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Taracena-Agarwal ML, Walter-Nuno AB, Bottino-Rojas V, Mejia APG, Xu K, Segal S, Dotson EM, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Juvenile Hormone as a contributing factor in establishing midgut microbiota for fecundity and fitness enhancement in adult female Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2024; 7:687. [PMID: 38839829 PMCID: PMC11153597 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06334-y] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the factors influencing mosquitoes' fecundity and longevity is important for designing better and more sustainable vector control strategies, as these parameters can impact their vectorial capacity. Here, we address how mating affects midgut growth in Aedes aegypti, what role Juvenile Hormone (JH) plays in this process, and how it impacts the mosquito's immune response and microbiota. Our findings reveal that mating and JH induce midgut growth. Additionally, the establishment of a native bacterial population in the midgut due to JH-dependent suppression of the immune response has important reproductive outcomes. Specific downregulation of AMPs with an increase in bacteria abundance in the gut results in increased egg counts and longer lifespans. Overall, these findings provide evidence of a cross-talk between JH response, gut epithelial tissue, cell cycle regulation, and the mechanisms governing the trade-offs between nutrition, immunity, and reproduction at the cellular level in the mosquito gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabel L Taracena-Agarwal
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Ana Beatriz Walter-Nuno
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | | | - Kelsey Xu
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Steven Segal
- Entomology Department, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Ellen M Dotson
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
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Cao MH, Zou MM, Liu LL, Dong SJ, Huang MQ, Zheng JH, Li RN, Cui JD, Peng L. Sast1-mediated manifold effects inhibit Plutella xylostella fertility. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2596-2609. [PMID: 38252701 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7966] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) is a destructive pest of cruciferous crops due to its strong reproductive capacity and extensive resistance to pesticides. Seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) are the main effective factors that determine the reproductive physiology and behaviour of both sexes. Although an increasing number of SFPs have been identified, the effects of astacins in SFPs on agricultural pests have not yet been reported. Here, we elucidated the mechanisms by which Sast1 (seminal astacin 1) regulates the fertility of Plutella xylostella (L.). RESULTS PxSast1 was specifically expressed in the testis and accesssory gland. CRISPR/Cas9-induced PxSast1 knockout successfully constructed two homozygous mutant strains. Sast1 impaired the fertility of P. xylostella by separately regulating the reproductive capacity of males and females. Loss of PxSast1, on the one hand, significantly decreased the ability of males to mate and fertilize, mainly manifested as shortened mating duration, reduced mating competitiveness and decreased eupyrene sperm production; on the other hand, it significantly inhibited the expression of chorion genes in females, resulting in oogenesis deficits. Simultaneously, for mated females, the differentially expressed genes in signalling pathways related to oogenesis and chorion formation were significantly enriched after PxSast1 knockout. CONCLUSION These analyses of the functions of PxSast1 as the regulator of spermatogenesis and oogenesis establish its importance in the fertility process of P. xylostella, as well as its potential as a promising target for genetic regulation-based pest control. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Hui Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ming-Min Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Li-Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shi-Jie Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meng-Qi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun-Hao Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ruo-Nan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jin-Dong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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3
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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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4
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Saveer AM, Hu J, Strickland J, Krueger R, Clafford S, Zhang A. Reproductive Behavior and Development of the Global Insect Pest, Cotton Seed Bug Oxycarenus hyalinipennis. INSECTS 2024; 15:65. [PMID: 38249071 PMCID: PMC10816881 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the fundamental life cycle and reproductive behavior of a pest insect is essential for developing efficient control strategies; however, much of this knowledge remains elusive for a multitude of insects, including the cotton seed bug, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis. Here, we report the results of our comprehensive study on the cotton seed bug's life cycle, including mating behavior, adult lifespan, and egg-to-adulthood development. Our findings showed that adult males and females began mating as early as three days after emerging (75%), and the frequency of mating increased to 100% by the fifth day. Mated females commenced oviposition on cotton seeds as early as two days after mating, with a cumulative mean number of 151 fertile eggs oviposited during the first oviposition cycle. Furthermore, around 10% of eggs from both mated and unmated females remained unfertilized. The first instar nymphs began emerging approximately seven days following oviposition. To track their development, we monitored the newly hatched nymphs daily until they reached adulthood. There were five nymphal stages, which cumulatively took roughly 28 to 30 days. Notably, mating positively influenced the survivorship and lifespan of adult O. hyalinipennis. Mated males and females exhibited median lifespans of 28 and 25 days, respectively. In contrast, unmated males and females only lived for a median lifespan of 9.5 days, about one-third that of the mated O. hyalinipennis. Our study provides key insights into the O. hyalinipennis life history for new IPM strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Saveer
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (J.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Jing Hu
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (J.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Jaime Strickland
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (J.H.); (J.S.)
| | - Robert Krueger
- National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Date, USDA-ARS, Riverside, CA 92507, USA;
| | - Shannon Clafford
- Orange County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, Orange, CA 92865, USA;
| | - Aijun Zhang
- Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (J.H.); (J.S.)
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5
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Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Hernández BJ, Guzmán PA, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. The effects of female age on blood-feeding, insemination, sperm storage, and fertility in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 150:104570. [PMID: 37806552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104570] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in female insects-collectively referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-that facilitate the production of progeny. PMRs are elicited by transfer of male-derived seminal components during mating, but are altered by other factors, including adult age. Increased female age is often accompanied by declines in fertility. However, mating shortly after emergence also impacts fertility in the insect model Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we determined the age post-emergence when females of the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti can be inseminated and blood-feed. We next examined fecundity, fertility, and the storage of sperm in the female reproductive tract in "young" (30-41 hours-old) and "old" (2- and 3-week-old) females, finding that blood-feeding began at 14 hours, and mating at ∼24 hours post-emergence. Although young females consumed smaller blood quantities and stored fewer sperm, they were similarly fertile to 4-day-old controls. Old females, however, suffered significant declines in fecundity by 2 weeks of age. Our results show that female Ae. aegypti start to become sexually receptive 1 day after their emergence, but can ingest blood much sooner, suggesting that mating is not a prerequisite to blood-feeding, and that females can ingest an arbovirus infected blood-meal shortly after emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brenda Juliana Hernández
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
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6
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Kulkarni A, Delgadillo FM, Gayathrinathan S, Grajeda BI, Roy S. Current Status of Omics Studies Elucidating the Features of Reproductive Biology in Blood-Feeding Insects. INSECTS 2023; 14:802. [PMID: 37887814 PMCID: PMC10607566 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Female insects belonging to the genera Anopheles, Aedes, Glossina, and Rhodnius account for the majority of global vector-borne disease mortality. In response to mating, these female insects undergo several molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes. Studying the dynamic post-mating molecular responses in these insects that transmit human diseases can lead to the identification of potential targets for the development of novel vector control methods. With the continued advancements in bioinformatics tools, we now have the capability to delve into various physiological processes in these insects. Here, we discuss the availability of multiple datasets describing the reproductive physiology of the common blood-feeding insects at the molecular level. Additionally, we compare the male-derived triggers transferred during mating to females, examining both shared and species-specific factors. These triggers initiate post-mating genetic responses in female vectors, affecting not only their reproductive success but also disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Kulkarni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Frida M. Delgadillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Sharan Gayathrinathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Brian I. Grajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Biosciences Ph.D. Program, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Sourav Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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7
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Osorio J, Villa-Arias S, Camargo C, Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Barrientos LM, Bedoya C, Rúa-Uribe G, Dorus S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. wMel Wolbachia alters female post-mating behaviors and physiology in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2023; 6:865. [PMID: 37604924 PMCID: PMC10442437 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05180-8] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally invasive Aedes aegypti disseminate numerous arboviruses that impact human health. One promising method to control Ae. aegypti populations is transinfection with Wolbachia pipientis, which naturally infects ~40-52% of insects but not Ae. aegypti. Transinfection of Ae. aegypti with the wMel Wolbachia strain induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), allows infected individuals to invade native populations, and inhibits transmission of medically relevant arboviruses by females. Female insects undergo post-mating physiological and behavioral changes-referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-required for optimal fertility. PMRs are typically elicited by male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred with sperm during mating but can be modified by other factors, including microbiome composition. Wolbachia has modest effects on Ae. aegypti fertility, but its influence on other PMRs is unknown. Here, we show that Wolbachia influences female fecundity, fertility, and re-mating incidence and significantly extends the longevity of virgin females. Using proteomic methods to examine the seminal proteome of infected males, we found that Wolbachia moderately affects SFP composition. However, we identified 125 paternally transferred Wolbachia proteins, but the CI factor proteins (Cifs) were not among them. Our findings indicate that Wolbachia infection of Ae. aegypti alters female PMRs, potentially influencing control programs that utilize Wolbachia-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Osorio
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sara Villa-Arias
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Carolina Camargo
- Centro de Investigación de la caña de azúcar CENICAÑA, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | | | - Luisa María Barrientos
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Carolina Bedoya
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia.
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
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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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9
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Rines IG, Harrod AE, Hunt J, Sadd BM, Sakaluk SK. Disentangling effects of mating, nuptial gifts and accessory gland proteins on reproduction in female crickets. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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10
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Hendy A, Fé NF, Valério D, Hernandez-Acosta E, Chaves BA, da Silva LFA, Santana RAG, da Costa Paz A, Soares MMM, Assunção FP, Andes JT, Andolina C, Scarpassa VM, de Lacerda MVG, Hanley KA, Vasilakis N. Towards the Laboratory Maintenance of Haemagogus janthinomys (Dyar, 1921), the Major Neotropical Vector of Sylvatic Yellow Fever. Viruses 2022; 15:45. [PMID: 36680085 PMCID: PMC9861039 DOI: 10.3390/v15010045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemagogus (Haemagogus) janthinomys (Dyar, 1921), the major neotropical vector of sylvatic yellow fever virus, is notoriously difficult to maintain in captivity. It has never been reared beyond an F1 generation, and almost no experimental transmission studies have been performed with this species since the 1940s. Herein we describe installment hatching, artificial blood feeding, and forced-mating techniques that enabled us to produce small numbers of F3 generation Hg. janthinomys eggs for the first time. A total of 62.8% (1562/2486) F1 generation eggs hatched during ≤10 four-day cycles of immersion in a bamboo leaf infusion followed by partial drying. Hatching decreased to 20.1% (190/944) in the F2 generation for eggs laid by mosquitoes copulated by forced mating. More than 85% (79/92) female F2 mosquitoes fed on an artificial blood feeding system. While we were unable to maintain a laboratory colony of Hg. janthinomys past the F3 generation, our methods provide a foundation for experimental transmission studies with this species in a laboratory setting, a critical capacity in a region with hyper-endemic transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, all posing a risk of spillback into a sylvatic cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Hendy
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
| | - Nelson Ferreira Fé
- Centro de Entomologia, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - Danielle Valério
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | | | - Bárbara A. Chaves
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - Luís Felipe Alho da Silva
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - Rosa Amélia Gonçalves Santana
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - Andréia da Costa Paz
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | | | - Flamarion Prado Assunção
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - José Tenaçol Andes
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
| | - Chiara Andolina
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera Margarete Scarpassa
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus 69067-375, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinícius Guimarães de Lacerda
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema (IPCCB), Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus 69040-000, AM, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas and Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazonas, Manaus 69057-070, AM, Brazil
| | - Kathryn A. Hanley
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8801, USA
| | - Nikos Vasilakis
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
- Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
- Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
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11
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Agudelo J, Toro M, Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Barrientos LM, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. Putative Degradation of Non-Stored Sperm in the Female Reproductive Tract of the Dengue Vector Mosquito Aedes aegypti. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.816556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In insect vectors of disease, male and female molecules that mediate reproductive processes are promising targets to suppress fertility of these populations. One process, the storage of sperm in the female reproductive tract, is essential for optimal fertility in all organisms examined to date. In the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, female sperm storage has not been fully characterized, a requirement to identify sex-specific molecules that mediate this process. Aedes aegypti males deposit the ejaculate into the bursa of the female reproductive tract, and sperm enter the spermathecae—the long-term storage sites—quickly after insemination. However, the proportion of sperm received during mating that are stored in the spermathecae is unclear, and the fate of non-stored sperm unknown. We quantified sperm storage in two Ae. aegypti strains, mated in all combinations, and in two contexts (mass mated and when mating was observed) at 1-, 3- and 5-days post-mating. Sperm quantity in the spermathecae was similar at all timepoints; most females stored ~400 sperm on average. Sperm that did not enter the spermathecae remained in the bursa, where they declined in number and became more fragile to mechanical manipulation at each timepoint. Further, sperm viability in the bursa fell from 91.6% shortly after mating to 12.2% 24 h later. One day after insemination, ~50% of sperm detected in the female reproductive tract was stored in the spermathecae. When we quantified sperm storage in females mated to males that transferred reduced ejaculate quantities (but still able to induce optimal fertility in their mates), sperm detected in the spermathecae similarly declined; females stored ~50% of the sperm received even as sperm quantities transferred at mating declined. Our results suggest that sperm storage in Ae. aegypti females is influenced by ejaculate volume, and that sperm that do not enter the spermathecae remain in the bursa, where they appear to degrade. The consistent presence of sperm in the bursa, even when males transferred low sperm quantities, suggests that the putative degradation of bursa sperm may play a role in Ae. aegypti female fertility, potentially identifying a novel process in this important vector species.
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12
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Gleave K, Mechan F, Reimer LJ. The effects of temephos, permethrin and malathion selection on the fitness and fecundity of Aedes aegypti. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 36:56-65. [PMID: 34751971 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12551] [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: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The recent scale-up of insecticide use has led to the rapid spread of insecticide resistance (IR) in mosquito populations across the world. Previous work has suggested that IR mechanisms could influence mosquito life-history traits, leading to alterations in fitness and key physiological functions. This study investigates to what extent mosquito fitness may be affected in a colony of Aedes aegypti after selection with temephos, permethrin or malathion insecticides. We measured immature development, sex ratio, adult longevity, energetic reserves under different rearing conditions and time points, ingested bloodmeal volume, mosquito size, male and female reproductive fitness and flight capability in the unexposed offspring of the three selected strains and unselected strain. We found that insecticide selection does have an impact on mosquito fitness traits in both male and female mosquitoes, with our temephos-exposed strain showing the highest immature development rates, improved adult survival, larger females under crowded rearing and increased sperm number in males. In contrast, this strain showed the poorest reproductive success, demonstrating that insecticide selection leads to trade-offs in life-history traits, which have the potential to either enhance or limit disease transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Gleave
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, U.K
| | - F Mechan
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, U.K
| | - L J Reimer
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, U.K
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13
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Kumari S, Tevatiya S, Rani J, Das De T, Chauhan C, Sharma P, Sah R, Singh S, Pandey KC, Pande V, Dixit R. A testis-expressing heme peroxidase HPX12 regulates male fertility in the mosquito Anopheles stephensi. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2597. [PMID: 35173215 PMCID: PMC8850455 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06531-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In vertebrates dysregulation of the antioxidant defense system has a detrimental impact on male fertility and reproductive physiology. However, in insects, especially mosquitoes the importance of sperm quality has been poorly studied. Since long-term storage of healthy and viable sperm earmarks male reproductive competency, we tested whether the heme peroxidase, a member of antioxidant enzyme family proteins, and abundantly expressed in the testis, also influence male fertility in the mosquito An. stephensi. Here, we show that a heme peroxidase 12 (HPX12), is an important cellular factor to protect the sperms from oxidative stress, and maintains semen quality in the male mosquito reproductive organ. We demonstrate that knockdown of the HPX12 not only impairs the sperm parameters such as motility, viability but also causes a significant down-regulation of MAG expressing transcripts such as ASTEI02706, ASTEI00744, ASTEI10266, likely encoding putative Accessory gland proteins. Mating with HPX12 knockdown male mosquitoes, resulted in ~ 50% reduction in egg-laying, coupled with diminished larval hatchability of a gravid female mosquito. Our data further outlines that increased ROS in the HPX12 mRNA depleted mosquitoes is the ultimate cause of sperm disabilities both qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Our data provide evidence that testis expressing AsHPX12 is crucial for maintaining optimal homeostasis for storing and protecting healthy sperms in the male mosquito's reproductive organs. Since, high reproductive capacity directly influences the mosquito population, manipulating male mosquito reproductive physiology could be an attractive tool to combat vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seena Kumari
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Sanjay Tevatiya
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Jyoti Rani
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Tanwee Das De
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Charu Chauhan
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Punita Sharma
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Rajkumar Sah
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction Studies, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India.
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14
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Amaro IA, Ahmed-Braimah YH, League GP, Pitcher SA, Avila FW, Cruz PC, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF. Seminal fluid proteins induce transcriptome changes in the Aedes aegypti female lower reproductive tract. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:896. [PMID: 34906087 PMCID: PMC8672594 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08201-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in the arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, including stimulation of egg development and oviposition, increased survival, and reluctance to re-mate with subsequent males. Transferred seminal fluid proteins and peptides derived from the male accessory glands induce these changes, though the mechanism by which they do this is not known. RESULTS To determine transcriptome changes induced by seminal proteins, we injected extract from male accessory glands and seminal vesicles (MAG extract) into females and examined female lower reproductive tract (LRT) transcriptomes 24 h later, relative to non-injected controls. MAG extract induced 87 transcript-level changes, 31 of which were also seen in a previous study of the LRT 24 h after a natural mating, including 15 genes with transcript-level changes similarly observed in the spermathecae of mated females. The differentially-regulated genes are involved in diverse molecular processes, including immunity, proteolysis, neuronal function, transcription control, or contain predicted small-molecule binding and transport domains. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal that seminal fluid proteins, specifically, can induce gene expression responses after mating and identify gene targets to further investigate for roles in post-mating responses and potential use in vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Sylvie A Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Priscilla C Cruz
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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15
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Córdova-García G, Sirot L, Abraham S, Díaz-Fleischer F, Flores-Estevez N, López-Ortega M, Pérez-Staples D. Mating, but Not Male Accessory Gland Products, Changes Female Response to Olfactory Cues in Anastrepha Fruit Flies. Front Physiol 2021; 12:714247. [PMID: 34566680 PMCID: PMC8458877 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.714247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Copulation and/or ejaculate components can alter female physiological state and female post-mating behavior. The objective of the present study was to determine if copulation and male reproductive accessory gland products (MAGs) modify the behavior of female Anastrepha ludens (Loew) and Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart; Diptera: Tephritidae) in response to two stimuli: male-emitted pheromone and oviposition host volatiles. Olfactometry studies revealed that mated females of both A. ludens and A. obliqua have a stronger response for host volatiles compared to unmated females, which have a stronger response for male pheromone. We also examined olfactory responses of females mated to testectomized males who could transfer MAGs but not sperm. In both species, MAGs alone did not cause the change in the olfactory response observed after copulation, unlike what has been found in Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Females mated to testectomized males responded equally to the male sex pheromone or to host volatiles, thus suggesting that the whole ejaculate is needed to elicit the complete behavioral switch in olfactory response. The function of MAGs is still unknown in these two pests of economic importance. The response for host volatiles by mated females has implications for the development of baits and traps that should preferably attract and target this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Sirot
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, United States
| | - Solana Abraham
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecoetológicas de Moscas de la Fruta y sus Enemigos Naturales (LIEMEN), PROIMI-Biotecnología, CONICET, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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16
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League GP, Degner EC, Pitcher SA, Hafezi Y, Tennant E, Cruz PC, Krishnan RS, Garcia Castillo SS, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. The impact of mating and sugar feeding on blood-feeding physiology and behavior in the arbovirus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009815. [PMID: 34591860 PMCID: PMC8509887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are globally distributed vectors of viruses that impact the health of hundreds of millions of people annually. Mating and blood feeding represent fundamental aspects of mosquito life history that carry important implications for vectorial capacity and for control strategies. Females transmit pathogens to vertebrate hosts and obtain essential nutrients for eggs during blood feeding. Further, because host-seeking Ae. aegypti females mate with males swarming near hosts, biological crosstalk between these behaviors could be important. Although mating influences nutritional intake in other insects, prior studies examining mating effects on mosquito blood feeding have yielded conflicting results. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To resolve these discrepancies, we examined blood-feeding physiology and behavior in virgin and mated females and in virgins injected with male accessory gland extracts (MAG), which induce post-mating changes in female behavior. We controlled adult nutritional status prior to blood feeding by using water- and sugar-fed controls. Our data show that neither mating nor injection with MAG affect Ae. aegypti blood intake, digestion, or feeding avidity for an initial blood meal. However, sugar feeding, a common supplement in laboratory settings but relatively rare in nature, significantly affected all aspects of feeding and may have contributed to conflicting results among previous studies. Further, mating, MAG injection, and sugar intake induced declines in subsequent feedings after an initial blood meal, correlating with egg production and laying. Taking our evaluation to the field, virgin and mated mosquitoes collected in Colombia were equally likely to contain blood at the time of collection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Mating, MAG, and sugar feeding impact a mosquito's estimated ability to transmit pathogens through both direct and indirect effects on multiple aspects of mosquito biology. Our results highlight the need to consider natural mosquito ecology, including diet, when assessing their physiology and behavior in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P. League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ethan C. Degner
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sylvie A. Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Yassi Hafezi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Erica Tennant
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Priscilla C. Cruz
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Raksha S. Krishnan
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Stefano S. Garcia Castillo
- Laboratorio de Malaria: Parásitos y Vectores, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Frank W. Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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17
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League GP, Harrington LC, Pitcher SA, Geyer JK, Baxter LL, Montijo J, Rowland JG, Johnson LM, Murdock CC, Cator LJ. Sexual selection theory meets disease vector control: Testing harmonic convergence as a "good genes" signal in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009540. [PMID: 34214096 PMCID: PMC8282061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The mosquito Aedes aegypti is a medically important, globally distributed vector of the viruses that cause dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Although reproduction and mate choice are key components of vector population dynamics and control, our understanding of the mechanisms of sexual selection in mosquitoes remains poor. In “good genes” models of sexual selection, females use male cues as an indicator of both mate and offspring genetic quality. Recent studies in Ae. aegypti provide evidence that male wingbeats may signal aspects of offspring quality and performance during mate selection in a process known as harmonic convergence. However, the extent to which harmonic convergence may signal overall inherent quality of mates and their offspring remains unknown. Methodology/Principal findings To examine this, we measured the relationship between acoustic signaling and a broad panel of parent and offspring fitness traits in two generations of field-derived Ae. aegypti originating from dengue-endemic field sites in Thailand. Our data show that in this population of mosquitoes, harmonic convergence does not signal male fertility, female fecundity, or male flight performance traits, which despite displaying robust variability in both parents and their offspring were only weakly heritable. Conclusions/Significance Together, our findings suggest that vector reproductive control programs should treat harmonic convergence as an indicator of some, but not all aspects of inherent quality, and that sexual selection likely affects Ae. aegypti in a trait-, population-, and environment-dependent manner. Mosquitoes transmit numerous pathogens that disproportionately impact developing countries. The mosquito Aedes aegypti, studied here, transmits viruses that cause neglected tropical diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Disease prevention programs rely heavily upon mosquito vector control. To successfully interrupt disease transmission, several control methods depend upon the ability of laboratory-modified male mosquitoes to successfully mate with wild females to suppress or replace natural populations. However, our understanding of what determines mating success in mosquitoes is far from complete. Our study addresses the question of whether female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes use male acoustic signals to select higher quality mates and improve their offspring’s fitness. We find that acoustic signals do not serve as universal indicators of fitness. Further, the fitness metrics we measured were only weakly heritable, suggesting that females that mate with high quality males do not necessarily produce fitter offspring. Our study provides a nuanced understanding of mate choice, mating acoustic signals, and parent and offspring reproductive fitness in a key disease-transmitting mosquito species. These discoveries improve our grasp of sexual selection in mosquitoes and can be leveraged by the vector control community to improve vitally important disease prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P. League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sylvie A. Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Julie K. Geyer
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Lindsay L. Baxter
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Julian Montijo
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - John G. Rowland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
| | - Lynn M. Johnson
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Courtney C. Murdock
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lauren J. Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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18
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Agudelo J, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. Male Age Influences Re-mating Incidence and Sperm Use in Females of the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti. Front Physiol 2021; 12:691221. [PMID: 34354600 PMCID: PMC8329734 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.691221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases transmitted by female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are public health issues in countries in the tropics and sub-tropics. As in other insects, A. aegypti females undergo behavioral and physiological changes upon mating that principally act to facilitate the production of progeny. The primary effectors of A. aegypti female post-mating responses are male-derived seminal proteins that are transferred to females during mating. Increased male age reduces ejaculate function in numerous taxa and alters seminal protein composition in Drosophila melanogaster, but the impacts of male age on female A. aegypti post-mating responses are unknown. Here, we used "old" (21-22 days old) and "young" (4-5 days old) A. aegypti males to assess the influence of male age on oviposition, fertility, and re-mating incidence in their mates. We also examined how age influenced paternity share in females initially mated to young or old males that subsequently re-mated with a transgenic male that transferred RFP-labeled sperm and whose progeny inherited a larval-expressed GFP marker. We found that increased male age had no effect on female fecundity or fertility but significantly impacted their ability to prevent re-mating in their mates-more than half (54.5%) of the females mated to an old male re-mated, compared to 24% of females initially mated to a young male. Polyandrous A. aegypti females displayed first male precedence regardless of the age of their initial mate. However, young males were better able to compete with rival male sperm, siring significantly more progeny (77%) compared to old males (64%). Young males had significantly more sperm in their seminal vesicles than old males at the time of mating, although males of both age groups transferred similar numbers of sperm to their mates. Our results suggest that male senescence differentially impacts the induction of some post-mating changes in A. aegypti females. As the effect of age may be further exacerbated in the field, age-related declines in male ability to induce sexual refractoriness have implications for A. aegypti population control programs that release adults into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Agudelo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.,Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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19
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Reitmayer CM, Pathak AK, Harrington LC, Brindley MA, Cator LJ, Murdock CC. Sex, age, and parental harmonic convergence behavior affect the immune performance of Aedes aegypti offspring. Commun Biol 2021; 4:723. [PMID: 34117363 PMCID: PMC8196008 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Harmonic convergence is a potential cue, female mosquitoes use to choose male mates. However, very little is known about the benefits this choice confers to offspring performance. Using Aedes aegypti (an important vector of human disease), we investigated whether offspring of converging parental pairs showed differences in immune competence compared to offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Here we show that harmonic convergence, along with several other interacting factors (sex, age, reproductive, and physiological status), significantly shaped offspring immune responses (melanization and response to a bacterial challenge). Harmonic convergence had a stronger effect on the immune response of male offspring than on female offspring. Further, female offspring from converging parental pairs disseminated dengue virus more quickly than offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Our results provide insight into a wide range of selective pressures shaping mosquito immune function and could have important implications for disease transmission and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Reitmayer
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Surrey, UK
| | - Ashutosh K Pathak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Northeast Center for Excellence for Vector-borne Disease Research, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Melinda A Brindley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Courtney C Murdock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Tropical and Global Emerging Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Northeast Center for Excellence for Vector-borne Disease Research, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Riverbasin Center, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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20
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Talyuli OAC, Bottino-Rojas V, Polycarpo CR, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Non-immune Traits Triggered by Blood Intake Impact Vectorial Competence. Front Physiol 2021; 12:638033. [PMID: 33737885 PMCID: PMC7960658 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.638033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding arthropods are considered an enormous public health threat. They are vectors of a plethora of infectious agents that cause potentially fatal diseases like Malaria, Dengue fever, Leishmaniasis, and Lyme disease. These vectors shine due to their own physiological idiosyncrasies, but one biological aspect brings them all together: the requirement of blood intake for development and reproduction. It is through blood-feeding that they acquire pathogens and during blood digestion that they summon a collection of multisystemic events critical for vector competence. The literature is focused on how classical immune pathways (Toll, IMD, and JAK/Stat) are elicited throughout the course of vector infection. Still, they are not the sole determinants of host permissiveness. The dramatic changes that are the hallmark of the insect physiology after a blood meal intake are the landscape where a successful infection takes place. Dominant processes that occur in response to a blood meal are not canonical immunological traits yet are critical in establishing vector competence. These include hormonal circuitries and reproductive physiology, midgut permeability barriers, midgut homeostasis, energy metabolism, and proteolytic activity. On the other hand, the parasites themselves have a role in the outcome of these blood triggered physiological events, consistently using them in their favor. Here, to enlighten the knowledge on vector-pathogen interaction beyond the immune pathways, we will explore different aspects of the vector physiology, discussing how they give support to these long-dated host-parasite relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carla R Polycarpo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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21
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Cator LJ, Wyer CAS, Harrington LC. Mosquito Sexual Selection and Reproductive Control Programs. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:330-339. [PMID: 33422425 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The field of mosquito mating biology has experienced a considerable expansion in the past decade. Recent work has generated many key insights about specific aspects of mating behavior and physiology. Here, we synthesize these findings and classify swarming mosquito systems as polygynous. Male mating success is highly variable in swarms and evidence suggests that it is likely determined by both scramble competition between males and female choice. Incorporating this new understanding will improve both implementation and long-term stability of reproductive control tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Claudia A S Wyer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK; Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY, USA.
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22
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Finch G, Nandyal S, Perretta C, Davies B, Rosendale AJ, Holmes CJ, Gantz JD, Spacht DE, Bailey ST, Chen X, Oyen K, Didion EM, Chakraborty S, Lee RE, Denlinger DL, Matter SF, Attardo GM, Weirauch MT, Benoit JB. Multi-level analysis of reproduction in an Antarctic midge identifies female and male accessory gland products that are altered by larval stress and impact progeny viability. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19791. [PMID: 33188214 PMCID: PMC7666147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, is a wingless, non-biting midge endemic to Antarctica. Larval development requires at least 2 years, but adults live only 2 weeks. The nonfeeding adults mate in swarms and females die shortly after oviposition. Eggs are suspended in a gel of unknown composition that is expressed from the female accessory gland. This project characterizes molecular mechanisms underlying reproduction in this midge by examining differential gene expression in whole males, females, and larvae, as well as in male and female accessory glands. Functional studies were used to assess the role of the gel encasing the eggs, as well as the impact of stress on reproductive biology. RNA-seq analyses revealed sex- and development-specific gene sets along with those associated with the accessory glands. Proteomic analyses were used to define the composition of the egg-containing gel, which is generated during multiple developmental stages and derived from both the accessory gland and other female organs. Functional studies indicate the gel provides a larval food source as well as a buffer for thermal and dehydration stress. All of these function are critical to juvenile survival. Larval dehydration stress directly reduces production of storage proteins and key accessory gland components, a feature that impacts adult reproductive success. Modeling reveals that bouts of dehydration may have a significant impact on population growth. This work lays a foundation for further examination of reproduction in midges and provides new information related to general reproduction in dipterans. A key aspect of this work is that reproduction and stress dynamics, currently understudied in polar organisms, are likely to prove critical in determining how climate change will alter their survivability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Finch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sonya Nandyal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Carlie Perretta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Andrew J Rosendale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Biology, Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Christopher J Holmes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - J D Gantz
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
- Department of Biology and Health Science, Hendrix College, Conway, AR, USA
| | - Drew E Spacht
- Departments of Entomology and Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Samuel T Bailey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xiaoting Chen
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Kennan Oyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Elise M Didion
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Souvik Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Richard E Lee
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
| | - David L Denlinger
- Departments of Entomology and Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen F Matter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Attardo
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Matthew T Weirauch
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Divisions of Biomedical Informatics and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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23
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Camargo C, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Amaro IA, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, Avila FW. Mating and blood-feeding induce transcriptome changes in the spermathecae of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14899. [PMID: 32913240 PMCID: PMC7484758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors of numerous viruses that impact human health. As manipulation of reproduction has been proposed to suppress mosquito populations, elucidation of biological processes that enable males and females to successfully reproduce is necessary. One essential process is female sperm storage in specialized structures called spermathecae. Aedes aegypti females typically mate once, requiring them to maintain sperm viably to fertilize eggs they lay over their lifetime. Spermathecal gene products are required for Drosophila sperm storage and sperm viability, and a spermathecal-derived heme peroxidase is required for long-term Anopheles gambiae fertility. Products of the Ae. aegypti spermathecae, and their response to mating, are largely unknown. Further, although female blood-feeding is essential for anautogenous mosquito reproduction, the transcriptional response to blood-ingestion remains undefined in any reproductive tissue. We conducted an RNAseq analysis of spermathecae from unfed virgins, mated only, and mated and blood-fed females at 6, 24, and 72 h post-mating and identified significant differentially expressed genes in each group at each timepoint. A blood-meal following mating induced a greater transcriptional response in the spermathecae than mating alone. This study provides the first view of elicited mRNA changes in the spermathecae by a blood-meal in mated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Camargo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia.
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24
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Harrington LC, Foy BD, Bangs MJ. Considerations for Human Blood-Feeding and Arthropod Exposure in Vector Biology Research: An Essential Tool for Investigations and Disease Control. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:807-816. [PMID: 32905735 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Eventually there may be a broadly acceptable, even perfected, substitute for the human host requirement for direct feeding experiments by arthropods, most notably mosquitoes. However, for now, direct and indirect feeding on human volunteers is an important, if not essential, tool in vector biology research (VBR). This article builds on the foundational publication by Achee et al. (2015) covering considerations for the use of human participants in VBR pursuits. The authors introduced methods involving human participation in VBR, while detailing human-landing collections (catches) as a prime example. Benedict et al. (2018) continued this theme with an overview of human participation and considerations for research that involves release of mosquito vectors into the environment. In this study, we discuss another important aspect of human use in VBR activities: considerations addressing studies that require an arthropod to feed on a live human host. Using mosquito studies as our principal example, in this study, we discuss the tremendous importance and value of this approach to support and allow study of a wide variety of factors and interactions related to our understanding of vector-borne diseases and their control. This includes establishment of laboratory colonies for test populations, characterization of essential nutrients that contribute to mosquito fitness, characterization of blood-feeding (biting) behavior and pathogen transmission, parameterization for modeling transmission dynamics, evaluation of human host attraction and/or agents that repel, and the effectiveness of antivector or parasite therapeutic drug studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian D Foy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Arthropod-Borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory Fort Collins, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael J Bangs
- Public Health & Malaria Control, PT Freeport Indonesia/International SOS, Kuala Kencana, Indonesia.,Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
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25
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Jigisha, Iglesias-Carrasco M, Vincent A, Head ML. Disentangling the costs of mating and harassment across different environments. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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26
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Abraham S, Moyano A, Murillo Dasso S, Van Nieuwenhove G, Ovruski S, Pérez-Staples D. Male accessory gland depletion in a tephritid fly affects female fecundity independently of sperm depletion. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02835-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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27
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Yang D, He Y, Ni W, Lai Q, Yang Y, Xie J, Zhu T, Zhou G, Zheng X. Semi-field life-table studies of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Guangzhou, China. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229829. [PMID: 32187227 PMCID: PMC7080243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aedes albopictus is a major vector for several tropical infectious diseases. Characterization of Ae. albopictus development under natural conditions is crucial for monitoring vector population expansion, dengue virus transmission, and disease outbreak preparedness. Methods This study employed mosquito traits as a proxy to understanding life-table traits in mosquitoes using a semi–field study. Ae. albopictus larval and adult life-table experiments were conducted using microcosms under semi-field conditions in Guangzhou. Stage-specific development times and survivorship rates were determined and compared under semi-field conditions in different seasons from early summer (June) to winter (January), to determine the lower temperature limit for larval development and adult survivorship and reproductivity. Results The average egg- hatching rate was 60.1%, with the highest recorded in October (77.1%; mid-autumn). The larval development time was on average 13.2 days (range, 8.5–24.1 days), with the shortest time observed in September(8.7 days; early autumn) and longest in November (22.8 days). The pupation rates of Ae. albopictus larvae were on average 88.9% (range, 81.6–93.4%); they were stable from June to September but decreased from October to November. The adult emergence rates were on average 82.5% (range, 76.8–87.9%) and decreased from July to November. The median survival time of Ae. albopictus adults was on average 7.4 (range, 4.5–9.8), with the shortest time recorded in September. The average lifetime egg mass under semi-field conditions was 37.84 eggs/female. The larvae could develop into adults at temperatures as low as 12.3°C, and the adults could survive for 30.0 days at 16.3°C and still produce eggs. Overall, correlation analysis found that mean temperature and relative humidity were variables significantly affecting larval development and adult survivorship. Conclusion Ae. albopictus larvae could develop and emerge and the adults could survive and produce eggs in early winter in Guangzhou. The major impact of changes in ambient temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity was on the egg hatching rates, adult survival time, and egg mass production, rather than on pupation or adult emergence rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dizi Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yulan He
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weigui Ni
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Lai
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yonghong Yang
- Nutritional Department, PLA Air Force Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayan Xie
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianrenzheng Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guofa Zhou
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Xueli Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail:
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28
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Felipe Ramírez-Sánchez L, Camargo C, Avila FW. Male sexual history influences female fertility and re-mating incidence in the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 121:104019. [PMID: 32032591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of several arboviruses that impact human health including the dengue, Zika, and yellow fever viruses. The potential of Ae. aegypti females to transmit viruses is enhanced by mating-induced behavioral and physiological changes that increase female host-seeking behaviors, blood-feeding frequency and longevity. The mating-induced changes are due to female receipt of male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) during copulation. SFPs also inhibit female re-mating-re-mating incidence is significantly reduced in the initial hours after mating and nearly absent after 24 h. Males, however, are not limited in the number of females they can inseminate and are able to mate with multiple females in succession. As successive mating depletes SFPs, we examined parameters of fertility and re-mating incidence in females after mating with recently mated males. Males of two Ae. aegypti strains (Colombian and Thai) were mated five consecutive times and fecundity, resulting larvae and hatch percentage in each female of the mating sequence was assessed. In both strains, we found that males can mate three times in succession without impacting fertility in their mates. However, significant declines in fecundity, resulting larvae, and hatch percentage were observed after a third mating. Male size influenced female fecundity and fertility as mates of small males showed further reductions compared to mates of big males after mating consecutively. Seven days after the consecutive mating assays, the re-mating rate of females mated fifth in succession was significantly increased (Colombian strain: 33%; Thai strain: 48%) compared to females mated first (0% in both strains). Re-mating incidence was further increased in small, Thai strain males where 82% of fifth mated females re-mated compared to 0% of first mated females. Finally, we show that regardless of male size, mates of experimental males were similarly fertile to mates of control males when mated for a sixth time 48 h after the consecutive mating assays, showing that males recover fertility after 2 d. Our results show that male sexual history influences fertility and re-mating incidence of Ae. aegypti females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Felipe Ramírez-Sánchez
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia 050010, Colombia
| | - Carolina Camargo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia 050010, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia 050010, Colombia.
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29
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Onyango MG, Bialosuknia SM, Payne AF, Mathias N, Kuo L, Vigneron A, DeGennaro M, Ciota AT, Kramer LD. Increased temperatures reduce the vectorial capacity of Aedes mosquitoes for Zika virus. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 9:67-77. [PMID: 31894724 PMCID: PMC6968261 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1707125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Rapid and significant range expansion of both Zika virus (ZIKV) and its Aedes vector species has resulted in ZIKV being declared a global health threat. Mean temperatures are projected to increase globally, likely resulting in alterations of the transmission potential of mosquito-borne pathogens. To understand the effect of diurnal temperature range on the vectorial capacity of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus for ZIKV, longevity, blood-feeding and vector competence were assessed at two temperature regimes following feeding on infectious blood meals. Higher temperatures resulted in decreased longevity of Ae. aegypti [Log-rank test, χ2, df 35.66, 5, P < 0.001] and a decrease in blood-feeding rates of Ae. albopictus [Fisher's exact test, P < 0.001]. Temperature had a population and species-specific impact on ZIKV infection rates. Overall, Ae. albopictus reared at the lowest temperature regime demonstrated the highest vectorial capacity (0.53) and the highest transmission efficiency (57%). Increased temperature decreased vectorial capacity across groups yet more significant effects were measured with Ae. aegypti relative to Ae. albopictus. The results of this study suggest that future increases in temperature in the Americas could significantly impact vector competence, blood-feeding and longevity, and potentially decrease the overall vectorial capacity of Aedes mosquitoes in the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sean M Bialosuknia
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.,School of Public Health, State University of New York Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Anne F Payne
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Mathias
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Lili Kuo
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA
| | - Aurélien Vigneron
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alexander T Ciota
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.,School of Public Health, State University of New York Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Laura D Kramer
- Griffin Laboratory, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, USA.,School of Public Health, State University of New York Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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30
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Cryo-Electron Microscopy Reveals That Sperm Modification Coincides with Female Fertility in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18537. [PMID: 31811199 PMCID: PMC6898104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54920-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulating mosquito reproduction is a promising approach to reducing mosquito populations and the burden of diseases they carry. A thorough understanding of reproductive processes is necessary to develop such strategies, but little is known about how sperm are processed and prepared for fertilization within female mosquitoes. By employing cryo-electron microscopy for the first time to study sperm of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, we reveal that sperm shed their entire outer coat, the glycocalyx, within 24 hours of being stored in the female. Motility assays demonstrate that as their glycocalyx is shed in the female’s sperm storage organs, sperm transition from a period of dormancy to rapid motility—a critical prerequisite for sperm to reach the egg. We also show that females gradually become fertile as sperm become motile, and that oviposition behavior increases sharply after females reach peak fertility. Together, these experiments demonstrate a striking coincidence of the timelines of several reproductive events in Ae. aegypti, suggesting a direct relationship between sperm modification and female reproductive capacity.
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Plakke MS, Walker JL, Lombardo JB, Goetz BJ, Pacella GN, Durrant JD, Clark NL, Morehouse NI. Characterization of Female Reproductive Proteases in a Butterfly from Functional and Evolutionary Perspectives. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:579-590. [DOI: 10.1086/705722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Maïga H, Mamai W, Bimbilé Somda NS, Konczal A, Wallner T, Herranz GS, Herrero RA, Yamada H, Bouyer J. Reducing the cost and assessing the performance of a novel adult mass-rearing cage for the dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika vector, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007775. [PMID: 31553724 PMCID: PMC6779276 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The widespread emergence of resistance to insecticides used to control adult Aedes mosquitoes has made traditional control strategies inadequate for the reduction of various vector populations. Therefore, complementary vector control methods, such as the Sterile Insect Technique, are needed to enhance existing efforts. The technique relies on the rearing and release of large numbers of sterile males, and the development of efficient and standardized mass-rearing procedures and tools is essential for its application against medically important mosquitoes. Methods In the effort to reduce the cost of the rearing process, a prototype low-cost plexiglass mass-rearing cage has been developed and tested for egg production and egg hatch rate in comparison to the current Food and Agriculture Organization/International Atomic Energy Agency (FAO/IAEA) stainless-steel cage. Additionally, an adult-index was validated and used as a proxy to estimate the mosquito survival rates by counting the number of male and female mosquitoes that were resting within each of the 6 squares at a given point of time each day in the cage. Results The study has shown that the prototype mass-rearing cage is cheap and is as efficient as the FAO/IAEA stainless-steel cage in terms of egg production, with even better overall egg hatch rate. The mean numbers of eggs per cage, after seven cycles of blood feeding and egg collection, were 969,789 ± 138,101 and 779,970 ± 123,042, corresponding to 81 ± 11 and 65 ± 10 eggs per female over her lifespan, in the prototype and the stainless-steel-mass-rearing cages, respectively. The longevity of adult male and female mosquitoes was not affected by cage type and, the adult-index could be considered as an appropriate proxy for survival. Moreover, the mass-rearing cage prototype is easy to handle and transport and improves economic and logistic efficiency. Conclusion The low-cost mass-rearing prototype cage can be recommended to produce Ae. aegypti in the context of rear and release techniques. The proposed adult-index can be used as a quick proxy of mosquito survival rates in mass-rearing settings. Dengue, among other arboviral infections, is a neglected disease and a major health issue that is re-emerging in tropical countries due to the poor efficacy of conventional vector control methods. Therefore, there is a growing need for more sustainable techniques to control Aedes mosquito species, while reducing the dependence on insecticides. The sterile insect technique, which relies on the mass-production of sterile males, can be used as part of area- wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes to reduce the vector population below the disease transmission threshold. Therefore, innovations in mosquito mass-rearing techniques including the development of low-cost adult holding cages are essential in the quest to promote an economical and logistically efficient mass -rearing system for the vectors of dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidou Maïga
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/Direction Régionale de l’Ouest, Bobo‑Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Wadaka Mamai
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
- Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Nanwintoum Séverin Bimbilé Somda
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/Direction Régionale de l’Ouest, Bobo‑Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Anna Konczal
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Wallner
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gustavo Salvador Herranz
- Technical School of Design, Architecture and Engineering, University CEU Cardenal Herrera, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael Argiles Herrero
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hanano Yamada
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jeremy Bouyer
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
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Pantoja-Sánchez H, Gomez S, Velez V, Avila FW, Alfonso-Parra C. Precopulatory acoustic interactions of the New World malaria vector Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:386. [PMID: 31370863 PMCID: PMC6676525 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anopheles albimanus is a malaria vector in Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean. Although a public health threat, An. albimanus precopulatory mating behaviors are unknown. Acoustics play important roles in mosquito communication, where flight tones allow males to detect and attract potential mates. The importance of sound in precopulatory interactions has been demonstrated in Toxorhynchites brevipalpis, Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles gambiae; convergence in a shared harmonic of the wing beat frequency (WBF) during courtship is thought to increase the chance of copulation. To our knowledge, An. albimanus precopulatory acoustic behaviors have not been described to date. Here, we characterized An. albimanus (i) male and female flight tones; (ii) male–female precopulatory acoustic interactions under tethered and free flight conditions; and (iii) male-male acoustic interactions during free flight. Results We found significant increases in the WBFs of both sexes in free flight compared to when tethered. We observed harmonic convergence between 79% of tethered couples. In free flight, we identified a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts: females increase their WBFs significantly faster during mate rejection compared to a successful copulation. This behavior consistently occurred during mate rejection regardless of prior mating attempts (from the same or differing male). During group flight, males of An. albimanus displayed two distinct flying behaviors: random flight and a swarm-like, patterned flight, each associated with distinct acoustic characteristics. In the transition from random to patterned flight, males converged their WBFs and significantly decreased flight area, male-male proximity and the periodicity of their trajectories. Conclusions We show that tethering of An. albimanus results in major acoustic differences compared to free flight. We identify a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts in this species and show that male groups in free flight display distinct flying patterns with unique audio and visual characteristics. This study shows that An. albimanus display acoustic features identified in other mosquito species, further suggesting that acoustic interactions provide worthwhile targets for mosquito intervention strategies. Our results provide compelling evidence for swarming in this species and suggests that acoustic signaling is important for this behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Gomez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia
| | - Viviana Velez
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia. .,Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
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Qureshi A, Aldersley A, Hollis B, Ponlawat A, Cator LJ. Male competition and the evolution of mating and life-history traits in experimental populations of Aedes aegypti. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190591. [PMID: 31185872 PMCID: PMC6571471 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is an important disease vector and a major target of reproductive control efforts. We manipulated the opportunity for sexual selection in populations of Ae. aegypti by controlling the number of males competing for a single female. Populations exposed to higher levels of male competition rapidly evolved higher male competitive mating success relative to populations evolved in the absence of competition, with an evolutionary response visible after only five generations. We also detected correlated evolution in other important mating and life-history traits, such as acoustic signalling, fecundity and body size. Our results indicate that there is ample segregating variation for determinants of male mating competitiveness in wild populations and that increased male mating success trades-off with other important life-history traits. The mating conditions imposed on laboratory-reared mosquitoes are likely a significant determinant of male mating success in populations destined for release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alima Qureshi
- 1 Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London , Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY , UK
| | - Andrew Aldersley
- 1 Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London , Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY , UK
| | - Brian Hollis
- 2 School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Alongkot Ponlawat
- 3 Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences , Bangkok 10400 , Thailand
| | - Lauren J Cator
- 1 Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London , Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY , UK
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Tong H, Li Z, Ye W, Wang Y, Omar MAA, Ao Y, Li F, Jiang M. Male mating and female postmating performances in cotton mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): effects of female density. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:1145-1150. [PMID: 30796440 PMCID: PMC6529898 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
For insects, female density is closely related to reproductive output. However, little is known about the effects of female density on male mating and female postmating performances. Here, we explored the effects of female density in cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), an invasive, rapidly spreading pest in Asia damaging multiple crops and horticultural plants. Using USB digital microscopes, we investigated the frequency, duration, and intervals of mating for males that were individually supplied with 1, 5, 10, and 15 females. We also evaluated the reproduction of mated females and the sex ratio of their offspring. As the female density increased, males mated with more females while substantially shortening mating intervals. Mating occurred actively at the densities of 10 and 15 females, where males mated four times on average, and some mated 6-9 times. However, mating duration and the observed reproductive parameters of females (preoviposition period, overall period from formation of ovisacs to female death, fecundity, and offspring sex ratio) did not differ significantly with female density. A weak trade-off existed between males' mating frequency and longevity, but there was no relationship between females' fecundity and longevity. In conclusion, despite their short lifespan, P. solenopsis males have a high mating capacity, and their mating frequency and intervals can be significantly affected by female density. In contrast, female density has little influence on females' postmating performance. Our findings indicate the significance of the reproductive biology and life history strategies for rapid establishment and population development of mealybugs in newly invaded regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Tong
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zihao Li
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wanyi Ye
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Yan Ao
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fei Li
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingxing Jiang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Degner EC, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Borziak K, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC, Dorus S. Proteins, Transcripts, and Genetic Architecture of Seminal Fluid and Sperm in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:S6-S22. [PMID: 30552291 PMCID: PMC6427228 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.001067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti,, transmits several viruses causative of serious diseases, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Some proposed efforts to control this vector involve manipulating reproduction to suppress wild populations or to replace them with disease-resistant mosquitoes. The design of such strategies requires an intimate knowledge of reproductive processes, yet our basic understanding of reproductive genetics in this vector remains largely incomplete. To accelerate future investigations, we have comprehensively catalogued sperm and seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred to females in the ejaculate using tandem mass spectrometry. By excluding female-derived proteins using an isotopic labeling approach, we identified 870 sperm proteins and 280 SFPs. Functional composition analysis revealed parallels with known aspects of sperm biology and SFP function in other insects. To corroborate our proteome characterization, we also generated transcriptomes for testes and the male accessory glands-the primary contributors to Ae. aegypti, sperm and seminal fluid, respectively. Differential gene expression of accessory glands from virgin and mated males suggests that transcripts encoding proteins involved in protein translation are upregulated post-mating. Several SFP transcripts were also modulated after mating, but >90% remained unchanged. Finally, a significant enrichment of SFPs was observed on chromosome 1, which harbors the male sex determining locus in this species. Our study provides a comprehensive proteomic and transcriptomic characterization of ejaculate production and composition and thus provides a foundation for future investigations of Ae. aegypti, reproductive biology, from functional analysis of individual proteins to broader examination of reproductive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan C Degner
- From the ‡Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Kirill Borziak
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York;.
| | - Laura C Harrington
- From the ‡Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York;.
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.
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Meuti ME, Short SM. Physiological and Environmental Factors Affecting the Composition of the Ejaculate in Mosquitoes and Other Insects. INSECTS 2019; 10:E74. [PMID: 30875967 PMCID: PMC6468485 DOI: 10.3390/insects10030074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
In addition to transferring sperm, male mosquitoes deliver several proteins, hormones and other factors to females in their seminal fluid that inhibit remating, alter host-seeking behaviors and stimulate oviposition. Recently, bioinformatics, transcriptomics and proteomics have been used to characterize the genes transcribed in male reproductive tissues and the individual proteins that are delivered to females. Thanks to these foundational studies, we now understand the complexity of the ejaculate in several mosquito species. Building on this work, researchers have begun to identify the functions of various proteins and hormones in the male ejaculate, and how they mediate their effects on female mosquitoes. Here, we present an overview of these studies, followed by a discussion of an under-studied aspect of male reproductive physiology: the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the composition of the ejaculate. We argue that future research in this area would improve our understanding of male reproductive biology from a physiological and ecological perspective, and that researchers may be able to leverage this information to study key components of the ejaculate. Furthermore, this work has the potential to improve mosquito control by allowing us to account for relevant factors when implementing vector control strategies involving male reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Meuti
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 2001 Fyffe Rd., Room 232 Howlett Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Sarah M Short
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 2001 Fyffe Rd., Room 232 Howlett Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Ruzzante L, Reijnders MJ, Waterhouse RM. Of Genes and Genomes: Mosquito Evolution and Diversity. Trends Parasitol 2019; 35:32-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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