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Genetics tools for corpora allata specific gene expression in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20426. [PMID: 36443489 PMCID: PMC9705396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) is synthesized by the corpora allata (CA) and controls development and reproduction in insects. Therefore, achieving tissue-specific expression of transgenes in the CA would be beneficial for mosquito research and control. Different CA promoters have been used to drive transgene expression in Drosophila, but mosquito CA-specific promoters have not been identified. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we integrated transgenes encoding the reporter green fluorescent protein (GFP) close to the transcription start site of juvenile hormone acid methyl transferase (JHAMT), a locus encoding a JH biosynthetic enzyme, specifically and highly expressed in the CA of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Transgenic individuals showed specific GFP expression in the CA but failed to reproduce the full pattern of jhamt spatiotemporal expression. In addition, we created GeneSwitch driver and responder mosquito lines expressing an inducible fluorescent marker, enabling the temporal regulation of the transgene via the presence or absence of an inducer drug. The use of the GeneSwitch system has not previously been reported in mosquitoes and provides a new inducible binary system that can control transgene expression in Aedes aegypti.
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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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Horvath TD, Dagan S, Scaraffia PY. Unraveling mosquito metabolism with mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:747-761. [PMID: 33896683 PMCID: PMC8282712 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nearly half a million people die annually due to mosquito-borne diseases. Despite aggressive mosquito population-control efforts, current strategies are limited in their ability to control these vectors. A better understanding of mosquito metabolism through modern approaches can contribute to the discovery of novel metabolic targets and/or regulators and lead to the development of better mosquito-control strategies. Currently, cutting-edge technologies such as gas or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics are considered 'mature technologies' in many life-science disciplines but are still an emerging area of research in medical entomology. This review primarily discusses recent developments and progress in the application of mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to answer multiple biological questions related to mosquito metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Horvath
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, and Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Shai Dagan
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel, 74100, Israel
| | - Patricia Y Scaraffia
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
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Liu JG, Qiao L, Zhang JJ, Chen B, He ZB. piggyBac-mediated germline transformation of the malaria mosquito Anopheles sinensis (Diptera: Culicidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1202-1206. [PMID: 32519503 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Gang Liu
- 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
| | - Jia-Jun Zhang
- 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
| | - Zheng-Bo He
- 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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Maya-Maldonado K, Cardoso-Jaime V, González-Olvera G, Osorio B, Recio-Tótoro B, Manrique-Saide P, Rodríguez-Sánchez IP, Lanz-Mendoza H, Missirlis F, Hernández-Hernández FDLC. Mosquito metallomics reveal copper and iron as critical factors for Plasmodium infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009509. [PMID: 34161336 PMCID: PMC8221525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron and copper chelation restricts Plasmodium growth in vitro and in mammalian hosts. The parasite alters metal homeostasis in red blood cells to its favor, for example metabolizing hemoglobin to hemozoin. Metal interactions with the mosquito have not, however, been studied. Here, we describe the metallomes of Anopheles albimanus and Aedes aegypti throughout their life cycle and following a blood meal. Consistent with previous reports, we found evidence of maternal iron deposition in embryos of Ae. aegypti, but less so in An. albimanus. Sodium, potassium, iron, and copper are present at higher concentrations during larval developmental stages. Two An. albimanus phenotypes that differ in their susceptibility to Plasmodium berghei infection were studied. The susceptible white stripe (ws) phenotype was named after a dorsal white stripe apparent during larval stages 3, 4, and pupae. During larval stage 3, ws larvae accumulate more iron and copper than the resistant brown stripe (bs) phenotype counterparts. A similar increase in copper and iron accumulation was also observed in the susceptible ws, but not in the resistant bs phenotype following P. berghei infection. Feeding ws mosquitoes with extracellular iron and copper chelators before and after receiving Plasmodium-infected blood protected from infection and simultaneously affected follicular development in the case of iron chelation. Unexpectedly, the application of the iron chelator to the bs strain reverted resistance to infection. Besides a drop in iron, iron-chelated bs mosquitoes experienced a concomitant loss of copper. Thus, the effect of metal chelation on P. berghei infectivity was strain-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal Maya-Maldonado
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Cinvestav, Ciudad de México, México
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Victor Cardoso-Jaime
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Cinvestav, Ciudad de México, México
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Gabriela González-Olvera
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Beatriz Osorio
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Cinvestav, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Benito Recio-Tótoro
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Pablo Manrique-Saide
- Unidad Colaborativa para Bioensayos Entomológicos, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Iram Pablo Rodríguez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular y Estructural, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
| | - Humberto Lanz-Mendoza
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Fanis Missirlis
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Cinvestav, Ciudad de México, México
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Macias VM, Palatini U, Bonizzoni M, Rasgon JL. Leaning Into the Bite: The piRNA Pathway as an Exemplar for the Genetic Engineering Need in Mosquitoes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:614342. [PMID: 33520739 PMCID: PMC7840538 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.614342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The piRNA pathway is a specialized small RNA interference that in mosquitoes is mechanistically distant from analogous biology in the Drosophila model. Current genetic engineering methods, such as targeted genome manipulation, have a high potential to tease out the functional complexity of this intricate molecular pathway. However, progress in utilizing these methods in arthropod vectors has been geared mostly toward the development of new vector control strategies rather than to study cellular functions. Herein we propose that genetic engineering methods will be essential to uncover the full functionality of PIWI/piRNA biology in mosquitoes and that extending the applications of genetic engineering on other aspects of mosquito biology will grant access to a much larger pool of knowledge in disease vectors that is just out of reach. We discuss motivations for and impediments to expanding the utility of genetic engineering to study the underlying biology and disease transmission and describe specific areas where efforts can be placed to achieve the full potential for genetic engineering in basic biology in mosquito vectors. Such efforts will generate a refreshed intellectual source of novel approaches to disease control and strong support for the effective use of approaches currently in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M. Macias
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Umberto Palatini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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