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Yan R, Chen P, Xu Z, Qian J, Zhu G, Jin Y, Chen B, Chen M. A potential link between aromatics-induced oviposition repellency behaviors and specific odorant receptor of Aedes albopictus. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:3603-3611. [PMID: 38458148 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8064] [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: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a competent vector for the spread of several viral arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. Several vital mosquito behaviors linked to survival and reproduction are primarily dependent on a sophisticated olfactory system for semiochemical perception. However, a limited number of studies has hampered our understanding of the relationship between the A. albopictus acute olfactory system and the complex chemical world. RESULTS Here, we performed a qRT-PCR assay on antennae from A. albopictus of differing sex, age and physiological states, and found that AalbOr10 was enriched in blood-fed female mosquitoes. We then undertook single sensillum recording to de-orphan AalbOr10 using a panel of physiologically and behaviorally relevant odorants in a Drosophila 'empty neuron' system. The results indicated that AalbOr10 was activated by seven aromatic compounds, all of which hampered egg-laying in blood-fed mosquitoes. Furthermore, using a post-RNA interference oviposition assay, we found that reducing the transcript level of AalbOr10 affected repellent activity mediated by 2-ethylphenol at low concentrations (10-4 vol/vol). Computational modeling and molecular docking studies suggested that hydrogen bonds to Y68 and Y150 mediated the interaction of 2-ethylphenol with AalbOr10. CONCLUSION We reveal a potential link between aromatics-induced oviposition repellency behaviors and a specific odorant receptor in A. albopictus. Our findings provide a foundation for identifying active semiochemicals for the monitoring or controlling of mosquito populations. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Yan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peitong Chen
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhanyi Xu
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiali Qian
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guonian Zhu
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongfeng Jin
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bosheng Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengli Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
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Pullmann-Lindsley H, Huff RM, Boyi J, Pitts RJ. Odorant receptors for floral- and plant-derived volatiles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302496. [PMID: 38709760 PMCID: PMC11073699 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302496] [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: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Adult mosquitoes require regular sugar meals, including nectar, to survive in natural habitats. Both males and females locate potential sugar sources using sensory proteins called odorant receptors (ORs) activated by plant volatiles to orient toward flowers or honeydew. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), possesses a large gene family of ORs, many of which are likely to detect floral odors. In this study, we have uncovered ligand-receptor pairings for a suite of Aedes aegypti ORs using a panel of environmentally relevant, plant-derived volatile chemicals and a heterologous expression system. Our results support the hypothesis that these odors mediate sensory responses to floral odors in the mosquito's central nervous system, thereby influencing appetitive or aversive behaviors. Further, these ORs are well conserved in other mosquitoes, suggesting they function similarly in diverse species. This information can be used to assess mosquito foraging behavior and develop novel control strategies, especially those that incorporate mosquito bait-and-kill technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Mark Huff
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - John Boyi
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Ronald Jason Pitts
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
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Frunze O, Lee D, Lee S, Kwon HW. A single mutation in the mosquito (Aedes aegypti) olfactory receptor 8 causes loss of function to 1-octen-3-ol. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 167:104069. [PMID: 38220070 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104069] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The host-seeking behavior of mosquitoes have long been established to be primarily odor-mediated. In this process, olfactory receptors (Ors) play a critical role. 1-Octen-3-ol is a common volatile compound that is attractive to hematophagous arthropods such as mosquitos. The olfactory receptor 8 (AaOr8) on the tip of the stylet and maxillary palp of Aedes aegypti is tuned to 1-octen-3-ol, which is required for mosquitoes to quickly find blood vessels from a vertebrate host. However, little is known about the interaction of AaOr8 with 1-octen-3-ol which was studied in vivo and in silico in this study. The molecular binding poses and energies between ligands and the receptor were investigated. Three mutants of AaOr8 were cloned and compared with in vivo calcium imaging utilizing heterologous expression systems. As a result, our findings imply that a genetic disruption including targeted modification of Ors genes may be used to reduce mosquito bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Frunze
- Department of Life Sciences & Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Dain Lee
- Department of Life Sciences & Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungha Lee
- Department of Life Sciences & Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Wook Kwon
- Department of Life Sciences & Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea.
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Nagy NA, Tóth GE, Kurucz K, Kemenesi G, Laczkó L. The updated genome of the Hungarian population of Aedes koreicus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7545. [PMID: 38555322 PMCID: PMC10981705 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58096-6] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases pose a potential risk to human and animal welfare, and understanding their spread requires genomic resources. The mosquito Aedes koreicus is an emerging vector that has been introduced into Europe more than 15 years ago but only a low quality, fragmented genome was available. In this study, we carried out additional sequencing and assembled and characterized the genome of the species to provide a background for understanding its evolution and biology. The updated genome was 1.1 Gbp long and consisted of 6099 contigs with an N50 value of 329,610 bp and a BUSCO score of 84%. We identified 22,580 genes that could be functionally annotated and paid particular attention to the identification of potential insecticide resistance genes. The assessment of the orthology of the genes indicates a high turnover at the terminal branches of the species tree of mosquitoes with complete genomes, which could contribute to the adaptation and evolutionary success of the species. These results could form the basis for numerous downstream analyzes to develop targets for the control of mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Andrea Nagy
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-UD Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
- Institute of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Endre Tóth
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kornélia Kurucz
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kemenesi
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Levente Laczkó
- HUN-REN-UD Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- One Health Institute, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Chidambara Thanu V, Jabeen A, Ranganathan S. iBio-GATS-A Semi-Automated Workflow for Structural Modelling of Insect Odorant Receptors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3055. [PMID: 38474300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25053055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects utilize seven transmembrane (7TM) odorant receptor (iOR) proteins, with an inverted topology compared to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), to detect chemical cues in the environment. For pest biocontrol, chemical attractants are used to trap insect pests. However, with the influx of invasive insect pests, novel odorants are urgently needed, specifically designed to match 3D iOR structures. Experimental structural determination of these membrane receptors remains challenging and only four experimental iOR structures from two evolutionarily distant organisms have been solved. Template-based modelling (TBM) is a complementary approach, to generate model structures, selecting templates based on sequence identity. As the iOR family is highly divergent, a different template selection approach than sequence identity is needed. Bio-GATS template selection for GPCRs, based on hydrophobicity correspondence, has been morphed into iBio-GATS, for template selection from available experimental iOR structures. This easy-to-use semi-automated workflow has been extended to generate high-quality models from any iOR sequence from the selected template, using Python and shell scripting. This workflow was successfully validated on Apocrypta bakeri Orco and Machilis hrabei OR5 structures. iBio-GATS models generated for the fruit fly iOR, OR59b and Orco, yielded functional ligand binding results concordant with experimental mutagenesis findings, compared to AlphaFold2 models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amara Jabeen
- Applied Biosciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia
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Pullmann-Lindsley H, Huff R, Boyi J, Pitts RJ. Odorant receptors for floral- and plant-derived volatiles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.17.562234. [PMID: 38328195 PMCID: PMC10849520 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.17.562234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Adult mosquitoes require regular sugar meals, usually floral nectar, to survive and flourish in natural habitats. Both males and females locate potential sugar sources using sensory proteins called odorant receptors activated by plant volatiles that facilitate orientation toward flowers or honeydew. The Yellow Fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), possesses a large repertoire of odorant receptors, many of which are likely to support floral odor detection and nectar-seeking. In this study, we have employed a heterologous expression system and the two-electrode voltage clamping technique to identify environmentally relevant chemical compounds that activate specific odorant receptors. Importantly, we have uncovered ligand-receptor pairings for a suite of Aedes aegypti odorant receptors likely to mediate appetitive or aversive behavioral responses, thus shaping a critical aspect of the life history of a medically important mosquito. Moreover, the high degree of conservation of these receptors in other disease-transmitting species suggests common mechanisms of floral odor detection. This knowledge can be used to further investigate mosquito foraging behavior to either enhance existing, or develop novel, control strategies, especially those that incorporate mosquito bait-and-kill or attractive toxic sugar bait technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Huff
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Avenue, Waco, TX 76706
| | - John Boyi
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Avenue, Waco, TX 76706
| | - R Jason Pitts
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Avenue, Waco, TX 76706
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