1
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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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2
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Cavagna A, Giardina I, Gucciardino MA, Iacomelli G, Lombardi M, Melillo S, Monacchia G, Parisi L, Peirce MJ, Spaccapelo R. Characterization of lab-based swarms of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using 3D-video tracking. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8745. [PMID: 37253765 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34842-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito copulation is a crucial determinant of its capacity to transmit malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites as well as underpinning several highly-anticipated vector control methodologies such as gene drive and sterile insect technique. For the anopheline mosquitoes responsible for African malaria transmission, mating takes place within crepuscular male swarms which females enter solely to mate. However, the mechanisms that regulate swarm structure or that govern mate choice remain opaque. We used 3D-video tracking approaches and computer vision algorithms developed for the study of other complex biological systems to document swarming behavior of a lab-adapted Anopheles gambiae line in a lab-based setting. By reconstructing trajectories of individual mosquitoes lasting up to 15.88 s, in swarms containing upwards of 200 participants, we documented swarm-like behavior in both males and females. In single sex swarms, encounters between individuals were fleeting (< 0.75 s). By contrast, in mixed swarms, we were able to detect 79 'brief encounters' (> 0.75 s; < 2.5 s) and 17 longer-lived encounters (> 2.5 s). We also documented several examples of apparent male-male mating competition. These findings represent the first steps towards a more detailed and quantitative description of swarming and courtship behavior in one of the most important vectors of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cavagna
- CNR-ISC (National Research Council - Institute for Complex Systems), Rome, Italy
- Physics Department University Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- INFN Unità Di Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Irene Giardina
- CNR-ISC (National Research Council - Institute for Complex Systems), Rome, Italy
- Physics Department University Sapienza, Rome, Italy
- INFN Unità Di Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Gloria Iacomelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Max Lombardi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Stefania Melillo
- CNR-ISC (National Research Council - Institute for Complex Systems), Rome, Italy.
- Physics Department University Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulia Monacchia
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Leonardo Parisi
- CNR-ISC (National Research Council - Institute for Complex Systems), Rome, Italy
- Physics Department University Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Matthew J Peirce
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Roberta Spaccapelo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
- Centro Universitario Di Ricerca Sulla Genomica Funzionale (C.U.R.Ge.F), CIRM Italian Malaria Network, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
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3
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van der Bijl W, Mank JE. Sexual selection: Changing the definition of the fittest. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R277-R279. [PMID: 37040712 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has long been known to produce rapid evolution of spectacular traits. A new study reveals how sexual selection can also rapidly reshape the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter van der Bijl
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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4
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Wyer CAS, Cator LJ, Hollis B. Release from sexual selection leads to rapid genome-wide evolution in Aedes aegypti. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1351-1357.e5. [PMID: 36882057 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, mates in flight as part of ephemeral aggregations termed swarms. Swarms contain many more males than females, and males are thought to be subject to intense sexual selection.1,2 However, which male traits are involved in mating success and the genetic basis of these traits remains unclear. We used an experimental evolution approach to measure genome-wide responses of Ae. aegypti evolved in the presence and absence of sexual selection. These data revealed for the first time how sexual selection shapes the genome of this important species. We found that populations evolved under sexual selection retained greater genetic similarity to the ancestral population and a higher effective population size than populations evolving without sexual selection. When we compared evolutionary regimes, we found that genes associated with chemosensation responded rapidly to the elimination of sexual selection. Knockdown of one high-confidence candidate gene identified in our analysis significantly decreased male insemination success, further suggesting that genes related to male sensory perception are under sexual selection. Several mosquito control technologies involve the release of males from captive populations into the wild. For these interventions to work, a released male must compete against wild males to successfully inseminate a female. Our results suggest that maintaining the intensity of sexual selection in captive populations used in mass-releases is important for sustaining both male competitive ability and overall genetic similarity to field populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A S Wyer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL57PY, UK
| | - Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot SL57PY, UK.
| | - Brian Hollis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
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5
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Contreras B, Adelman ZN, Chae K. Evaluating the Mating Competency of Genetically Modified Male Mosquitoes in Laboratory Conditions. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2023; 4:1106671. [PMID: 37860147 PMCID: PMC10586724 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2023.1106671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts to eradicate mosquito-borne diseases have increased the demand for genetic control strategies, many of which involve the release of genetically modified (GM) mosquito males into natural populations. The first hurdle for GM males is to compete with their wild-type counterparts for access to females. Here, we introduce an eye color-based mating assay, in which both Lvp wild-type and kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo)-null males compete for access to kmo-null females, and therefore the eye color phenotype (black or white) of the progeny is dependent on the parental mating pair. A series of tests addressed that male mating competitiveness between the two strains can significantly be influenced by adult density, light intensity, and mating duration. Interestingly, the mating competitiveness of males was not correlated with body size, which was negatively influenced by a high larval density. Lastly, this eye color-associated assay was applied to characterize GM mosquitoes in their mating competitiveness, establishing this method as a fast and precise way of benchmarking this fitness parameter for laboratory-raised males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Contreras
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Zach N. Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Keun Chae
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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6
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Lyu XY, Wang XL, Geng DQ, Jiang H, Zou Z. Juvenile hormone acts on male accessory gland function via regulating l-asparaginase expression and triacylglycerol mobilization in Aedes aegypti. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:81-94. [PMID: 35633120 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hormones control the reproductive development of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The adult male reproductive process and mating behavior require adequate nutrients and energy. Understanding the molecular mechanism linking hormones, energy metabolism, and reproduction in male mosquitoes is important. In this study, we found that the size of the male accessory gland, an essential part of the male reproductive system, gradually increased after eclosion. However, it was significantly reduced in male mosquitoes deficient in methoprene-tolerant (Met), the receptor of juvenile hormone. Likewise, egg hatchability of females that mated with Met-depleted males showed the same downward trend. The mRNA level of the gene encoding accessory gland protein, l-asparaginase (ASNase), was reduced in Met dsRNA-treated males. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR results revealed that Met was capable of binding directly to the promoter of ASNase and activated its transcription. RNA interference of ASNase in males resulted in the reduction of egg hatchability of the females with which they mated. These results showed that Met influenced the fecundity of male mosquitoes by directly upregulating the expression of the ASNase gene. Moreover, the levels of triacylglycerol and the sizes of lipid droplets were decreased by 72-78 h after eclosion in the fat body cells, whereas both of them increased in Met-depleted male mosquitoes, indicating that Met knockdown reduced lipid catabolism. These data demonstrate that Met might influence the egg hatchability of females by regulating lipid metabolism and the development of the male accessory gland in male mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Yang Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dan-Qian Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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7
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The size of larval rearing container modulates the effects of diet amount and larval density on larval development in Aedes aegypti. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280736. [PMID: 36696416 PMCID: PMC9876358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass-rearing of mosquitoes under laboratory conditions is an important part of several new control techniques that rely on the release of males to control mosquito populations. While previous work has investigated the effect of larval density and diet amount on colony productivity, the role of the size of the container in which larval development takes place has been relatively ignored. We investigated the role of container size in shaping life history and how this varied with density and food availability in Aedes aegypti, an important disease vector and target of mass-rearing operations. For each treatment combination, immature development time and survival and adult body size and fecundity were measured, and then combined into a measure of productivity. We additionally investigated how larval aggregation behaviour varied with container size. Container size had important effects on life history traits and overall productivity. In particular, increasing container size intensified density and diet effects on immature development time. Productivity was also impacted by container size when larvae were reared at high densities (1.4 larva/ml). In these treatments, the productivity metric of large containers was estimated to be significantly lower than medium or small containers. Regardless of container size, larvae were more likely to be observed at the outer edges of containers, even when this led to extremely high localized densities. We discuss how container size and larval aggregation responses may alter the balance of energy input and output to shape development and productivity.
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8
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Liu S, Zhou J, Kong L, Cai Y, Liu H, Xie Z, Xiao X, James AA, Chen XG. Clock genes regulate mating activity rhythms in the vector mosquitoes, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010965. [PMID: 36455055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endogenous circadian rhythms result from genetically-encoded molecular clocks, whose components and downstream output factors cooperate to generate cyclic changes in activity. Mating is an important activity of mosquitoes, however, the key aspects of mating rhythm patterns and their regulatory mechanisms in two vector mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus, remain unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We determined and compared the diel mating activity rhythms of these two mosquito species and discovered that Ae. albopictus had mating peaks in the light/dark transition periods (ZT0-3 and ZT9-12), while Cx. quinquefasciatus only had a mating peak at ZT12-15. Knockouts of the clock (clk) orthologous genes (Aalclk and Cxqclk) resulted in phase delay or phase reversal of the mating peaks in Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. In addition, the temporal expression pattern of the desaturase orthologous genes, desat1, in both mosquito species was also different in respective wild-type strains and showed phase changes similar to the mating rhythms in clk mutant strains. Inhibition of desat1 expression resulted in decreased mating activity in male mosquitoes of both species but not females. In addition, desat1 regulated cuticular hydrocarbons' synthesis in both species. Silencing desat1 in male Ae. albopictus resulted in decreases of nonadecane and tricosane, which promoted mating, with concomitant increases of heptacosane, which inhibited mating. Silencing desat1 in male Cx. quinquefasciatus also resulted in decreases of tricosane, which promoted mating. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that Aalclk and Cxqclk have significant roles in the mating activity rhythms in both Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus by regulating the temporal expression of the desat1 gene under LD cycles, which affects sex pheromone synthesis and mating. This work provides insights into the molecular regulatory mechanism of distinct mating rhythm of Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus and may provide a basis for the control of these two important vector mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayong Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Kong
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiquan Cai
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongkai Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhensheng Xie
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Xiao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anthony A James
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine California, United States of America
| | - Xiao-Guang Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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9
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League GP, Alfonso-Parra C, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Harrington LC. Acoustic-Related Mating Behavior in Tethered and Free-Flying Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:Pdb.top107667. [PMID: 35960619 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Acoustics play an essential role in mosquito communication, particularly during courtship and mating. Mosquito mating occurs in flight and is coordinated by the perception of wingbeat tones. Flight tone frequencies have been shown to mediate sex recognition in Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Toxorhynchites genera and are thus a conserved feature of mating across the mosquito family (Culicidae). Upon recognizing a flying female, males respond phonotactically by lunging toward the female and initiating a precopulatory courtship flight interaction. During this interaction, males and females often harmonize their flight tones in a behavior known as harmonic convergence, and male acoustics display rapid frequency modulation. These acoustic phenomena have been characterized both in tethered and free-flying mosquitoes using similar audio recording and analysis methods. Further, the manipulation of mosquito acoustic-related mating behavior shows great promise as a tool for reproductive control strategies. In this brief methodological introduction, we provide an overview of the biological and technical concepts necessary for understanding the recording and analysis of mosquito mating acoustics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia, 055413
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, 050010
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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10
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Liu C, Cao J, Zhang H, Wu J, Yin J. Profiling of Transcriptome-Wide N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) Modifications and Identifying m6A Associated Regulation in Sperm Tail Formation in Anopheles sinensis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094630. [PMID: 35563020 PMCID: PMC9101273 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries of reversible N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation on messenger RNA (mRNA) and mapping of m6A methylomes in many species have revealed potential regulatory functions of this RNA modification by m6A players—writers, readers, and erasers. Here, we first profile transcriptome-wide m6A in female and male Anopheles sinensis and reveal that m6A is also a highly conserved modification of mRNA in mosquitoes. Distinct from mammals and yeast but similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, m6A in An. sinensis is enriched not only around the stop codon and within 3′-untranslated regions but also around the start codon and 5′-UTR. Gene ontology analysis indicates the unique distribution pattern of m6A in An. sinensis is associated with mosquito sex-specific pathways such as tRNA wobble uridine modification and phospholipid-binding in females, and peptidoglycan catabolic process, exosome and signal recognition particle, endoplasmic reticulum targeting, and RNA helicase activity in males. The positive correlation between m6A deposition and mRNA abundance indicates that m6A can play a role in regulating gene expression in mosquitoes. Furthermore, many spermatogenesis-associated genes, especially those related to mature sperm flagellum formation, are positively modulated by m6A methylation. A transcriptional regulatory network of m6A in An. sinensis is first profiled in the present study, especially in spermatogenesis, which may provide a new clue for the control of this disease-transmitting vector.
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11
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Quality Control Methods for Aedes albopictus Sterile Male Transportation. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020179. [PMID: 35206755 PMCID: PMC8878208 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Genetic based mosquito control methods have been gaining ground in recent years for their potential to achieve effective suppression or replacement of vector populations without hampering environments or causing any public health risk. These methods require the mass rearing of the target species in large facilities sized to produce millions of sterile males, as already well established for a number of insects of agricultural importance. Assessing the performance of released males in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) control programs is of the utmost importance for the success of the operation. Besides the negative effects of mass rearing and sterilization, the handling of sterilized insects and shipment to distant areas may also negatively impact the quality of sterilized males. The aim of the current study was to design and executive quality control (QC) tests for sterilized Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) males delivered by air shipment from the mass production facility located in Italy to Greece and Montenegro field release sites. Mass reared mosquito strains were based on biological materials received from Italy, Greece and Montenegro. Tests conducted at the mass rearing facility before transportation revealed a rather high residual female contamination following mechanical sex separation (approximately 1.5% females, regardless of the mosquito strain). Irradiated males of all three mosquito strains induced high levels of sterility to females. Shipment lasting approximately 24 h resulted in approximately 15% mortality, while when shipment lasted nearly two days this increased to almost 40%. The flight ability of sterilized males following one day transportation time was satisfactory (over 60%). The response of sterile males to food and water starvation was comparable and slightly lower than that of wild non-transported males. Longevity of sterile males was shorter than that of wild counterparts and it seems it was not affected by mating to wild females. Both mating propensity and mating competitiveness for wild virgin females was higher for the wild, control males compared to the sterile, transported ones. Overall, the performance of sterile male Ae. albopictus delivered from the mass rearing facility of Italy to Greece in approximately 24 h was satisfactory. Transportation lasting two days or longer incurred detrimental effects on males, which called into question the outcome of the SIT release programs. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the need of quality control procedures, especially when sterile male production facilities are not near to the releasing point. Transportation could be a serious drawback for the implementation of Sterile Insect Releases and, consequently, it is important to establish an efficient and fast transportation of sterilized males in advance.
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12
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Martynova T, Kamanda P, Sim C. Transcriptome profiling reveals sex-specific gene expressions in pupal and adult stages of the mosquito Culex pipiens. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:24-32. [PMID: 34460975 PMCID: PMC9190208 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the development process of male and female mosquitoes provides important basic information for sterile insect release programmes and is important for improving other vector control strategies. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that distinguish male from female-specific developmental processes in this species. We used IlluminaRNA-seq to identify sex-specific genes during pupal and adult stages. One hundred and forty-seven genes were expressed only in pupal males, 56 genes were expressed in adult males and another 82 genes were commonly expressed in both male samples. In addition, 26 genes were expressed only in the pupal females, 163 genes were found in the adult females and only one gene was expressed in both female samples. A further quantitative real-time PCR validation of selected genes from the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis confirmed upregulation of those genes in a sex-specific manner, including: fibrinogen and fibronectin, a zinc finger protein, phospholipase A(2) and a serine protein for female pupae; venom allergen 3, a perlecan, testis-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1, testis-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 6 and cytochrome c-2 for male pupae; a salivary protein, D7 protein precursor, trypsin 7 precursor, D7 protein and nanos for female adults; and tetraspanin F139, cytosol aminopeptidase, testis-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1, a testis-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 6 and a C-type lectin for male adults. These findings provide insight into the development and physiology of Culex mosquitoes, which will help in the development of more effective control methods for these disease vectors.
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13
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Baeshen R. Swarming Behavior in Anopheles gambiae (sensu lato): Current Knowledge and Future Outlook. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:56-66. [PMID: 34617121 PMCID: PMC8755986 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Effective management of insect disease vectors requires a detailed understanding of their ecology and behavior. In Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) (Diptera: Culicidae) mating occurs during swarming, but knowledge of their mating behavior under natural conditions is limited. Mosquitoes mate in flight over specific landmarks, known as swarm markers, at particular locations. Swarms consist of males; the females usually approach the swarm and depart following copulation. The number of mating pairs per swarm is closely associated with swarm size. The shape and height of swarm markers vary and may depend on the environmental conditions at the swarm's location. Male-male interactions in mosquito swarms with similar levels of attractive flight activity can offer a mating advantage to some individuals. Flight tone is used by mosquitoes to recognize the other sex and choose a desirable mate. Clarifying these and other aspects of mosquito reproductive behavior can facilitate the development of population control measures that target swarming sites. This review describes what is currently known about swarming behavior in Anopheles gambiae s.l., including swarm characteristics; mating within and outside of swarms, insemination in females, and factors affecting and stimulating swarming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowida Baeshen
- Faculty of Sciences, Biology Department, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Harmonic convergence coordinates swarm mating by enhancing mate detection in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24102. [PMID: 34916521 PMCID: PMC8677761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Anopheles gambiae is a major African malaria vector, transmitting parasites responsible for significant mortality and disease burden. Although flight acoustics are essential to mosquito mating and present promising alternatives to insecticide-based vector control strategies, there is limited data on mosquito flight tones during swarming. Here, for the first time, we present detailed analyses of free-flying male and female An. gambiae flight tones and their harmonization (harmonic convergence) over a complete swarm sequence. Audio analysis of single-sex swarms showed synchronized elevation of male and female flight tones during swarming. Analysis of mixed-sex swarms revealed additional 50 Hz increases in male and female flight tones due to mating activity. Furthermore, harmonic differences between male and female swarm tones in mixed-sex swarms and in single-sex male swarms with artificial female swarm audio playback indicate that frequency differences of approximately 50 Hz or less at the male second and female third harmonics (M2:F3) are maintained both before and during mating interactions. This harmonization likely coordinates male scramble competition by maintaining ideal acoustic recognition within mating pairs while acoustically masking phonotactic responses of nearby swarming males to mating females. These findings advance our knowledge of mosquito swarm acoustics and provide vital information for reproductive control strategies.
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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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16
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Jayaswal V, Ndo C, Ma HC, Clifton BD, Pombi M, Cabrera K, Couhet A, Mouline K, Diabaté A, Dabiré R, Ayala D, Ranz JM. Intraspecific Transcriptome Variation and Sex-Biased Expression in Anopheles arabiensis. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6357708. [PMID: 34432020 PMCID: PMC8449828 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab199] [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] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The magnitude and functional patterns of intraspecific transcriptional variation in the anophelines, including those of sex-biased genes underlying sex-specific traits relevant for malaria transmission, remain understudied. As a result, how changes in expression levels drive adaptation in these species is poorly understood. We sequenced the female, male, and larval transcriptomes of three populations of Anopheles arabiensis from Burkina Faso. One-third of the genes were differentially expressed between populations, often involving insecticide resistance-related genes in a sample type-specific manner, and with the females showing the largest number of differentially expressed genes. At the genomic level, the X chromosome appears depleted of differentially expressed genes compared with the autosomes, chromosomes harboring inversions do not exhibit evidence for enrichment of such genes, and genes that are top contributors to functional enrichment patterns of population differentiation tend to be clustered in the genome. Further, the magnitude of variation for the sex expression ratio across populations did not substantially differ between male- and female-biased genes, except for some populations in which male-limited expressed genes showed more variation than their female counterparts. In fact, female-biased genes exhibited a larger level of interpopulation variation than male-biased genes, both when assayed in males and females. Beyond uncovering the extensive adaptive potential of transcriptional variation in An. Arabiensis, our findings suggest that the evolutionary rate of changes in expression levels on the X chromosome exceeds that on the autosomes, while pointing to female-biased genes as the most variable component of the An. Arabiensis transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Jayaswal
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cyrille Ndo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Hsiu-Ching Ma
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Bryan D Clifton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Marco Pombi
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Kevin Cabrera
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Anna Couhet
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, IRD, France
| | - Karine Mouline
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, IRD, France
| | - Abdoulaye Diabaté
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Roch Dabiré
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Diego Ayala
- Unité Mixte de Recherche Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, IRD, France
| | - José M Ranz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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Cuticular hydrocarbons are associated with mating success and insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. Commun Biol 2021; 4:911. [PMID: 34312484 PMCID: PMC8313523 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02434-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Anopheles coluzzii females, important malaria vectors in Africa, mate only once in their lifetime. Mating occurs in aerial swarms with a high male-to-female ratio, where traits underlying male mating success are largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) influence mating success in natural mating swarms in Burkina Faso. As insecticides are widely used in this area for malaria control, we also determined whether CHCs affect insecticide resistance levels. We find that mated males have higher CHC abundance than unmated controls, suggesting CHCs could be determinants of mating success. Additionally, mated males have higher insecticide resistance under pyrethroid challenge, and we show a link between resistance intensity and CHC abundance. Taken together, our results suggest that CHC abundance may be subject to sexual selection in addition to selection by insecticide pressure. This has implications for insecticide resistance management, as these traits may be sustained in the population due to their benefits in mating even in the absence of insecticides. In this study, Adams et al. investigate the effect of cuticular hydrocarbons on mating success in natural mosquito mating swarms. These hydrocarbons confer both higher mating success and increased resistance to pyrethroid, suggesting sexual selection for insecticide resistance in this population secondary to mating success.
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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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