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Girotti JR, Calderón-Fernández GM. Lipid Metabolism in Insect Vectors of Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38954247 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2024_811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases, causing more than 700,000 deaths annually. Vectors are organisms that are able to transmit infectious pathogens between humans, or from animals to humans. Many of these vectors are hematophagous insects, which ingest the pathogen from an infected host during a blood meal, and later transmit it into a new host. Malaria, dengue, African trypanosomiasis, yellow fever, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and many others are examples of diseases transmitted by insects.Both the diet and the infection with pathogens trigger changes in many metabolic pathways, including lipid metabolism, compared to other insects. Blood contains mostly proteins and is very poor in lipids and carbohydrates. Thus, hematophagous insects attempt to efficiently digest and absorb diet lipids and also rely on a large de novo lipid biosynthesis based on utilization of proteins and carbohydrates as carbon source. Blood meal triggers essential physiological processes as molting, excretion, and oogenesis; therefore, lipid metabolism and utilization of lipid storage should be finely synchronized and regulated regarding that, in order to provide the necessary energy source for these events. Also, pathogens have evolved mechanisms to hijack essential lipids from the insect host by interfering in the biosynthesis, catabolism, and transport of lipids, which pose challenges to reproduction, survival, fitness, and other insect traits.In this chapter, we have tried to collect and highlight the current knowledge and recent discoveries on the metabolism of lipids in insect vectors of diseases related to the hematophagous diet and pathogen infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan R Girotti
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Gustavo M Calderón-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
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2
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Huang YN, Lee KY, Shiao SH, Chen CH, Yu GY, Yu MJ. Bloodmeals fuel dengue virus replication in the female mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Virol 2024:e0070124. [PMID: 38888345 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00701-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Vector competence defines the ability of a vector to acquire, host, and transmit a pathogen. Understanding the molecular determinants of the mosquitos' competence to host dengue virus (DENV) holds promise to prevent its transmission. To this end, we employed RNA-seq to profile mRNA transcripts of the female Aedes aegypti mosquitos feeding on naïve vs viremic mouse. While most transcripts (12,634) did not change their abundances, 360 transcripts showed decreases. Biological pathway analysis revealed representatives of the decreased transcripts involved in the wnt signaling pathway and hippo signaling pathway. One thousand three hundred fourteen transcripts showed increases in abundance and participate in 21 biological pathways including amino acid metabolism, carbon metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation with antimycin A reduced oxidative phosphorylation activity and ATP concentration associated with reduced DENV replication in the Aedes aegypti cells. Antimycin A did not affect the amounts of the non-structural proteins 3 and 5, two major components of the replication complex. Ribavirin, an agent that reduces GTP concentration, recapitulated the effects of reduced ATP concentration on DENV replication. Knocking down one of the oxidative phosphorylation components, ATP synthase subunit β, reduced DENV replication in the mosquitos. In summary, our results suggest that DENV enhances metabolic pathways in the female Aedes aegypti mosquitos to supply nutrients and energy for virus replication. ATP synthase subunit β knockdown might be exploited to reduce the mosquitos' competence to host and transmit DENV. IMPORTANCE Through evolution, the mosquito-borne viruses have adapted to the blood-feeding behaviors of their opportunist hosts to fulfill a complete lifecycle in humans and mosquitos. Disruption in the mosquitos' ability to host these viruses offers strategies to prevent diseases caused by them. With the advent of genomic tools, we discovered that dengue virus (DENV) benefited from the female mosquitos' bloodmeals for metabolic and energetic supplies for replication. Chemical or genetic disruption in these supplies reduced DENV replication in the female mosquitos. Our discovery can be exploited to produce genetically modified mosquitos, in which DENV infection leads to disruption in the supplies and thereby reduces replication and transmission. Our discovery might be extrapolated to prevent mosquito-borne virus transmission and the diseases they cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ning Huang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Ying Lee
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shin-Hong Shiao
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hong Chen
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Guann-Yi Yu
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jiun Yu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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3
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Krishnan N. Endocrine Control of Lipid Metabolism. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38782869 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2024_807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Lipids are essential in insects and play pleiotropic roles in energy storage, serving as a fuel for energy-driven processes such as reproduction, growth, development, locomotion, flight, starvation response, and diapause induction, maintenance, and termination. Lipids also play fundamental roles in signal transduction, hormone synthesis, forming components of the cell membrane, and thus are essential for maintenance of normal life functions. In insects, the neuroendocrine system serves as a master regulator of most life activities, including growth and development. It is thus important to pay particular attention to the regulation of lipid metabolism through the endocrine system, especially when considering the involvement of peptide hormones in the processes of lipogenesis and lipolysis. In insects, there are several lipogenic and lipolytic hormones that are involved in lipid metabolism such as insulin-like peptides (ILPs), adipokinetic hormone (AKH), 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), juvenile hormone (JH), and serotonin. Other neuropeptides such as diapause hormone-pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (DH-PBAN), CCHamide-2, short neuropeptide F, and the cytokines Unpaired 1 and 2 may play a role in inducing lipogenesis. On the other hand, neuropeptides such as neuropeptide F, allatostatin-A, corazonin, leukokinin, tachykinins, limostatins, and insulin-like growth factor (ILP6) stimulate lipolysis. This chapter briefly discusses the current knowledge of the endocrine regulation of lipid metabolism in insects that could be utilized to reveal differences between insects and mammalian lipid metabolism which may help understand human diseases associated with dysregulation of lipid metabolism. Physiological similarities of insects to mammals make them valuable model systems for studying human diseases characterized by disrupted lipid metabolism, including conditions like diabetes, obesity, arteriosclerosis, and various metabolic syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natraj Krishnan
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA.
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LaReau JC, Hyde J, Brackney DE, Steven B. Introducing an environmental microbiome to axenic Aedes aegypti mosquitoes documents bacterial responses to a blood meal. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0095923. [PMID: 38014951 PMCID: PMC10734439 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00959-23] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The blood meal of the female mosquito serves as a nutrition source to support egg development, so is an important aspect of its biology. Yet, the roles the microbiome may play in blood digestion are poorly characterized. We employed axenic mosquitoes to investigate how the microbiome differs between mosquitoes reared in the insectary versus mosquitoes that acquire their microbiome from the environment. Environmental microbiomes were more diverse and showed larger temporal shifts over the course of blood digestion. Importantly, only bacteria from the environmental microbiome performed hemolysis in culture, pointing to functional differences between bacterial populations. These data highlight that taxonomic differences between the microbiomes of insectary-reared and wild mosquitoes are potentially also related to their functional ecology. Thus, axenic mosquitoes colonized with environmental bacteria offer a way to investigate the role of bacteria from the wild in mosquito processes such as blood digestion, under controlled laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn C. LaReau
- Department of Environmental Science and Forestry, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Josephine Hyde
- Department of Environmental Science and Forestry, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Doug E. Brackney
- Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Blaire Steven
- Department of Environmental Science and Forestry, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Garrigós M, Ylla G, Martínez-de la Puente J, Figuerola J, Ruiz-López MJ. Two avian Plasmodium species trigger different transcriptional responses on their vector Culex pipiens. Mol Ecol 2023:e17240. [PMID: 38108558 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium that affects both humans and wildlife. The fitness consequences of infections by avian malaria are well known in birds, however, little information exists on its impact on mosquitoes. Here we study how Culex pipiens mosquitoes transcriptionally respond to infection by two different Plasmodium species, P. relictum and P. cathemerium, differing in their virulence (mortality rate) and transmissibility (parasite presence in exposed mosquitoes' saliva). We studied the mosquito response to the infection at three critical stages of parasite development: the formation of ookinetes at 24 h post-infection (hpi), the release of sporozoites into the hemocoel at 10 days post-infection (dpi), and the storage of sporozoites in the salivary glands at 21 dpi. For each time point, we characterized the gene expression of mosquitoes infected with each P. relictum and P. cathemerium and mosquitoes fed on an uninfected bird and, subsequently, compared their transcriptomic responses. Differential gene expression analysis showed that most transcriptomic changes occurred during the early infection stage (24 hpi), especially when comparing P. relictum and P. cathemerium-infected mosquitoes. Differentially expressed genes in mosquitoes infected with each species were related mainly to the metabolism of the immune response, trypsin, and other serine-proteases. We conclude that these differences in response may partly play a role in the differential virulence and transmissibility previously observed between P. relictum and P. cathemerium in Cx. pipiens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Garrigós
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Guillem Ylla
- Bioinformatics and Genome Biology Lab, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - María José Ruiz-López
- CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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Kelley M, Holmes CJ, Herbert C, Rayhan A, Joves J, Uhran M, Frigard R, Singh K, Limbach PA, Addepalli B, Benoit JB. Tyrosine transfer RNA levels and modifications during blood-feeding and vitellogenesis in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569187. [PMID: 38076852 PMCID: PMC10705485 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti must consume a blood meal for the nutrients necessary for egg production. Several transcriptome and proteome changes occur post blood meal that likely corresponds with codon usage alterations. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the adapter molecule that reads messenger RNA (mRNA) codons to add the appropriate amino acid during protein synthesis. Chemical modifications to tRNA enhance codons' decoding, improving the accuracy and efficiency of protein synthesis. Here, we examined tRNA modifications and transcripts associated with the blood meal and subsequent periods of vitellogenesis in A. aegypti. More specifically, we assessed tRNA transcript abundance and modification levels in the fat body at critical times post blood-feeding. Based on a combination of alternative codon usage and identification of particular modifications, we identified that increased transcription of tyrosine tRNAs is likely critical during the synthesis of egg yolk proteins in the fat body following a blood meal. Altogether, changes in both the abundance and modification of tRNA are essential factors in the process of vitellogenin production after blood-feeding in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | - Cassandra Herbert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Asif Rayhan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Judd Joves
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Melissa Uhran
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Ronja Frigard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | - Khwahish Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
| | | | | | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45211
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7
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Tsujimoto H, Adelman ZN. An 11-point time course midgut transcriptome across 72 h after bloodfeeding provides detailed temporal resolution of transcript expression in the arbovirus vector, Aedes aegypti. Genome Res 2023; 33:1638-1648. [PMID: 37802532 PMCID: PMC10620042 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277808.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
As the major vector for dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses, the mosquito Aedes aegypti is one of the most important insects in public health. These viruses are transmitted by bloodfeeding, which is also necessary for the reproduction of the mosquito. Thus, the midgut plays an essential role in mosquito physiology as the center for bloodmeal digestion and as an organ that serves as the first line of defense against viruses. Despite its importance, transcriptomic dynamics with fine temporal resolution across the entire digestion cycle have not yet been reported. To fill this gap, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis of A. aegypti female midguts across a 72-h bloodmeal digestion cycle for 11 time points, with a particular focus on the first 24 h. PCA analysis confirmed that 72 h is indeed a complete digestion cycle. Cluster and GO enrichment analysis showed the orchestrated modulation of thousands of genes to accomplish the midgut's role as the center for digestion, as well as nutrient transport with a clear progression with sequential emphasis on transcription, translation, energy production, nutrient metabolism, transport, and finally, autophagy by 24-36 h. We further determined that many serine proteases are robustly expressed as if to prepare for unexpected physiological challenges. This study provides a powerful resource for the analysis of genomic features that coordinate the rapid and complex transcriptional program induced by mosquito bloodfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Tsujimoto
- Department of Entomology and Texas A&M Agrilife Research, College Station, Texas 77853, USA
| | - Zach N Adelman
- Department of Entomology and Texas A&M Agrilife Research, College Station, Texas 77853, USA
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Martins da Silva R, de Oliveira Daumas Filho CR, Calixto C, Nascimento da Silva J, Lopes C, da Silva Vaz I, Logullo C. PEPCK and glucose metabolism homeostasis in arthropods. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 160:103986. [PMID: 37454751 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103986] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The fat body is responsible for a variety of functions related to energy metabolism in arthropods, by controlling the processes of de novo glucose production (gluconeogenesis) and glycogen metabolism. The rate-limiting factor of gluconeogenesis is the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), generally considered to be the first committed step in this pathway. Although the study of PEPCK and gluconeogenesis has been for decades restricted to mammalian models, especially focusing on muscle and liver tissue, current research has demonstrated particularities about the regulation of this enzyme in arthropods, and described new functions. This review will focus on arthropod PEPCK, discuss different aspects to PEPCK regulation and function, its general role in the regulation of gluconeogenesis and other pathways. The text also presents our views on potentially important new directions for research involving this enzyme in a variety of metabolic adaptations (e.g. diapause), discussing enzyme isoforms, roles during arthropod embryogenesis, as well as involvement in vector-pathogen interactions, contributing to a better understanding of insect vectors of diseases and their control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Martins da Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Renato de Oliveira Daumas Filho
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christiano Calixto
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jhenifer Nascimento da Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Cintia Lopes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Centro de Biotecnologia and Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Van Lommel J, Holtof M, Tilleman L, Cools D, Vansteenkiste S, Polgun D, Verdonck R, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Vanden Broeck J. Post-feeding transcriptomics reveals essential genes expressed in the midgut of the desert locust. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1232545. [PMID: 37692997 PMCID: PMC10484617 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1232545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The digestive tract constitutes an important interface between an animal's internal and external environment. In insects, available gut transcriptome studies are mostly exploratory or look at changes upon infection or upon exposure to xenobiotics, mainly performed in species belonging to holometabolan orders, such as Diptera, Lepidoptera or Coleoptera. By contrast, studies focusing on gene expression changes after food uptake and during digestion are underrepresented. We have therefore compared the gene expression profiles in the midgut of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, between three different time points after feeding, i.e., 24 h (no active digestion), 10 min (the initial stage of feeding), and 2 h (active food digestion). The observed gene expression profiles were consistent with the polyphagous herbivorous lifestyle of this hemimetabolan (orthopteran) species. Our study reveals the upregulation of 576 genes 2 h post-feeding. These are mostly predicted to be associated with digestive physiology, such as genes encoding putative digestive enzymes or nutrient transporters, as well as genes putatively involved in immunity or in xenobiotic metabolism. The 10 min time point represented an intermediate condition, suggesting that the S. gregaria midgut can react rapidly at the transcriptional level to the presence of food. Additionally, our study demonstrated the critical importance of two transcripts that exhibited a significant upregulation 2 h post-feeding: the vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase and the sterol transporter Niemann-Pick 1b protein, which upon RNAi-induced knockdown resulted in a marked increase in mortality. Their vital role and accessibility via the midgut lumen may make the encoded proteins promising insecticidal target candidates, considering that the desert locust is infamous for its huge migrating swarms that can devastate the agricultural production in large areas of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. In conclusion, the transcriptome datasets presented here will provide a useful and promising resource for studying the midgut physiology of S. gregaria, a socio-economically important pest species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Van Lommel
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michiel Holtof
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Dorien Cools
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Seppe Vansteenkiste
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daria Polgun
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Verdonck
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Environmental Biology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | | | - Jozef Vanden Broeck
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction Lab, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Ratnayake OC, Chotiwan N, Saavedra-Rodriguez K, Perera R. The buzz in the field: the interaction between viruses, mosquitoes, and metabolism. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1128577. [PMID: 37360524 PMCID: PMC10289420 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1128577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Among many medically important pathogens, arboviruses like dengue, Zika and chikungunya cause severe health and economic burdens especially in developing countries. These viruses are primarily vectored by mosquitoes. Having surmounted geographical barriers and threat of control strategies, these vectors continue to conquer many areas of the globe exposing more than half of the world's population to these viruses. Unfortunately, no medical interventions have been capable so far to produce successful vaccines or antivirals against many of these viruses. Thus, vector control remains the fundamental strategy to prevent disease transmission. The long-established understanding regarding the replication of these viruses is that they reshape both human and mosquito host cellular membranes upon infection for their replicative benefit. This leads to or is a result of significant alterations in lipid metabolism. Metabolism involves complex chemical reactions in the body that are essential for general physiological functions and survival of an organism. Finely tuned metabolic homeostases are maintained in healthy organisms. However, a simple stimulus like a viral infection can alter this homeostatic landscape driving considerable phenotypic change. Better comprehension of these mechanisms can serve as innovative control strategies against these vectors and viruses. Here, we review the metabolic basis of fundamental mosquito biology and virus-vector interactions. The cited work provides compelling evidence that targeting metabolism can be a paradigm shift and provide potent tools for vector control as well as tools to answer many unresolved questions and gaps in the field of arbovirology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oshani C. Ratnayake
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Nunya Chotiwan
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Samut Prakan, Thailand
| | - Karla Saavedra-Rodriguez
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Rushika Perera
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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11
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Grogan C, Bennett M, Lampe DJ. An evaluation of fusion partner proteins for paratransgenesis in Asaia bogorensis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273568. [PMID: 36048823 PMCID: PMC9436115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit many pathogens responsible for human diseases, such as malaria which is caused by parasites in the genus Plasmodium. Current strategies to control vector-transmitted diseases are increasingly undermined by mosquito and pathogen resistance, so additional methods of control are required. Paratransgenesis is a method whereby symbiotic bacteria are genetically modified to affect the mosquito’s phenotype by engineering them to deliver effector molecules into the midgut to kill parasites. One paratransgenesis candidate is Asaia bogorensis, a Gram-negative bacterium colonizing the midgut, ovaries, and salivary glands of Anopheles sp. mosquitoes. Previously, engineered Asaia strains using native signals to drive the release of the antimicrobial peptide, scorpine, fused to alkaline phosphatase were successful in significantly suppressing the number of oocysts formed after a blood meal containing P. berghei. However, these strains saw high fitness costs associated with the production of the recombinant protein. Here, we report evaluation of five different partner proteins fused to scorpine that were evaluated for effects on the growth and fitness of the transgenic bacteria. Three of the new partner proteins resulted in significant levels of protein released from the Asaia bacterium while also significantly reducing the prevalence of mosquitoes infected with P. berghei. Two partners performed as well as the previously tested Asaia strain that used alkaline phosphatase in the fitness analyses, but neither exceeded it. It may be that there is a maximum level of fitness and parasite inhibition that can be achieved with scorpine being driven constitutively, and that use of a Plasmodium specific effector molecule in place of scorpine would help to mitigate the stress on the symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Grogan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Marissa Bennett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - David J. Lampe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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12
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Bidirectional Microbiome-Gut-Brain-Axis Communication Influences Metabolic Switch-Associated Responses in the Mosquito Anopheles culicifacies. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111798. [PMID: 35681493 PMCID: PMC9180301 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The periodic ingestion of a protein-rich blood meal by adult female mosquitoes causes a drastic metabolic change in their innate physiological status, which is referred to as a ‘metabolic switch’. While understanding the neural circuits for host-seeking is modestly attended, how the gut ‘metabolic switch’ modulates brain functions, and resilience to physiological homeostasis, remains unexplored. Here, through a comparative brain RNA-Seq study, we demonstrate that the protein-rich diet induces the expression of brain transcripts related to mitochondrial function and energy metabolism, possibly causing a shift in the brain’s engagement to manage organismal homeostasis. A dynamic mRNA expression pattern of neuro-signaling and neuro-modulatory genes in both the gut and brain likely establishes an active gut–brain communication. The disruption of this communication through decapitation does not affect the modulation of the neuro-modulator receptor genes in the gut. In parallel, an unusual and paramount shift in the level of neurotransmitters (NTs), from the brain to the gut after blood feeding, further supports the idea of the gut’s ability to serve as a ‘second brain’. After blood-feeding, a moderate enrichment of the gut microbial population, and altered immunity in the gut of histamine receptor-silenced mosquitoes, provide initial evidence that the gut-microbiome plays a crucial role in gut–brain–axis communication. Finally, a comparative metagenomics evaluation of the gut microbiome highlighted that blood-feeding enriches the family members of the Morganellaceae and Pseudomonadaceae bacterial communities. The notable observation of a rapid proliferation of Pseudomonas bacterial sp. and tryptophan enrichment in the gut correlates with the suppression of appetite after blood-feeding. Additionally, altered NTs dynamics of naïve and aseptic mosquitoes provide further evidence that gut-endosymbionts are key modulators for the synthesis of major neuroactive molecules. Our data establish a new conceptual understanding of microbiome–gut–brain–axis communication in mosquitoes.
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Hixson B, Bing XL, Yang X, Bonfini A, Nagy P, Buchon N. A transcriptomic atlas of Aedes aegypti reveals detailed functional organization of major body parts and gut regional specializations in sugar-fed and blood-fed adult females. eLife 2022; 11:76132. [PMID: 35471187 PMCID: PMC9113746 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes transmit numerous pathogens, but large gaps remain in our understanding of their physiology. To facilitate explorations of mosquito biology, we have created Aegypti-Atlas (http://aegyptiatlas.buchonlab.com/), an online resource hosting RNAseq profiles of Ae. aegypti body parts (head, thorax, abdomen, gut, Malpighian tubules, ovaries), gut regions (crop, proventriculus, anterior and posterior midgut, hindgut), and a gut time course of blood meal digestion. Using Aegypti-Atlas, we provide insights into regionalization of gut function, blood feeding response, and immune defenses. We find that the anterior and posterior midgut possess digestive specializations which are preserved in the blood-fed state. Blood feeding initiates the sequential induction and repression/depletion of multiple cohorts of peptidases. With respect to defense, immune signaling components, but not recognition or effector molecules, show enrichment in ovaries. Basal expression of antimicrobial peptides is dominated by holotricin and gambicin, which are expressed in carcass and digestive tissues, respectively, in a mutually exclusive manner. In the midgut, gambicin and other effectors are almost exclusively expressed in the anterior regions, while the posterior midgut exhibits hallmarks of immune tolerance. Finally, in a cross-species comparison between Ae. aegypti and Anopheles gambiae midguts, we observe that regional digestive and immune specializations are conserved, indicating that our dataset may be broadly relevant to multiple mosquito species. We demonstrate that the expression of orthologous genes is highly correlated, with the exception of a ‘species signature’ comprising a few highly/disparately expressed genes. With this work, we show the potential of Aegypti-Atlas to unlock a more complete understanding of mosquito biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bretta Hixson
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Xiao-Li Bing
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Xiaowei Yang
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | | | - Peter Nagy
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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Lee IH, Duvall LB. Maternally Instigated Diapause in Aedes albopictus: Coordinating Experience and Internal State for Survival in Variable Environments. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:778264. [PMID: 35548691 PMCID: PMC9082357 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.778264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is one of the most dangerous invasive species in the world. Females bite mammalian hosts, including humans, to obtain blood for egg development. The ancestral range of Ae. albopictus likely spanned from India to Japan and this species has since invaded a substantial portion of the globe. Ae. albopictus can be broadly categorized into temperate and tropical populations. One key to their ability to invade diverse ecological spaces is the capacity of females to detect seasonal changes and produce stress-resistant eggs that survive harsh winters. Females living in temperate regions respond to cues that predict the onset of unfavorable environmental conditions by producing eggs that enter maternally instigated embryonic diapause, a developmentally arrested state, which allows species survival by protecting the embryos until favorable conditions return. To appropriately produce diapause eggs, the female must integrate environmental cues and internal physiological state (blood feeding and reproductive status) to allocate nutrients and regulate reproduction. There is variation in reproductive responses to environmental cues between interfertile tropical and temperate populations depending on whether females are actively producing diapause vs. non-diapause eggs and whether they originate from populations that are capable of diapause. Although diapause-inducing environmental cues and diapause eggs have been extensively characterized, little is known about how the female detects gradual environmental changes and coordinates her reproductive status with seasonal dynamics to lay diapause eggs in order to maximize offspring survival. Previous studies suggest that the circadian system is involved in detecting daylength as a critical cue. However, it is unknown which clock network components are important, how these connect to reproductive physiology, and how they may differ between behavioral states or across populations with variable diapause competence. In this review, we showcase Ae. albopictus as an emerging species for neurogenetics to study how the nervous system combines environmental conditions and internal state to optimize reproductive behavior. We review environmental cues for diapause induction, downstream pathways that control female metabolic changes and reproductive capacity, as well as diapause heterogeneity between populations with different evolutionary histories. We highlight genetic tools that can be implemented in Ae. albopictus to identify signaling molecules and cellular circuits that control diapause. The tools and discoveries made in this species could translate to a broader understanding of how environmental cues are interpreted to alter reproductive physiology in other species and how populations with similar genetic and circuit organizations diversify behavioral patterns. These approaches may yield new targets to interfere with mosquito reproductive capacity, which could be exploited to reduce mosquito populations and the burden of the pathogens they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura B. Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY, United States
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Kaczmarek A, Boguś M. The metabolism and role of free fatty acids in key physiological processes in insects of medical, veterinary and forensic importance. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12563. [PMID: 35036124 PMCID: PMC8710053 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are the most widespread group of organisms and more than one million species have been described. These animals have significant ecological functions, for example they are pollinators of many types of plants. However, they also have direct influence on human life in different manners. They have high medical and veterinary significance, stemming from their role as vectors of disease and infection of wounds and necrotic tissue; they are also plant pests, parasitoids and predators whose activities can influence agriculture. In addition, their use in medical treatments, such as maggot therapy of gangrene and wounds, has grown considerably. They also have many uses in forensic science to determine the minimum post-mortem interval and provide valuable information about the movement of the body, cause of the death, drug use, or poisoning. It has also been proposed that they may be used as model organisms to replace mammal systems in research. The present review describes the role of free fatty acids (FFAs) in key physiological processes in insects. By focusing on insects of medical, veterinary significance, we have limited our description of the physiological processes to those most important from the point of view of insect control; the study examines their effects on insect reproduction and resistance to the adverse effects of abiotic (low temperature) and biotic (pathogens) factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kaczmarek
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mieczysława Boguś
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Biomibo, Warsaw, Poland
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Sugar feeding protects against arboviral infection by enhancing gut immunity in the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009870. [PMID: 34473801 PMCID: PMC8412342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As mosquito females require a blood meal to reproduce, they can act as vectors of numerous pathogens, such as arboviruses (e.g. Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses), which constitute a substantial worldwide public health burden. In addition to blood meals, mosquito females can also take sugar meals to get carbohydrates for their energy reserves. It is now recognised that diet is a key regulator of health and disease outcome through interactions with the immune system. However, this has been mostly studied in humans and model organisms. So far, the impact of sugar feeding on mosquito immunity and in turn, how this could affect vector competence for arboviruses has not been explored. Here, we show that sugar feeding increases and maintains antiviral immunity in the digestive tract of the main arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti. Our data demonstrate that the gut microbiota does not mediate the sugar-induced immunity but partly inhibits it. Importantly, sugar intake prior to an arbovirus-infected blood meal further protects females against infection with arboviruses from different families. Sugar feeding blocks arbovirus initial infection and dissemination from the gut and lowers infection prevalence and intensity, thereby decreasing the transmission potential of female mosquitoes. Finally, we show that the antiviral role of sugar is mediated by sugar-induced immunity. Overall, our findings uncover a crucial role of sugar feeding in mosquito antiviral immunity which in turn decreases vector competence for arboviruses. Since Ae. aegypti almost exclusively feed on blood in some natural settings, our findings suggest that this lack of sugar intake could increase the spread of mosquito-borne arboviral diseases.
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da Silva RM, Vital WO, Martins RS, Moraes J, Gomes H, Calixto C, Konnai S, Ohashi K, da Silva Vaz I, Logullo C. Differential expression of PEPCK isoforms is correlated to Aedes aegypti oogenesis and embryogenesis. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110618. [PMID: 34015437 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti undertakes a shift in carbohydrate metabolism during embryogenesis, including an increase in the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), a key gluconeogenic enzyme, at critical steps of embryo development. All eukaryotes studied to date present two PEPCK isoforms, namely PEPCK-M (mitochondrial) and PEPCK-C (cytosolic). In A. aegypti, however, these proteins are so far uncharacterized. In the present work we describe two A. aegypti PEPCK isoforms by sequence alignment, protein modeling, and transcription analysis in different tissues, as well as PEPCK enzymatic activity assays in mitochondrial and cytoplasmic compartments during oogenesis and embryogenesis. First, we characterized the protein sequences compared to other organisms, and identified conserved sites and key amino acids. We also performed structure modeling for AePEPCK(M) and AePEPCK(C), identifying highly conserved structural sites, as well as a signal peptide in AePEPCK(M) localized in a very hydrophobic region. Moreover, after blood meal and during mosquito oogenesis and embryogenesis, both PEPCKs isoforms showed different transcriptional profiles, suggesting that mRNA for the cytosolic form is transmitted maternally, whereas the mitochondrial form is synthesized by the zygote. Collectively, these results improve our understanding of mosquito physiology and may yield putative targets for developing new methods for A. aegypti control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Martins da Silva
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Wagner Oliveira Vital
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Jorge Moraes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Helga Gomes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christiano Calixto
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohashi
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia and Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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18
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Ouali R, Vieira LR, Salmon D, Bousbata S. Early Post-Prandial Regulation of Protein Expression in the Midgut of Chagas Disease Vector Rhodnius prolixus Highlights New Potential Targets for Vector Control Strategy. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040804. [PMID: 33920371 PMCID: PMC8069306 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040804] [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: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted to humans by a large group of bloodsucking triatomine bugs. Triatomine insects, such as Rhodnius prolixus, ingest a huge amount of blood in a single meal. Their midgut represents an important interface for triatomine–trypanosome interactions. Furthermore, the development of parasites and their vectorial transmission are closely linked to the blood feeding and digestion; thus, an understanding of their physiology is essential for the development of new strategies to control triatomines. In this study, we used label-free quantitative proteomics to identify and analyze the early effect of blood feeding on protein expression in the midgut of Rhodnius prolixus. We both identified and quantified 124 proteins in the anterior midgut (AM) and 40 in the posterior midgut (PM), which vary significantly 6 h after feeding. The detailed analysis of these proteins revealed their predominant involvement in the primary function of hematophagy, including proteases, proteases inhibitors, amino acids metabolism, primary metabolites processing, and protein folding. Interestingly, our proteomics data show a potential role of the AM in protein digestion. Moreover, proteins related to detoxification processes and innate immunity, which are largely accepted to be triggered by blood ingestion, were mildly modulated. Surprisingly, one third of blood-regulated proteins in the AM have unknown function. This work contributes to the improvement of knowledge on the digestive physiology of triatomines in the early hours post-feeding. It provides key information for selecting new putative targets for the development of triatomine control tools and their potential role in the vector competence, which could be applied to other vector species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radouane Ouali
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
- Correspondence: (R.O.); (S.B.)
| | - Larissa Rezende Vieira
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Trypanosomatids, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 21941-902, Brazil; (L.R.V.); (D.S.)
| | - Didier Salmon
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Trypanosomatids, Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 21941-902, Brazil; (L.R.V.); (D.S.)
| | - Sabrina Bousbata
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
- Correspondence: (R.O.); (S.B.)
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19
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Gandara ACP, Dias FA, de Lemos PC, Stiebler R, Bombaça ACS, Menna-Barreto R, Oliveira PL. "Urate and NOX5 Control Blood Digestion in the Hematophagous Insect Rhodnius prolixus". Front Physiol 2021; 12:633093. [PMID: 33716782 PMCID: PMC7947236 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.633093] [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: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now recognized as essential players in cell signaling. Here, we studied the role of two conserved enzymes involved in redox regulation that play a critical role in the control of ROS in the digestive physiology of a blood-sucking insect, the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus. RNAi-mediated silencing of RpNOX5 and RpXDH induced early mortality in adult females after a blood meal. Recently, a role for RpNOX5 in gut motility was reported, and here, we show that midgut peristalsis is also under the control of RpXDH. Together with impaired peristalsis, silencing either genes impaired egg production and hemoglobin digestion, and decreased hemolymph urate titers. Ultrastructurally, the silencing of RpNOX5 or RpXDH affected midgut cells, changing the cells of blood-fed insects to a phenotype resembling the cells of unfed insects, suggesting that these genes work together in the control of blood digestion. Injection of either allopurinol (an XDH inhibitor) or uricase recapitulated the gene silencing effects, suggesting that urate itself is involved in the control of blood digestion. The silencing of each of these genes influenced the expression of the other gene in a complex way both in the unfed state and after a blood meal, revealing signaling crosstalk between them that influences redox metabolism and nitrogen excretion and plays a central role in the control of digestive physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Caroline P Gandara
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe A Dias
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paula C de Lemos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renata Stiebler
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 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
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20
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Antileishmanial Activity of Lignans, Neolignans, and Other Plant Phenols. PROGRESS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC NATURAL PRODUCTS 2021; 115:115-176. [PMID: 33797642 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-64853-4_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Secondary metabolites (SM) from organisms have served medicinal chemists over the past two centuries as an almost inexhaustible pool of new drugs, drug-like skeletons, and chemical probes that have been used in the "hunt" for new biologically active molecules with a "beneficial effect on human mind and body." Several secondary metabolites, or their derivatives, have been found to be the answer in the quest to search for new approaches to treat or even eradicate many types of diseases that oppress humanity. A special place among SM is occupied by lignans and neolignans. These phenolic compounds are generated biosynthetically via radical coupling of two phenylpropanoid monomers, and are known for their multitarget activity and low toxicity. The disadvantage of the relatively low specificity of phenylpropanoid-based SM turns into an advantage when structural modifications of these skeletons are made. Indeed, phenylpropanoid-based SM previously have proven to offer great potential as a starting point in drug development. Compounds such as Warfarin® (a coumarin-based anticoagulant) as well as etoposide and teniposide (podophyllotoxin-based anticancer drugs) are just a few examples. At the beginning of the third decade of the twenty-first century, the call for the treatment of more than a dozen rare or previously "neglected" diseases remains for various reasons unanswered. Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease that desperately needs new ways of treatment, is just one of these. This disease is caused by more than 20 leishmanial parasites that are pathogenic to humans and are spread by as many as 800 sandfly species across subtropical areas of the world. With continuing climate changes, the presence of Leishmania parasites and therefore leishmaniasis, the disease caused by these parasites, is spreading from previous locations to new areas. Thus, leishmaniasis is affecting each year a larger proportion of the world's population. The choice of appropriate leishmaniasis treatment depends on the severity of the disease and its form of manifestation. The success of current drug therapy is often limited, due in most cases to requiring long hospitalization periods (weeks to months) and the toxicity (side effects) of administered drugs, in addition to the increasing resistance of the parasites to treatment. It is thus important to develop new drugs and treatments that are less toxic, can overcome drug resistance, and require shorter periods of treatment. These aspects are especially important for the populations of developing countries. It was reported that several phenylpropanoid-based secondary metabolites manifest interesting antileishmanial activities and are used by various indigenous people to treat leishmaniasis. In this chapter, the authors shed some light on the various biological activities of phenylpropanoid natural products, with the main focus being on their possible applications in the context of antileishmanial treatment.
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21
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Sabadin GA, Salomon TB, Leite MS, Benfato MS, Oliveira PL, da Silva Vaz I. An insight into the functional role of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes in adult Rhipicephalus microplus female ticks. Parasitol Int 2020; 81:102274. [PMID: 33352319 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102274] [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] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Ticks have developed physiological adaptations to transport, store, metabolize and secrete toxic components from the diet and environment. Different classes of enzymes are involved in these processes, however, the role of several of them is not yet characterized in Rhipicephalus microplus. In this context, this work investigated the action of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes, as well as the levels of essential cellular reductants in R. microplus partially engorged females (PEF) and fully engorged females (FEF). Results demonstrated that enzymes transcriptional levels and enzymatic activity from ovary and fat body were higher in PEF than in FEF, except for ovary Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which was the only enzyme showing highest activity in the FEF stage. These results indicated a higher demand for antioxidant potential in these organs at the initial feeding phase than during egg-laying. In midgut, however, there was more variability in the transcriptional levels and activity of the different enzymes between the PEF and FEF phases. Similar NADPH levels were found in PEF and FEF phases, suggesting a remarkable capacity to maintain a regular supply of reducing power, despite the developmental changes and large intake of heme and iron. However, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were variable between PEF and FEF when distinct organs were compared. Taken together, our data suggest a higher demand for reducing potential in FEF ticks. The silencing of catalase (CAT) or thioredoxin reductase (TRx) genes in females did not impair feeding, egg-laying capacity, or larvae hatching. CAT-silenced ticks had increased ovary peroxidase activity, a possible compensatory antioxidant mechanism. Altogether, the results shed light on the complexity of the antioxidant and detoxification enzyme system in ticks and its involvement in different physiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela A Sabadin
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago B Salomon
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Milane S Leite
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mara S Benfato
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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22
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Cui Y, Franz AWE. Heterogeneity of midgut cells and their differential responses to blood meal ingestion by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 127:103496. [PMID: 33188922 PMCID: PMC7739889 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are the most notorious hematophagous insects and due to their blood feeding behavior and genetic compatibility, numerous mosquito species are highly efficient vectors for certain human pathogenic parasites and viruses. The mosquito midgut is the principal organ of blood meal digestion and nutrient absorption. It is also the initial site of infection with blood meal acquired parasites and viruses. We conducted an analysis based on single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-Seq) to assess the cellular diversity of the midgut and how individual cells respond to blood meal ingestion to facilitate its digestion. Our study revealed the presence of 20 distinguishable cell-type clusters in the female midgut of Aedes aegypti. The identified cell types included intestinal stem cells (ISC), enteroblasts (EB), differentiating EB (dEB), enteroendocrine cells (EE), enterocytes (EC), EC-like cells, cardia cells, and visceral muscle (VM) cells. Blood meal ingestion dramatically changed the overall midgut cell type composition, profoundly increasing the proportions of ISC and three EC/EC-like clusters. In addition, transcriptional profiles of all cell types were strongly affected while genes involved in various metabolic processes were significantly upregulated. Our study provides a basis for further physiological and molecular studies on blood digestion, nutrient absorption, and cellular homeostasis in the mosquito midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjun Cui
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Alexander W E Franz
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, 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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Jia N, Wang J, Shi W, Du L, Sun Y, Zhan W, Jiang JF, Wang Q, Zhang B, Ji P, Bell-Sakyi L, Cui XM, Yuan TT, Jiang BG, Yang WF, Lam TTY, Chang QC, Ding SJ, Wang XJ, Zhu JG, Ruan XD, Zhao L, Wei JT, Ye RZ, Que TC, Du CH, Zhou YH, Cheng JX, Dai PF, Guo WB, Han XH, Huang EJ, Li LF, Wei W, Gao YC, Liu JZ, Shao HZ, Wang X, Wang CC, Yang TC, Huo QB, Li W, Chen HY, Chen SE, Zhou LG, Ni XB, Tian JH, Sheng Y, Liu T, Pan YS, Xia LY, Li J, Zhao F, Cao WC. Large-Scale Comparative Analyses of Tick Genomes Elucidate Their Genetic Diversity and Vector Capacities. Cell 2020; 182:1328-1340.e13. [PMID: 32814014 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among arthropod vectors, ticks transmit the most diverse human and animal pathogens, leading to an increasing number of new challenges worldwide. Here we sequenced and assembled high-quality genomes of six ixodid tick species and further resequenced 678 tick specimens to understand three key aspects of ticks: genetic diversity, population structure, and pathogen distribution. We explored the genetic basis common to ticks, including heme and hemoglobin digestion, iron metabolism, and reactive oxygen species, and unveiled for the first time that genetic structure and pathogen composition in different tick species are mainly shaped by ecological and geographic factors. We further identified species-specific determinants associated with different host ranges, life cycles, and distributions. The findings of this study are an invaluable resource for research and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jinfeng Wang
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Wenqiang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Lifeng Du
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhan
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Fu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Peifeng Ji
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Ecological and Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - Xiao-Ming Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Gui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Fei Yang
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Qiao-Cheng Chang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang, P.R. China
| | - Shu-Jun Ding
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Xian-Jun Wang
- Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jin-Guo Zhu
- ManZhouLi Customs District, Manzhouli 021400, Inner Mongolia, P.R. China
| | - Xiang-Dong Ruan
- Academy of Forest Inventory and Planning, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100714, P.R. China
| | - Lin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Te Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Run-Ze Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Teng Cheng Que
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Terrestrial Wildlife Medical-aid and Monitoring Epidemic Diseases Research Center, Nanjing 530028, Guangxi, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Hong Du
- Yunnan Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali 671000, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Hao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jing Xia Cheng
- Shanxi Provence Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xian 030012, Shanxi, P.R. China
| | - Pei-Fang Dai
- Shanxi Provence Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xian 030012, Shanxi, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Hu Han
- Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, P.R. China
| | - En-Jiong Huang
- Fuzhou International Travel Healthcare Center, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Lian-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Chi Gao
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Jing-Ze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, Hebei, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Ze Shao
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Research Institute of Jilin Province, Changchun 130062, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Xin Wang
- Qingjiangpu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huai'an 223001, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Chong-Cai Wang
- Hainan International Travel Healthcare Center, Haikou 570311, Hainan, P.R. China
| | - Tian-Ci Yang
- State Key Lab of Mosquito-borne Diseases, Hangzhou International Tourism Healthcare Center, Hangzhou Customs of China, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Qiu-Bo Huo
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang 157000, Heilongjiang, P.R. China
| | - Wei Li
- Xinjiang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Urumqi 830002, Xinjiang, P.R. China
| | - Hai-Ying Chen
- Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of the State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Nanchang 330038, Jiangxi, P.R. China
| | - Shen-En Chen
- Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of the State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Nanchang 330038, Jiangxi, P.R. China
| | - Ling-Guo Zhou
- Shaanxi Natural Reserve and Wildlife Administration Station, Xi'an 710082, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Bing Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jun-Hua Tian
- Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430015, Hubei, P.R. China
| | - Yue Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Tao Liu
- Annoroad Gene Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Beijing 100176, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Sheng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Luo-Yuan Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China
| | - Fangqing Zhao
- Computational Genomics Lab, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunan, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China.
| | - Wu-Chun Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China; Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan 250012, Shandong, P.R. China; Research Unit of Discovery and Tracing of Natural Focus Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, P.R. China.
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25
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Ouali R, Valentim de Brito KC, Salmon D, Bousbata S. High-Throughput Identification of the Rhodnius prolixus Midgut Proteome Unravels a Sophisticated Hematophagic Machinery. Proteomes 2020; 8:proteomes8030016. [PMID: 32722125 PMCID: PMC7564601 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes8030016] [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] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the most common parasitic infections in Latin America, which is transmitted by hematophagous triatomine bugs, of which Rhodnius prolixus is the vector prototype for the study of this disease. The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of this disease, is transmitted by the vector to humans through the bite wound or mucosa. The passage of the parasite through the digestive tract of its vector constitutes a key step in its developmental cycle. Herewith, by a using high-throughput proteomic tool in order to characterize the midgut proteome of R. prolixus, we describe a set of functional groups of proteins, as well as the biological processes in which they are involved. This is the first proteomic analysis showing an elaborated hematophagy machinery involved in the digestion of blood, among which, several families of proteases have been characterized. The evaluation of the activity of cathepsin D proteases in the anterior part of the digestive tract of the insect suggested the existence of a proteolytic activity within this compartment, suggesting that digestion occurs early in this compartment. Moreover, several heat shock proteins, blood clotting inhibitors, and a powerful antioxidant enzyme machinery against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell detoxification have been identified. Highlighting the complexity and importance of the digestive physiology of insects could be a starting point for the selection of new targets for innovative control strategies of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radouane Ouali
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium;
| | - Karen Caroline Valentim de Brito
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 21941-902, Brazil; (K.C.V.d.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Didier Salmon
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 21941-902, Brazil; (K.C.V.d.B.); (D.S.)
| | - Sabrina Bousbata
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium;
- Correspondence:
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26
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Ferreira PG, Tesla B, Horácio ECA, Nahum LA, Brindley MA, de Oliveira Mendes TA, Murdock CC. Temperature Dramatically Shapes Mosquito Gene Expression With Consequences for Mosquito-Zika Virus Interactions. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:901. [PMID: 32595607 PMCID: PMC7303344 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne flaviviruses are emerging threats to human health. For successful transmission, the virus needs to efficiently enter mosquito cells and replicate within and escape several tissue barriers while mosquitoes elicit major transcriptional responses to flavivirus infection. This process will be affected not only by the specific mosquito-pathogen pairing but also by variation in key environmental variables such as temperature. Thus far, few studies have examined the molecular responses triggered by temperature and how these responses modify infection outcomes, despite substantial evidence showing strong relationships between temperature and transmission in a diversity of systems. To define the host transcriptional changes associated with temperature variation during the early infection process, we compared the transcriptome of mosquito midgut samples from mosquitoes exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) and non-exposed mosquitoes housed at three different temperatures (20, 28, and 36°C). While the high-temperature samples did not show significant changes from those with standard rearing conditions (28°C) 48 h post-exposure, the transcriptome profile of mosquitoes housed at 20°C was dramatically different. The expression of genes most altered by the cooler temperature involved aspects of blood-meal digestion, ROS metabolism, and mosquito innate immunity. Further, we did not find significant differences in the viral RNA copy number between 24 and 48 h post-exposure at 20°C, suggesting that ZIKV replication is limited by cold-induced changes to the mosquito midgut environment. In ZIKV-exposed mosquitoes, vitellogenin, a lipid carrier protein, was most up-regulated at 20°C. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the temperature-triggered transcriptional changes in Aedes aegypti and can be used to further define the molecular mechanisms driven by environmental temperature variation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Blanka Tesla
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Elvira Cynthia Alves Horácio
- René Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laila Alves Nahum
- René Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Promove College of Technology, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Melinda Ann Brindley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | | | - Courtney Cuinn Murdock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Emerging and Global Tropical Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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27
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Leong XY, Kim DY, Dang K, Singham GV, Doggett SL, Lee CY. Performance of Commercial Insecticide Formulations Against Different Developmental Stages of Insecticide-Resistant Tropical Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 113:353-366. [PMID: 31586445 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the presence of insecticide resistance in different developmental stages (adults, first instars, and eggs) of the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus (F.) using several insecticide formulations. Adults and first instars of five strains (Queensland, Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Mertajam, Saujana, and Krystal Point) were evaluated using the surface contact method and compared with a susceptible strain (Monheim) of the common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. The insecticide formulations were used at their label rates in this study: Tandem (thiamethoxam [11.6%], lambda-cyhalothrin [3.5%]) at 183.96 mg/m2; Temprid SC (imidacloprid [21%], beta-cyfluthrin [10.5%]) at 106.13 mg/m2; Sumithion 20CS (fenitrothion [20%]) at 250 mg/m2; Pesguard FG161 (d-tetramethrin [4.4%], cyphenothrin [13.2%]) at 110 mg/m2; and Sumithrin 10SEC (d-phenothrin [10%]) at 100 mg/m2. Results showed a very high level of resistance to Pesguard FG161 (388.3 to >605.0 times) and Sumithrin (302.9 to >365.5 times) in all adults of the strains tested, whereas low to high levels of resistance were registered for Tandem (1.4-4.7 times), Temprid (7.3-16.7 times), and Sumithion (1.2-14.6 times) for adults of all bed bug strains. For first instars, resistance to the former two formulations were high to very high (31.4-118.1 times). In contrast, they showed lower resistance to Tandem, Temprid, and Sumithion (1.0-10.2 times). An immersion method used to test on bed bug eggs found high to very high resistance toward all tested formulations. Results demonstrate that the resistance level varies between bed bug developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yeng Leong
- Urban Entomology Laboratory, Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Dae-Yun Kim
- Urban Entomology Laboratory, Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Kai Dang
- Ecolab Australia, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia
| | - G Veera Singham
- Centre for Chemical Biology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Stephen L Doggett
- Department of Medical Entomology, Pathology West - ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Chow-Yang Lee
- Urban Entomology Laboratory, Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
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28
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Li X, Yang J, Pu Q, Peng X, Xu L, Liu S. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase controls blood-meal digestion in the midgut of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:460. [PMID: 31551071 PMCID: PMC6757384 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3714-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are vectors of arboviruses that cause diverse diseases of public health significance. Blood protein digestion by midgut proteases provides anautogenous mosquitoes with the nutrients essential for oocyte maturation and egg production. Midgut-specific miR-1174 affects the functions of the midgut through its target gene serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT). However, less is known about SHMT-regulated processes in blood digestion by mosquitoes. Methods RNAi of SHMT was realized by injection of the double-stranded RNA at 16 h post-eclosion. The expression of SHMT at mRNA level and protein level was assayed by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed with GraphPad7 using Student’s t-test. Results Here, we confirmed that digestion of blood was inhibited in SHMT RNAi-silenced female A. aegypti mosquitoes. Evidence is also presented that all SHMT-depleted female mosquitoes lost their flight ability and died within 48 h of a blood meal. Furthermore, most examined digestive enzymes responded differently in their transcriptional expression to RNAi depletion of SHMT, with some downregulated, some upregulated and some remaining stable. Phylogenetic analysis showed that transcriptional expression responses to SHMT silence were largely unrelated to the sequence similarity between these enzymes. Conclusions Overall, this research shows that SHMT was expressed at a low level in the midgut of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, but blood-meal digestion was inhibited when SHMT was silenced. Transcriptional expressions of different digestive enzymes were affected in response to SHMT depletion, suggesting that SHMT is required for the blood-meal digestion in the midgut and targeting SHMT could provide an effective strategy for vector mosquito population control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China.,College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyue Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Lili Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China. .,College of Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China. .,College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637002, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Bottino-Rojas V, Pereira LOR, Silva G, Talyuli OAC, Dunkov BC, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Non-canonical transcriptional regulation of heme oxygenase in Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13726. [PMID: 31551499 PMCID: PMC6760526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49396-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO) is a ubiquitous enzyme responsible for heme breakdown, which yields carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin (BV) and ferrous ion. Here we show that the Aedes aegypti heme oxygenase gene (AeHO - AAEL008136) is expressed in different developmental stages and tissues. AeHO expression increases after a blood meal in the midgut, and its maximal transcription levels overlaps with the maximal rate of the further modified A. aegypti biglutaminyl-biliverdin (AeBV) pigment production. HO is a classical component of stress response in eukaryotic cells, being activated under oxidative stress or increased heme levels. Indeed, the final product of HO activity in the mosquito midgut, AeBV, exerts a protective antioxidant activity. AeHO, however, does not seem to be under a classical redox-sensitive transcriptional regulation, being unresponsive to heme itself, and even down regulated when insects face a pro-oxidant insult. In contrast, AeHO gene expression responds to nutrient sensing mechanisms, through the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway. This unusual transcriptional control of AeHO, together with the antioxidant properties of AeBV, suggests that heme degradation by HO, in addition to its important role in protection of Aedes aegypti against heme exposure, also acts as a digestive feature, being an essential adaptation to blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Luiza O R Pereira
- Laboratório de Pesquisas em Leishmaniose, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Octavio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Boris C Dunkov
- Center for Insect Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0106, USA
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.
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Lule-Chávez AN, Avila EE, González-de-la-Vara LE, Salas-Marina MA, Ibarra JE. Detrimental Effects of Induced Antibodies on Aedes aegypti Reproduction. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:706-716. [PMID: 30941675 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00678-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the main vector of viruses causing dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever, worldwide. This report focuses on immuno-blocking four critical proteins in the female mosquito when fed on blood containing antibodies against ferritin, transferrin, one amino acid transporter (NAAT1), and acetylcholinesterase (AchE). Peptides from these proteins were selected, synthetized, conjugated to carrier proteins, and used as antigens to immunize New Zealand rabbits. After rabbits were immunized, a minimum of 20 female mosquitos were fed on each rabbit, per replicate. No effect in their viability was observed after blood-feeding; however, the number of infertile females was 20% higher than the control when fed on AchE-immunized rabbits. The oviposition period was significantly longer in females fed on immunized rabbits than those fed on control (non-immunized) rabbits. Fecundity (eggs/female) of treated mosquitoes was significantly reduced (about 50%) in all four treatments, as compared with the control. Fertility (hatched larvae) was also significantly reduced in all four treatments, as compared with the control, being the effect on AchE and transferrin the highest, by reducing hatching between 70 and 80%. Survival to the adult stage of the hatched larvae showed no significant effect, as more than 95% survival was observed in all treatments, including the control. In conclusion, immuno-blocking of these four proteins caused detrimental effects on the mosquito reproduction, being the effect on AchE the most significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- A N Lule-Chávez
- Depto de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - E E Avila
- Depto de Biología, Univ de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - L E González-de-la-Vara
- Depto de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - M A Salas-Marina
- Depto de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - J E Ibarra
- Depto de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico.
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Using genetic variation in Aedes aegypti to identify candidate anti-dengue virus genes. BMC Infect Dis 2019; 19:580. [PMID: 31272403 PMCID: PMC6611004 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-019-4212-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcriptomic profiling has generated extensive lists of genes that respond to viral infection in mosquitoes. These gene lists contain two types of genes; (1) those that are responsible for the insect's natural antiviral defense mechanisms, including some known innate immunity genes, and (2) genes whose change in expression may occur simply as a result of infection. As genetic modification tools for mosquitoes continue to improve, the opportunities to make refractory insects via allelic replacement or delivery of small RNAs that alter gene expression are expanding. Therefore, the ability to identify which genes in transcriptional profiles may have immune function has increasing value. Arboviruses encounter a range of mosquito tissues and physiologies as they traverse from the midgut to the salivary glands. While the midgut is well-studied as the primary tissue barrier, antiviral genes expressed in the subsequent tissues of the carcass offer additional candidates for second stage intervention in the mosquito body. METHODS Mosquito lines collected recently from field populations exhibit natural genetic variation for dengue virus susceptibility. We sought to use a modified full-sib breeding design to identify mosquito families that varied in their dengue viral load in their bodies post infection. RESULTS By delivering virus intrathoracically, we bypassed the midgut and focused on whole body responses in order to evaluate carcass-associated refractoriness. We tested 25 candidate genes selected for their appearance in multiple published transcriptional profiles and were able to identify 12 whose expression varied with susceptibility in the genetic families. CONCLUSIONS This method, using natural genetic variation, offers a simple means to screen and reduce candidate gene lists prior to carrying out more labor-intensive functional studies. The extracted RNA from the females across the families represents a storable resource that can be used to screen subsequent candidate genes in the future. The aspect of vector competence being assessed could be varied by focusing on different tissues or time points post infection.
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Machani MG, Ochomo E, Sang D, Bonizzoni M, Zhou G, Githeko AK, Yan G, Afrane YA. Influence of blood meal and age of mosquitoes on susceptibility to pyrethroids in Anopheles gambiae from Western Kenya. Malar J 2019; 18:112. [PMID: 30940139 PMCID: PMC6444593 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2746-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physiological characteristics (age and blood feeding status) of malaria vectors can influence their susceptibility to the current vector control tools that target their feeding and resting behaviour. To ensure the sustainability of the current and future vector control tools an understanding of how physiological characteristics may contribute to insecticide tolerance in the field is fundamental for shaping resistance management strategies and vector control tools. The aim of this study was to determine whether blood meal and mosquito age affect pyrethroid tolerance in field-collected Anopheles gambiae from western Kenya. METHODS Wild mosquito larvae were reared to adulthood alongside the pyrethroid-susceptible Kisumu strain. Adult females from the two populations were monitored for deltamethrin resistance when they were young at 2-5 days old and older 14-16 days old and whether fed or unfed for each age group. Metabolic assays were also performed to determine the level of detoxification enzymes. Mosquito specimens were further identified to species level using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. RESULTS Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto was the predominant species comprising 96% of specimens and 2.75% Anopheles arabiensis. Bioassay results showed reduced pyrethroid induced mortality with younger mosquitoes compared to older ones (mortality rates 83% vs. 98%), independently of their feeding status. Reduced mortality was recorded with younger females of which were fed compared to their unfed counterparts of the same age with a mortality rate of 35.5% vs. 83%. Older blood-fed females showed reduced susceptibility after exposure when compared to unfed females of the same age (mortality rates 86% vs. 98%). For the Kisumu susceptible population, mortality was straight 100% regardless of age and blood feeding status. Blood feeding status and mosquito age had an effect on enzyme levels in both populations, with blood fed individuals showing higher enzyme elevations compared to their unfed counterparts (P < 0.0001). The interaction between mosquito age and blood fed status had significant effect on mosquito mortality. CONCLUSION The results showed that mosquito age and blood feeding status confers increased tolerance to insecticides as blood feeding may be playing an important role in the toxicity of deltamethrin, allowing mosquitoes to rest on insecticide-treated materials despite treatment. These may have implications for the sustained efficacy of indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets based control programmes that target indoor resting female mosquitoes of various gonotrophic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell G Machani
- Climate and Human Health Research Unit, Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
- School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Eric Ochomo
- Entomology Section, Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - David Sang
- School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya
| | - Mariangela Bonizzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Guofa Zhou
- Program in Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Andrew K Githeko
- Climate and Human Health Research Unit, Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Guiyun Yan
- Program in Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Yaw A Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
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Terra WR, Dias RO, Oliveira PL, Ferreira C, Venancio TM. Transcriptomic analyses uncover emerging roles of mucins, lysosome/secretory addressing and detoxification pathways in insect midguts. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 29:34-40. [PMID: 30551823 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The study of insect midgut features has been made possible by the recent availability of transcriptome datasets. These data uncovered the preferential expression of mucus-forming mucins at midgut regions that require protection (e.g. the acidic middle midgut of Musca domestica) or at sites of enzyme immobilization, particularly around the peritrophic membrane of Spodoptera frugiperda. Coleoptera lysosomal peptidases are directed to midgut lumen when over-expressed and targeted to lysosomes by a mechanism other than the mannose 6-phosphate-dependent pathway. We show that this second trend is likely conserved across Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Arthropoda. Furthermore, midgut transcriptomes of distantly related species reveal a general overexpression of xenobiotic detoxification pathways. In addition to attenuating toxicity of plant-derived compounds and insecticides, we also discuss a role for these detoxification pathways in regulating host-microbiota interactions by metabolizing bacterial secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter R Terra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 748, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - Renata O Dias
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 748, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biotecnologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Clélia Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes, 748, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Thiago M Venancio
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
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Gondim KC, Atella GC, Pontes EG, Majerowicz D. Lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 101:108-123. [PMID: 30171905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
More than a third of the world population is at constant risk of contracting some insect-transmitted disease, such as Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, malaria, Chagas' disease, African trypanosomiasis, and others. Independent of the life cycle of the pathogen causing the disease, the insect vector hematophagous habit is a common and crucial trait for the transmission of all these diseases. This lifestyle is unique, as hematophagous insects feed on blood, a diet that is rich in protein but relatively poor in lipids and carbohydrates, in huge amounts and low frequency. Another unique feature of these insects is that blood meal triggers essential metabolic processes, as molting and oogenesis and, in this way, regulates the expression of various genes that are involved in these events. In this paper, we review current knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors, comparing with classical models whenever possible. We address lipid digestion and absorption, hemolymphatic transport, and lipid storage by the fat body and ovary. In this context, both de novo fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis are discussed, including the related fatty acid activation process and the intracellular lipid binding proteins. As lipids are stored in order to be mobilized later on, e.g. for flight activity or survivorship, lipolysis and β-oxidation are also considered. All these events need to be finely regulated, and the role of hormones in this control is summarized. Finally, we also review information about infection, when vector insect physiology is affected, and there is a crosstalk between its immune system and lipid metabolism. There is not abundant information about lipid metabolism in vector insects, and significant current gaps in the field are indicated, as well as questions to be answered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia C Gondim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Georgia C Atella
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Emerson G Pontes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - David Majerowicz
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Arthropod EVs mediate dengue virus transmission through interaction with a tetraspanin domain containing glycoprotein Tsp29Fb. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E6604-E6613. [PMID: 29946031 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720125115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes dengue fever in humans, worldwide. Using in vitro cell lines derived from Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, the primary vectors of DENV, we report that DENV2/DENV3-infected cells secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, containing infectious viral RNA and proteins. A full-length DENV2 genome, detected in arthropod EVs, was infectious to naïve mosquito and mammalian cells, including human-skin keratinocytes and blood endothelial cells. Cryo-electron microscopy showed mosquito EVs with a size range from 30 to 250 nm. Treatments with RNase A, Triton X-100, and 4G2 antibody-bead binding assays showed that infectious DENV2-RNA and proteins are contained inside EVs. Viral plaque formation and dilution assays also showed securely contained infectious viral RNA and proteins in EVs are transmitted to human cells. Up-regulated HSP70 upon DENV2 infection showed no role in viral replication and transmission through EVs. In addition, qRT-PCR and immunoblotting results revealed that DENV2 up-regulates expression of a mosquito tetraspanin-domain-containing glycoprotein, designated as Tsp29Fb, in A. aegypti mosquitoes, cells, and EVs. RNAi-mediated silencing and antibody blocking of Tsp29Fb resulted in reduced DENV2 loads in both mosquito cells and EVs. Immunoprecipitation showed Tsp29Fb to directly interact with DENV2 E-protein. Furthermore, treatment with GW4869 (exosome-release inhibitor) affected viral burden, direct interaction of Tsp29Fb with E-protein and EV-mediated transmission of viral RNA and proteins to naïve human cells. In summary, we report a very important finding on EV-mediated transmission of DENV2 from arthropod to mammalian cells through interactions with an arthropod EVs-enriched marker Tsp29Fb.
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Bottino-Rojas V, Talyuli OAC, Carrara L, Martins AJ, James AA, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. The redox-sensing gene Nrf2 affects intestinal homeostasis, insecticide resistance, and Zika virus susceptibility in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9053-9063. [PMID: 29685890 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are extensively regulated to ensure proper cellular responses to various environmental stimuli and stresses. Moreover, physiologically generated ROS function as secondary messengers that can influence tissue homeostasis. The cap'n'collar transcription factor known as nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2 (Nrf2) coordinates an evolutionarily conserved transcriptional activation pathway that mediates antioxidant and detoxification responses in many animal species, including insects and mammals. Here, we show that Nrf2-mediated signaling affects embryo survival, midgut homeostasis, and redox biology in Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species vector of dengue, Zika, and other disease-causing viruses. We observed that AeNrf2 silencing increases ROS levels and stimulates intestinal stem cell proliferation. Because ROS production is a major aspect of innate immunity in mosquito gut, we found that a decrease in Nrf2 signaling results in reduced microbiota growth and Zika virus infection. Moreover, we provide evidence that AeNrf2 signaling also controls transcriptional adaptation of A. aegypti to insecticide challenge. Therefore, we conclude that Nrf2-mediated response regulates assorted gene clusters in A. aegypti that determine cellular and midgut redox balance, affecting overall xenobiotic resistance and vectorial adaptation of the mosquito.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Octavio A C Talyuli
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Luana Carrara
- Laficave, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Ademir J Martins
- Laficave, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
| | - Anthony A James
- the Departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3900
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil.,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil, .,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
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Durant AC, Donini A. Ammonia Excretion in an Osmoregulatory Syncytium Is Facilitated by AeAmt2, a Novel Ammonia Transporter in Aedes aegypti Larvae. Front Physiol 2018; 9:339. [PMID: 29695971 PMCID: PMC5905399 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti inhabit ammonia rich septic tanks in tropical regions of the world that make extensive use of these systems, explaining the prevalence of disease during dry seasons. Since ammonia (NH3/NH4+) is toxic to animals, an understanding of the physiological mechanisms of ammonia excretion permitting the survival of A. aegypti larvae in high ammonia environments is important. We have characterized a novel ammonia transporter, AeAmt2, belonging to the Amt/MEP/Rh family of ammonia transporters. Based on the amino acid sequence, the predicted topology of AeAmt2 consists of 11 transmembrane helices with an extracellular N-terminus and a cytoplasmic C-terminus region. Alignment of the predicted AeAmt2 amino acid sequence with other Amt/MEP proteins from plants, bacteria, and yeast highlights the presence of conserved residues characteristic of ammonia conducting channels in this protein. AeAmt2 is expressed in the ionoregulatory anal papillae of A. aegypti larvae where it is localized to the apical membrane of the epithelium. dsRNA-mediated knockdown of AeAmt2 results in a significant decrease in NH4+ efflux from the anal papillae, suggesting a key role in facilitating ammonia excretion. The effect of high environmental ammonia (HEA) on expression of AeAmt2, along with previously characterized AeAmt1, AeRh50-1, and AeRh50-2 in the anal papillae was investigated. We show that changes in expression of ammonia transporters occur in response to acute and chronic exposure to HEA, which reflects the importance of these transporters in the physiology of life in high ammonia habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew Donini
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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38
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Chotiwan N, Andre BG, Sanchez-Vargas I, Islam MN, Grabowski JM, Hopf-Jannasch A, Gough E, Nakayasu E, Blair CD, Belisle JT, Hill CA, Kuhn RJ, Perera R. Dynamic remodeling of lipids coincides with dengue virus replication in the midgut of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006853. [PMID: 29447265 PMCID: PMC5814098 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the first comprehensive analysis of the midgut metabolome of Aedes aegypti, the primary mosquito vector for arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever viruses. Transmission of these viruses depends on their ability to infect, replicate and disseminate from several tissues in the mosquito vector. The metabolic environments within these tissues play crucial roles in these processes. Since these viruses are enveloped, viral replication, assembly and release occur on cellular membranes primed through the manipulation of host metabolism. Interference with this virus infection-induced metabolic environment is detrimental to viral replication in human and mosquito cell culture models. Here we present the first insight into the metabolic environment induced during arbovirus replication in Aedes aegypti. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we have analyzed the temporal metabolic perturbations that occur following dengue virus infection of the midgut tissue. This is the primary site of infection and replication, preceding systemic viral dissemination and transmission. We identified metabolites that exhibited a dynamic-profile across early-, mid- and late-infection time points. We observed a marked increase in the lipid content. An increase in glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and fatty acyls was coincident with the kinetics of viral replication. Elevation of glycerolipid levels suggested a diversion of resources during infection from energy storage to synthetic pathways. Elevated levels of acyl-carnitines were observed, signaling disruptions in mitochondrial function and possible diversion of energy production. A central hub in the sphingolipid pathway that influenced dihydroceramide to ceramide ratios was identified as critical for the virus life cycle. This study also resulted in the first reconstruction of the sphingolipid pathway in Aedes aegypti. Given conservation in the replication mechanisms of several flaviviruses transmitted by this vector, our results highlight biochemical choke points that could be targeted to disrupt transmission of multiple pathogens by these mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nunya Chotiwan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Barbara G. Andre
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Irma Sanchez-Vargas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - M. Nurul Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M. Grabowski
- Markey Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Entomology Department Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Amber Hopf-Jannasch
- Metabolite Profiling Facility (MPF), Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Erik Gough
- Computational Life Sciences Core, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Ernesto Nakayasu
- Metabolite Profiling Facility (MPF), Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Carol D. Blair
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - John T. Belisle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Catherine A. Hill
- Entomology Department Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Richard J. Kuhn
- Markey Center for Structural Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Rushika Perera
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Calkins TL, Piermarini PM. A Blood Meal Enhances Innexin mRNA Expression in the Midgut, Malpighian Tubules, and Ovaries of the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti. INSECTS 2017; 8:insects8040122. [PMID: 29113099 PMCID: PMC5746805 DOI: 10.3390/insects8040122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of pathogens that cause diseases of medical and veterinary importance. Female mosquitoes transmit these pathogens while taking a blood meal, which most species require to produce eggs. The period after a blood meal is a time of extreme physiological change that requires rapid coordination of specific tissues. Gap junctions (GJ) are intercellular channels that aid in the coordination of cells within tissues via the direct transfer of certain small molecules and ions between cells. Evolutionarily distinct groups of proteins form the gap junctions of vertebrate and invertebrate animals (connexins and innexins, respectively). Aedes aegypti mosquitoes possess six genes encoding innexins: inx1, inx2, inx3, inx4, inx7, and inx8. The goal of this study was to identify potential roles of innexins in the physiology of mosquitoes after a blood meal by using qPCR to quantify their mRNA expression in adult females at 3 h and 24 h post-blood meal (PBM) relative to non-blood-fed controls. We found that at 24 h PBM, expression levels of inx2, inx3, and inx4 mRNAs increased; inx2 was the most highly upregulated innexin in key tissues associated with blood-meal digestion and egg production (i.e., the midgut and ovaries, respectively). However, knocking down inx2 mRNA levels by over 75% via RNA interference had no significant effect on fecundity. Altogether, our results suggest that a blood meal influences the molecular expression of innexins in mosquitoes, but their specific physiological roles remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis L Calkins
- Department of Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
| | - Peter M Piermarini
- Department of Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
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Rosendale AJ, Romick-Rosendale LE, Watanabe M, Dunlevy ME, Benoit JB. Mechanistic underpinnings of dehydration stress in the American dog tick revealed through RNA-Seq and metabolomics. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 219:1808-19. [PMID: 27307540 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.137315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate blood feeders but spend the majority of their lifetime off-host where they must contend with a multitude of environmental stresses. Survival under desiccating conditions is a determinant for habitats where ticks can become established, and water-balance characteristics of ticks have been extensively studied. However, little is known about the underlying aspects associated with dehydration stress in ticks. In this study, we examined the response of male American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, to dehydration using a combined transcriptomics and metabolomics approach. During dehydration, 497 genes were differentially expressed, including an up-regulation of stress-response and protein-catabolism genes and concurrent down-regulation of several energetically expensive biological processes. Accumulation of several metabolites, including specific amino acids, glycerol and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), and transcript shifts in the associated pathways for generating these metabolites indicated congruence between changes in the metabolome and gene expression. Ticks treated with exogenous glycerol and GABA demonstrated altered water-balance characteristics; specifically, increased water absorption at high relative humidity. Finally, we observed changes in locomotor activity in response to dehydration, but this change was not influenced by the accumulation of GABA. Overall, the responses to dehydration by these ticks were similar to those observed in other dehydration-tolerant arthropods, but several molecular and behavioral responses are distinct from those associated with other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Rosendale
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | | | - Miki Watanabe
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Megan E Dunlevy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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Short SM, Mongodin EF, MacLeod HJ, Talyuli OAC, Dimopoulos G. Amino acid metabolic signaling influences Aedes aegypti midgut microbiome variability. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005677. [PMID: 28753661 PMCID: PMC5549995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito midgut microbiota has been shown to influence vector competence for multiple human pathogens. The microbiota is highly variable in the field, and the sources of this variability are not well understood, which limits our ability to understand or predict its effects on pathogen transmission. In this work, we report significant variation in female adult midgut bacterial load between strains of A. aegypti which vary in their susceptibility to dengue virus. Composition of the midgut microbiome was similar overall between the strains, with 81-92% of reads coming from the same five bacterial families, though we did detect differences in the presence of some bacterial families including Flavobacteriaceae and Entobacteriaceae. We conducted transcriptomic analysis on the two mosquito strains that showed the greatest difference in bacterial load, and found that they differ in transcript abundance of many genes implicated in amino acid metabolism, in particular the branched chain amino acid degradation pathway. We then silenced this pathway by targeting multiple genes using RNA interference, which resulted in strain-specific bacterial proliferation, thereby eliminating the difference in midgut bacterial load between the strains. This suggests that the branched chain amino acid (BCAA) degradation pathway controls midgut bacterial load, though the mechanism underlying this remains unclear. Overall, our results indicate that amino acid metabolism can act to influence the midgut microbiota. Moreover, they suggest that genetic or physiological variation in BCAA degradation pathway activity may in part explain midgut microbiota variation in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Short
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Emmanuel F. Mongodin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Hannah J. MacLeod
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Octavio A. C. Talyuli
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Sagri E, Koskinioti P, Gregoriou ME, Tsoumani KT, Bassiakos YC, Mathiopoulos KD. Housekeeping in Tephritid insects: the best gene choice for expression analyses in the medfly and the olive fly. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45634. [PMID: 28368031 PMCID: PMC5377319 DOI: 10.1038/srep45634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time quantitative-PCR has been a priceless tool for gene expression analyses. The reaction, however, needs proper normalization with the use of housekeeping genes (HKGs), whose expression remains stable throughout the experimental conditions. Often, the combination of several genes is required for accurate normalization. Most importantly, there are no universal HKGs which can be used since their expression varies among different organisms, tissues or experimental conditions. In the present study, nine common HKGs (RPL19, tbp, ubx, GAPDH, α-TUB, β-TUB, 14-3-3zeta, RPE and actin3) are evaluated in thirteen different body parts, developmental stages and reproductive and olfactory tissues of two insects of agricultural importance, the medfly and the olive fly. Three software programs based on different algorithms were used (geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper) and gave different ranking of HKG stabilities. This confirms once again that the stability of common HKGs should not be taken for granted and demonstrates the caution that is needed in the choice of the appropriate HKGs. Finally, by estimating the average of a standard score of the stability values resulted by the three programs we were able to provide a useful consensus key for the choice of the best HKG combination in various tissues of the two insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthimia Sagri
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Panagiota Koskinioti
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Maria-Eleni Gregoriou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | | | - Yiannis C Bassiakos
- Department of Economic Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 10559, Greece
| | - Kostas D Mathiopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
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Champion CJ, Xu J. The impact of metagenomic interplay on the mosquito redox homeostasis. Free Radic Biol Med 2017; 105:79-85. [PMID: 27880869 PMCID: PMC5401789 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are exposed to oxidative challenges throughout their life cycle. The primary challenge comes from a blood meal. The blood digestion turns the midgut into an oxidative environment, which imposes pressure not only on mosquito fecundity and other physiological traits but also on the microbiota in the midgut. During evolution, mosquitoes have developed numerous oxidative defense mechanisms to maintain redox homeostasis in the midgut. In addition to antioxidants, SOD, catalase, and glutathione system, sufficient supply of the reducing agent, NADPH, is vital for a successful defense against oxidative stress. Increasing evidence indicates that in response to oxidative stress, cells reconfigure metabolic pathways to increase the generation of NADPH through NADP-reducing networks including the pentose phosphate pathway and others. The microbial homeostasis is critical for the functional contributions to various host phenotypes. The symbiotic microbiota is regulated largely by the Duox-ROS pathway in Drosophila. In mosquitoes, Duox-ROS pathway, heme-mediated signaling, antimicrobial peptide production and C-type lectins work in concert to maintain the dynamic microbial community in the midgut. Microbial mechanisms against oxidative stress in this context are not well understood. Emerging evidence that microbial metabolites trigger host oxidative response warrants further study on the metagenomic interplay in an oxidative environment like mosquito gut ecosystem. Besides the classical Drosophila model, hematophagous insects like mosquitoes provide an alternative model system to study redox homeostasis in a symbiotic metagenomic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody J Champion
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, PO BOX 30001, MSC 3AF, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States
| | - Jiannong Xu
- Biology Department, New Mexico State University, PO BOX 30001, MSC 3AF, Las Cruces, NM 88003, United States.
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Isoe J, Petchampai N, Isoe YE, Co K, Mazzalupo S, Scaraffia PY. Xanthine dehydrogenase-1 silencing in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes promotes a blood feeding-induced adulticidal activity. FASEB J 2017; 31:2276-2286. [PMID: 28179423 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201601185r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Aedesaegypti has 2 genes encoding xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH). We analyzed XDH1 and XDH2 gene expression by real-time quantitative PCR in tissues from sugar- and blood-fed females. Differential XDH1 and XDH2 gene expression was observed in tissues dissected throughout a time course. We next exposed females to blood meals supplemented with allopurinol, a well-characterized XDH inhibitor. We also tested the effects of injecting double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) against XDH1, XDH2, or both. Disruption of XDH by allopurinol or XDH1 by RNA interference significantly affected mosquito survival, causing a disruption in blood digestion, excretion, oviposition, and reproduction. XDH1-deficient mosquitoes showed a persistence of serine proteases in the midgut at 48 h after blood feeding and a reduction in the uptake of vitellogenin by the ovaries. Surprisingly, analysis of the fat body from dsRNA-XDH1-injected mosquitoes fell into 2 groups: one group was characterized by a reduction of the XDH1 transcript, whereas the other group was characterized by an up-regulation of several transcripts, including XDH1, glutamine synthetase, alanine aminotransferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, ornithine decarboxylase, glutamate receptor, and ammonia transporter. Our data demonstrate that XDH1 plays an essential role and that XDH1 has the potential to be used as a metabolic target for Ae.aegypti vector control.-Isoe, J., Petchampai, N., Isoe, Y. E., Co, K., Mazzalupo, S., Scaraffia, P. Y. Xanthine dehydrogenase-1 silencing in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes promotes a blood feeding-induced adulticidal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Isoe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Natthida Petchampai
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Yurika E Isoe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Katrina Co
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Stacy Mazzalupo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Patricia Y Scaraffia
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;
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Chang KS, Kim HC, Klein TA, Ju YR. Insecticide resistance and cytochrome-P450 activation in unfed and blood-fed laboratory and field populations of Culex pipiens pallens. JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE 2016; 90:759-771. [PMID: 28275327 PMCID: PMC5320006 DOI: 10.1007/s10340-016-0820-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of insecticide resistance to vector mosquitoes is critical for the implementation of effective control measures. A nulliparous susceptible Culex pipiens pallens (KSCP) laboratory colony and two field strains from Paju (PAJ) and Jeonju (JEO) Korea were evaluated for susceptibility to five pesticides by microapplication techniques. Unfed PAJ and JEO females demonstrated increased resistance compared to unfed KSCP females, respectively. While blood-fed KSCP females demonstrated <10-fold decreased susceptibility to pesticides compared to unfed KSCP females, blood-fed PAJ and JEO females demonstrated 25.0-50.0- and 16.0-38.6-fold increased resistance compared to unfed PAJ and JEO females, respectively. Unfed and blood-fed groups were assayed for α- and β-esterase, glutathione S-transferases, and cytochrome P-450 (P450) enzyme activity assays. P450 activity was 58.8- and 72.8-fold higher for unfed PAJ and JEO females, respectively, than unfed KSCP females. P450 enzyme activity of KSCP females assayed 1 and 7 days after a blood meal increased by 14.5- and 11.8-fold, respectively, compared to unfed KSCP females, while PAJ and JEO females demonstrated 164.9- and 148.5- and 170.7- and 160.4-fold increased activity, respectively, compared to unfed females of each population. However, other three resistance-related metabolic enzymes showed low activation at <10-fold after a blood meal. The data demonstrate that P450 acts on elevated insecticide resistance after blood meals in resistant field populations. Our findings might reveal that suppressing of the P450 protein by artificial gene mutation increases insecticidal susceptibility of Cx. pipiens and will promise effective vector mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu-Sik Chang
- National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28159 Republic of Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO, AP 96205-5247 USA
| | - Terry A. Klein
- Medical Department Activity Korea, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO, AP 96205-5281 USA
| | - Young Ran Ju
- National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28159 Republic of Korea
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Dynamic expression of genes encoding subunits of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 204:35-44. [PMID: 27836744 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels play fundamental roles in neuromuscular, epithelial, and endocrine function in mammals. Recent research in insects suggests that Kir channels play critical roles in the development, immune function, and excretory physiology of fruit flies and/or mosquitoes. Moreover, our group has demonstrated that mosquito Kir channels may serve as valuable targets for the development of novel insecticides. Here we characterize the molecular expression of 5 mRNAs encoding Kir channel subunits in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti: Kir1, Kir2A-c, Kir2B, Kir2B', and Kir3. We demonstrate that 1) Kir mRNA expression is dynamic in whole mosquitoes, Malpighian tubules, and the midgut during development from 4th instar larvae to adult females, 2) Kir2B and Kir3 mRNA levels are reduced in 4th instar larvae when reared in water containing an elevated concentration (50mM) of KCl, but not NaCl, and 3) Kir mRNAs are differentially expressed in the Malpighian tubules, midgut, and ovaries within 24h after blood feeding. Furthermore, we provide the first characterization of Kir mRNA expression in the anal papillae of 4th instar larval mosquitoes, which indicates that Kir2A-c is the most abundant. Altogether, the data provide the first comprehensive characterization of Kir mRNA expression in Ae. aegypti and offer insights into the putative physiological roles of Kir subunits in this important disease vector.
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Fernandes KM, de Magalhães-Júnior MJ, Baracat-Pereira MC, Martins GF. Proteomic analysis of Aedes aegypti midgut during post-embryonic development and of the female mosquitoes fed different diets. Parasitol Int 2016; 65:668-676. [PMID: 27597118 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In this work we analyzed protein expression in the Aedes aegypti midgut during the larval (fourth instar, L4), pupal, and adult stages [including newly emerged (NE), sugar-fed (SF) and blood-fed (BF) females]. Two-dimensional electrophoresis showed 13 spots in the midgut of larvae, 95 in the midgut of pupae, 90 in the midgut of NE, and 76 in the midgut of SF or BF females. In the larval midguts, high serpin expression was noted, while in the pupae, protein abundance was lower than in the NE, SF, and BF females. The spots related to proteins linked to energy production, protein metabolism, signaling, and transport were highly expressed in the NE stage, while spots related proteins involved in translation were abundant in SF and BF females. The differential abundance of proteins in the midgut of A. aegypti at different developmental stages supports the necessity for midgut development during immature stage followed by the necessity of proteins related to digestion in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenner Morais Fernandes
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV, 36571-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Cristina Baracat-Pereira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV, 36571-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Ferreira Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV, 36571-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Puglise JM, Estep AS, Becnel JJ. Expression Profiles and RNAi Silencing of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Transcripts in Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:304-14. [PMID: 26659858 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Effective mosquito control is vital to curtail the devastating health effects of many vectored diseases. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated control of mosquitoes is an attractive alternative to conventional chemical pesticides. Previous studies have suggested that transcripts for inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) may be good RNAi targets. To revisit and extend previous reports, we examined the expression of Aedes aegypti (L.) IAPs (AaeIAPs) 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, and a viral IAP-associated factor (vIAF) as well as Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say and Culex quinquefasciatus Say IAP1 homologs (AquIAP1 and CquIAP1) in adult females. Expression profiles of IAPs suggested that some older female mosquitoes had significantly higher IAP mRNA levels when compared to the youngest ones. Minor differences in expression of AaeIAPs were observed in mosquitoes that imbibed a bloodmeal, but the majority of the time points (up to 48 h) were not significantly different. Although in vitro experiments with the Ae. aegypti Aag-2 cell line demonstrated that the various AaeIAPs could be effectively knocked down within one day after dsRNA treatment, only Aag-2 cells treated with dsIAP1 displayed apoptotic morphology. Gene silencing and mortality were also evaluated after topical application and microinjection of the same dsRNAs into female Ae. aegypti. In contrast to previous reports, topical administration of dsRNA against AaeIAP1 did not yield a significant reduction in gene expression or increased mortality. Knockdown of IAP1 and other IAPs by microinjection did not result in significant mortality. In toto, our findings suggest that IAPs may not be suitable RNAi targets for controlling adult mosquito populations.
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Singh N, Wang C, Cooper R. Posttreatment Feeding Affects Mortality of Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Exposed to Insecticides. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 109:273-283. [PMID: 26494709 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tov293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Insecticide sprays and dusts are used for controlling bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L. In natural environments, bed bugs have daily access to hosts after they are exposed to insecticides. The established laboratory insecticide bioassay protocols do not provide feeding after insecticide treatments, which can result in inflated mortality compared with what would be encountered in the field. We evaluated the effect of posttreatment feeding on mortality of bed bugs treated with different insecticides. None of the insecticides tested had a significant effect on the amount of blood consumed and percent feeding. The effect of posttreatment feeding on bed bug mortality varied among different insecticides. Feeding significantly reduced mortality in bed bugs exposed to deltamethrin spray, an essential oil mixture (Bed Bug Fix) spray, and diatomaceous earth dust. Feeding increased the mean survival time for bed bugs treated with chlorfenapyr spray and a spray containing an essential oil mixture (Ecoraider), but did not affect the final mortality. First instars hatched from eggs treated with chlorfenapyr liquid spray had reduced feeding compared with nymphs hatched from nontreated eggs. Those nymphs hatched from eggs treated with chlorfenapyr liquid spray and successfully fed had reduced mortality and a higher mean survival time than those without feeding. We conclude that the availability of a bloodmeal after insecticide exposure has a significant effect on bed bug mortality. Protocols for insecticide efficacy testing should consider offering a bloodmeal to the treated bed bugs within 1 to 3 d after treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narinderpal Singh
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 93 Lipman Dr., New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (; ; ) and
| | - Changlu Wang
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 93 Lipman Dr., New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (; ; ) and
| | - Richard Cooper
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 93 Lipman Dr., New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (; ; ) and
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50
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Mazzalupo S, Isoe J, Belloni V, Scaraffia PY. Effective disposal of nitrogen waste in blood-fed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes requires alanine aminotransferase. FASEB J 2016; 30:111-20. [PMID: 26310269 PMCID: PMC4684537 DOI: 10.1096/fj.15-277087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
To better understand the mechanisms responsible for the success of female mosquitoes in their disposal of excess nitrogen, we investigated the role of alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) in blood-fed Aedes aegypti. Transcript and protein levels from the 2 ALAT genes were analyzed in sucrose- and blood-fed A. aegypti tissues. ALAT1 and ALAT2 exhibit distinct expression patterns in tissues during the first gonotrophic cycle. Injection of female mosquitoes with either double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-ALAT1 or dsRNA ALAT2 significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of ALAT1 or ALAT2 in fat body, thorax, and Malpighian tubules compared with dsRNA firefly luciferase-injected control mosquitoes. The silencing of either A. aegypti ALAT1 or ALAT2 caused unexpected phenotypes such as a delay in blood digestion, a massive accumulation of uric acid in the midgut posterior region, and a significant decrease of nitrogen waste excretion during the first 48 h after blood feeding. Concurrently, the expression of genes encoding xanthine dehydrogenase and ammonia transporter (Rhesus 50 glycoprotein) were significantly increased in tissues of both ALAT1- and ALAT2-deficient females. Moreover, perturbation of ALAT1 and ALAT2 in the female mosquitoes delayed oviposition and reduced egg production. These novel findings underscore the efficient mechanisms that blood-fed mosquitoes use to avoid ammonia toxicity and free radical damage.-Mazzalupo, S., Isoe, J., Belloni, V., Scaraffia, P. Y. Effective disposal of nitrogen waste in blood-fed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes requires alanine aminotransferase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Mazzalupo
- *Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA; and Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jun Isoe
- *Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA; and Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Virginia Belloni
- *Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA; and Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Patricia Y Scaraffia
- *Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA; and Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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