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Weiss L, McBride CS. Mosquitoes as a model for understanding the neural basis of natural behaviors. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102897. [PMID: 39002351 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Mosquito behaviors have been the subject of extensive research for over a century due to their role in the spread of human disease. However, these behaviors are also beginning to be appreciated as excellent models for neurobiological research in their own right. Many of the same behaviors and sensory abilities that help mosquitoes survive and reproduce alongside humans represent striking examples of generalizable phenomena of longstanding neurobiological interest. In this review, we highlight four prominent examples that promise new insight into (1) precise circadian tuning of sensory systems, (2) processing of complex natural odors, (3) multisensory integration, and (4) modulation of behavior by internal states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Weiss
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Carolyn S McBride
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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2
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Chen R, Yan J, Wickham JD, Gao Y. Genomic identification and evolutionary analysis of chemosensory receptor gene families in two Phthorimaea pest species: insights into chemical ecology and host adaptation. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:493. [PMID: 38762533 PMCID: PMC11102633 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10428-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insects rely on sophisticated sensitive chemosensory systems to sense their complex chemical environment. This sensory process involves a combination of odorant receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs) in the chemosensory system. This study focused on the identification and characterization of these three types of chemosensory receptor genes in two closely related Phthorimaea pest species, Phthorimaea operculella (potato tuber moth) and Phthorimaea absoluta (tomato leaf miner). RESULTS Based on manual annotation of the genome, we identified a total of 349 chemoreceptor genes from the genome of P. operculella, including 93 OR, 206 GR and 50 IR genes, while for P. absoluta, we identified 72 OR, 122 GR and 46 IR genes. Through phylogenetic analysis, we observed minimal differences in the number and types of ORs and IRs between the potato tuber moth and tomato leaf miner. In addition, we found that compared with those of tomato leaf miners, the gustatory receptor branch of P. operculella has undergone a large expansion, which may be related to P. absoluta having a narrower host range than P. operculella. Through analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of male and female antennae, we uncovered 45 DEGs (including 32ORs, 9 GRs, and 4 IRs). CONCLUSIONS Our research provides a foundation for exploring the chemical ecology of these two pests and offers new insights into the dietary differentiation of lepidopteran insects, while simultaneously providing molecular targets for developing environmentally friendly pest control methods based on insect chemoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruipeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junjie Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jacob D Wickham
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119071, Russia
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 93 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yulin Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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3
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Bell KL, Noreuil A, Molloy EK, Fritz ML. Genetic and behavioral differences between above and below ground Culex pipiens bioforms. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:221-231. [PMID: 38424351 PMCID: PMC11074123 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00675-4] [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: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficiency of mosquito-borne disease transmission is dependent upon both the preference and fidelity of mosquitoes as they seek the blood of vertebrate hosts. While mosquitoes select their blood hosts through multi-modal integration of sensory cues, host-seeking is primarily an odor-guided behavior. Differences in mosquito responses to hosts and their odors have been demonstrated to have a genetic component, but the underlying genomic architecture of these responses has yet to be fully resolved. Here, we provide the first characterization of the genomic architecture of host preference in the polymorphic mosquito species, Culex pipiens. The species exists as two morphologically identical bioforms, each with distinct avian and mammalian host preferences. Cx. pipiens females with empirically measured host responses were prepared into reduced representation DNA libraries and sequenced to identify genomic regions associated with host preference. Multiple genomic regions associated with host preference were identified on all 3 Culex chromosomes, and these genomic regions contained clusters of chemosensory genes, as expected based on work in Anopheles gambiae complex mosquitoes and in Aedes aegypti. One odorant receptor and one odorant binding protein gene showed one-to-one orthologous relationships to differentially expressed genes in A. gambiae complex members with divergent host preferences. Overall, our work identifies a distinct set of odorant receptors and odorant binding proteins that may enable Cx. pipiens females to distinguish between their vertebrate blood host species, and opens avenues for future functional studies that could measure the unique contributions of each gene to host preference phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Bell
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Anna Noreuil
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Erin K Molloy
- Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Megan L Fritz
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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4
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Doherty JF, Ames T, Brewster LI, Chiang J, Cyr E, Kelsey CR, Lee JP, Liu B, Lo IHY, Nirwal GK, Mohammed YG, Phelan O, Seyfourian P, Shannon DM, Tochor NK, Matthews BJ. An update and review of arthropod vector sensory systems: Potential targets for behavioural manipulation by parasites and other disease agents. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2024; 124:57-89. [PMID: 38754927 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
For over a century, vector ecology has been a mainstay of vector-borne disease control. Much of this research has focused on the sensory ecology of blood-feeding arthropods (black flies, mosquitoes, ticks, etc.) with terrestrial vertebrate hosts. Of particular interest are the cues and sensory systems that drive host seeking and host feeding behaviours as they are critical for a vector to locate and feed from a host. An important yet overlooked component of arthropod vector ecology are the phenotypic changes observed in infected vectors that increase disease transmission. While our fundamental understanding of sensory mechanisms in disease vectors has drastically increased due to recent advances in genome engineering, for example, the advent of CRISPR-Cas9, and high-throughput "big data" approaches (genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, etc.), we still do not know if and how parasites manipulate vector behaviour. Here, we review the latest research on arthropod vector sensory systems and propose key mechanisms that disease agents may alter to increase transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tahnee Ames
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Jonathan Chiang
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elsa Cyr
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cameron R Kelsey
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeehan Phillip Lee
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bingzong Liu
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ivan Hok Yin Lo
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gurleen K Nirwal
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Orna Phelan
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Parsa Seyfourian
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Wiedemann BM, Takeuchi K, Ohta K, Kato-Namba A, Yabuki M, Kazama H, Nakagawa T. Hydrophobic solution functions as a multifaceted mosquito repellent by enhancing chemical transfer, altering object tracking, and forming aversive memory. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5422. [PMID: 38443480 PMCID: PMC10914761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55975-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing a safe and potent repellent of mosquitoes applicable to human skins is an effective measure against the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Recently, we have identified that hydrophobic solutions such as low viscosity polydimethylsiloxane (L-PDMS) spread on a human skin prevent mosquitoes from staying on and biting it. This is likely due to the ability of L-PDMS in wetting mosquito legs and exerting a capillary force from which the mosquitoes attempt to escape. Here we show three additional functions of L-PDMS that can contribute to repel Aedes albopictus, by combining physicochemical analysis and behavioral assays in both an arm cage and a virtual flight arena. First, L-PDMS, when mixed with topical repellents and applied on a human skin, enhances the effect of topical repellents in reducing mosquito bites by efficiently transferring them to mosquito legs upon contact. Second, L-PDMS applied to mosquito tarsi compromises visual object tracking during flight, exerting an influence outlasting the contact. Finally, L-PDMS applied to mosquito tarsi acts as an aversive reinforcer in associative learning, making mosquitoes avoid the conditioned odor. These results uncover a multifaceted potential of L-PDMS in altering a sequence of mosquito behaviors from biting a human skin, visual object tracking following takeoff, to the response to an odor linked with L-PDMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M Wiedemann
- Human Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan.
| | - Kohei Takeuchi
- Human Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan
- Sensory Science Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan
| | - Kazumi Ohta
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- RIKEN CBS-KAO Collaboration Center, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Aya Kato-Namba
- Human Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yabuki
- Sensory Science Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan
| | - Hokto Kazama
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
- RIKEN CBS-KAO Collaboration Center, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
| | - Takao Nakagawa
- Human Health Care Products Research, Kao Corporation, 2‑1‑3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo, 131‑8501, Japan
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Giraldo D, Hammond AM, Wu J, Feole B, Al-Saloum N, McMeniman CJ. An expanded neurogenetic toolkit to decode olfaction in the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100714. [PMID: 38412833 PMCID: PMC10921037 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Anopheles gambiae uses its sense of smell to hunt humans. We report a two-step method yielding cell-type-specific driver lines for enhanced neuroanatomical and functional studies of its olfactory system. We first integrated a driver-responder-marker (DRM) system cassette consisting of a linked T2A-QF2 driver, QUAS-GFP responder, and a gut-specific transgenesis marker into four chemoreceptor genes (Ir25a, Ir76b, Gr22, and orco) using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair. The DRM system facilitated rapid selection of in-frame integrations via screening for GFP+ olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in G1 larval progeny, even at genomic loci such as orco where we found the transgenesis marker was not visible. Next, we converted these DRM integrations into T2A-QF2 driver-marker lines by Cre-loxP excision of the GFP responder, making them suitable for binary use in transcuticular calcium imaging. These cell-type-specific driver lines tiling key OSN subsets will support systematic efforts to decode olfaction in this prolific malaria vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Giraldo
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andrew M Hammond
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jinling Wu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Brandon Feole
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Noor Al-Saloum
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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7
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Guo JM, Wei ZQ, Hou JH, He Y, Luan XP, Zhang YY, Liu XL, Zhang XT, Zhang J, Yan Q, Dong SL. Ionotropic Receptor IR75q.2 Mediates Avoidance Reaction to Nonanoic Acid in the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:20602-20612. [PMID: 38088835 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Ionotropic receptors (IRs) play an important role in olfaction, but little is known in nondrosophila insects. Here, we report in vitro and in vivo functional characterization of IR75q.2 in the invasive moth pest Spodoptera frugiperda. First, 13 IRs (including four coreceptor IRs) were found specifically or highly expressed in adult antennae. Second, these IRs were tested for responding profiles to 59 odorants using the Xenopus oocyte expression system, showing that only SfruIR75q.2 responded to 8-10C fatty acids and their corresponding aldehydes, with SfruIR8a as the only coreceptor. Third, the three acids (especially nonanoic acid) showed repellent effects on moth's behavior and oviposition, but the repellence significantly reduced to the insects with IR75q.2 knockout by CRISPR/Cas9. Taken together, our study reveals the function of SfruIR75q.2 in perception of acid and aldehyde odorants and provides the first in vivo evidence for olfactory function of an odor-specific IR in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Meng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Wei
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jing-Hao Hou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yu He
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xuan-Pu Luan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yun-Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiao-Long Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiao-Tong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qi Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuang-Lin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education/College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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8
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Singh P, Goyal S, Gupta S, Garg S, Tiwari A, Rajput V, Bates AS, Gupta AK, Gupta N. Combinatorial encoding of odors in the mosquito antennal lobe. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3539. [PMID: 37322224 PMCID: PMC10272161 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39303-w] [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: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the cues that a mosquito uses to find a host for blood-feeding, the smell of the host plays an important role. Previous studies have shown that host odors contain hundreds of chemical odorants, which are detected by different receptors on the peripheral sensory organs of mosquitoes. But how individual odorants are encoded by downstream neurons in the mosquito brain is not known. We developed an in vivo preparation for patch-clamp electrophysiology to record from projection neurons and local neurons in the antennal lobe of Aedes aegypti. Combining intracellular recordings with dye-fills, morphological reconstructions, and immunohistochemistry, we identify different sub-classes of antennal lobe neurons and their putative interactions. Our recordings show that an odorant can activate multiple neurons innervating different glomeruli, and that the stimulus identity and its behavioral preference are represented in the population activity of the projection neurons. Our results provide a detailed description of the second-order olfactory neurons in the central nervous system of mosquitoes and lay a foundation for understanding the neural basis of their olfactory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranjul Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Shefali Goyal
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Smith Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Sanket Garg
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
- Department of Economic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Abhinav Tiwari
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Varad Rajput
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Alexander Shakeel Bates
- Department of Neurobiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arjit Kant Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Nitin Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India.
- Mehta Family Center for Engineering in Medicine, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India.
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9
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Konopka JK, Task D, Poinapen D, Potter CJ. Neurogenetic identification of mosquito sensory neurons. iScience 2023; 26:106690. [PMID: 37182106 PMCID: PMC10172775 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Anopheles mosquitoes, as vectors for the malaria parasite, are a global threat to human health. To find and bite a human, they utilize neurons within their sensory appendages. However, the identity and quantification of sensory appendage neurons are lacking. Here we use a neurogenetic approach to label all neurons in Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes. We utilize the homology assisted CRISPR knock-in (HACK) approach to generate a T2A-QF2w knock-in of the synaptic gene bruchpilot. We use a membrane-targeted GFP reporter to visualize the neurons in the brain and to quantify neurons in all major chemosensory appendages (antenna, maxillary palp, labella, tarsi, and ovipositor). By comparing labeling of brp>GFP and Orco>GFP mosquitoes, we predict the extent of neurons expressing ionotropic receptors (IRs) or other chemosensory receptors. This work introduces a valuable genetic tool for the functional analysis of Anopheles mosquito neurobiology and initiates characterization of the sensory neurons that guide mosquito behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K. Konopka
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Darya Task
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danny Poinapen
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher J. Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Corresponding author
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10
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Zhang M, Hu Y, Liu J, Guan Z, Zhang W. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of gustatory receptor NlugGr23a causes male sterility in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 241:124612. [PMID: 37119891 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124612] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Gustatory receptors (Grs) have an essential role in chemical recognition so as to evaluate food quality. Insect Grs also participate in non-gustatory functions, such as olfaction, temperature sensing, and mating. In this study, we knocked out NlugGr23a, a putative fecundity-related Gr, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a serious insect pest of rice. Surprisingly, homozygous NlugGr23a mutant (NlugGr23a-/-) males were sterile but their sperm were motile and morphologically normal. DAPI staining of mutant sperm inseminated eggs showed that most of NlugGr23a-/- sperm failed to fertilize eggs, even if they were capable of entering into the egg as a result of their arrested development prior to male pronucleus formation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the expression of NlugGr23a in testis. Moreover, prior mating by NlugGr23a-/- males suppressed female fertility. To our knowledge, it is the first report that a chemoreceptor is implicated in male sterility and provides a potential molecular target for genetic pest control alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Yutao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jiahui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Zhanwen Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Wenqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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11
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Raji JI, Konopka JK, Potter CJ. A spatial map of antennal-expressed ionotropic receptors in the malaria mosquito. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112101. [PMID: 36773296 PMCID: PMC10412736 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112101] [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: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito's antenna represents its main olfactory appendage for detecting volatile chemical cues from the environment. Whole-mount fluorescence in situ hybridization of ionotropic receptors (IRs) expressed in the antennae reveals that the antenna might be divisible into proximal and distal functional domains. The number of IR-positive cells appear stereotyped within each antennal segment (flagellomere). Highly expressed odor-tuning IRs exhibit distinct co-localization patterns with the IR coreceptors Ir8a, Ir25a, and Ir76b that might predict their functional properties. Genetic knockin and in vivo functional imaging of IR41c-expressing neurons indicate both odor-induced activation and inhibition in response to select amine compounds. Targeted mutagenesis of IR41c does not abolish behavioral responses to the amine compounds. Our study provides a comprehensive map of IR-expressing neurons in the main olfactory appendage of mosquitoes. These findings show organizing principles of Anopheles IR-expressing neurons, which might underlie their functional contribution to the detection of behaviorally relevant odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I Raji
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joanna K Konopka
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Christopher J Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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12
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Clark JT, Ganguly A, Ejercito J, Luy M, Dahanukar A, Ray A. Chemosensory detection of aversive concentrations of ammonia and basic volatile amines in insects. iScience 2022; 26:105777. [PMID: 36594011 PMCID: PMC9804102 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Basic volatiles like ammonia are found in insect environments, and at high concentrations cause an atypical action potential burst, followed by inhibition in multiple classes of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) in Drosophila melanogaster. During the period of inhibition, ORNs are unable to fire action potentials to their ligands but continue to display receptor potentials. An increase in calcium is also observed in antennal cells of Drosophila and Aedes aegypti. In the gustatory system, ammonia inhibits sugar and salt responses in a dose-dependent manner. Other amines show similar effects in both gustatory and olfactory neurons, correlated with basicity. The concentrations that inhibit neurons reduce proboscis extension to sucrose in Drosophila. In Aedes, a brief exposure to volatile ammonia abolishes attraction to human skin odor for several minutes. These findings reveal an effect that prevents detection of attractive ligands in the olfactory and gustatory systems and has potential in insect control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Trevorrow Clark
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Anindya Ganguly
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Jadrian Ejercito
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Matthew Luy
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Anupama Dahanukar
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Anandasankar Ray
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,Corresponding author
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Raji JI, Potter CJ. Chemosensory ionotropic receptors in human host-seeking mosquitoes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 54:100967. [PMID: 36096415 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Half the world's human population is at risk for mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquitoes rely mainly on their sense of smell to find a vertebrate blood host, nectar source, and a suitable oviposition site. Advances in neurogenetic tools have now aided our understanding of the receptors that mediate the detection of sensory cues that emanate from humans. Recent studies in the anthropophilic mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, have implicated the chemosensory ionotropic-receptor (IR) family in the detection of behaviorally relevant odors and uncovered functions beyond chemical sensing. Here, we highlight the multifunctional roles of the chemosensory ionotropic receptors in anthropophilic mosquito vectors and suggest future directions to improve our understanding of the IR family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I Raji
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Christopher J Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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De Obaldia ME, Morita T, Dedmon LC, Boehmler DJ, Jiang CS, Zeledon EV, Cross JR, Vosshall LB. Differential mosquito attraction to humans is associated with skin-derived carboxylic acid levels. Cell 2022; 185:4099-4116.e13. [PMID: 36261039 PMCID: PMC10069481 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others, but the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon is poorly understood. We tested mosquito attraction to human skin odor and identified people who are exceptionally attractive or unattractive to mosquitoes. These differences were stable over several years. Chemical analysis revealed that highly attractive people produce significantly more carboxylic acids in their skin emanations. Mutant mosquitoes lacking the chemosensory co-receptors Ir8a, Ir25a, or Ir76b were severely impaired in attraction to human scent, but retained the ability to differentiate highly and weakly attractive people. The link between elevated carboxylic acids in "mosquito-magnet" human skin odor and phenotypes of genetic mutations in carboxylic acid receptors suggests that such compounds contribute to differential mosquito attraction. Understanding why some humans are more attractive than others provides insights into what skin odorants are most important to the mosquito and could inform the development of more effective repellents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena De Obaldia
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Takeshi Morita
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Laura C Dedmon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J Boehmler
- Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Caroline S Jiang
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Emely V Zeledon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Justin R Cross
- Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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