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Harrell RA. Mosquito Embryo Microinjection under Halocarbon Oil or in Aqueous Solution. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2024; 2024:pdb.prot108203. [PMID: 37788868 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot108203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The process of genetically modifying mosquitoes requires skilled delivery of reagents for modification. Plasmids, RNA, DNA, and/or protein must be transported into the developing embryo during an appropriate time in development when these agents will have access to the genome. Embryo microinjection has been the main method by which such modifying agents have been delivered. Ideally the microinjection process will deliver these modifying agents in sufficient quantity to effect the genetic modification without severely damaging or killing the injected embryo in the process. As semiaquatic insects, mosquitoes have embryos that are susceptible to desiccation and the degree to which embryos are susceptible is based on species. Two microinjection methods are outlined here. The first method describes embryo microinjections performed under Halocarbon-27 oil. The oil is used to reduce desiccation during the injection process. A second method limits desiccation by injecting the mosquito embryos in water. In both procedures, the embryos are first aligned and then injected before the embryos cellularize, ∼1 h and 45 min after oviposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Harrell
- The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland Insect Transformation Facility, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA
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2
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Tang Y, Jiang L, Huang Y, Chen Z, Merkler DJ, Zhang L, Han Q. Role of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase 7 in reproduction and limb pigmentation of Aedes aegypti. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38818901 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (aaNAT) is a crucial enzyme that catalyses the transfer of acetyl groups from acetyl coenzyme A to arylalkylamines and arylamines. Evolutionary studies have identified a distinct class of aaNATs specific to mosquitoes, yet their functions remain elusive. This study focuses on Ae-aaNAT7, a mosquito-unique gene in Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae), to explore its functionality. Temporal and spatial expression analysis of Ae-aaNAT7 mRNA revealed high expression during embryonic development and in first-instar larvae, with notable expression in the limbs of adult mosquitoes based on tissue expression profiling. By further employing CRISPR/Cas9 technology for loss-of-function studies, our investigation revealed a reduction in the area of white spotting in the limbs of Ae-aaNAT7 mutant adult mosquitoes. Further investigation revealed a significant decrease in the fecundity and hatchability of the mutants. Dissection of the ovaries from Ae-aaNAT7 heterozygous mutants showed a noticeable reduction in the oocyte area compared with wild type. Dissection of the exochorion of the eggs from Ae-aaNAT7 homozygous mutants consistently revealed a striking absence of mature embryos. In addition, RNA interference experiments targeting Ae-aaNAT7 in males resulted in a reduction in fecundity, but no effect on hatchability was observed. These collective insights underscore the substantial impact of Ae-aaNAT7 on reproduction and its pivotal contribution to adult limb pigmentation in Ae. aegypti. These revelations offer insights pivotal for the strategic design of future insecticide targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tang
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Linlong Jiang
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Yuqi Huang
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Zhaohui Chen
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - David J Merkler
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Qian Han
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
- Hainan One Health Key Laboratory, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
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3
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Chae K, Contreras B, Romanowski JS, Dawson C, Myles KM, Adelman ZN. Transgene removal using an in cis programmed homing endonuclease via single-strand annealing in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2024; 7:660. [PMID: 38811748 PMCID: PMC11137009 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06348-6] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
While gene drive strategies have been proposed to aid in the control of mosquito-borne diseases, additional genome engineering technologies may be required to establish a defined end-of-product-life timeline. We previously demonstrated that single-strand annealing (SSA) was sufficient to program the scarless elimination of a transgene while restoring a disrupted gene in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Here, we extend these findings by establishing that complete transgene removal (four gene cassettes comprising ~8-kb) can be programmed in cis. Reducing the length of the direct repeat from 700-bp to 200-bp reduces, but does not eliminate, SSA activity. In contrast, increasing direct repeat length to 1.5-kb does not increase SSA rates, suggesting diminishing returns above a certain threshold size. Finally, we show that while the homing endonuclease Y2-I-AniI triggered both SSA and NHEJ at significantly higher rates than I-SceI at one genomic locus (P5-EGFP), repair events are heavily skewed towards NHEJ at another locus (kmo), suggesting the nuclease used and the genomic region targeted have a substantial influence on repair outcomes. Taken together, this work establishes the feasibility of engineering temporary transgenes in disease vector mosquitoes, while providing critical details concerning important operational parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keun Chae
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Bryan Contreras
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Joseph S Romanowski
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chanell Dawson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kevin M Myles
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Zach N Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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4
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Cao J, Wu K, Wei X, Li J, Liu C, Cheng T. A Simple and Low-Cost CRISPR/Cas9 Knockout System Widely Applicable to Insects. INSECTS 2024; 15:339. [PMID: 38786895 PMCID: PMC11122616 DOI: 10.3390/insects15050339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system is a standard technique in functional genomics, with widespread applications. However, the establishment of a CRISPR/Cas9 system is challenging. Previous studies have presented numerous methodologies for establishing a CRISPR/Cas9 system, yet detailed descriptions are limited. Additionally, the difficulties in obtaining the necessary plasmids have hindered the replication of CRISPR/Cas9 techniques in other laboratories. In this study, we share a detailed and simple CRISPR/Cas9 knockout system with optimized steps. The results of gene knockout experiments in vitro and in vivo show that this system successfully knocked out the target gene. By sharing detailed information on plasmid sequences, reagent codes, and methods, this study can assist researchers in establishing gene knockout systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tingcai Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; (J.C.); (K.W.); (X.W.); (J.L.); (C.L.)
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5
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Amaro IA, Wohl MP, Pitcher S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Paige AS, Helinski MEH, Duvall LB, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, McMeniman CJ. Sex peptide receptor is not required for refractoriness to remating or induction of egg laying in Aedes aegypti. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae034. [PMID: 38551457 PMCID: PMC11075561 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae034] [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: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Across diverse insect taxa, the behavior and physiology of females dramatically changes after mating-processes largely triggered by the transfer of seminal proteins from their mates. In the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the seminal protein sex peptide (SP) decreases the likelihood of female flies remating and causes additional behavioral and physiological changes that promote fertility including increasing egg production. Although SP is only found in the Drosophila genus, its receptor, sex peptide receptor (SPR), is the widely conserved myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) receptor. To test the functional role of SPR in mediating postmating responses in a non-Drosophila dipteran, we generated 2 independent Spr-knockout alleles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Although SPR is needed for postmating responses in Drosophila and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, Spr mutant Ae. aegypti show completely normal postmating decreases in remating propensity and increases in egg laying. In addition, injection of synthetic SP or accessory gland homogenate from D. melanogaster into virgin female mosquitoes did not elicit these postmating responses. Our results demonstrate that Spr is not required for these canonical postmating responses in Ae. aegypti, indicating that other, as yet unknown, signaling pathways are likely responsible for these behavioral switches in this disease vector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margot P Wohl
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Frank W Avila
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew S Paige
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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6
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Baker CA, Guan XJ, Choi M, Murthy M. The role of fruitless in specifying courtship behaviors across divergent Drosophila species. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1273. [PMID: 38478605 PMCID: PMC10936877 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Sex-specific behaviors are critical for reproduction and species survival. The sex-specifically spliced transcription factor fruitless (fru) helps establish male courtship behaviors in invertebrates. Forcing male-specific fru (fruM) splicing in Drosophila melanogaster females produces male-typical behaviors while disrupting female-specific behaviors. However, whether fru's joint role in specifying male and inhibiting female behaviors is conserved across species is unknown. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to force FruM expression in female Drosophila virilis, a species in which males and females produce sex-specific songs. In contrast to D. melanogaster, in which one fruM allele is sufficient to generate male behaviors in females, two alleles are needed in D. virilis females. D. virilis females expressing FruM maintain the ability to sing female-typical song as well as lay eggs, whereas D. melanogaster FruM females cannot lay eggs. These results reveal potential differences in fru function between divergent species and underscore the importance of studying diverse behaviors and species for understanding the genetic basis of sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiao-Juan Guan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Doherty JF, Ames T, Brewster LI, Chiang J, Cyr E, Kelsey CR, Lee JP, Liu B, Lo IHY, Nirwal GK, Mohammed YG, Phelan O, Seyfourian P, Shannon DM, Tochor NK, Matthews BJ. An update and review of arthropod vector sensory systems: Potential targets for behavioural manipulation by parasites and other disease agents. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2024; 124:57-89. [PMID: 38754927 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2024.02.003] [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: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
For over a century, vector ecology has been a mainstay of vector-borne disease control. Much of this research has focused on the sensory ecology of blood-feeding arthropods (black flies, mosquitoes, ticks, etc.) with terrestrial vertebrate hosts. Of particular interest are the cues and sensory systems that drive host seeking and host feeding behaviours as they are critical for a vector to locate and feed from a host. An important yet overlooked component of arthropod vector ecology are the phenotypic changes observed in infected vectors that increase disease transmission. While our fundamental understanding of sensory mechanisms in disease vectors has drastically increased due to recent advances in genome engineering, for example, the advent of CRISPR-Cas9, and high-throughput "big data" approaches (genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, etc.), we still do not know if and how parasites manipulate vector behaviour. Here, we review the latest research on arthropod vector sensory systems and propose key mechanisms that disease agents may alter to increase transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tahnee Ames
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Jonathan Chiang
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elsa Cyr
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cameron R Kelsey
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeehan Phillip Lee
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bingzong Liu
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ivan Hok Yin Lo
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gurleen K Nirwal
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Orna Phelan
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Parsa Seyfourian
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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8
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Sollazzo G, Nikolouli K, Gouvi G, Aumann RA, Schetelig MF, Bourtzis K. Deep orange gene editing triggers temperature-sensitive lethal phenotypes in Ceratitis capitata. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:7. [PMID: 38302991 PMCID: PMC10835909 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00832-x] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a significant agricultural pest managed through area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) including a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Male-only releases increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT programs, which can be achieved through the development of genetic sexing strains (GSS). The most successful GSS developed to date is the C. capitata VIENNA 8 GSS, constructed using classical genetic approaches and an irradiation-induced translocation with two selectable markers: the white pupae (wp) and temperature-sensitive lethal (tsl) genes. However, currently used methods for selecting suitable markers and inducing translocations are stochastic and non-specific, resulting in a laborious and time-consuming process. Recent efforts have focused on identifying the gene(s) and the causal mutation(s) for suitable phenotypes, such as wp and tsl, which could be used as selectable markers for developing a generic approach for constructing GSS. The wp gene was recently identified, and efforts have been initiated to identify the tsl gene. This study investigates Ceratitis capitata deep orange (Ccdor) as a tsl candidate gene and its potential to induce tsl phenotypes. RESULTS An integrated approach based on cytogenetics, genomics, bioinformatics, and gene editing was used to characterize the Ccdor. Its location was confirmed on the right arm of chromosome 5 in the putative tsl genomic region. Knock-out of Ccdor using CRISPR/Cas9-NHEJ and targeting the fourth exon resulted in lethality at mid- and late-pupal stage, while the successful application of CRISPR HDR introducing a point mutation on the sixth exon resulted in the establishment of the desired strain and two additional strains (dor 12del and dor 51dup), all of them expressing tsl phenotypes and presenting no (or minimal) fitness cost when reared at 25 °C. One of the strains exhibited complete lethality when embryos were exposed at 36 °C. CONCLUSIONS Gene editing of the deep orange gene in Ceratitis capitata resulted in the establishment of temperature-sensitive lethal mutant strains. The induced mutations did not significantly affect the rearing efficiency of the strains. As deep orange is a highly conserved gene, these data suggest that it can be considered a target for the development of tsl mutations which could potentially be used to develop novel genetic sexing strains in insect pests and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Sollazzo
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
| | - Georgia Gouvi
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria
- Laboratory of Systems Microbiology and Applied Genomics, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 2 G. Seferi St., Agrinio, 30100, Greece
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Roswitha A Aumann
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Winchesterstr. 2, Gießen, 35394, Germany.
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Friedensstrasse 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Austria.
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9
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Yang XL, Ling X, Sun Q, Qiu PP, Xiang K, Hong JF, He SL, Chen J, Ding X, Hu H, He ZB, Zhou C, Chen B, Qiao L. High-efficiency gene editing in Anopheles sinensis using ReMOT control. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:307-312. [PMID: 38079250 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lin Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xia Ling
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Quan Sun
- Xunjian Life Science & Technology Co. Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Pin-Pin Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kai Xiang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun-Feng Hong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shu-Lin He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zheng-Bo He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cao Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liang Qiao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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10
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Anderson MAE, Gonzalez E, Edgington MP, Ang JXD, Purusothaman DK, Shackleford L, Nevard K, Verkuijl SAN, Harvey-Samuel T, Leftwich PT, Esvelt K, Alphey L. A multiplexed, confinable CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive can propagate in caged Aedes aegypti populations. Nat Commun 2024; 15:729. [PMID: 38272895 PMCID: PMC10810878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44956-2] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the main vector of several major pathogens including dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses. Classical mosquito control strategies utilizing insecticides are threatened by rising resistance. This has stimulated interest in new genetic systems such as gene drivesHere, we test the regulatory sequences from the Ae. aegypti benign gonial cell neoplasm (bgcn) homolog to express Cas9 and a separate multiplexing sgRNA-expressing cassette inserted into the Ae. aegypti kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo) gene. When combined, these two elements provide highly effective germline cutting at the kmo locus and act as a gene drive. Our target genetic element drives through a cage trial population such that carrier frequency of the element increases from 50% to up to 89% of the population despite significant fitness costs to kmo insertions. Deep sequencing suggests that the multiplexing design could mitigate resistance allele formation in our gene drive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A E Anderson
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Estela Gonzalez
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Matthew P Edgington
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Joshua X D Ang
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Deepak-Kumar Purusothaman
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Henry Wellcome Building, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Lewis Shackleford
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Katherine Nevard
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
| | - Sebald A N Verkuijl
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | | | - Philip T Leftwich
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kevin Esvelt
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK.
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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11
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Xie X, Wang D, Li B, Liang G, Chen X, Xing D, Zhao T, Zhou X, Li C. Aedes aegypti Beta-1,3-Glucan-Binding Protein Inhibits Dengue and ZIKA Virus Replication. Biomedicines 2024; 12:88. [PMID: 38255195 PMCID: PMC10812959 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
GNBPB6, a beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein, was identified in the transcriptome of Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti) with dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), and chikungunya viruses (CHIKV). In this study, we not only clarified that DENV2 and ZIKV regulate the changes in GNBPB6 expression but also identified the relationship of this gene with viral infections. The changes in GNBPB6 expression were quantified and showed a decrease in A. aegypti cells (Aag2 cells) at 2 dpi and 3 dpi and an increase at 4 dpi and 5 dpi (p < 0.05). A significant increase was observed only at 5 dpi after DENV2 infection. Subsequently, a GNBPB6 knockout (KO) cell line was constructed using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and the DENV2 and ZIKV RNA copies, along with cell densities, were quantified and compared between the KO and wild type (WT) cells at different dpi. The result showed that DENV2 and ZIKV RNA copies were significantly increased in the KO cell line with no significant change in cell growth. Finally, DENV2 copies decreased after GNBPB6 was complemented in the KO. In conclusion, GNBPB6 knockout and complementation in Aag2 cells revealed that GNBPB6 can inhibit the replication of both DENV2 and ZIKV. These results contribute to subsequent research on mosquito-virus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Di Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
- School of Public Health, The Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Guorui Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Xiaoli Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Dan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Teng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
| | - Chunxiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (X.X.); (D.W.); (B.L.); (G.L.); (X.C.); (D.X.); (T.Z.)
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12
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Waizumi R, Hirayama C, Tomita S, Iizuka T, Kuwazaki S, Jouraku A, Tsubota T, Yokoi K, Yamamoto K, Sezutsu H. A major endogenous glycoside hydrolase mediating quercetin uptake in Bombyx mori. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011118. [PMID: 38232119 PMCID: PMC10824415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Quercetin is a common plant flavonoid which is involved in herbivore-plant interactions. Mulberry silkworms (domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori, and wild silkworm, Bombyx mandarina) take up quercetin from mulberry leaves and accumulate the metabolites in the cocoon, thereby improving its protective properties. Here we identified a glycoside hydrolase, named glycoside hydrolase family 1 group G 5 (GH1G5), which is expressed in the midgut and is involved in quercetin metabolism in the domestic silkworm. Our results suggest that this enzyme mediates quercetin uptake by deglycosylating the three primary quercetin glycosides present in mulberry leaf: rutin, quercetin-3-O-malonylglucoside, and quercetin-3-O-glucoside. Despite being located in an unstable genomic region that has undergone frequent structural changes in the evolution of Lepidoptera, GH1G5 has retained its hydrolytic activity, suggesting quercetin uptake has adaptive significance for mulberry silkworms. GH1G5 is also important in breeding: defective mutations which result in discoloration of the cocoon and increased silk yield are homozygously conserved in 27 of the 32 Japanese white-cocoon domestic silkworm strains and 12 of the 30 Chinese ones we investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusei Waizumi
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Chikara Hirayama
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Shuichiro Tomita
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Iizuka
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Seigo Kuwazaki
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akiya Jouraku
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takuya Tsubota
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kakeru Yokoi
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kimiko Yamamoto
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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13
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Terradas G, Macias VM, Peterson H, McKeand S, Krawczyk G, Rasgon JL. The Development and Expansion of in vivo Germline Editing Technologies in Arthropods: Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control) and Beyond. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1550-1563. [PMID: 37742320 PMCID: PMC10755176 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past 20 years, sequencing technologies have led to easy access to genomic data from nonmodel organisms in all biological realms. Insect genetic manipulation, however, continues to be a challenge due to various factors, including technical and cost-related issues. Traditional techniques such as microinjection of gene-editing vectors into early stage embryos have been used for arthropod transgenesis and the discovery of Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR-Cas) technologies allowed for targeted mutagenesis and the creation of knockouts or knock-ins in arthropods. Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control) acts as an alternative to embryonic microinjections, which require expensive equipment and extensive hands-on training. ReMOT Control's main advantage is its ease of use coupled with the ability to hypothetically target any vitellogenic species, as injections are administered to the egg-laying adult rather than embryos. After its initial application in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, ReMOT Control has successfully produced mutants not only for mosquitoes but for multiple arthropod species from diverse orders, such as ticks, mites, wasps, beetles, and true bugs, and is being extended to crustaceans, demonstrating the versatility of the technique. In this review, we discuss the current state of ReMOT Control from its proof-of-concept to the advances and challenges in the application across species after 5 years since its development, including novel extensions of the technique such as direct parental (DIPA)-CRISPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Terradas
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Vanessa M Macias
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Hillary Peterson
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Sage McKeand
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Grzegorz Krawczyk
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
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14
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Gouda MNR, Jeevan H, Shashank HG. CRISPR/Cas9: a cutting-edge solution for combatting the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 51:13. [PMID: 38085335 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08986-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The utilization of CRISPR/Cas9 in Spodoptera frugiperda, commonly known as fall armyworm, presents a groundbreaking avenue for pest management. With its ability to precisely modify the insect's genome, CRISPR/Cas9 offers innovative strategies to combat this destructive pest. The application of CRISPR/Cas9 in S. frugiperda holds immense potential. It enables the identification and functional analysis of key genes associated with its behavior, development, and insecticide resistance. This knowledge can unveil novel target sites for more effective and specific insecticides. Additionally, CRISPR/Cas9 can facilitate the development of population control methods by disrupting vital genes essential for survival. However, challenges such as off-target effects and the efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 components remain. Addressing these obstacles is vital to ensure accurate and reliable results. Furthermore, ethical considerations, biosafety protocols, and regulatory frameworks must be integral to the adoption of this technology. Looking forward, CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive systems hold the potential to promulgate desirable genetic traits within S. frugiperda populations, offering a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. This could curtail their reproductive capabilities or make them more susceptible to certain interventions. In conclusion, CRISPR/Cas9 presents a transformative platform for precise and targeted pest management in S. frugiperda. By deciphering the insect's genetic makeup and developing innovative strategies, we can mitigate the devastating impact of fall armyworm on agriculture while ensuring environmental sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Rudra Gouda
- Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
| | - H Jeevan
- Division of Nematology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - H G Shashank
- Division of Plant Genetic Resources, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
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15
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Pradhan SK, Karuppannasamy A, Sujatha PM, Nagaraja BC, Narayanappa AC, Chalapathi P, Dhawane Y, Bynakal S, Riegler M, Maligeppagol M, Ramasamy A. Embryonic microinjection of ribonucleoprotein complex (Cas9+sgRNA) of white gene in melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) produced white eye phenotype. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:e22059. [PMID: 37844014 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is a major pest of cucurbitaceous crops, and causes substantial yield losses and economic costs. CRISPR/Cas9 is a rapid and effective site-specific genome editing tool for the generation of genetic changes that are stable and heritable. The CRISPR/Cas9 tool uses synthetically designed single guide RNA (sgRNA) that is complementary to the target gene and guides the Cas9 enzyme to perform nuclease activity by making double-strand breaks in the target DNA sequences. This tool can be effectively exploited to improve traits critical for the management of insect pests by targeting specific genes encoding these traits without the need of extensive genetic information. The white gene is an important gene responsible for the transport of body pigment precursor molecules. In this study, we produced effective mutagenesis of the white gene of Z. cucurbitae using the CRISPR/Cas9 tool with double sgRNA to target multiple sites of white to increase the efficiency in the generation of frame-shift mutations resulting in the white eye phenotype in adults. This was achieved through embryonic microinjection of the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex in the pre-blastoderm embryo stage 1 h after embryo laying. Our success with the production of a white eye mutant fly by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis is important for the research on gene function and protein-level modifications in melon fly and forms the basis for the development of new genetic control strategies such as precision guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for this pest of economic significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar Pradhan
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ashok Karuppannasamy
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India
| | - Parvathy Madhusoodanan Sujatha
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Bhargava Chikmagalur Nagaraja
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Anu Cholenahalli Narayanappa
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pradeep Chalapathi
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Yogi Dhawane
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Shivanna Bynakal
- Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manamohan Maligeppagol
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
| | - Asokan Ramasamy
- Division of Basic Sciences, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India
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16
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Ma YF, Zhang MQ, Gong LL, Liu XZ, Long GJ, Guo H, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, He M, He P. Efficient nanoparticle-based CRISPR-Cas13d induced mRNA disruption of an eye pigmentation gene in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1552-1564. [PMID: 37202920 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has driven gene manipulation technology to a new era with applications reported in organisms that span the tree of life. The utility of CRISPR-mediated editing was further expanded to mRNA following identification of the RNA-targeting Cas13 family of smaller endonuclease proteins. Application of this family to insect research, however, has been more limited. In this study, the smallest Cas13 family member, Cas13d, and guide RNAs (gRNAs) were complexed with a versatile nanomaterial (star polycation, SPc) to generate a proof-of-concept RNA-editing platform capable of disrupting mRNA expression of the eye pigmentation gene tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (SfTO) in white-backed planthoppers (WBPHs). The resulting red-eye phenotype was present in 19.76% (with SPc) and 22.99% (without SPc) of the treatment groups and was comparable to the red-eye phenotype generated following conventional RNA interference knockdown (22.22%). Furthermore, the Cas13/gRNA phenotype manifested more quickly than RNA interference. Consistent with the expected Cas13d mechanism, SfTO transcript levels were significantly reduced. Taken together, the results indicate that the SPc-CRISPR-Cas13d/gRNA complex negatively impacted expression of the target gene. These findings confirm the utility of this novel mRNA disruption system in insects and lay the foundation for further development of these tools in the implementation of green agricultural pest management tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xuan-Zheng Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Gui-Jun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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17
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Liu Z, Zhang Q, Li L, He J, Guo J, Wang Z, Huang Y, Xi Z, Yuan F, Li Y, Li T. The effect of temperature on dengue virus transmission by Aedes mosquitoes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1242173. [PMID: 37808907 PMCID: PMC10552155 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1242173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. As an arbovirus disease, it is mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. According to the previous studies, temperature is closely related to the survival of Aedes mosquitoes, the proliferation of dengue virus (DENV) and the vector competence of Aedes to transmit DENV. This review describes the correlations between temperature and dengue epidemics, and explores the potential reasons including the distribution and development of Aedes mosquitoes, the structure of DENV, and the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes. In addition, the immune and metabolic mechanism are discussed on how temperature affects the vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes to transmit DENV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuanzhuan Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Center for Tropical Disease Control and Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qingxin Zhang
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Liya Li
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Junjie He
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jinyang Guo
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zichen Wang
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yige Huang
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zimeng Xi
- School of Imaging Medical Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Fei Yuan
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yiji Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Center for Tropical Disease Control and Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Center for Tropical Disease Control and Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
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18
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Wang Z, Pu J, Richards C, Giannetti E, Cong H, Lin Z, Chung H. Evolution of a fatty acyl-CoA elongase underlies desert adaptation in Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg0328. [PMID: 37647401 PMCID: PMC10468142 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Traits that allow species to survive in extreme environments such as hot-arid deserts have independently evolved in multiple taxa. However, the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these traits have thus far not been elucidated. Here, we show that Drosophila mojavensis, a desert-adapted fruit fly species, has evolved high desiccation resistance by producing long-chain methyl-branched cuticular hydrocarbons (mbCHCs) that contribute to a cuticular lipid layer reducing water loss. We show that the ability to synthesize these longer mbCHCs is due to evolutionary changes in a fatty acyl-CoA elongase (mElo). mElo knockout in D. mojavensis led to loss of longer mbCHCs and reduction of desiccation resistance at high temperatures but did not affect mortality at either high temperatures or desiccating conditions individually. Phylogenetic analysis showed that mElo is a Drosophila-specific gene, suggesting that while the physiological mechanisms underlying desert adaptation may be similar between species, the genes involved in these mechanisms may be species or lineage specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinan Wang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jian Pu
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- College of Agriculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
| | - Cole Richards
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Elaina Giannetti
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Haosu Cong
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Zhenguo Lin
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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19
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Ebrahimi S, Khosravi MA, Raz A, Karimipoor M, Parvizi P. CRISPR-Cas Technology as a Revolutionary Genome Editing tool: Mechanisms and Biomedical Applications. IRANIAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL 2023; 27:219-46. [PMID: 37873636 PMCID: PMC10707817 DOI: 10.61186/ibj.27.5.219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Programmable nucleases are powerful genomic tools for precise genome editing. These tools precisely recognize, remove, or change DNA at a defined site, thereby, stimulating cellular DNA repair pathways that can cause mutations or accurate replacement or deletion/insertion of a sequence. CRISPR-Cas9 system is the most potent and useful genome editing technique adapted from the defense immune system of certain bacteria and archaea against viruses and phages. In the past decade, this technology made notable progress, and at present, it has largely been used in genome manipulation to make precise gene editing in plants, animals, and human cells. In this review, we aim to explain the basic principle, mechanisms of action, and applications of this system in different areas of medicine, with emphasizing on the detection and treatment of parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Ebrahimi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Khosravi
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbasali Raz
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Karimipoor
- Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Parvizi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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20
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Sun R, Raban R, Akbari OS. CRISPR-Cas9 Methods and Key Considerations in the Production of Aedes aegypti Mutant Strains. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:607-613. [PMID: 36931732 PMCID: PMC10901255 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Since the characterization of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in prokaryotes, it has become the prime choice in gene editing because of its exceptional flexibility, ease of use, high efficiency, and superior specificity. As a result, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene-editing technologies have enabled researchers not only to engineer transgenic animal strains with site-directed insertions more efficiently but also to generate desired mutants for previously intractable species. One such species is the invasive yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which is notorious for its ability to transmit many blood-borne human pathogens. Methods for developing new transgenic strains of the yellow fever mosquito may aid in the effort to control its populations and provide significant benefits for the public. Here, we provide an overview of injection and noninjection methods for generating transgenic mosquitoes and also highlight important experimental design features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruichen Sun
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Robyn Raban
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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21
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Sagna AB, Zéla L, Ouedraogo COW, Pooda SH, Porciani A, Furnival-Adams J, Lado P, Somé AF, Pennetier C, Chaccour CJ, Dabiré RK, Mouline K. Ivermectin as a novel malaria control tool: Getting ahead of the resistance curse. Acta Trop 2023; 245:106973. [PMID: 37352998 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Reduction in malaria clinical cases is strongly dependent on the ability to prevent Anopheles infectious bites. Vector control strategies using long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying with insecticides have contributed to significantly reduce the incidence of malaria in many endemic countries, especially in the Sub-Saharan region. However, global progress in reducing malaria cases has plateaued since 2015 mostly due to the increased insecticide resistance and behavioral changes in Anopheles vectors. Additional control strategies are thus required to further reduce the burden of malaria and contain the spread of resistant and invasive Anopheles vectors. The use of endectocides such as ivermectin as an additional malaria control tool is now receiving increased attention, driven by its different mode of action compared to insecticides used so far and its excellent safety record for humans. In this opinion article, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using ivermectin for malaria control with a focus on the risk of selecting ivermectin resistance in malaria vectors. We also highlight the importance of understanding how ivermectin resistance could develop in mosquitoes and what its underlying mechanisms and associated molecular markers are, and propose a research agenda to manage this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- André B Sagna
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Lamidi Zéla
- Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l'Elevage en zone Subhumide, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Cheick Oumar W Ouedraogo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Sié H Pooda
- Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l'Elevage en zone Subhumide, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Université de Dédougou, Dédougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Paula Lado
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Anyirékun F Somé
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Cédric Pennetier
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Carlos J Chaccour
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Roch K Dabiré
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Karine Mouline
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
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22
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Merkling SH, Crist AB, Henrion-Lacritick A, Frangeul L, Couderc E, Gausson V, Blanc H, Bergman A, Baidaliuk A, Romoli O, Saleh MC, Lambrechts L. Multifaceted contributions of Dicer2 to arbovirus transmission by Aedes aegypti. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112977. [PMID: 37573505 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are an increasing threat to global health. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is considered the main antiviral immune pathway of insects, but its effective impact on arbovirus transmission is surprisingly poorly understood. Here, we use CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing in vivo to mutate Dicer2, a gene encoding the RNA sensor and key component of the siRNA pathway. The loss of Dicer2 enhances early viral replication and systemic viral dissemination of four medically significant arboviruses (chikungunya, Mayaro, dengue, and Zika viruses) representing two viral families. However, Dicer2 mutants and wild-type mosquitoes display overall similar levels of vector competence. In addition, Dicer2 mutants undergo significant virus-induced mortality during infection with chikungunya virus. Together, our results define a multifaceted role for Dicer2 in the transmission of arboviruses by Ae. aegypti mosquitoes and pave the way for further mechanistic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hélène Merkling
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anna Beth Crist
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Annabelle Henrion-Lacritick
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Lionel Frangeul
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Elodie Couderc
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Valérie Gausson
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Hervé Blanc
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Alexander Bergman
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Artem Baidaliuk
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ottavia Romoli
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, 75015 Paris, France.
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23
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Hegde S, Rauch HE, Hughes GL, Shariat N. Identification and characterization of two CRISPR/Cas systems associated with the mosquito microbiome. Access Microbiol 2023; 5:acmi000599.v4. [PMID: 37691844 PMCID: PMC10484321 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000599.v4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiome profoundly influences many traits in medically relevant vectors such as mosquitoes, and a greater functional understanding of host-microbe interactions may be exploited for novel microbial-based approaches to control mosquito-borne disease. Here, we characterized two novel clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas systems in Serratia sp. Ag1, which was isolated from the gut of an Anopheles gambiae mosquito. Two distinct CRISPR/Cas systems were identified in Serratia Ag1, CRISPR1 and CRISPR2. Based on cas gene composition, CRISPR1 is classified as a type I-E CRISPR/Cas system and has a single array, CRISPR1. CRISPR2 is a type I-F system with two arrays, CRISPR2.1 and CRISPR2.2. RT-PCR analyses show that all cas genes from both systems are expressed during logarithmic growth in culture media. The direct repeat sequences of CRISPRs 2.1 and 2.2 are identical and found in the arrays of other Serratia spp., including S. marcescens and S. fonticola , whereas CRISPR1 is not. We searched for potential spacer targets and revealed an interesting difference between the two systems: only 9 % of CRISPR1 (type I-E) targets are in phage sequences and 91 % are in plasmid sequences. Conversely, ~66 % of CRISPR2 (type I-F) targets are found within phage genomes. Our results highlight the presence of CRISPR loci in gut-associated bacteria of mosquitoes and indicate interplay between symbionts and invasive mobile genetic elements over evolutionary time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivanand Hegde
- Department of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, Liverpool, UK
- Present address: School of Life Sciences, University of Keele, Newcastle, UK
| | - Hallie E. Rauch
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, USA
| | - Grant L. Hughes
- Department of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nikki Shariat
- Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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24
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David OG, Sanchez KM, Arce AV, Costa-da-Silva AL, Bellantuono AJ, DeGennaro M. Fertility decline in female mosquitoes is regulated by the orco olfactory co-receptor. iScience 2023; 26:106883. [PMID: 37275523 PMCID: PMC10239028 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes undergo multiple rounds of reproduction, known as gonotrophic cycles. These cycles span the period from blood meal intake to oviposition. Understanding how reproductive success is maintained across gonotrophic cycles allows for the identification of molecular targets to reduce mosquito population growth. Odorant receptor co-receptor (orco) encodes a conserved insect-specific transmembrane ion channel that complexes with tuning odorant receptors (ORs) to form a functional olfactory receptor. orco expression has been identified in the male and female mosquito germline, but its role is unclear. We report an orco-dependent, maternal effect reduction in fertility after the first gonotrophic cycle. This phenotype was removed by CRISPR-Cas9 reversion of the orco mutant locus. Eggs deposited by orco mutant females are fertilized but the embryos reveal developmental defects, reduced hatching, and changes in ion channel signaling gene transcription. We present an unexpected role for an olfactory receptor pathway in mosquito reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olayinka G. David
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Kevin M. Sanchez
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Andrea V. Arce
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Anthony J. Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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25
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Chae K, Overcash JM, Dawson C, Valentin C, Tsujimoto H, Myles KM, Adelman ZN. CRISPR-based gene editing of non-homologous end joining factors biases DNA repair pathway choice toward single-strand annealing in Aedes aegypti. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:100133. [PMID: 37475832 PMCID: PMC10357993 DOI: 10.1016/j.crbiot.2023.100133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
To maintain genome stability, eukaryotic cells orchestrate DNA repair pathways to process DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that result from diverse developmental or environmental stimuli. Bias in the selection of DSB repair pathways, either non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR), is also critical for efficient gene editing and for homing-based gene drive approaches developed for the control of disease-transmitting vector mosquitoes. However, little is understood about DNA repair homeostasis in the mosquito genome. Here, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 to generate indel mutant strains for core NHEJ factors ku80, DNA ligase IV (lig4), and DNA-PKcs in the mosquito Aedes aegypti and evaluated the corresponding effects on DNA repair. In a plasmid-based assay, disruption of ku80 or lig4, but not DNA-PKcs, reduced both NHEJ and SSA. However, a transgenic reporter strain-based test revealed that those mutations significantly biased DNA repair events toward SSA. Interestingly, ku80 mutation also significantly increased the end joining rate by a yet-characterized mechanism in males. Our study provides evidence that the core NHEJ factors have an antagonistic effect on SSA-based DSB repair of the Ae. aegypti genome. Down-modulating the NHEJ pathway can enhance the efficiency of nuclease-based genetic control approaches, as most of those operate by homology-based repair processes along with extensive DNA end resection that is antagonized by NHEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keun Chae
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Justin M. Overcash
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), Biotechnology Regulatory Services, Riverdale, MD 20737, United States
| | - Chanell Dawson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Collin Valentin
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Hitoshi Tsujimoto
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Kevin M. Myles
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Zach N. Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
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26
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Konopka JK, Task D, Poinapen D, Potter CJ. Neurogenetic identification of mosquito sensory neurons. iScience 2023; 26:106690. [PMID: 37182106 PMCID: PMC10172775 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Anopheles mosquitoes, as vectors for the malaria parasite, are a global threat to human health. To find and bite a human, they utilize neurons within their sensory appendages. However, the identity and quantification of sensory appendage neurons are lacking. Here we use a neurogenetic approach to label all neurons in Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes. We utilize the homology assisted CRISPR knock-in (HACK) approach to generate a T2A-QF2w knock-in of the synaptic gene bruchpilot. We use a membrane-targeted GFP reporter to visualize the neurons in the brain and to quantify neurons in all major chemosensory appendages (antenna, maxillary palp, labella, tarsi, and ovipositor). By comparing labeling of brp>GFP and Orco>GFP mosquitoes, we predict the extent of neurons expressing ionotropic receptors (IRs) or other chemosensory receptors. This work introduces a valuable genetic tool for the functional analysis of Anopheles mosquito neurobiology and initiates characterization of the sensory neurons that guide mosquito behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K. Konopka
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Darya Task
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danny Poinapen
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher J. Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Corresponding author
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27
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Overview of Aedes aegypti and Use in Laboratory Studies. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:107651-pdb.top. [PMID: 36223992 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is a prolific disease vector. This mosquito has been the subject of scientific investigation for more than a century. Continued research into Aedes aegypti biology is crucial for understanding how to halt the suite of major arthropod-borne viral diseases this mosquito transmits. Here, we provide an introductory overview of Aedes aegypti life cycle; evolutionary history, biology, and ecology; genetics and sex differences; vector competence; and laboratory colonization and considerations for rearing this robust mosquito species for use in laboratory research.
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28
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Wohl MP, McMeniman CJ. Batch Rearing Aedes aegypti. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:108017-pdb.prot. [PMID: 36223988 PMCID: PMC10097437 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot108017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Standardized rearing methods for the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti are critical to facilitate controlled laboratory studies. This protocol describes a batch rearing protocol for Aedes aegypti stocks that yields healthy eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults in the laboratory for long-term colony maintenance and experimental manipulation. Foundational principles for the rearing and containment of these life cycle stages, as well as steps for mating and blood feeding Aedes aegypti to yield viable eggs for continuous culture or storage, are detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot P Wohl
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA .,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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29
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Shirk BD, Shirk PD, Furlong RB, Scully ED, Wu K, Siegfried BD. Gene editing of the ABC Transporter/White locus using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis in the Indian Meal Moth. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 145:104471. [PMID: 36539178 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ATP binding cassette (ABC) proteins are involved in transport of substrates across membranes including eye pigments. Mutations of ABC transporter white, brown and scarlet genes of Drosophila and other insects result in visible eye color phenotypes. White locus was identified in a genome assembly of Plodia interpunctella and was found to extend for 16,670 bp comprising 13 exons. We report here recovery of heritable mutants in white in the Indian meal moth, P. interpunctella, using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis. A white eye strain of P. interpunctella c.737delC (Piw-/-) was previously isolated in 1986. Guide RNA (sgRNA) was designed for exon 1 (sgRNA242). Microinjection of Cas9/sgRNA242 complex into Plodia wild type eggs (≤20 min post oviposition) produced 156 viable larvae of which 81 eclosed as adults. Forty-five (56 %) adults displayed wild type phenotype, while 26 females (32 %) and 10 males (12 %) showed full or partial white eye phenotype. The 26 white eye females were mated with Piw-/- males and 21 matings resulted in F1 white eye progeny. Thirteen of the Piw-242 lines were established and sequencing showed indels at the CRISPR/Cas9 242AM site. Based on RT-PCR analysis, most white mutations resulted in suppressed levels of transcript. These results demonstrate the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in Plodia which suggests this technology can be used to characterize the role of various genetic elements including those that encode novel targets or confer insecticide resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce D Shirk
- Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 11620, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Paul D Shirk
- Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 11620, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; USDA-ARS CMAVE IBBRU, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
| | - Richard B Furlong
- USDA-ARS CMAVE IBBRU, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Erin D Scully
- USDA-ARS, CGAHR-SPIERU, 1515 College Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
| | - Ke Wu
- Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 11620, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Blair D Siegfried
- Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 11620, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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30
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Tsubota T, Sakai H, Sezutsu H. Genome Editing of Silkworms. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2637:359-374. [PMID: 36773160 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3016-7_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Silkworm is a lepidopteran insect that has been used as a model for a wide variety of biological studies. The microinjection technique is available, and it is possible to cause transgenesis as well as target gene disruption via the genome editing technique. TALEN-mediated knockout is especially effective in this species. We also succeeded in the precise and efficient integration of a donor vector using the precise integration into target chromosome (PITCh) method. Here we describe protocols for ZFN (zinc finger nuclease)-, TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nuclease)-, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing as well as the PITCh technique in the silkworm. We consider that all of these techniques can contribute to the further promotion of various biological studies in the silkworm and other insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Tsubota
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sakai
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideki Sezutsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
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31
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Conway MJ, Haslitt DP, Swarts BM. Targeting Aedes aegypti Metabolism with Next-Generation Insecticides. Viruses 2023; 15:469. [PMID: 36851683 PMCID: PMC9964334 DOI: 10.3390/v15020469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue virus (DENV), zika virus (ZIKV), and other emerging infectious diseases of concern. A key disease mitigation strategy is vector control, which relies heavily on the use of insecticides. The development of insecticide resistance poses a major threat to public health worldwide. Unfortunately, there is a limited number of chemical compounds available for vector control, and these chemicals can have off-target effects that harm invertebrate and vertebrate species. Fundamental basic science research is needed to identify novel molecular targets that can be exploited for vector control. Next-generation insecticides will have unique mechanisms of action that can be used in combination to limit selection of insecticide resistance. Further, molecular targets will be species-specific and limit off-target effects. Studies have shown that mosquitoes rely on key nutrients during multiple life cycle stages. Targeting metabolic pathways is a promising direction that can deprive mosquitoes of nutrition and interfere with development. Metabolic pathways are also important for the virus life cycle. Here, we review studies that reveal the importance of dietary and stored nutrients during mosquito development and infection and suggest strategies to identify next-generation insecticides with a focus on trehalase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Conway
- Foundational Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Douglas P. Haslitt
- Foundational Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Benjamin M. Swarts
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
- Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Graduate Programs, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
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32
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Venkataraman K, Shai N, Lakhiani P, Zylka S, Zhao J, Herre M, Zeng J, Neal LA, Molina H, Zhao L, Vosshall LB. Two novel, tightly linked, and rapidly evolving genes underlie Aedes aegypti mosquito reproductive resilience during drought. eLife 2023; 12:e80489. [PMID: 36744865 PMCID: PMC10076016 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80489] [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: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes impose a severe global public health burden as vectors of multiple viral pathogens. Under optimal environmental conditions, Aedes aegypti females have access to human hosts that provide blood proteins for egg development, conspecific males that provide sperm for fertilization, and freshwater that serves as an egg-laying substrate suitable for offspring survival. As global temperatures rise, Aedes aegypti females are faced with climate challenges like intense droughts and intermittent precipitation, which create unpredictable, suboptimal conditions for egg-laying. Here, we show that under drought-like conditions simulated in the laboratory, females retain mature eggs in their ovaries for extended periods, while maintaining the viability of these eggs until they can be laid in freshwater. Using transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of Aedes aegypti ovaries, we identify two previously uncharacterized genes named tweedledee and tweedledum, each encoding a small, secreted protein that both show ovary-enriched, temporally-restricted expression during egg retention. These genes are mosquito-specific, linked within a syntenic locus, and rapidly evolving under positive selection, raising the possibility that they serve an adaptive function. CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of both tweedledee and tweedledum demonstrates that they are specifically required for extended retention of viable eggs. These results highlight an elegant example of taxon-restricted genes at the heart of an important adaptation that equips Aedes aegypti females with 'insurance' to flexibly extend their reproductive schedule without losing reproductive capacity, thus allowing this species to exploit unpredictable habitats in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krithika Venkataraman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Nadav Shai
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Priyanka Lakhiani
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sarah Zylka
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Jieqing Zhao
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Margaret Herre
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Joshua Zeng
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Lauren A Neal
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteomics Resource Center, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Li Zhao
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
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Kumaran A, Jude Serpes N, Gupta T, James A, Sharma A, Kumar D, Nagraik R, Kumar V, Pandey S. Advancements in CRISPR-Based Biosensing for Next-Gen Point of Care Diagnostic Application. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:202. [PMID: 36831968 PMCID: PMC9953454 DOI: 10.3390/bios13020202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
With the move of molecular tests from diagnostic labs to on-site testing becoming more common, there is a sudden rise in demand for nucleic acid-based diagnostic tools that are selective, sensitive, flexible to terrain changes, and cost-effective to assist in point-of-care systems for large-scale screening and to be used in remote locations in cases of outbreaks and pandemics. CRISPR-based biosensors comprise a promising new approach to nucleic acid detection, which uses Cas effector proteins (Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13) as extremely specialized identification components that may be used in conjunction with a variety of readout approaches (such as fluorescence, colorimetry, potentiometry, lateral flow assay, etc.) for onsite analysis. In this review, we cover some technical aspects of integrating the CRISPR Cas system with traditional biosensing readout methods and amplification technologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and continue to elaborate on the prospects of the developed biosensor in the detection of some major viral and bacterial diseases. Within the scope of this article, we also discuss the recent COVID pandemic and the numerous CRISPR biosensors that have undergone development since its advent. Finally, we discuss some challenges and future prospects of CRISPR Cas systems in point-of-care testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Kumaran
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Nathan Jude Serpes
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Tisha Gupta
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Abija James
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Avinash Sharma
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Rupak Nagraik
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan 173229, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Vaneet Kumar
- Department of Natural Science, CT University, Ludhiana 142024, Punjab, India
| | - Sadanand Pandey
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
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Jaiswal V, Varghese SA, Ghosh S. Validation of CRISPR activation system in Aedes cells using multicistronic plasmid vectors. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1142415. [PMID: 37152643 PMCID: PMC10155059 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1142415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes mosquitoes transmit several pathogens including flaviviruses to humans which result in high morbidity and mortality. Owing to adaptability and climate change, these mosquito vectors are predicted to establish in new geographical areas thus exposing larger populations to the risk of infection. Therefore, control of Aedes vector is necessary to prevent disease transmission. Recently, genetic approaches to vector control have shown promise; however, the tools and methods for manipulating the mosquito genome are rather limited. While CRISPR-Cas9 system has been adapted for gene editing purposes in Aedes mosquito, the dCas9-based transcription control of genes remain unexplored. In this study we report implementation of the CRISPR activation system in Aedes cells. For this we designed, constructed and tested a bi-partite plasmid-based strategy that allows expression of the dCas9-VPR and targeting guide RNA together with a reporter cassette. Quantitative analysis of the fluorescent reporter gene levels showed a robust over-expression validating CRISPR activation in Aedes cells. This strategy and the biological parts will be useful resource for synthetic transcription factor-based robust upregulation of Aedes genes for application of synthetic biology approaches for vector control.
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Bui M, Dalla Benetta E, Dong Y, Zhao Y, Yang T, Li M, Antoshechkin IA, Buchman A, Bottino-Rojas V, James AA, Perry MW, Dimopoulos G, Akbari OS. CRISPR mediated transactivation in the human disease vector Aedes aegypti. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1010842. [PMID: 36656895 PMCID: PMC9888728 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As a major insect vector of multiple arboviruses, Aedes aegypti poses a significant global health and economic burden. A number of genetic engineering tools have been exploited to understand its biology with the goal of reducing its impact. For example, current tools have focused on knocking-down RNA transcripts, inducing loss-of-function mutations, or expressing exogenous DNA. However, methods for transactivating endogenous genes have not been developed. To fill this void, here we developed a CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) system in Ae. aegypti to transactivate target gene expression. Gene expression is activated through pairing a catalytically-inactive ('dead') Cas9 (dCas9) with a highly-active tripartite activator, VP64-p65-Rta (VPR) and synthetic guide RNA (sgRNA) complementary to a user defined target-gene promoter region. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate that engineered Ae. aegypti mosquitoes harboring a binary CRISPRa system can be used to effectively overexpress two developmental genes, even-skipped (eve) and hedgehog (hh), resulting in observable morphological phenotypes. We also used this system to overexpress the positive transcriptional regulator of the Toll immune pathway known as AaRel1, which resulted in a significant suppression of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) titers in the mosquito. This system provides a versatile tool for research pathways not previously possible in Ae. aegypti, such as programmed overexpression of endogenous genes, and may aid in gene characterization studies and the development of innovative vector control tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Bui
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Elena Dalla Benetta
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Yuemei Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yunchong Zhao
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Igor A. Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Anna Buchman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Anthony A. James
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Michael W. Perry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Paulo DF, Cha AY, Kauwe AN, Curbelo K, Corpuz RL, Simmonds TJ, Sim SB, Geib SM. A Unified Protocol for CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Knockout in Tephritid Fruit Flies Led to the Recreation of White Eye and White Puparium Phenotypes in the Melon Fly. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 115:2110-2115. [PMID: 36263914 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tephritid fruit flies are among the most invasive and destructive agricultural pests worldwide. Over recent years, many studies have implemented the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technology to dissect gene functions in tephritids and create new strains to facilitate their genetics, management, and control. This growing literature allows us to compare diverse strategies for delivering CRISPR/Cas9 components into tephritid embryos, optimize procedures, and advance the technology to systems outside the most thoroughly studied species within the family. Here, we revisit five years of CRISPR research in Tephritidae and propose a unified protocol for candidate gene knockout in fruit flies using CRISPR/Cas9. We demonstrated the efficiency of our protocol by disrupting the eye pigmentation gene white eye (we) in the melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae). High rates of somatic and germline mutagenesis were induced by microinjecting pre-assembled Cas9-sgRNA complexes through the chorion of embryos at early embryogenesis, leading to the rapid development of new mutant lines. We achieved comparable results when targeting the we orthologue in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), illustrating the reliability of our methods when transferred to other related species. Finally, we functionally validated the recently discovered white pupae (wp) loci in the melon fly, successfully recreating the white puparium phenotype used in suppression programs of this and other major economically important tephritids. This is the first demonstration of CRISPR-based genome-editing in the genus Zeugodacus, and we anticipate that the procedures described here will contribute to advancing genome-editing in other non-model tephritid fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Paulo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS), The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Alex Y Cha
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Angela N Kauwe
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Keena Curbelo
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Renee L Corpuz
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Tyler J Simmonds
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Sheina B Sim
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Scott M Geib
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
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37
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Morianou I, Crisanti A, Nolan T, Hammond AM. CRISPR-Mediated Cassette Exchange (CriMCE): A Method to Introduce and Isolate Precise Marker-Less Edits. CRISPR J 2022; 5:868-876. [PMID: 36378258 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of small unmarked edits to the genome of insects is essential to study the molecular underpinnings of important biological traits, such as resistance to insecticides and genetic control strategies. Advances in CRISPR genome engineering have made this possible, but prohibitively laborious for most laboratories due to low rates of editing and the lack of a selectable marker. To facilitate the generation and isolation of precise marker-less edits we have developed a two-step method based on CRISPR-mediated cassette exchange (CriMCE) of a marked placeholder for a variant of interest. This strategy can be used to introduce a wider range of potential edits compared with previous approaches while consolidating the workflow. We present proof-of-principle that CriMCE is a powerful tool by engineering three single nucleotide polymorphism variants into the genome of Anopheles gambiae, with 5-41 × higher rates of editing than homology-directed repair or prime editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Morianou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; S.r.l., Terni, Italy
| | - Andrea Crisanti
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; S.r.l., Terni, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; S.r.l., Terni, Italy
| | - Tony Nolan
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom; S.r.l., Terni, Italy
| | - Andrew M Hammond
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; S.r.l., Terni, Italy.,Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; and S.r.l., Terni, Italy.,Biocentis, S.r.l., Terni, Italy
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38
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Wang Y, Du T, Li A, Qiao L, Zhang Z, Sun W. Establishment and application of a silkworm CRISPR/Cas9 tool for conditionally manipulating gene disruption in the epidermis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 151:103861. [PMID: 36332793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Spatial or temporal specific gene knockout system is a valuable tool for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying developmental processes. The integument is essential for insect fitness and survival, but tools for dissecting function of genes in this tissue are lacking. In this study, we firstly identified an epidermis specifically expressed gene of the domesticated silkworm, BmCPG25, by comparative transcriptomic analysis. Furthermore, a transgenic silkworm expressing the RNA dependent CRISPR-Cas9 protein driven by the regulatory region of the BmCPG25 was established. Immunochemistry analysis showed the endonuclease was specifically expressed in the nuclear of epidermal cells. We also validated the efficiency of this system by disrupting the function of an epidermis specifically expressed cuticular protein gene (Cpr21) and a ubiquitously expressed cuticular gene (Cph18), respectively. In summary, we successfully constructed a conditional knockout toolkit to manipulate the gene editing in epidermal cells, which provides a valuable approach to study the molecular mechanism of integument development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Tianyi Du
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Ainan Li
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Liang Qiao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Ze Zhang
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
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39
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Functional genomic tools for emerging model species. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1104-1115. [PMID: 35914975 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Most studies in the field of ecology and evolution aiming to connect genotype to phenotype rarely validate identified loci using functional tools. Recent developments in RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas genome editing have dramatically increased the feasibility of functional validation. However, these methods come with specific challenges when applied to emerging model organisms, including limited spatial control of gene silencing, low knock-in efficiencies, and low throughput of functional validation. Moreover, many functional studies to date do not recapitulate ecologically relevant variation, and this limits their scope for deeper insights into evolutionary processes. We therefore argue that increased use of gene editing by allelic replacement through homology-directed repair (HDR) would greatly benefit the field of ecology and evolution.
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40
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Zhu GH, Gaddelapati SC, Jiao Y, Koo J, Palli SR. CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing Uncovers the Mode of Action of Methoprene in the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. CRISPR J 2022; 5:813-824. [PMID: 36374965 PMCID: PMC9805843 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analog, is widely used for insect control, but its mode of action is not known. To study methoprene action in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the E93 (ecdysone-induced transcription factor) was knocked out using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. The E93 mutant pupae retained larval tissues similar to methoprene-treated insects. These insects completed pupal ecdysis and died as pupa. In addition, the expression of transcription factors, broad complex and Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1), increased and that of programmed cell death (PCD) and autophagy genes decreased in E93 mutants. These data suggest that methoprene functions through JH receptor, methoprene-tolerant, and induces the expression of Kr-h1, which suppresses the expression of E93, resulting in a block in PCD and autophagy of larval tissues. Failure in the elimination of larval tissues and the formation of adult structures results in their death. These results answered long-standing questions on the mode of action of methoprene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Heng Zhu
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sharath Chandra Gaddelapati
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yaoyu Jiao
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jinmo Koo
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.,Address correspondence to: Subba Reddy Palli, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
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41
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Chen C, Compton A, Nikolouli K, Wang A, Aryan A, Sharma A, Qi Y, Dellinger C, Hempel M, Potters M, Augustinos A, Severson DW, Bourtzis K, Tu Z. Marker-assisted mapping enables forward genetic analysis in Aedes aegypti, an arboviral vector with vast recombination deserts. Genetics 2022; 222:iyac140. [PMID: 36083009 PMCID: PMC9630976 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses that cause dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. Although recent success in reverse genetics has facilitated rapid progress in basic and applied research, integration of forward genetics with modern technologies remains challenging in this important species, as up to 47% of its chromosome is refractory to genetic mapping due to extremely low rate of recombination. Here, we report the development of a marker-assisted mapping strategy to readily screen for and genotype only the rare but informative recombinants, drastically increasing both the resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Using marker-assisted mapping, we mapped a transgene that was inserted in a >100-Mb recombination desert and a sex-linked spontaneous red-eye (re) mutation just outside the region. We subsequently determined, by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, that cardinal is the causal gene of re, which is the first forward genetic identification of a causal gene in Ae. aegypti. The identification of the causal gene of the sex-linked re mutation provides the molecular foundation for using gene editing to develop versatile and stable genetic sexing methods. To facilitate genome-wide forward genetics in Ae. aegypti, we generated and compiled a number of lines with markers throughout the genome. Thus, by overcoming the challenges presented by the vast recombination deserts and the scarcity of markers, we have shown that effective forward genetic analysis is increasingly feasible in this important arboviral vector species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chujia Chen
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Austin Compton
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Katerina Nikolouli
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Aihua Wang
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Azadeh Aryan
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Atashi Sharma
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Yumin Qi
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Camden Dellinger
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Melanie Hempel
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mark Potters
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Antonios Augustinos
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - David W Severson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, IAEA Laboratories, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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42
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De Obaldia ME, Morita T, Dedmon LC, Boehmler DJ, Jiang CS, Zeledon EV, Cross JR, Vosshall LB. Differential mosquito attraction to humans is associated with skin-derived carboxylic acid levels. Cell 2022; 185:4099-4116.e13. [PMID: 36261039 PMCID: PMC10069481 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others, but the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon is poorly understood. We tested mosquito attraction to human skin odor and identified people who are exceptionally attractive or unattractive to mosquitoes. These differences were stable over several years. Chemical analysis revealed that highly attractive people produce significantly more carboxylic acids in their skin emanations. Mutant mosquitoes lacking the chemosensory co-receptors Ir8a, Ir25a, or Ir76b were severely impaired in attraction to human scent, but retained the ability to differentiate highly and weakly attractive people. The link between elevated carboxylic acids in "mosquito-magnet" human skin odor and phenotypes of genetic mutations in carboxylic acid receptors suggests that such compounds contribute to differential mosquito attraction. Understanding why some humans are more attractive than others provides insights into what skin odorants are most important to the mosquito and could inform the development of more effective repellents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena De Obaldia
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Takeshi Morita
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Laura C Dedmon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J Boehmler
- Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Caroline S Jiang
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Emely V Zeledon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Justin R Cross
- Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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43
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Jin M, Zhang H, Xu B, Li Y, Qin H, Yu S, He J. Jag2b-Notch3/1b-mediated neuron-to-glia crosstalk controls retinal gliogenesis. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54922. [PMID: 36047082 PMCID: PMC9535768 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202254922] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the developing central nervous systems (CNS), neural progenitor cells generate neurons and glia in sequential order. However, the influence of neurons on glia generation remains elusive. Here, we report that photoreceptor cell-derived Jag2b is required for Notch-dependent Müller glia (MG) generation in the developing zebrafish retina. In jab2b-/- mutants, differentiating MGs are re-specified into lineage-related bipolar neuron fate at the expense of mature MG. Single-cell transcriptome analysis and knock-in animals reveal that jab2b is specifically expressed in crx+ -photoreceptor cells during MG generation. Crx promoter-driven jag2b, but not other Notch ligands, is sufficient to rescue the loss of MGs observed in jag2b-/- mutants. Furthermore, we observe a severe and moderate decrease in the number of MGs in notch3-/- and notch1b-/- mutants, respectively, and the activation of Notch3 or Notch1b rescues the MG loss in jag2b-/- mutants. Together, our findings reveal that the interaction of Jag2b and Notch3/Notch1b mediates the crosstalk between neurons and glial cells to ensure the irreversible differentiation of MG, providing novel mechanistic insights into the temporal specification of glial cell fate in a developing vertebrate CNS structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Jin
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Baijie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yanan Li
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Huiwen Qin
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shuguang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jie He
- State Key Laboratory of NeuroscienceInstitute of NeuroscienceCenter for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain‐Inspired Intelligence TechnologyShanghaiChina
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Wu MM, Chen X, Xu QX, Zang LS, Wang S, Li M, Xiao D. Melanin Synthesis Pathway Interruption: CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Knockout of dopa decarboxylase (DDC) in Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2022; 22:6694719. [PMID: 36082675 PMCID: PMC9459435 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology is a very powerful genome editing tool and has been used in many insect species for functional genomics studies through targeted gene mutagenesis. Here, we successfully established CRISPR/Cas9 research platform in Asian multi-colored ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis, an important natural enemy in biological control. In this study, one pivotal gene dopa decarboxylase (DDC) in melanin synthesis was targeted by CRISPR/Cas9 to generate mutants in H. axyridis by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Our results showed that injection of single guide RNA of the DDC and Cas9 protein into preblastoderm eggs induced one insertion and four deletion (indels) mutant H. axyridis. Mutations of HaDDC gene generated 25% mutant rate with melanin missing phenotype in larva, pupa,l and adult stage. The predation ability of the fourth instar larvae has no significant difference between wild (control) and mutant H. axyridis (G0), while these mutant fourth instar larvae had longer developmental period than that of the wild type. Consequently, the total predation of the fourth instar larvae was significantly increased in H. axyridis mutants comparing with the wild type. These results indicated that the success of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in H. axyridis. The gene editing platform in H. axyridis would facilitate the gene function research and promote special strain of predatory ladybird beetle generation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qing-xuan Xu
- Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Lian-sheng Zang
- Jilin Engineering Research Center of Resource Insects Industrialization, Institute of Biological Control, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering of Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Su Wang
- Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Ming Li
- Corresponding author, e-mail: (M.L.), (D.X.)
| | - Da Xiao
- Corresponding author, e-mail: (M.L.), (D.X.)
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Herre M, Goldman OV, Lu TC, Caballero-Vidal G, Qi Y, Gilbert ZN, Gong Z, Morita T, Rahiel S, Ghaninia M, Ignell R, Matthews BJ, Li H, Vosshall LB, Younger MA. Non-canonical odor coding in the mosquito. Cell 2022; 185:3104-3123.e28. [PMID: 35985288 PMCID: PMC9480278 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are a persistent human foe, transmitting arboviruses including dengue when they feed on human blood. Mosquitoes are intensely attracted to body odor and carbon dioxide, which they detect using ionotropic chemosensory receptors encoded by three large multi-gene families. Genetic mutations that disrupt the olfactory system have modest effects on human attraction, suggesting redundancy in odor coding. The canonical view is that olfactory sensory neurons each express a single chemosensory receptor that defines its ligand selectivity. We discovered that Ae. aegypti uses a different organizational principle, with many neurons co-expressing multiple chemosensory receptor genes. In vivo electrophysiology demonstrates that the broad ligand-sensitivity of mosquito olfactory neurons depends on this non-canonical co-expression. The redundancy afforded by an olfactory system in which neurons co-express multiple chemosensory receptors may increase the robustness of the mosquito olfactory system and explain our long-standing inability to disrupt the detection of humans by mosquitoes. Humans produce a complex blend of odor cues that attract female mosquitoes, and these cues are typically detected by olfactory neurons expressing a single receptor. In female Aedes aegypti mosquitos, however, many of these neurons co-express multiple chemosensory receptors directly affecting mosquito behavior and challenging the canonical one-receptor-to-one-neuron organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Herre
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivia V Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tzu-Chiao Lu
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gabriela Caballero-Vidal
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 234 22, Sweden
| | - Yanyan Qi
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zachary N Gilbert
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zhongyan Gong
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Takeshi Morita
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Saher Rahiel
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Majid Ghaninia
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 234 22, Sweden
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 234 22, Sweden
| | - Benjamin J Matthews
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hongjie Li
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Meg A Younger
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Wang Y, He X, Qiao L, Yu Z, Chen B, He Z. CRISPR/Cas9 mediates efficient site-specific mutagenesis of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) in the malaria vector Anopheles sinensis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:3294-3304. [PMID: 35484862 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles sinensis is the most widely distributed mosquito species and is the main transmitter of Plasmodium vivax malaria in China. Most previous research has focused on the mechanistic understanding of biological processes in An. sinensis and novel ways of interrupting malaria transmission. However, the development of functional genomics and genetics-based vector control strategies against An. sinensis remain limited because of insufficient site-specific genome editing tools. RESULTS We report the first successful application of the CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knock-in for highly efficient, site-specific mutagenesis in An. sinensis. The EGFP marker gene driven by the 3 × P3 promoter was precisely integrated into the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) by direct injections of Cas9 protein, double-stranded DNA donor, and Orco-gRNA. We achieved a mutation rate of 3.77%, similar to rates in other mosquito species. Precise knock-in at the intended locus was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing. The Orco mutation severely impaired mosquito sensitivity to some odors and their ability to locate and discriminate a human host. CONCLUSION Orco was confirmed as a key mediator of multiple olfactory-driven behaviors in the An. sinensis life cycle, highlighting the importance of Orco as a key molecular target for malaria control. The results also demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9 was a simple and highly efficient genome editing technique for An. sinensis and could be used to develop genetic control tools for this vector. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Wang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xingfei He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liang Qiao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengrong Yu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengbo He
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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Zhang YC, Pei XG, Yu ZT, Gao Y, Wang LX, Zhang N, Song XY, Wu SF, Gao CF. Effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit deletion mutants on insecticide susceptibility and fitness in Drosophila melanogaster. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:3519-3527. [PMID: 35576366 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are major excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in insects and also the target site for many insecticides. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of these insecticides is diminishing as a consequence of the evolution of insecticide resistance. Further exploration of insecticide targets is important to sustainable pest management. RESULTS In order to validate the role of nAChR subunits in insecticide susceptibility and test whether the subunit's absence imposes the fitness cost on insects, we determined the susceptibility of eight nAChR subunit deletion mutants of Drosophila melanogaster to nine insecticides. These findings highlighted the specific resistance of the Dα6 deletion mutant to spinosyns. Although triflumezopyrim, dinotefuran and imidacloprid are competitive modulators of nAChRs, differences in susceptibility of the insect with different deletion mutants suggested that the target sites of these three insecticides do not overlap completely. Mutants showed decreased susceptibility to insecticides, accompanied by a reduction in fitness. The number of eggs produced by Dα1attP , Dα2attP , Dβ2attP and Dβ3attP females was significantly lesser than that of the vas-Cas9 strain as the control. In addition, adults of Dα2attP , Dα3attP and Dα7attP strains showed lower climbing performance. Meanwhile, males of Dα3attP , Dα5attP , Dβ2attP and Dβ3attP , and females of Dβ2attP showed significantly shorter longevity than those of the vas-Cas9 strain. CONCLUSION This study provides new insights into the interactions of different insecticides with different nAChRs subunit in D. melanogaster as a research model, it could help better understand such interaction in agricultural pests whose genetic manipulations for toxicological research are often challenging. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Chao Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin-Guo Pei
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhi-Tao Yu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Gao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Xiang Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin-Yu Song
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Shun-Fan Wu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
| | - Cong-Fen Gao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University/State & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Green Pesticide-Invention and Application, Nanjing, China
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Deletion of the Serotonin Receptor 7 Gene Changed the Development and Behavior of the Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13080671. [PMID: 35893026 PMCID: PMC9332693 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) plays a vital role in many physiological processes in insects, regulating physiological activities such as growth and movement through multiple 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs), which were potential targets for some new insecticides. However, the specific function of individual 5-HTRs in Ae. aegypti is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of the 5-HT7A receptor during Ae. aegypti development. 5-HTR7A transcripts were detected at all stages of development by real-time PCR. The results indicated that the gene expression was highest in the limbs (p < 0.01). We also generated 5-HTR7A mutant mosquitoes using CRISPR-mediated gene editing. The mutants had an abnormal phenotype at the larval stage, including an aberrant head-to-chest ratio and decreased motor activity. The mutant pupae developed abnormally, and most died (56.67%) (p < 0.0001). Using external stimuli to larvae and pupae with abnormal phenotypes, we found the mutant G1 and G2 generations responded to external stimuli in a longer time than the wild-type (WT) mosquitoes, and most of the mutants were 2 to 3 s slower than the WTs to respond to external stimuli (p < 0.01). Due to higher mortality, mutant larvae and pupae had fewer numbers than the WTs. The egg hatching rate of mutant G1 and G2 generations was lower than that of the WTs (p < 0.01). The expression level of 5-HTR7A in the mutants decreased by about 65% compared with the control group using real-time PCR (p < 0.05). In all, the 5-HT7A receptor plays an important role in the metamorphosis, development and motor function of Aedes aegypti.
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Ansai S, Kitano J. Speciation and adaptation research meets genome editing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200516. [PMID: 35634923 PMCID: PMC9149800 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis of reproductive isolation and adaptive traits in natural populations is one of the fundamental goals in evolutionary biology. Genome editing technologies based on CRISPR-Cas systems and site-specific recombinases have enabled us to modify a targeted genomic region as desired and thus to conduct functional analyses of target loci, genes and mutations even in non-conventional model organisms. Here, we review the technical properties of genome editing techniques by classifying them into the following applications: targeted gene knock-out for investigating causative gene functions, targeted gene knock-in of marker genes for visualizing expression patterns and protein functions, precise gene replacement for identifying causative alleles and mutations, and targeted chromosomal rearrangement for investigating the functional roles of chromosomal structural variations. We describe examples of their application to demonstrate functional analysis of naturally occurring genetic variations and discuss how these technologies can be applied to speciation and adaptation research. This article is part of the theme issue 'Genetic basis of adaptation and speciation: from loci to causative mutations'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ansai
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Jun Kitano
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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Essential functions of mosquito ecdysone importers in development and reproduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202932119. [PMID: 35696563 PMCID: PMC9231622 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202932119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones control sexual maturation and reproduction in insects and humans alike. The insect steroid hormone ecdysone uses a membrane transporter named Ecdysone Importer (EcI) to enter cells and promote these physiological processes, but EcI is unexpectedly missing in mosquito genomes. Using the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, here we show that mosquitoes use alternative ecdysone importers to facilitate ecdysone-dependent development and reproduction. These transporters are also present in other insects, including fruit flies, but they are dispensable for fly development and reproduction likely due to their limited expression patterns. Our results thus indicate that differential expression of steroid hormone importers enables tissue- and stage-specific hormone responses, and some importers can obtain critical physiological functions only in certain species. The primary insect steroid hormone ecdysone requires a membrane transporter to enter its target cells. Although an organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) named Ecdysone Importer (EcI) serves this role in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and most likely in other arthropod species, this highly conserved transporter is apparently missing in mosquitoes. Here we report three additional OATPs that facilitate cellular incorporation of ecdysone in Drosophila and the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. These additional ecdysone importers (EcI-2, -3, and -4) are dispensable for development and reproduction in Drosophila, consistent with the predominant role of EcI. In contrast, in Aedes, EcI-2 is indispensable for ecdysone-mediated development, whereas EcI-4 is critical for vitellogenesis induced by ecdysone in adult females. Altogether, our results indicate unique and essential functions of these additional ecdysone importers in mosquito development and reproduction, making them attractive molecular targets for species- and stage-specific control of ecdysone signaling in mosquitoes.
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