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Pullmann-Lindsley H, Huff RM, Boyi J, Pitts RJ. Odorant receptors for floral- and plant-derived volatiles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302496. [PMID: 38709760 PMCID: PMC11073699 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Adult mosquitoes require regular sugar meals, including nectar, to survive in natural habitats. Both males and females locate potential sugar sources using sensory proteins called odorant receptors (ORs) activated by plant volatiles to orient toward flowers or honeydew. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), possesses a large gene family of ORs, many of which are likely to detect floral odors. In this study, we have uncovered ligand-receptor pairings for a suite of Aedes aegypti ORs using a panel of environmentally relevant, plant-derived volatile chemicals and a heterologous expression system. Our results support the hypothesis that these odors mediate sensory responses to floral odors in the mosquito's central nervous system, thereby influencing appetitive or aversive behaviors. Further, these ORs are well conserved in other mosquitoes, suggesting they function similarly in diverse species. This information can be used to assess mosquito foraging behavior and develop novel control strategies, especially those that incorporate mosquito bait-and-kill technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Mark Huff
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - John Boyi
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Ronald Jason Pitts
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
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Lorenzo MG, Fernandes GDR, Latorre-Estivalis JM. Local age-dependent neuromodulation in Rhodnius prolixus antennae. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 115:e22106. [PMID: 38597092 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Kissing bugs do not respond to host cues when recently molted and only exhibit robust host-seeking several days after ecdysis. Behavioral plasticity has peripheral correlates in antennal gene expression changes through the week after ecdysis. The mechanisms regulating these peripheral changes are still unknown, but neuropeptide, G-protein coupled receptor, nuclear receptor, and takeout genes likely modulate peripheral sensory physiology. We evaluated their expression in antennal transcriptomes along the first week postecdysis of Rhodnius prolixus 5th instar larvae. Besides, we performed clustering and co-expression analyses to reveal relationships between neuromodulatory (NM) and sensory genes. Significant changes in transcript abundance were detected for 50 NM genes. We identified 73 sensory-related and NM genes that were assigned to nine clusters. According to their expression patterns, clusters were classified into four groups: two including genes up or downregulated immediately after ecdysis; and two with genes with expression altered at day 2. Several NM genes together with sensory genes belong to the first group, suggesting functional interactions. Co-expression network analysis revealed a set of genes that seem to connect with sensory system maturation. Significant expression changes in NM components were described in the antennae of R. prolixus after ecdysis, suggesting that a local NM system acts on antennal physiology. These changes may modify the sensitivity of kissing bugs to host cues during this maturation interval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Gustavo Lorenzo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Jose Manuel Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Naqvi SAA, Sajjad M, Tariq A, Sajjad M, Waseem LA, Karuppannan S, Rehman A, Hassan M, Al-Ahmadi S, Hatamleh WA. Societal knowledge, attitude, and practices towards dengue and associated factors in epidemic-hit areas: Geoinformation assisted empirical evidence. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23151. [PMID: 38223736 PMCID: PMC10784149 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23151] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Dengue is one of Pakistan's major health concerns. In this study, we aimed to advance our understanding of the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) in Pakistan's Dengue Fever (DF) hotspots. Initially, at-risk communities were systematically identified via a well-known spatial modeling technique, named, Kernel Density Estimation, which was later targeted for a household-based cross-sectional survey of KAPs. To collect data on sociodemographic and KAPs, random sampling was utilized (n = 385, 5 % margin of error). Later, the association of different demographics (characteristics), knowledge, and attitude factors-potentially related to poor preventive practices was assessed using bivariate (individual) and multivariable (model) logistic regression analyses. Most respondents (>90 %) identified fever as a sign of DF; headache (73.8 %), joint pain (64.4 %), muscular pain (50.9 %), pain behind the eyes (41.8 %), bleeding (34.3 %), and skin rash (36.1 %) were identified relatively less. Regression results showed significant associations of poor knowledge/attitude with poor preventive practices; dengue vector (odds ratio [OR] = 3.733, 95 % confidence interval [CI ] = 2.377-5.861; P < 0.001), DF symptoms (OR = 3.088, 95 % CI = 1.949-4.894; P < 0.001), dengue transmission (OR = 1.933, 95 % CI = 1.265-2.956; P = 0.002), and attitude (OR = 3.813, 95 % CI = 1.548-9.395; P = 0.004). Moreover, education level was stronger in bivariate analysis and the strongest independent factor of poor preventive practices in multivariable analysis (illiterate: adjusted OR = 6.833, 95 % CI = 2.979-15.672; P < 0.001) and primary education (adjusted OR = 4.046, 95 % CI = 1.997-8.199; P < 0.001). This situation highlights knowledge gaps within urban communities, particularly in understanding dengue transmission and signs/symptoms. The level of education in urban communities also plays a substantial role in dengue control, as observed in this study, where poor preventive practices were more prevalent among illiterate and less educated respondents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Ali Asad Naqvi
- Department of Geography, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sajjad
- Department of Geography, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Aqil Tariq
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University, 775 Stone Boulevard, Mississippi State, 39762-9690, MS, USA
| | - Muhammad Sajjad
- Centre for Geo-computation Studies and Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Liaqat Ali Waseem
- Department of Geography, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Shankar Karuppannan
- Department of Applied Geology, School of Applied Natural Sciences, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama P.O. Box 1888, Ethiopia
| | - Adnanul Rehman
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710127, China
| | - Mujtaba Hassan
- Department of Space Science, Institute of Space Technology, Main Islamabad Expressway, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saad Al-Ahmadi
- Department of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 51178, Riyadh, 11543, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wesam Atef Hatamleh
- Department of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 51178, Riyadh, 11543, Saudi Arabia
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Hinze A, Pelletier J, Ghaninia M, Marois E, Hill SR, Ignell R. Knockout of OR39 reveals redundancy in the olfactory pathway regulating the acquisition of host seeking in Anopheles coluzzii. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20232092. [PMID: 38018099 PMCID: PMC10685123 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2092] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The attraction of anthropophilic mosquitoes to human host cues, such as body odour and carbon dioxide, gradually increases during adult maturation. This acquisition of host-seeking behaviour correlates with age-dependent changes in odorant receptor (OR) transcript abundance and sensitivity of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). One OR gene of the human malaria vector, Anopheles coluzzii, AcolOR39, is significantly downregulated in mature females, and a cognate ligand of AcolOR39, sulcatone, a major component of human emanations, mediates the observed behavioural inhibition of newly emerged (teneral) females to human body odour. Knockout of AcolOR39, using CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis, selectively abolished sulcatone detection in OSNs, housed in trichoid sensilla. However, knockout of AcolOR39 altered neither the response rate nor the flight behaviour of teneral females in a wind tunnel, indicating the involvement of other genes, and thus a redundancy, in regulating the acquisition of host seeking in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Hinze
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 750 07, Sweden
| | - Julien Pelletier
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 750 07, Sweden
| | - Majid Ghaninia
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Eric Marois
- Inserm, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg 67070, France
| | - Sharon Rose Hill
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 750 07, Sweden
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp 750 07, Sweden
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Pelletier J, Dawit M, Ghaninia M, Marois E, Ignell R. A mosquito-specific antennal protein is critical for the attraction to human odor in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 159:103988. [PMID: 37437853 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes rely mainly on the sense of smell to decipher their environment and locate suitable food sources, hosts for blood feeding and oviposition sites. The molecular bases of olfaction involve multigenic families of olfactory proteins that have evolved to interact with a narrow set of odorants that are critical for survival. Understanding the complex interplay between diversified repertoires of olfactory proteins and ecologically-relevant odorant signals, which elicit important behaviors, is fundamental for the design of novel control strategies targeting the sense of smell of disease vector mosquitoes. Previously, large multigene families of odorant receptor and ionotropic receptor proteins, as well as a subset of odorant-binding proteins have been shown to mediate the selectivity and sensitivity of the mosquito olfactory system. In this study, we identify a mosquito-specific antennal protein (MSAP) gene as a novel molecular actor of odorant reception. MSAP is highly conserved across mosquito species and is transcribed at an extremely high level in female antennae. In order to understand its role in the mosquito olfactory system, we generated knockout mutant lines in Anopheles gambiae, and performed comparative analysis of behavioral and physiological responses to human-associated odorants. We found that MSAP promotes female mosquito attraction to human odor and enhances the sensitivity of the antennae to a variety of odorants. These findings suggest that MSAP is an important component of the mosquito olfactory system, which until now has gone completely unnoticed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Pelletier
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Mengistu Dawit
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | | | - Eric Marois
- INSERM U1257, CNRS UPR9022, Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
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Overview of Aedes aegypti and Use in Laboratory Studies. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:107651-pdb.top. [PMID: 36223992 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is a prolific disease vector. This mosquito has been the subject of scientific investigation for more than a century. Continued research into Aedes aegypti biology is crucial for understanding how to halt the suite of major arthropod-borne viral diseases this mosquito transmits. Here, we provide an introductory overview of Aedes aegypti life cycle; evolutionary history, biology, and ecology; genetics and sex differences; vector competence; and laboratory colonization and considerations for rearing this robust mosquito species for use in laboratory research.
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Kohlmeier P, Billeter JC. Genetic mechanisms modulating behaviour through plastic chemosensory responses in insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:45-60. [PMID: 36239485 PMCID: PMC10092625 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The ability to transition between different behavioural stages is a widespread phenomenon across the animal kingdom. Such behavioural adaptations are often linked to changes in the sensitivity of those neurons that sense chemical cues associated with the respective behaviours. To identify the genetic mechanisms that regulate neuronal sensitivity, and by that behaviour, typically *omics approaches, such as RNA- and protein-sequencing, are applied to sensory organs of individuals displaying differences in behaviour. In this review, we discuss these genetic mechanisms and how they impact neuronal sensitivity, summarize the correlative and functional evidence for their role in regulating behaviour and discuss future directions. As such, this review can help interpret *omics data by providing a comprehensive list of already identified genes and mechanisms that impact behaviour through changes in neuronal sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kohlmeier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Latorre Estivalis JM, Traverso L, Pontes G, Lorenzo MG. The antennal transcriptome of Triatoma infestans reveals substantial expression changes triggered by a blood meal. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:861. [PMID: 36585617 PMCID: PMC9801554 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09059-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triatoma infestans is the main vector of Chagas disease in the Americas, currently transmitting it in Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Many T. infestans populations present insecticide resistance, reducing the efficiency of control campaigns. Alternative vector control methods are needed, and molecular targets mediating fundamental physiological processes can be a promising option to manipulate kissing bug behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize the main sensory targets, as well as to determine whether they are modulated by physiological factors. In order to identify gene candidates potentially mediating host cue detection, the antennal transcripts of T. infestans fifth instar larvae were sequenced and assembled. Besides, we evaluated whether a blood meal had an effect on transcriptional profiles, as responsiveness to host-emitted sensory cues depends on bug starvation. RESULTS The sensory-related gene families of T. infestans were annotated (127 odorant receptors, 38 ionotropic receptors, 11 gustatory receptors, 41 odorant binding proteins, and 25 chemosensory proteins, among others) and compared to those of several other hemipterans, including four triatomine species. Several triatomine-specific lineages representing sensory adaptations developed through the evolution of these blood-feeding heteropterans were identified. As well, we report here various conserved sensory gene orthogroups shared by heteropterans. The absence of the thermosensor pyrexia, of pickpocket receptor subfamilies IV and VII, together with clearly expanded takeout repertoires, are revealed features of the molecular bases of heteropteran antennal physiology. Finally, out of 2,122 genes whose antennal expression was significantly altered by the ingestion of a blood meal, a set of 41 T. infestans sensory-related genes (9 up-regulated; 32 down-regulated) was detected. CONCLUSIONS We propose that the set of genes presenting nutritionally-triggered modulation on their expression represent candidates to mediate triatomine host-seeking behavior. Besides, the triatomine-specific gene lineages found represent molecular adaptations to their risky natural history that involves stealing blood from an enormously diverse set of vertebrates. Heteropteran gene orthogroups identified may represent unknown features of the sensory specificities of this largest group of hemipteroids. Our work is the first molecular characterization of the peripheral modulation of sensory processes in a non-dipteran vector of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Manuel Latorre Estivalis
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucila Traverso
- grid.423606.50000 0001 1945 2152Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos (LNI), Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CENEXA, CONICET, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gina Pontes
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Laboratorio de Eco-Fisiología de Insectos del Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA-UBA-CONICET), DBBE - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Gustavo Lorenzo
- grid.418068.30000 0001 0723 0931Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou - FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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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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Xiong N, Sun Q. Identification of stage-related and severity-related biomarkers and exploration of immune landscape for Dengue by comprehensive analyses. Virol J 2022; 19:130. [PMID: 35918744 PMCID: PMC9344228 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01853-8] [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: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background At present, there are still no specific therapeutic drugs and appropriate vaccines for Dengue. Therefore, it is important to explore distinct clinical diagnostic indicators. Methods In this study, we combined differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis, weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (ROC) to screen a stable and robust biomarker with diagnosis value for Dengue patients. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate immune landscape of Dengue patients. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were applied to explore potential functions of hub genes. Results CD38 and Plasma cells have excellent Area Under the Curve (AUC) in distinguishing clinical stages for Dengue patients, and activated memory CD4+ T cells and Monocytes have good AUC for this function. ZNF595 has acceptable AUC in discriminating dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) from dengue fever (DF) in whole acute stages. Analyzing any serotype, we can obtain consistent results. Negative inhibition of viral replication based on GO, KEGG and GSEA analysis results, up-regulated autophagy genes and the impairing immune system are potential reasons resulting in DHF. Conclusions CD38, Plasma cells, activated memory CD4+ T cells and Monocytes can be used to distinguish clinical stages for dengue patients, and ZNF595 can be used to discriminate DHF from DF, regardless of serotypes. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12985-022-01853-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Xiong
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, 650118, People's Republic of China.,Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, 650118, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiangming Sun
- Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Kunming, 650118, People's Republic of China. .,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Kunming, 650118, People's Republic of China.
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Deletion of the Serotonin Receptor 7 Gene Changed the Development and Behavior of the Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13080671. [PMID: 35893026 PMCID: PMC9332693 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) plays a vital role in many physiological processes in insects, regulating physiological activities such as growth and movement through multiple 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs), which were potential targets for some new insecticides. However, the specific function of individual 5-HTRs in Ae. aegypti is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of the 5-HT7A receptor during Ae. aegypti development. 5-HTR7A transcripts were detected at all stages of development by real-time PCR. The results indicated that the gene expression was highest in the limbs (p < 0.01). We also generated 5-HTR7A mutant mosquitoes using CRISPR-mediated gene editing. The mutants had an abnormal phenotype at the larval stage, including an aberrant head-to-chest ratio and decreased motor activity. The mutant pupae developed abnormally, and most died (56.67%) (p < 0.0001). Using external stimuli to larvae and pupae with abnormal phenotypes, we found the mutant G1 and G2 generations responded to external stimuli in a longer time than the wild-type (WT) mosquitoes, and most of the mutants were 2 to 3 s slower than the WTs to respond to external stimuli (p < 0.01). Due to higher mortality, mutant larvae and pupae had fewer numbers than the WTs. The egg hatching rate of mutant G1 and G2 generations was lower than that of the WTs (p < 0.01). The expression level of 5-HTR7A in the mutants decreased by about 65% compared with the control group using real-time PCR (p < 0.05). In all, the 5-HT7A receptor plays an important role in the metamorphosis, development and motor function of Aedes aegypti.
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Odorant-receptor-mediated regulation of chemosensory gene expression in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110494. [PMID: 35263579 PMCID: PMC8957105 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes locate and approach humans based on the activity of odorant receptors (ORs) expressed on olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Olfactogenetic experiments in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes revealed that the ectopic expression of an AgOR (AgOR2) in ORNs dampened the activity of the expressing neuron. This contrasts with studies in Drosophila melanogaster in which the ectopic expression of non-native ORs in ORNs confers ectopic neuronal responses without interfering with native olfactory physiology. RNA-seq analyses comparing wild-type antennae to those ectopically expressing AgOR2 in ORNs indicated that nearly all AgOR transcripts were significantly downregulated (except for AgOR2). Additional experiments suggest that AgOR2 protein rather than mRNA mediates this downregulation. Using in situ hybridization, we find that AgOR gene choice is active into adulthood and that AgOR2 expression inhibits AgORs from turning on at this late stage. Our study shows that the ORNs of Anopheles mosquitoes (in contrast to Drosophila) are sensitive to a currently unexplored mechanism of AgOR regulation. Maguire et al. discover that the ectopic expression of an olfactory receptor can downregulate the transcription of endogenous odorant receptors in mosquito olfactory neurons. The onset of mosquito odorant-receptor expression by an olfactory neuron continues into adult stages, and is particularly sensitive to exogenous olfactory reception expression.
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Latorre-Estivalis JM, Große-Wilde E, da Rocha Fernandes G, Hansson BS, Lorenzo MG. Changes in antennal gene expression underlying sensory system maturation in Rhodnius prolixus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 140:103704. [PMID: 34942331 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Triatomine bugs are the blood feeding insect vectors transmitting Chagas disease to humans, a neglected tropical disease that affects over 8 million people, mainly in Latin America. The behavioral responses to host cues and bug signals in Rhodnius prolixus are state dependent, i.e., they vary as a function of post-ecdysis age. At the molecular level, these changes in behavior are probably due to a modulation of peripheral and central processes. In the present study, we report a significant modulation of the expression of a large set of sensory-related genes. Results were generated by means of antennal transcriptomes of 5th instar larvae along the first week (days 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8) after ecdysis sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Significant age-induced changes in transcript abundance were established for more than 6120 genes (54,7% of 11,186 genes expressed) in the antenna of R. prolixus. This was especially true between the first two days after ecdysis when more than 2500 genes had their expression significantly altered. In contrast, expression profiles were almost identical between day 6 and 8, with only a few genes showing significant modulation of their expression. A total of 86 sensory receptors, odorant carriers and odorant degrading enzymes were significantly modulated across age points and clustered into three distinct expression profiles. The set of sensory genes whose expression increased with age (profile 3) may include candidates underlying the increased responsiveness to host cues shown by R. prolixus during the first days after molting. For the first time, we describe the maturation process undergone at the molecular level by the peripheral sensory system of a hemimetabolous insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Manuel Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Ewald Große-Wilde
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany; Present address: Faculty of Forestry & Wood Science, Excellent Team for Mitigation, Czech University of Life Science, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Bill S Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
| | - Marcelo Gustavo Lorenzo
- Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou - FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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14
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Mitra S, Pinch M, Kandel Y, Li Y, Rodriguez SD, Hansen IA. Olfaction-Related Gene Expression in the Antennae of Female Mosquitoes From Common Aedes aegypti Laboratory Strains. Front Physiol 2021; 12:668236. [PMID: 34497531 PMCID: PMC8419471 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.668236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult female mosquitoes rely on olfactory cues like carbon dioxide and other small molecules to find vertebrate hosts to acquire blood. The molecular physiology of the mosquito olfactory system is critical for their host preferences. Many laboratory strains of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti have been established since the late 19th century. These strains have been used for most molecular studies in this species. Some earlier comparative studies have identified significant physiological differences between different laboratory strains. In this study, we used a Y-tube olfactometer to determine the attraction of females of seven different strains of Ae. aegypti to a human host: UGAL, Rockefeller, Liverpool, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and two odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) mutants Orco2 and Orco16. We performed RNA-seq using antennae of Rockefeller, Liverpool, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico females. Our results showed that female Aedes aegypti from the Puerto Rico strain had significantly reduced attraction rates toward human hosts compared to all other strains. RNA-seq analyses of the antenna transcriptomes of Rockefeller, Liverpool, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico strains revealed distinct differences in gene expression between the four strains, but conservation in gene expression patterns of known human-sensing genes. However, we identified several olfaction-related genes that significantly vary between strains, including receptors with significantly different expression in mosquitoes from the Puerto Rico strain and the other strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumi Mitra
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Matthew Pinch
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Yashoda Kandel
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Yiyi Li
- Department of Computer Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Stacy D Rodriguez
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Immo A Hansen
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
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15
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Konopka JK, Task D, Afify A, Raji J, Deibel K, Maguire S, Lawrence R, Potter CJ. Olfaction in Anopheles mosquitoes. Chem Senses 2021; 46:6246230. [PMID: 33885760 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As vectors of disease, mosquitoes are a global threat to human health. The Anopheles mosquito is the deadliest mosquito species as the insect vector of the malaria-causing parasite, which kills hundreds of thousands every year. These mosquitoes are reliant on their sense of smell (olfaction) to guide most of their behaviors, and a better understanding of Anopheles olfaction identifies opportunities for reducing the spread of malaria. This review takes a detailed look at Anopheles olfaction. We explore a range of topics from chemosensory receptors, olfactory neurons, and sensory appendages to behaviors guided by olfaction (including host-seeking, foraging, oviposition, and mating), to vector management strategies that target mosquito olfaction. We identify many research areas that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K Konopka
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Darya Task
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Ali Afify
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Joshua Raji
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Katelynn Deibel
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Sarah Maguire
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Randy Lawrence
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
| | - Christopher J Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, 434 Rangos Building, Baltimore, 21205 MD, USA
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16
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Abstract
Mosquitoes are emerging as model systems with which to study innate behaviours through neuroethology and functional genomics. Decades of work on these disease vectors have provided a solid behavioural framework describing the distinct repertoire of predominantly odour-mediated behaviours of female mosquitoes, and their dependence on life stage (intrinsic factors) and environmental cues (extrinsic factors). The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how intrinsic factors, including adult maturation, age, nutritional status, and infection, affect the attraction to plants and feeding on plant fluids, host seeking, blood feeding, supplemental feeding behaviours, pre-oviposition behaviour, and oviposition in female mosquitoes. With the technological advancements in the recent two decades, we have gained a better understanding of which volatile organic compounds are used by mosquitoes to recognise and discriminate among various fitness-enhancing resources, and characterised their neural and molecular correlates. In this review, we present the state of the art of the peripheral olfactory system as described by the neural physiology, functional genomics, and genetics underlying the demonstrated changes in the behavioural repertoire in female mosquitoes. The review is meant as a summary introduction to the current conceptual thinking in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon R Hill
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Växtskyddsvägen 3, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Växtskyddsvägen 3, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden.
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