Mill St. Suites 1-7, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Matthew Jones
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Andrew S Bell
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Eunho Suh
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | | | - Nicaise Djègbè
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Dari F Da
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Domonbabele F D S Hien
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Rakiswende S Yerbanga
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Kounbobr Roch Dabiré
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Anna Cohuet
- MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Matthew B Thomas
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,York Environmental Sustainability Institute and Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Thierry Lefèvre
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.,MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Laboratoire mixte international sur les vecteurs (LAMIVECT), Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.,Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France
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3
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Stopard IJ, Churcher TS, Lambert B. Estimating the extrinsic incubation period of malaria using a mechanistic model of sporogony. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008658. [PMID: 33591963 PMCID: PMC7909686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During sporogony, malaria-causing parasites infect a mosquito, reproduce and migrate to the mosquito salivary glands where they can be transmitted the next time blood feeding occurs. The time required for sporogony, known as the extrinsic incubation period (EIP), is an important determinant of malaria transmission intensity. The EIP is typically estimated as the time for a given percentile, x, of infected mosquitoes to develop salivary gland sporozoites (the infectious parasite life stage), which is denoted by EIPx. Many mechanisms, however, affect the observed sporozoite prevalence including the human-to-mosquito transmission probability and possibly differences in mosquito mortality according to infection status. To account for these various mechanisms, we present a mechanistic mathematical model, which explicitly models key processes at the parasite, mosquito and observational scales. Fitting this model to experimental data, we find greater variation in the EIP than previously thought: we estimated the range between EIP10 and EIP90 (at 27°C) as 4.5 days compared to 0.9 days using existing statistical methods. This pattern holds over the range of study temperatures included in the dataset. Increasing temperature from 21°C to 34°C decreased the EIP50 from 16.1 to 8.8 days. Our work highlights the importance of mechanistic modelling of sporogony to (1) improve estimates of malaria transmission under different environmental conditions or disease control programs and (2) evaluate novel interventions that target the mosquito life stages of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac J. Stopard
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas S. Churcher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Lambert
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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4
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Brugman VA, Kristan M, Gibbins MP, Angrisano F, Sala KA, Dessens JT, Blagborough AM, Walker T. Detection of malaria sporozoites expelled during mosquito sugar feeding. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7545. [PMID: 29765136 PMCID: PMC5954146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26010-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a severe disease of global importance transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. The ability to rapidly detect the presence of infectious mosquitoes able to transmit malaria is of vital importance for surveillance, control and elimination efforts. Current methods principally rely on large-scale mosquito collections followed by labour-intensive salivary gland dissections or enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) methods to detect sporozoites. Using forced salivation, we demonstrate here that Anopheles mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium expel sporozoites during sugar feeding. Expelled sporozoites can be detected on two sugar-soaked substrates, cotton wool and Whatman FTA cards, and sporozoite DNA is detectable using real-time PCR. These results demonstrate a simple and rapid methodology for detecting the presence of infectious mosquitoes with sporozoites and highlight potential laboratory applications for investigating mosquito-malaria interactions. Our results indicate that FTA cards could be used as a simple, effective and economical tool in enhancing field surveillance activities for malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- V A Brugman
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
- Evolution Biotechnologies, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LZ, UK.
| | - M Kristan
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - M P Gibbins
- Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - F Angrisano
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - K A Sala
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - J T Dessens
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - A M Blagborough
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - T Walker
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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5
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Spitzen J, Takken W. Keeping track of mosquitoes: a review of tools to track, record and analyse mosquito flight. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:123. [PMID: 29499744 PMCID: PMC5834890 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2735-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The health impact of mosquito-borne diseases causes a huge burden on human societies. Recent vector control campaigns have resulted in promising declines in incidence and prevalence of these diseases, notably malaria, but resistance to insecticides and drugs are on the rise, threatening to overturn these gains. Moreover, several vector-borne diseases have re-emerged, requiring prompt and effective response measures. To improve and properly implement vector control interventions, the behaviour of the vectors must be well understood with detailed examination of mosquito flight being an essential component. Current knowledge on mosquito behaviour across its life history is briefly presented, followed by an overview of recent developments in automated tracking techniques for detailed interpretation of mosquito behaviour. These techniques allow highly accurate recording and observation of mating, feeding and oviposition behaviour. Software programmes built with specific algorithms enable quantification of these behaviours. For example, the crucial role of heat on host landing and the multimodal integration of carbon dioxide (CO2) with other host cues, has been unravelled based on three-dimensional tracking of mosquito flight behaviour. Furthermore, the behavioural processes underlying house entry and subsequent host searching and finding can be better understood by analysis of detailed flight recordings. Further potential of these technologies to solve knowledge gaps is discussed. The use of tracking techniques can support or replace existing monitoring tools and provide insights on mosquito behaviour that can lead to innovative and more effective vector-control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Spitzen
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
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6
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Takken W, Smallegange RC, Vigneau AJ, Johnston V, Brown M, Mordue-Luntz AJ, Billingsley PF. Larval nutrition differentially affects adult fitness and Plasmodium development in the malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles stephensi. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:345. [PMID: 24326030 PMCID: PMC4029273 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mosquito fitness is determined largely by body size and nutritional reserves. Plasmodium infections in the mosquito and resultant transmission of malaria parasites might be compromised by the vector’s nutritional status. We studied the effects of nutritional stress and malaria parasite infections on transmission fitness of Anopheles mosquitoes. Methods Larvae of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and An. stephensi were reared at constant density but with nutritionally low and high diets. Fitness of adult mosquitoes resulting from each dietary class was assessed by measuring body size and lipid, protein and glycogen content. The size of the first blood meal was estimated by protein analysis. Mosquitoes of each dietary class were fed upon a Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis-infected mouse, and parasite infections were determined 5 d after the infectious blood meal by dissection of the midguts and by counting oocysts. The impact of Plasmodium infections on gonotrophic development was established by dissection. Results Mosquitoes raised under low and high diets emerged as adults of different size classes comparable between An. gambiae and An. stephensi. In both species low-diet females contained less protein, lipid and glycogen upon emergence than high-diet mosquitoes. The quantity of larval diet impacted strongly upon adult blood feeding and reproductive success. The prevalence and intensity of P. yoelii nigeriensis infections were reduced in low-diet mosquitoes of both species, but P. yoelii nigeriensis impacted negatively only on low-diet, small-sized An. gambiae considering survival and egg maturation. There was no measurable fitness effect of P. yoelii nigeriensis on An. stephensi. Conclusions Under the experimental conditions, small-sized An. gambiae expressed high mortality, possibly caused by Plasmodium infections, the species showing distinct physiological concessions when nutrionally challenged in contrast to well-fed, larger siblings. Conversely, An. stephensi was a robust, successful vector regardless of its nutrional status upon emergence. The data suggest that small-sized An. gambiae, therefore, would contribute little to malaria transmission, whereas this size effect would not affect An. stephensi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8031, 6700, EH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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7
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Matsuoka H, Sano GI, Hattori R, Tomita H, Yamamoto DS, Hirai M. One Injection of DsRed Followed by Bites from Transgenic Mosquitoes Producing DsRed in the Saliva Elicits a High Titer of Antibody in Mice. Trop Med Health 2012; 40:47-52. [PMID: 23097619 PMCID: PMC3473083 DOI: 10.2149/tmh.2011-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that transgenic mosquitoes can be used as a “flying syringe” for infectious disease control. We succeeded in generating a transgenic (TG) mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, excreting and discharging DsRed in saliva. DsRed was deposited on the membrane where the TG mosquito probed with its proboscis. Repeated feeding by the TG mosquitoes induced anti-DeRed as well as anti-SG antibodies in mice. This indicates that the TG mosquitoes can immunize the animal. Moreover, in this report, we employed a pre-immunization method before exposing mice to the TG mosquitoes. We injected DsRed to mice to prepare memory B cells and exposed the mice to bites by the TG mosquitoes excreting DsRed. The mice produced a higher titer of antibody to DsRed, suggesting that the bites from TG mosquitoes act as a booster and that primary immunization with a vaccine protein and exposure to TG mosquitoes excreting the vaccine protein in the saliva produces a synergistic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Matsuoka
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
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8
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Ramakrishnan C, Rademacher A, Soichot J, Costa G, Waters AP, Janse CJ, Ramesar J, Franke-Fayard BM, Levashina EA. Salivary gland-specific P. berghei reporter lines enable rapid evaluation of tissue-specific sporozoite loads in mosquitoes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36376. [PMID: 22574152 PMCID: PMC3344870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening human infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Levels of the salivary gland sporozoites (sgs), the only mosquito stage infectious to a mammalian host, represent an important cumulative index of Plasmodium development within a mosquito. However, current techniques of sgs quantification are laborious and imprecise. Here, transgenic P. berghei reporter lines that produce the green fluorescent protein fused to luciferase (GFP-LUC) specifically in sgs were generated, verified and characterised. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the sgs stage specificity of expression of the reporter gene. The luciferase activity of the reporter lines was then exploited to establish a simple and fast biochemical assay to evaluate sgs loads in whole mosquitoes. Using this assay we successfully identified differences in sgs loads in mosquitoes silenced for genes that display opposing effects on P. berghei ookinete/oocyst development. It offers a new powerful tool to study infectivity of P. berghei to the mosquito, including analysis of vector-parasite interactions and evaluation of transmission-blocking vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Ramakrishnan
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Annika Rademacher
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Julien Soichot
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Giulia Costa
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Andrew P. Waters
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Biomedical Life Sciences, and Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Chris J. Janse
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Blandine M. Franke-Fayard
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elena A. Levashina
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- * E-mail:
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9
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King JG, Vernick KD, Hillyer JF. Members of the salivary gland surface protein (SGS) family are major immunogenic components of mosquito saliva. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:40824-34. [PMID: 21965675 PMCID: PMC3220476 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.280552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Revised: 09/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit Plasmodium and certain arboviruses during blood feeding, when they are injected along with saliva. Mosquito saliva interferes with the host's hemostasis and inflammation response and influences the transmission success of some pathogens. One family of mosquito salivary gland proteins, named SGS, is composed of large bacterial-type proteins that in Aedes aegypti were implicated as receptors for Plasmodium on the basal salivary gland surface. Here, we characterize the biology of two SGSs in the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, and demonstrate their involvement in blood feeding. Western blots and RT-PCR showed that Sgs4 and Sgs5 are produced exclusively in female salivary glands, that expression increases with age and after blood feeding, and that protein levels fluctuate in a circadian manner. Immunohistochemistry showed that SGSs are present in the acinar cells of the distal lateral lobes and in the salivary ducts of the proximal lobes. SDS-PAGE, Western blots, bite blots, and immunization via mosquito bites showed that SGSs are highly immunogenic and form major components of mosquito saliva. Last, Western and bioinformatic analyses suggest that SGSs are secreted via a non-classical pathway that involves cleavage into a 300-kDa soluble fragment and a smaller membrane-bound fragment. Combined, these data strongly suggest that SGSs play an important role in blood feeding. Together with their role in malaria transmission, we propose that SGSs could be used as markers of human exposure to mosquito bites and in the development of disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas G. King
- From the Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235 and
| | - Kenneth D. Vernick
- the Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | - Julián F. Hillyer
- From the Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235 and
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10
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Lombardo F, Ronca R, Rizzo C, Mestres-Simòn M, Lanfrancotti A, Currà C, Fiorentino G, Bourgouin C, Ribeiro JM, Petrarca V, Ponzi M, Coluzzi M, Arcà B. The Anopheles gambiae salivary protein gSG6: an anopheline-specific protein with a blood-feeding role. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2009; 39:457-66. [PMID: 19442731 PMCID: PMC3740408 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2009] [Revised: 04/23/2009] [Accepted: 04/27/2009] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The Anopheles gambiae salivary gland protein 6 (gSG6) is a small protein specifically found in the salivary glands of adult female mosquitoes. We report here the expression of a recombinant form of the protein and we show that in vivo gSG6 is expressed in distal-lateral lobes and is secreted with the saliva while the female mosquito probes for feeding. Injection of gSG6 dsRNA into adult A. gambiae females results in decreased gSG6 protein levels, increased probing time and reduced blood feeding ability. gSG6 orthologs have been found so far only in the salivary glands of Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles funestus, both members of the Cellia subgenus. We report here the gSG6 sequence from five additional anophelines, four species of the A. gambiae complex and Anopheles freeborni, a member of the subgenus Anopheles. We conclude that gSG6 plays some essential blood feeding role and was recruited in the anopheline subfamily most probably after the separation of the lineage which gave origin to Cellia and Anopheles subgenera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Lombardo
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ronca
- Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università “Federico II” - Via Cinthia, 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Cinzia Rizzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Montserrat Mestres-Simòn
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandra Lanfrancotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Chiara Currà
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate Istituto superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Gabriella Fiorentino
- Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università “Federico II” - Via Cinthia, 80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Catherine Bourgouin
- Institut Pasteur, Centre de Production et d’Infection des Anophèles, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Josè M.C. Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Twinbrook III, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Vincenzo Petrarca
- Dipartimento di Genetica e Biologia Moleculare, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Marta Ponzi
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate Istituto superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Mario Coluzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Bruno Arcà
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università “La Sapienza” - Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università “Federico II” - Via Cinthia, 80126 Napoli, Italy
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Cázares-Raga FE, González-Lázaro M, Montero-Solís C, González-Cerón L, Zamudio F, Martínez-Barnetche J, Torres-Monzón JA, Ovilla-Muñoz M, Aguilar-Fuentes J, Rodríguez MH, de la Cruz Hernández-Hernández F. GP35 ANOAL, an abundant acidic glycoprotein of female Anopheles albimanus saliva. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2007; 16:187-98. [PMID: 17298558 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2006.00712.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Salivary glands of female mosquitoes produce proteins, not completely described yet, that participate in carbohydrate and blood feeding. Here, we report an acidic glycoprotein of 35 kDa (GP35 ANOAL) secreted in the saliva of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles albimanus. GP35 ANOAL is produced exclusively in the distal lateral lobes of adult female salivary glands, it has a pI of 4.45 and is negatively stained by regular silver stain. An 888 bp cDNA clone encoding a predicted product of 240 amino acids has a signal peptide, potential post-translational modification sites, and a disintegrin signature RGD. The GP35 ANOAL sequence depicts high similarities with the 30 kDa saliva allergen of Aedes aegypti, 30 kDa allergen-like hypothetical proteins, and GE-rich proteins present in several Anopheles species, as well as in Ae. albopictus and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. The function of this protein family is still unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- F E Cázares-Raga
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
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Montero-Solis C, Gonzalez-Ceron L, Rodriguez MH, Cirerol BE, Zamudio F, Possanni LD, James AA, de la Cruz Hernandez-Hernandez F. Identification and characterization of gp65, a salivary-gland-specific molecule expressed in the malaria vector Anopheles albimanus. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2004; 13:155-164. [PMID: 15056363 DOI: 10.1111/j.0962-1075.2004.00473.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
A group of salivary-gland-specific proteins, designated gp65, were identified in the mosquito Anopheles albimanus. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resolved this group into at least four molecules with pI 6.4-6.5. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined for the major species, gp65-1, and degenerate oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify a specific probe for library screening. A 1312 bp cDNA clone encoding a predicted translation product of 386 amino acids was recovered. gp65-1 is expressed abundantly in the medial and distal-lateral lobes of the adult female glands, and is secreted in the saliva. The amino acid sequence has potential sites for N-glycosylation, phosphorylation and myristylation, and is similar to a number of proteins of unknown function from other mosquito species.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Montero-Solis
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, México D.F., México
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Habluetzel A, Merzagora L, Jenni L, Betschart B, Rotigliano G, Esposito F. Detecting malaria sporozoites in live, field-collected mosquitoes. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1992; 86:138-40. [PMID: 1440771 DOI: 10.1016/0035-9203(92)90542-k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A method is described for identifying malaria-infected mosquitoes, without killing them or hampering their fitness. Individual mosquitoes were induced to salivate on coverslips, and sporozoites, deposited on the glass surface, were visualized by Giemsa staining. Of 21 mosquitoes found to contain sporozoites by salivary gland dissection, 13 had delivered sporozoites on coverslips. A positive correlation was found between the amount of saliva expelled and ejection of sporozoites, indicating that the sensitivity of the method may be increased by improving the probing behaviour of the mosquitoes. The procedure described may be suitable for selecting infected mosquitoes which are able to eject sporozoites during probing. Being applicable to wild Anopheles and to large numbers of mosquitoes, the method lends itself for use in field studies on malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Habluetzel
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Italy
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