MALARIA-INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN MOSQUITO OVARIES

Forensic DNA Analysis of Mixed Mosquito Blood Meals: STR Profiling for Human Identification

Mosquito vectors captured at a crime scene are forensically valuable since they feed on human blood, and hence, human DNA can be recovered to help identify the victim and/or the suspect. This study investigated the validity of obtaining the human short tandem repeats (STRs) profile from mixed blood meals of the mosquito, Culex pipiens L. (Diptera, Culicidae). Thus, mosquitoes were membrane-feed on blood from six different sources: a human male, a human female, mixed human male-female blood, mixed human male-mouse blood, mixed human female-mouse blood, and mixed human male-female-mouse blood. DNA was extracted from mosquito blood meals at 2 h intervals up to 72 h post-feeding to amplify 24 human STRs. Data showed that full DNA profiles could be obtained for up to 12 h post-feeding, regardless of the type of blood meal. Complete and partial DNA profiles were obtained up to 24 h and 36 h post-feeding, respectively. The frequencies of STR loci decreased over time after feeding on mixed blood until they became weakly detectable at 48 h post-feeding. This may indicate that a blood meal of human blood mixed with animal blood would contribute to maximizing DNA degradation and thus affects STR identification beyond 36 h post-feeding. These results confirm the feasibility of human DNA identification from mosquito blood meals, even if it is mixed with other types of non-human blood, for up to 36 h post-feeding. Therefore, blood-fed mosquitoes found at the crime scene are forensically valuable, as it is possible to obtain intact genetic profiles from their blood meals to identify a victim, a potential offender, and/or exclude a suspect.

Characterizing oogenesis and programmed cell death in the eastern tree hole mosquito Aedes (Protomacleaya) triseriatus

Oogenesis in flies manifests as a carefully orchestrated cascade of developmental gates and growth events, punctuated by programmed cell death (PCD) and follicular resorption events. In anautogenous mosquitoes, a blood meal stimulates growth of primary follicles, but the timing of developmental stages is species-specific, and few species have been characterized. Here, we characterize the first gonotrophic cycle of oogenesis in Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae), the principal vector of La Crosse Virus (LACV), a major cause of pediatric encephalitis in North America. We note significant differences in the timing and appearance of developmental stages from previous studies of other mosquito species, particularly Aedes aegypti. We also describe the appearance and timing of PCD events including atresia, nurse cell death, and follicular epithelium death and show that the majority of follicular epithelium cells do not undergo apoptosis during oogenesis but persist in the ovariole at least until the second gonotrophic cycle. This thorough characterization of oogenesis and PCD in Ae. triseriatus, through which LACV must persist in order to achieve filial infection, also serves as a baseline to study host-pathogen interactions during transovarial transmission.

Ovarian apoptosis is regulated by carbohydrate intake but not by protein intake in speckled cockroaches

When the likelihood of reproducing successfully is low, any prior investment in developing oocytes may be wasted. One means of recouping this investment is oosorption - where ova are absorbed and resources salvaged so they can be re-allocated to other traits. Food-limited female speckled cockroaches (Nauphoeta cinerea) appear to use this strategy. However, it is unclear if total food intake or the availability of specific nutrients induces this process. Here, we used the geometric framework of nutrition to determine how protein, carbohydrate and energy intake affect levels of ovarian apoptosis and necrosis (controlled versus uncontrolled cell death) in the terminal oocytes of female N. cinerea. We then compare the effects of nutrient intake on apoptosis (a key step towards oosorption) and offspring production to better understand the relationship between diet, apoptosis and female fitness. We found that even when food was abundant, females experienced high levels of apoptosis if their diet lacked carbohydrate. Necrosis was reduced when energy intake was high, but largely irrespective of nutrient ratio. Offspring production peaked on a low protein, high carbohydrate nutrient ratio (1_P:7.96_C), similar to that which minimized apoptosis (1_P:7.34_C) but not in the region of nutrient space that minimized necrosis. Thus, females consuming an ideal nutrient blend for reproduction can invest heavily in their current brood without needing to salvage nutrients from developing ova. However, offspring production was more dependent on carbohydrate consumption than apoptosis was, suggesting that the importance of carbohydrate in reproduction goes beyond regulating oosorption. This reliance on carbohydrate for female reproduction may reflect the unusual reproductive and nutritional physiology of speckled cockroaches; attributes that make this species an exciting model for understanding how diet regulates reproduction.

Streamlining sporozoite isolation from mosquitoes by leveraging the dynamics of migration to the salivary glands

Background

Sporozoites isolated from the salivary glands of Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes are a prerequisite for several basic and pre-clinical applications. Although salivary glands are pooled to maximize sporozoite recovery, insufficient yields pose logistical and analytical hurdles; thus, predicting yields prior to isolation would be valuable. Preceding oocyst densities in the midgut is an obvious candidate. However, it is unclear whether current understanding of its relationship with sporozoite densities can be used to maximize yields, or whether it can capture the potential density-dependence in rates of sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands.

Methods

This study presents a retrospective analysis of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes infected with two strains of the rodent-specific Plasmodium berghei. Mean oocyst densities were estimated in the midguts earlier in the infection (11–15 days post-blood meal), with sporozoites pooled from the salivary glands later in the infection (17–29 days). Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to determine if (1) mean oocyst densities can predict sporozoite yields from pooled salivary glands, (2) whether these densities can capture differences in rates of sporozoite invasion of salivary glands, and (3), if the interaction between oocyst densities and time could be leveraged to boost overall yields.

Results

The non-linear effect of mean oocyst densities confirmed the role of density-dependent constraints in limiting yields beyond certain oocyst densities. Irrespective of oocyst densities however, the continued invasion of salivary glands by the sporozoites boosted recoveries over time (17–29 days post-blood meal) for either parasite strain.

Conclusions

Sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands over time can be leveraged to maximize yields for P. berghei. In general, however, invasion of the salivary glands over time is a critical fitness determinant for all Plasmodium species (extrinsic incubation period, EIP). Thus, delaying sporozoite collection could, in principle, substantially reduce dissection effort for any parasite within the genus, with the results also alluding to the potential for changes in sporozoites densities over time to modify infectivity for the next host.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04270-y.

Plasmodium development in Anopheles: a tale of shared resources

Interactions between the Anopheles mosquito vector and Plasmodium parasites shape how malaria is transmitted in endemic regions. The long association of these two organisms has led to evolutionary processes that minimize fitness costs of infection and benefit both players through shared nutrient resources, parasite immune suppression, and mosquito tolerance to infection. In this review we explore recent data describing how Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, associates with one of its most important natural mosquito hosts, Anopheles gambiae, and we discuss the implications of these findings for parasite transmission and vector control strategies currently in development.

Long-term pathogenic response to Plasmodium relictum infection in Culex pipiens mosquito

The transmission of Plasmodium within a vertebrate host population is strongly associated with the life history traits of its vector. Therefore the effect of malaria infection on mosquito fecundity and longevity has traditionally received a lot of attention. Several species of malaria parasites reduce mosquito fecundity, nevertheless almost all of the studies have focused only on the first gonotrophic cycle. Yet, during their lifetime, female mosquitoes go through several gonotrophic cycles, which raises the question of whether they are able to compensate the fecundity costs induced by the parasite. The impact of Plasmodium infection on female longevity is not so clear and has produced conflicting results. Here we measured the impact of Plasmodium relictum on its vector’s longevity and fecundity during three consecutive gonotrophic cycles. In accordance with previous studies, we observed a negative impact of Plasmodium infection on mosquito (Culex pipiens) fecundity in the first gonotrophic cycle. Interestingly, despite having taken two subsequent uninfected blood meals, the negative impact of malaria parasite persisted. Nevertheless no impact of infection on mosquito longevity was observed. Our results are not in line with the hypothesis that the reduction of fecundity observed in infected mosquitoes is an adaptive strategy of Plasmodium to increase the longevity of its vector. We discuss the different underlying mechanisms that may explain our results.

Mosquito Immunobiology: The Intersection of Vector Health and Vector Competence

As holometabolous insects that occupy distinct aquatic and terrestrial environments in larval and adult stages and utilize hematophagy for nutrient acquisition, mosquitoes are subjected to a wide variety of symbiotic interactions. Indeed, mosquitoes play host to endosymbiotic, entomopathogenic, and mosquito-borne organisms, including protozoa, viruses, bacteria, fungi, fungal-like organisms, and metazoans, all of which trigger and shape innate infection-response capacity. Depending on the infection or interaction, the mosquito may employ, for example, cellular and humoral immune effectors for septic infections in the hemocoel, humoral infection responses in the midgut lumen, and RNA interference and programmed cell death for intracellular pathogens. These responses often function in concert, regardless of the infection type, and provide a robust front to combat infection. Mosquito-borne pathogens and entomopathogens overcome these immune responses, employing avoidance or suppression strategies. Burgeoning methodologies are capitalizing on this concerted deployment of immune responses to control mosquito-borne disease.

Anopheline Reproductive Biology: Impacts on Vectorial Capacity and Potential Avenues for Malaria Control

Vectorial capacity is a mathematical approximation of the efficiency of vector-borne disease transmission, measured as the number of new infections disseminated per case per day by an insect vector. Multiple elements of mosquito biology govern their vectorial capacity, including survival, population densities, feeding preferences, and vector competence. Intriguingly, biological pathways essential to mosquito reproductive fitness directly or indirectly influence a number of these elements. Here, we explore this complex interaction, focusing on how the interplay between mating and blood feeding in female Anopheles not only shapes their reproductive success but also influences their ability to sustain Plasmodium parasite development. Central to malaria transmission, mosquito reproductive biology has recently become the focus of research strategies aimed at malaria control, and we discuss promising new methods based on the manipulation of key reproductive steps. In light of widespread resistance to all public health-approved insecticides targeting mosquito reproduction may prove crucial to the success of malaria-eradication campaigns.

Can Wolbachia modulate the fecundity costs of Plasmodium in mosquitoes?

Vertically transmitted parasites (VTPs) such as Wolbachia are expected not only to minimize the damage they inflict on their hosts, but also to protect their hosts against the damaging effects of coinfecting parasites. By modifying the fitness costs of the infection, VTPs can therefore play an important role in the evolution and epidemiology of infectious diseases.Using a natural system, we explore the effects of a Wolbachia-Plasmodium co-infection on mosquito fecundity. While Plasmodium is known to frequently express its virulence by partially castrating its mosquito vectors, the effects of Wolbachia infections on mosquito fecundity are, in contrast, highly variable. Here, we show that Plasmodium drastically decreases the fecundity of mosquitoes by ca. 20%, and we provide the first evidence that this decrease is independent of the parasite's burden. Wolbachia, on the other hand, increases fecundity by roughly 10%, but does not alter the tolerance (fecundity-burden relationship) of mosquitoes to Plasmodium infection.Although Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes fare overall better than uninfected ones, Wolbachia does not confer a sufficiently high reproductive boost to mosquitoes to compensate for the reproductive losses inflicted by Plasmodium. We discuss the potential mechanisms and implications underlying the conflicting effects of these two parasites on mosquito reproduction.

Exposure of the mosquito vector Culex pipiens to the malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum: effect of infected blood intake on immune and antioxidant defences, fecundity and survival

Background

The intake of a Plasmodium-infected blood meal may affect mosquito physiology and a series of trade-offs may occur, in particular between immune defences, reproduction and self-maintenance. We evaluated the cost of exposure to Plasmodium in the mosquito vector by investigating the effect of exposure on fecundity and survival and the implication of immune and antioxidant defences in mediating this cost.

Methods

We used the natural Culex pipiens-Plasmodium relictum association. We exposed female mosquitoes to increasing levels of parasites by allowing them to feed either on uninfected canaries, Serinus canaria, (unexposed mosquitoes) or on infected canaries with low (low exposure) or high (high exposure) parasitaemia. We recorded blood meal size, fecundity (laying probability and clutch size) and survival. We quantified the expression of genes involved in immune and antioxidant defences (nitric oxide synthase, NOS; superoxide dismutase, SOD; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PDH).

Results

We found that the laying probability of exposed females decreased with increasing exposure to the parasite and with increasing SOD expression. Clutch size of exposed females was higher compared to unexposed ones for similar blood meal size and was positively correlated to the NOS expression. We found no effect of exposure on survival. After blood meal intake, SOD increased in the three groups, NOS increased in exposed females and G6PDH increased in highly exposed females only.

Conclusions

Our results illustrated a trade-off between fight against the parasite and reproduction and a cost of exposure which might be mediated by the investment in immune and/or antioxidant defences. They also showed that this trade-off could lead to opposed outcome, potentially depending on the vector physiological status. Finally, they highlighted that the ingestion of a Plasmodium-infected blood meal may affect mosquito life history traits in a complex way.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1905-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ambivalent Outcomes of Cell Apoptosis: A Barrier or Blessing in Malaria Progression

The life cycle of Plasmodium in two evolutionary distant hosts, mosquito, and human, is a complex process. It is regulated at various stages of developments by a number of diverged mechanisms that ultimately determine the outcome of the disease. During the development processes, Plasmodium invades a variety of cells in two hosts. The invaded cells tend to undergo apoptosis and are subsequently removed from the system. This process also eliminates numerous parasites along with these apoptotic cells as a part of innate defense against the invaders. Plasmodium should escape the invaded cell before it undergoes apoptosis or it should manipulate host cell apoptosis for its survival. Interestingly, both these phenomena are evident in Plasmodium at different stages of development. In addition, the parasite also exhibits altruistic behavior and triggers its own killing for the selection of the best ‘fit’ progeny, removal of the ‘unfit’ parasites to conserve the nutrients and to support the host survival. Thus, the outcomes of cell apoptosis are ambivalent, favorable as well as unfavorable during malaria progression. Here we discuss that the manipulation of host cell apoptosis might be helpful in the regulation of Plasmodium development and will open new frontiers in the field of malaria research.

Plasmodium infection brings forward mosquito oviposition

Invertebrate hosts often bring forward their reproductive effort in response to a parasitic infection. This is widely interpreted as a host-driven response aimed at compensating for the expected losses in future fitness as a result of parasitism. Here we report that mosquitoes bring forward their oviposition schedule when they are infected with Plasmodium, a parasite known to severely curtail mosquito fecundity. This response could aim at compensating for a negative time-dependent effect of the parasite on mosquito fitness, as infected mosquitoes seem to display a strong and progressive decrease in the quality of the eggs they lay. In addition, we show that this shift in oviposition date is dependent on mosquito strain: a comparison of several isogenic mosquitoes strains, one insecticide-susceptible and two insecticide-resistant ones, reveals that only the former shift their oviposition strategy when infected. This pattern suggests the existence of a costly host-driven response to parasitism, as insecticide-resistant mosquitoes have been shown to be in generally poorer condition.

Avian malaria: a new lease of life for an old experimental model to study the evolutionary ecology of Plasmodium

Avian malaria has historically played an important role as a model in the study of human malaria, being a stimulus for the development of medical parasitology. Avian malaria has recently come back to the research scene as a unique animal model to understand the ecology and evolution of the disease, both in the field and in the laboratory. Avian malaria is highly prevalent in birds and mosquitoes around the world and is amenable to laboratory experimentation at each stage of the parasite's life cycle. Here, we take stock of 5 years of experimental laboratory research carried out using Plasmodium relictum SGS1, the most prevalent avian malaria lineage in Europe, and its natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens. For this purpose, we compile and analyse data obtained in our laboratory in 14 different experiments. We provide statistical relationships between different infection-related parameters, including parasitaemia, gametocytaemia, host morbidity (anaemia) and transmission rates to mosquitoes. This analysis provides a wide-ranging picture of the within-host and between-host parameters that may bear on malaria transmission and epidemiology.

An overview of malaria transmission from the perspective of Amazon Anopheles vectors

In the Americas, areas with a high risk of malaria transmission are mainly located in the Amazon Forest, which extends across nine countries. One keystone step to understanding the Plasmodium life cycle in Anopheles species from the Amazon Region is to obtain experimentally infected mosquito vectors. Several attempts to colonise Anopheles species have been conducted, but with only short-lived success or no success at all. In this review, we review the literature on malaria transmission from the perspective of its Amazon vectors. Currently, it is possible to develop experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of the colonised and field-captured vectors in laboratories located close to Amazonian endemic areas. We are also reviewing studies related to the immune response to P. vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis, a coastal mosquito species. Finally, we discuss the importance of the modulation of Plasmodium infection by the vector microbiota and also consider the anopheline genomes. The establishment of experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei parasites that could provide interesting models for studying malaria in the Amazonian scenario is important. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the parasites in New World vectors is crucial in order to better determine the interaction process and vectorial competence.

Bemisia tabaci females from the Mediterranean (Q) species detect and avoid laying eggs in the presence of pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analogue

BACKGROUND

Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analogue, disrupts embryogenesis, metamorphosis and adult formation in Bemisia tabaci, but does not directly affect adult females. The effect of pyriproxyfen on egg-laying preference and performance of B. tabaci females and the influence of resistance to pyriproxyfen on these reproductive behaviours were studied.

RESULTS

Choice experiments utilising cotton plants treated and not treated with pyriproxyfen revealed a significant preference for egg laying on non-treated plants both by resistant and susceptible females. No-choice assays indicated a reduction of ∼60% in the number of eggs laid on pyriproxyfen-treated plants by both resistant and susceptible females. The reduction in oviposition on treated plants was not accompanied with reduced expression of the vitellogenin gene or a delay in oocyte maturation, but significant accumulation of mature oocytes in the ovaries was observed, and could be reversed by transferring the females to non-treated plants.

CONCLUSION

Pyriproxyfen caused reduced oviposition and enhanced mature oocyte accumulation in pyriproxyfen-resistant and pyriproxyfen-susceptible females. These findings can be explained by two alternative mechanisms: pyriproxyfen-regulated physiological arrest of oviposition, involving hormonal regulation of myotrophic factors, or the hierarchy-threshold behavioural theory of host choice, in which pyriproxyfen-treated plants are defined as low-quality hosts. Aspects of application are discussed.

Male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use JH III transferred during copulation to influence previtellogenic ovary physiology and affect the reproductive output of female mosquitoes

The effect of male accessory gland substances on female reproductive physiology has been previously described as "activating" egg development. However, no mechanism has been described that can explain how male mosquitoes are able to influence egg development in female mosquitoes. To investigate how male mosquitoes are able to influence ovarian physiology and reproductive output we explored three main questions: (1) Do mating and male accessory gland substances affect ovarian physiology and alter markers of oocyte quality during the previtellogenic resting stage? (2) Does the male accessory gland contain JH III and is JH III transferred to the female during copulation? (3) Finally, does the nutritional history of the male affect the amount of JH III transferred to the female and alter reproductive output? By answering these questions it is clear that male mosquitoes are able to alter the female's resource allocation priorities towards reproduction by transferring JH III during copulation; reducing the rate of previtellogenic resorption and increasing the amount of stored ovarian lipids. These changes improve an individual follicle's likelihood of development after a blood meal. In addition, males maintained under better nutritional conditions make and transfer more JH III, prevent more follicular resorption and realize higher fecundities than other males. Together these results illustrate one mechanism behind the "activating" effect of mating described as well as the role sugar feeding plays in male mosquitoes.

Larval nutrition differentially affects adult fitness and Plasmodium development in the malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles stephensi

Background

Mosquito fitness is determined largely by body size and nutritional reserves. Plasmodium infections in the mosquito and resultant transmission of malaria parasites might be compromised by the vector’s nutritional status. We studied the effects of nutritional stress and malaria parasite infections on transmission fitness of Anopheles mosquitoes.

Methods

Larvae of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and An. stephensi were reared at constant density but with nutritionally low and high diets. Fitness of adult mosquitoes resulting from each dietary class was assessed by measuring body size and lipid, protein and glycogen content. The size of the first blood meal was estimated by protein analysis. Mosquitoes of each dietary class were fed upon a Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis-infected mouse, and parasite infections were determined 5 d after the infectious blood meal by dissection of the midguts and by counting oocysts. The impact of Plasmodium infections on gonotrophic development was established by dissection.

Results

Mosquitoes raised under low and high diets emerged as adults of different size classes comparable between An. gambiae and An. stephensi. In both species low-diet females contained less protein, lipid and glycogen upon emergence than high-diet mosquitoes. The quantity of larval diet impacted strongly upon adult blood feeding and reproductive success. The prevalence and intensity of P. yoelii nigeriensis infections were reduced in low-diet mosquitoes of both species, but P. yoelii nigeriensis impacted negatively only on low-diet, small-sized An. gambiae considering survival and egg maturation. There was no measurable fitness effect of P. yoelii nigeriensis on An. stephensi.

Conclusions

Under the experimental conditions, small-sized An. gambiae expressed high mortality, possibly caused by Plasmodium infections, the species showing distinct physiological concessions when nutrionally challenged in contrast to well-fed, larger siblings. Conversely, An. stephensi was a robust, successful vector regardless of its nutrional status upon emergence. The data suggest that small-sized An. gambiae, therefore, would contribute little to malaria transmission, whereas this size effect would not affect An. stephensi.

Cell death mechanisms during follicular atresia in Dipetalogaster maxima, a vector of Chagas' disease (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

In this work we have analyzed the involvement of cell death pathways during the process of follicular atresia in the hematophagous insect vector Dipetalogaster maxima. Standardized insect rearing conditions were established to induce a gradual follicular degeneration stage by depriving females of blood meal during post-vitellogenesis. We first characterized the morpho-histological and ultrastructural changes of the ovarian tissue at early and late follicular atresia by light and transmission electron microscopy. Apoptosis was investigated by DAPI nuclear staining, TUNEL labeling and the detection of active caspase-3 by immunofluorescence. Autophagy was assessed by the measurement of acid phosphatase activity in ovarian homogenates and monitored by the detection of the specific marker of autophagic compartments, LC3. High levels of acid phosphatase activity were detected at all atretic stages. However, follicular cells of follicles undergoing incipient degeneration in early atresia exhibited features of apoptosis such as chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation and the presence of active caspase-3. The ultrastructural findings and the increased levels of LC3-II found at late follicular atresia supported the relevance of autophagy at this atretic stage, although the extent of autophagosome formation demonstrated that this cell death pathway also occurred at early atresia. In late atresia, follicular cells also displayed more drastic changes compatible with necrosis. Taken together, results showed that apoptosis, autophagy and necrosis were operative during follicular atresia in D. maxima. Moreover, it was shown that the relevance of these cell death mechanisms correlates with the time elapsed since the onset of the degenerative process.

Caudal is a negative regulator of the Anopheles IMD pathway that controls resistance to Plasmodium falciparum infection

Malaria parasite transmission depends upon the successful development of Plasmodium in its Anopheles mosquito vector. The mosquito's innate immune system constitutes a major bottleneck for parasite population growth. We show here that in Anopheles gambiae, the midgut-specific transcription factor Caudal acts as a negative regulator in the Imd pathway-mediated immune response against the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Caudal also modulates the mosquito midgut bacterial flora. RNAi-mediated silencing of Caudal enhanced the mosquito's resistance to bacterial infections and increased the transcriptional abundance of key immune effector genes. Interestingly, Caudal's silencing resulted in an increased lifespan of the mosquito, while it impaired reproductive fitness with respect to egg laying and hatching.

Novel biological effects of alloferon and its selected analogues: structure-activity study

The subject of this paper is a search for new biological properties of alloferon (H-His-Gly-Val-Ser-Gly-His-Gly-Gln-His-Gly-Val-His-Gly-OH) and a series of its analogues. The studies on structure/activity relationship in alloferon, the synthesis of a series of 28 analogues were performed. The analogues were modified at position 1 or 6, and other were oligopeptides with a shortened peptide sequence. Biological effects of the peptides were evaluated by the pro-apoptotic action in vivo on haemocytes of Tenebrio molitor and in the cardiotropic test in vitro on the heart of T. molitor and Zophobas atratus. In the in vivo bioassays, new biological activities of alloferon and its analogues were discovered. In haemocytotoxic bioassay, alloferon strongly induces T. molitor haemocytes to undergo apoptosis at a dose of 10 nM. Moreover, [Phe(p-NH2)(1)]-, [Tyr(6)]- and [1-10]-alloferon exhibit a two-fold increase of caspases activation in comparison with the alloferon. However, alloferon and its analogues show a weak cardiostimulatory activity in Z. atratus but the heart of T. molitor is not sensitive to these peptides. The results obtained here suggest that alloferon plays pleiotropic functions in insects.

Reproduction of the solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis: males play an important role

The solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is an aggressive pest threatening crops worldwide. The biology of P. solenopsis has been described in several studies, but detailed information on the reproduction of P. solenopsis has not been investigated. The results of our study showed: 1) no progeny could be produced by virgins; 2) apoptosis of follicle cells, which occurs when the eggs begin to develop, did not happen in virgins; and 3) oosorption occurred in the unfertilized eggs. This suggests that P. solenopsis is an obligate amphimictic species, and resorption of developed eggs fits the "wait to reproduce" oosorption hypothesis. Compared to females that mated when they were two days old, the females that mated 30 days after eclosion had lower reproductive output and longer adult lifespans, but had higher reproductive output and shorter lifespan than those of the unmated females. Such a phenomenon suggests that resources obtained from eggs can be allocated for survival until conditions for reproduction improve. The results of this study provide evidence for a trade-off between survival and future reproduction: delayed reproductive conditions trigger physiological states geared toward survival at the expense of reproduction. The mating history of the males had no effect on progeny production.

The fate of follicles after a blood meal is dependent on previtellogenic nutrition and juvenile hormone in Aedes aegypti

Juvenile hormone (JH) mediates the relationship between fecundity and nutrition during the gonotrophic cycle of the mosquito in three ways: (1) by regulating initial previtellogenic development, (2) by mediating previtellogenic resorption of follicles and (3) by altering intrinsic previtellogenic follicle "quality", physiology, and competitiveness thereby predetermining the fate of follicles after a blood meal. To support a role for JH in mediating the response of ovarian follicles after a blood meal, we explored three main questions: (1) Do changes in nutrition during the previtellogenic resting stage lead to relevant biochemical and molecular changes in the previtellogenic ovary? (2) Do hormonal manipulations during the previtellogenic resting stage lead to the same biochemical and molecular changes? (3) Does nutrition and hormones during the previtellogenic resting stage affect vitellogenic resorption and reproductive output? We examined the accumulation of neutral lipids in the previtellogenic ovary as well as the previtellogenic expression of genes integral to endocytosis and oocyte development such as the: vitellogenin receptor (AaVgR), lipophorin receptor (AaLpRov), heavy-chain clathrin (AaCHC), and ribosomal protein L32 (rpL32) under various previtellogenic nutritional and hormonal conditions. mRNA abundance and neutral lipid content increased within the previtellogenic ovary as previtellogenic mosquitoes were offered increasing sucrose concentrations. Methoprene application mimicked the effect of offering the highest sucrose concentrations on mRNA abundance and lipid accumulation in the previtellogenic ovary. These same nutritional and hormonal manipulations altered the extent of vitellogenic resorption. Mosquitoes offered 20% sucrose during the previtellogenic resting stage had nearly 3 times less vitellogenic resorption than mosquitoes offered 3% sucrose despite taking smaller blood meals and developed ∼10% more eggs during the first gonotrophic cycle. Mosquitoes treated with JH III during the previtellogenic resting stage and then offered a blood meal had a ∼40% reduction in the amount of vitellogenic resorption and developed ∼12% more eggs. Taken together, these results suggest that previtellogenic nutrition alters the extent and pattern of resorption after a blood meal through the effect of JH on mRNA abundance and lipid accumulation in previtellogenic follicles.

Reproductive success in Anopheles arabiensis and the M and S molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae: do natural sporozoite infection and body size matter?

Malaria parasites stages prior to sporozoite formation are known to affect the fecundity of several species of mosquitoes in the laboratory, but little is known about this phenomenon in natural conditions especially with sporozoite-infected anophelines. The reproductive success of wild-caught Anopheles arabiensis and the M and S molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae was investigated by comparing females infected with Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites to females free of sporozoites. Association between sporozoite-infected females' body size and their egg batch size was also measured. There was no significant reduction in egg production due to sporozoite infection among wild females An. arabiensis and the M and S form of An. gambiae. The infected groups and the controls laid similar numbers of eggs. A positive association was found between body size of females infected with P. falciparum and mean egg production. Infected females of the molecular forms of An. gambiae and their sibling species An. arabiensis invest similarly in egg batch size regardless of their body size although the expected egg batch size may differ among them because of differences in their mean body size. A reduction of egg production related to infection status was not observed among females harboring sporozoites. Therefore for the gonotrophic cycles that occur once sporozoites are present, natural infection of all three vectors we studied has no or minimal effect on their densities or their reproductive outputs.

Nutrient limitation results in juvenile hormone-mediated resorption of previtellogenic ovarian follicles in mosquitoes

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a central hormonal regulator of previtellogenic development in female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. JH levels are low at eclosion and increase during the first day after adult emergence. This initial rise in JH is essential for female reproductive maturation. After previtellogenic maturation is complete, the mosquito enters a 'state-of-arrest' during which JH synthesis continues at a slower pace and further ovary development is repressed until a blood meal is taken. By examining the relationships between juvenile hormone, follicular resorption and nutrition in A. aegypti, we were able to define a critical role of JH during the previtellogenic resting stage. The rate of follicular resorption in resting stage mosquitoes is dependent on nutritional quality. Feeding water alone caused the rate of follicular resorption to reach over 20% by day 7 after emergence. Conversely, feeding a 20% sucrose solution caused resorption to remain below 5% during the entire experimental period. Mosquitoes fed 3% sucrose show rates of resorption intermediate between water and 20% sucrose and only reached 10% by day 7 after emergence. Follicular resorption is related to JH levels. Ligated abdomens separated from a source of JH (the corpora allata) showed an increase in resorption comparable to similarly aged starved mosquitoes (16%). Resorption in ligated abdomens was reduced to 6% by application of methoprene. The application of methoprene was also sufficient to prevent resorption in intact mosquitoes starved for 48 h (14% starved vs. 4% starved with methoprene). Additionally, active caspases were localized to resorbing follicles indicating that an apoptotic cell-death mechanism is responsible for follicular resorption during the previtellogenic resting stage. Taken together, these results indicate that JH mediates reproductive trade-offs in resting stage mosquitoes in response to nutrition.

Microscopic and molecular characterization of ovarian follicle atresia in Rhodnius prolixus Stahl under immune challenge

In this work we characterized the degenerative process of ovarian follicles of the bug Rhodnius prolixus challenged with the non-entomopathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger. An injection of A. niger conidia directly into the hemocoel of adult R. prolixus females at the onset of vitellogenesis caused no effect on host lifespan but elicited a net reduction in egg batch size. Direct inspection of ovaries from the mycosed insects revealed that fungal challenge led to atresia of the vitellogenic follicles. Light microscopy and DAPI staining showed follicle shrinkage, ooplasm alteration and disorganization of the monolayer of follicle cells in the atretic follicles. Transmission electron microscopy of thin sections of follicle epithelium also showed nuclei with condensed chromatin, electron dense mitochondria and large autophagic vacuoles. Occurrence of apoptosis of follicle cells in these follicles was visualized by TUNEL labeling. Resorption of the yolk involved an increase in protease activities (aspartyl and cysteinyl proteases) which were associated with precocious acidification of yolk granules and degradation of yolk protein content. The role of follicle atresia in nonspecific host-pathogen associations and the origin of protease activity that led to yolk resorption are discussed.

Catalase and superoxide dismutase-2 enhance survival and protect ovaries during overwintering diapause in the mosquito Culex pipiens

Lifespan extension and stress resistance are two important features of diapause that are essential for successful overwintering. We present several lines of evidence suggesting that genes encoding two antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase-2, are critical in generating these characteristics during diapause in overwintering adults of the mosquito Culex pipiens. Expression of both catalase and sod-2 was dramatically higher in young diapausing females than in their nondiapausing counterparts at the same age. Suppression of catalase, but not sod-2, resulted in increased damage to the ovaries, as evidenced by signs of apoptosis in ovarian follicle cells. Adult survival time was shortened when levels of either catalase or sod-2 were suppressed using RNAi. Together these results imply that these two antioxidants are particularly important in promoting survival in diapausing females, while elevation of catalase also contributes to protection of the ovaries. In addition, RNAi directed against forkhead transcription factor (foxo), a gene thought to be upstream of the genes encoding these antioxidants, resulted in suppression of both catalase and sod-2. The linkage with FOXO suggests that the genes encoding these two antioxidants are components of an important gene network regulated by this transcription factor.

Effects of Plasmodium gallinaceum on hemolymph physiology of Aedes aegypti during parasite development

Insect disease vectors show diminished fecundity when infected with Plasmodium. This phenomenon has already been demonstrated in laboratory models such as Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles stephensi. This study demonstrates several changes in physiological processes of A. aegypti occurring upon infection with Plasmodium gallinaceum, such as reduced ecdysteroid levels in hemolymph as well as altered expression patterns for genes involved in vitellogenesis, lipid transport and immune response. Furthermore, we could show that P. gallinaceum infected A. aegypti presented a reduction in reproductive fitness, accompanied by an activated innate immune response and increase in lipophorin expression, with the latter possibly representing a nutritional resource for Plasmodium sporozoites.

The major yolk protein vitellogenin interferes with the anti-plasmodium response in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Functional gene analysis in malaria mosquitoes reveals molecules underpinning the trade-off between efficient reproduction and the antiparasitic response.

When taking a blood meal on a person infected with malaria, female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the major vector of human malaria, acquire nutrients that will activate egg development (oogenesis) in their ovaries. Simultaneously, they infect themselves with the malaria parasite. On traversing the mosquito midgut epithelium, invading Plasmodium ookinetes are met with a potent innate immune response predominantly controlled by mosquito blood cells. Whether the concomitant processes of mosquito reproduction and immunity affect each other remains controversial. Here, we show that proteins that deliver nutrients to maturing mosquito oocytes interfere with the antiparasitic response. Lipophorin (Lp) and vitellogenin (Vg), two nutrient transport proteins, reduce the parasite-killing efficiency of the antiparasitic factor TEP1. In the absence of either nutrient transport protein, TEP1 binding to the ookinete surface becomes more efficient. We also show that Lp is required for the normal expression of Vg, and for later Plasmodium development at the oocyst stage. Furthermore, our results uncover an inhibitory role of the Cactus/REL1/REL2 signaling cassette in the expression of Vg, but not of Lp. We reveal molecular links that connect reproduction and immunity at several levels and provide a molecular basis for a long-suspected trade-off between these two processes.

Malaria annually claims the lives of almost 1 million infants and imposes a major socio-economic burden on Africa and other tropical regions. Meanwhile, the detailed biological interactions between the malaria parasite and its Anopheles mosquito vector remain largely enigmatic. What we do know is that the majority of malaria parasites are normally eliminated by the mosquito's immune response. Mosquitoes accidentally acquire an infection by sucking parasite-laden blood, but this belies the primary function of the blood in the provisioning of nutrients for egg development in the insect's ovaries. We have found that the molecular processes involved in delivering blood-acquired nutrients to maturing eggs diminish the efficiency of parasite killing by the mosquito immune system. Conversely, molecular pathways that set the immune system on its maximal capacity for parasite killing preclude the efficient development of the mosquito's eggs. Our results reveal some of the molecules that underpin this example of the trade-offs between reproduction and immunity, a concept that has long intrigued biologists.

Plasmodium falciparum GPI toxin: a common foe for man and mosquito

The glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which can be regarded as an endotoxin, plays a role in the induced pathology associated with severe malaria in humans. However, it is unclear whether the main mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae, can specifically recognize, and respond to GPI from the malaria parasite. Recent data suggests that the malaria vector does mount a specific response against malaria GPI. In addition, following the strong immune response, mosquito fecundity is severely affected, resulting in a significant reduction in viable eggs produced. In this mini-review we look at the increased interest in understanding the way that malaria antigens are recognized in the mosquito, and how this relates to a better understanding of the interactions between the malaria parasite and both human and vector.

Evolutionary drivers of parasite-induced changes in insect life-history traits from theory to underlying mechanisms

Many hosts are able to tolerate infection by altering life-history traits that are traded-off one against another. Here the reproductive fitness of insect hosts and vectors is reviewed in the context of theories concerning evolutionary mechanisms driving such alterations. These include the concepts that changes in host reproductive fitness are by-products of infection, parasite manipulations, host adaptations, mafia-like strategies or host compensatory responses. Two models are examined in depth, a tapeworm/beetle association, Hymenolepis diminuta/Tenebrio molitor and malaria infections in anopheline mosquitoes. Parasite-induced impairment of vitellogenesis ultimately leads to a decrease in female reproductive success in both cases, though by different means. Evidence is put forwards for both a manipulator molecule of parasite origin and for host-initiated regulation. These models are backed by other examples in which mechanisms underlying fecundity reduction or fecundity compensation are explored. It is concluded that evolutionary theories must be supported by empirical evidence gained from studying molecular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms underlying changes in host life-history traits, ideally using organisms that have evolved together and that are in their natural environment.

The immunogenic properties of protozoan glycosylphosphatidylinositols in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

In contrast to humans, mosquitoes do not have an adaptive immune response to deal with pathogens, and therefore must rely on their innate immune system to deal with invaders. This facilitates the recognition of different microbes on the basis of surface components or antigens. Such antigens have been identified in various types of microbe such as bacteria and fungi, yet none has been identified in the genus protozoa, which includes pathogens such as the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. This study allowed us to test the antigenic properties of protozoan glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) on the mosquito immune system. We found that both P. falciparum GPI and T. gondii GPI induce the strong expression of several antimicrobial peptides following ingestion, and that as a result of the immune response against the GPIs, the number of eggs produced by the mosquito is reduced dramatically. Such effects have been associated with malaria infected mosquitoes, but never associated with a Plasmodium specific antigen. This study demonstrates that protozoan GPIs can be considered as protozoan specific immune elicitors in mosquitoes, and that P. falciparum GPI plays a critical role in the malaria parasite manipulation of the mosquito vector to facilitate its transmission.

Ecological immunology of mosquito-malaria interactions

More than a century after the discovery of the complex life cycle of its causative agent, malaria remains a major health problem. Understanding mosquito–malaria interactions could lead to breakthroughs in malaria control. Novel strategies, such as the design of transgenic mosquitoes refractory to Plasmodium, or design of human vaccines emulating mosquito resistance to the parasite, require extensive knowledge of processes involved in immune responses and of microevolutionary mechanisms that create and maintain variation in immune responses in wild vector populations. The recent realization of how intimately and specifically mosquitoes and Plasmodium co-evolve in Nature is driving vector molecular biologists and evolutionary ecologists to move closer to the natural setting under the common umbrella of ‘Ecological immunology’.

Aedes Dronc: a novel ecdysone-inducible caspase in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Caspases are cysteinyl-aspartate-specific proteases known for their role in apoptosis. Here, we describe the characterization of Aedes Dronc, a novel caspase in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Aedes Dronc is predicted to contain an N-terminal caspase recruitment domain and is a homologue of Drosophila Dronc and human caspase-9. An increase in transcripts and caspase activity coincides with developmental changes in the mosquito, suggesting that Aedes Dronc plays a role in developmental apoptosis. Exposure of third instar larvae to ecdysone resulted in a significant increase in both transcript levels and caspase activity. We present here a functional characterization of the first caspase recruitment domain-containing caspase in mosquitoes, and will initiate studies on the role of apoptosis in the innate immune response of vectors.

Bacterial infection of fly ovaries reduces egg production and induces local hemocyte activation

Morbidity, the state of being diseased, is an important aspect of pathogenesis that has gone relatively unstudied in fruit flies. Our interest is in characterizing how bacterial pathogenesis affects various physiologies of the fly. We chose to examine the fly ovary because we found bacterial infection had a striking effect on fly reproduction. We observed decreased egg laying after bacterial infection that correlated with increased bacterial virulence. We also found that bacteria colonized the ovary in a previously undescribed manner; bacteria were found in the posterior of the ovary, adjacent to the lateral oviduct. This local infection in the ovary resulted in melanization and activation of the cellular immune response at the site of infection.

Apoptosis-like death as a feature of malaria infection in mosquitoes

Malaria parasites of the genusPlasmodiummake a hazardous journey through their mosquito vectors. The majority die in the process, many as a result of the action of mosquito defence mechanisms. The mosquito too is not unscathed by the encounter with these parasites. Tissue damage occurs as a result of mid-gut invasion and reproductive fitness is lost when many developing ovarian follicles are resorbed. Here we discuss some of the mechanisms that are involved in killing the parasite and in the self-defence mechanisms employed by the mosquito to repair the mid-gut epithelium and to manipulate resources altering the trade-off position that balances reproduction and survival. In all cases, cells die by apoptotic-like mechanisms. In the midgut cells, apoptosis-induction pathways are being elucidated, the molecules involved in apoptosis are being recognised andDrosophilahomologues sought. The death of ookinetes in the mosquito mid-gut lumen is associated with caspase-like activity and, although homologues of mammalian caspases are not present in the malaria genome, other cysteine proteases that are potential candidates have been discussed. In the ovary, apoptosis of patches of follicular epithelial cells is followed by resorption of the developing follicle and a subsequent loss of egg production in that follicle.

Flight-oogenesis syndrome in a blood-sucking bug: biochemical aspects of lipid metabolism

Lipophorin (Lp), either labeled in diacylglycerol moiety with [(3)H]-Palmitic acid or in phospholipid moiety with (32)Pi, was injected into Rhodnius prolixus females. Insects were induced to flight for different times. In just a few minutes of flight, the transfer of radioactivity to ovaries decreased, accompanied by its increase to flight muscles. After one hour of flight, Lp density was higher (1.132 g/mL) than before flight (1.116 g/mL). Lp purified from insects after flight was analyzed by gel filtration chromatography and a polyacrylamide gel pore limit electrophoresis. Both analyses demonstrated a decrease in Lp molecular mass after flight but no changes in apoLp-III amounts were observed. Time-course experiments showed that only 30 min of flight are required for the detection of changes in Lp density and molecular mass. About the same time of rest is necessary for Lp density and molecular mass to return to the baseline value. The lipid content from Lp particles, determined by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), showed a decrease in total lipids after flight. At the same time, an increase of many classes of lipids was observed in flight muscles except for triacylglycerol, which was reduced. The increase of flight muscle lipids was accompanied by a decrease of the ovaries lipid content. The insects subjected to daily exhaustive flight showed a significant decrease in total number of eggs produced. But insects subjected to a single exhaustive flight showed only a small reduction in total number of eggs. Lp density variation during the flight activity of Rhodnius prolixus females is discussed in association with physiological events such as oogenesis.

Molecular genetics of mosquito resistance to malaria parasites

Malaria parasites are transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, but even efficient vector species possess multiple mechanisms that together destroy most of the parasites present in an infection. Variation between individual mosquitoes has allowed genetic analysis and mapping of loci controlling several resistance traits, and the underlying mechanisms of mosquito response to infection are being described using genomic tools such as transcriptional and proteomic analysis. Malaria infection imposes fitness costs on the vector, but various forms of resistance inflict their own costs, likely leading to an evolutionary tradeoff between infection and resistance. Plasmodium development can be successfully completed onlyin compatible mosquito-parasite species combinations, and resistance also appears to have parasite specificity. Studies of Drosophila, where genetic variation in immunocompetence is pervasive in wild populations, offer a comparative context for understanding coevolution of the mosquito-malaria relationship. More broadly, plants also possess systems of pathogen resistance with features that are structurally conserved in animal innate immunity, including insects, and genomic datasets now permit useful comparisons of resistance models even between such diverse organisms.

Mosquito transgenesis: what is the fitness cost?

The generation of transgenic mosquitoes with a minimal fitness load is a prerequisite for the success of strategies for controlling mosquito-borne diseases using transgenic insects. It is important to assemble as much information as possible on this subject because realistic estimates of transgene fitness costs are essential for modeling and planning release strategies. Transgenic mosquitoes must have minimal fitness costs, because such costs would reduce the effectiveness of the genetic drive mechanisms that are used to introduce the transgenes into field mosquito populations. Several factors affect fitness of transgenic mosquitoes, including the potential negative effect of transgene products and insertional mutagenesis. Studies to assess fitness of transgenic mosquitoes in the field (as opposed to the laboratory) are still needed.

Follicular atresia during Dacus oleae oogenesis

Programmed cell death, constitutes a common fundamental incident that occurs during oogenesis in a variety of different animals. It plays a significant role in the maturation process of the female gamete and also in the removal of abnormal and superfluous cells at certain checkpoints of development. In the present study, we demonstrate the existence of follicular atresia during mid-oogenesis in the olive fruit fly Dacus oleae (Tephritidae). The number of atretic follicles increases following the age of the fly, suggesting for the presence of an age-susceptible process. The atretic follicles contain nurse cells that exhibit chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation and actin cytoskeleton alterations, as revealed by propidium iodide staining, TUNEL labeling and phalloidin-FITC staining. Conventional light and electron microscopy disclose that the nurse cell remnants are phagocytosed by the adjacent follicle cells. The follicular epithelium also eliminates the oocyte through phagocytosis, resulting to an egg chamber with no compartmentalized organization. The data presented herein are very similar compared to previous reported results in other Diptera species, strongly suggesting the occurrence of a phylogenetically conserved mechanism of follicular atresia. All these observations also support the notion that mid-oogenesis in D. oleae may be the critical regulation point at which superfluous and defective egg chambers are selectively eliminated before they reach maturity.

Immune stimulation and malaria infection impose reproductive costs in Anopheles gambiae via follicular apoptosis

The employment of defense mechanisms is recognized as a costly life-history trait. In the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, reproductive costs have been associated with both humoral and cellular innate immune responses and also with malaria infection. The resorption of developing oocytes associated with malaria infection is preceded by the programmed cell death, or apoptosis, of follicular cells. Here we demonstrate that apoptosis in ovarian follicular epithelial cells also occurs when mosquitoes are subjected to artificial immune-elicitors that induce a melanization response or humoral antimicrobial activity. Caspases are key cysteine proteases involved in apoptosis. Caspase-like activity was detected in epithelial cells in approximately 4.0% of the developing ovarian follicles of untreated, blood-fed, mosquitoes. Lipopolysaccharide injection resulted in a significant increase in anti-Micrococcus luteus humoral activity and a significant increase of 257.7% of follicles exhibiting apoptosis compared to results after saline injections. Melanization also triggered follicular apoptosis, which increased by 106.25% or 134.37% in Sephadex C-25 or G-25 bead-inoculated mosquitoes, respectively, compared to that in sham-injected ones. Ovaries from Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis-infected mosquitoes exhibited a significant increase in follicular apoptosis of 440.9% compared to non-infected ones. Thus, at the time point investigated, infection had a much greater effect than artificial immune-elicitors. Death of follicular epithelial cells has been shown to lead to follicle resorption and hence a decrease in egg production. We propose the trade-off between reproductive fitness and immune defense in A. gambiae operates via the induction of apoptosis in ovarian follicles and that different immune responses impose costs via the same pathway.

Role of dopachrome conversion enzyme in the melanization of filarial worms in mosquitoes

Melanization is an effective defence reaction of mosquito hosts against invading parasites. In mosquitoes, the biosynthesis of melanin is initiated by the hydroxylation of tyrosine to DOPA by phenoloxidase (PO). DOPA is a branch point of the melanization reaction; it may be oxidized to dopaquinone by PO or be decarboxylated to dopamine by dopa decarboxylase. Further oxidation of dopaquinone by PO produces dopachrome. Dopachrome is then converted to 5, 6-dihydroxyindole by dopachrome conversion enzyme (DCE) to produce melanin. The conversion of dopachrome is a rate-limiting step of the melanization reaction, and the presence of PO and DCE significantly accelerates melanization reactions. In this study, a cDNA encoding DCE was cloned from the mosquito Armigeres subalbatus. Real-time PCR analysis revealed increased transcripts from haemocytes in microfilariae (mf)-inoculated mosquitoes. Gene silencing using double-stranded RNA was used to elucidate the role of DCE in the melanization reaction of parasites in Ar. subalbatus. The levels of both DCE transcripts and protein in gene knockdown mosquitoes were dramatically reduced. Compared with controls, the degree of melanization of mf in DCE-knockdown mosquitoes was significantly decreased. These results suggest that DCE is a critical enzyme that is required for effective melanization immune responses.

Malarial infection in Aedes aegypti : effects on feeding, fecundity and metabolic rate

We have examined metabolic rate, lipid and carbohydrate of female Aedes aegypti during 10 days following a malaria-infected bloodmeal. In parallel, we determined bloodmeal size, portions retained and diuresed, and subsequent fecundity. We found that mosquitoes obtained identical masses of blood when feeding on an infected or control host. However, infected mosquitoes lost more mass during diuresis and retained a smaller mass. Infection led to a significant reduction in fecundity, the extent of which could not be explained by the difference in post-diuresis bloodmeal mass alone. We found no differences in lipid or carbohydrate content between infected and control mosquitoes during the 10 days post-infection, although infected mosquitoes had a lower body mass than controls. Metabolic rates were not different between groups, except during blood digestion, where the metabolic rate was lower in infected mosquitoes. These results suggest that infection by malaria does not lead to an increase in metabolic rate during the phases of midgut invasion and sporogony. However, infection does have a measurable effect on fecundity and subsequent body mass of the infected females.

The use of gene silencing to study the role of dopa decarboxylase in mosquito melanization reactions

Mosquito melanization involves hydroxylation of tyrosine to dopa, which then is oxidized to dopaquinone by phenoloxidase, or decarboxylated to dopamine by dopa decarboxlase (DDC). An Armigeres subalbatus cDNA encoding DDC was cloned and real-time PCR analysis revealed increased transcripts in blood-fed and microfilariae (mf)-inoculated mosquitoes. A double subgenomic Sindbis virus was used to silence DDC and assess its role in melanization of mf. DDC transcription and activity were significantly decreased in silenced mosquitoes, as was the degree of mf melanization 48 h postinoculation; however, melanization increased after 72 and 96 h, demonstrating that DDC influences the rate of melanization. DDC-silenced mosquitoes also exhibit high mortality, over-feeding and abnormal movement, consistent with an involvement of DDC in neurotransmission.

Programmed cell death in the germline

In many organisms, programmed cell death of germ cells is required for normal development. This often occurs through highly conserved events including the transfer of vital cellular material to the growing gametes following death of neighboring cells. Germline cell death also plays a role in such diverse processes as removal of abnormal or superfluous cells at certain checkpoints, establishment of caste differentiation, and individualization of gametes. This review focuses on the cell death events that occur during gametogenesis in both vertebrates and invertebrates. It also examines the signals and machinery that initiate and carry out these germ cell deaths.

The role of programmed cell death in Plasmodium-mosquito interactions

Many host-parasite interactions are regulated in part by the programmed cell death of host cells or the parasite. Here we review evidence suggesting that programmed cell death occurs during the early stages of the development of the malaria parasite in its vector. Zygotes and ookinetes of Plasmodium berghei have been shown to die by programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the midgut lumen of the vector Anopheles stephensi, or whilst developing in vitro. Several morphological markers, indicative of apoptosis, are described and evidence for the involvement of a biochemical pathway involving cysteine proteases discussed in relationship to other protozoan parasites. Malaria infection induces apoptosis in the cells of two mosquito tissues, the midgut and the follicular epithelium. Observations on cell death in both these tissues are reviewed including the role of caspases as effector molecules and the rescue of resorbing follicles resulting from inhibition of caspases. Putative signal molecules that might induce parasite and vector apoptosis are suggested including nitric oxide, reactive nitrogen intermediates, oxygen radicals and endocrine balances. Finally, we suggest that programmed cell death may play a critical role in regulation of infection by the parasite and the host, and contribute to the success or not of parasite establishment and host survival.

Gene expression patterns associated with blood-feeding in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Background

Blood feeding, or hematophagy, is a behavior exhibited by female mosquitoes required both for reproduction and for transmission of pathogens. We determined the expression patterns of 3,068 ESTs, representing ~2,000 unique gene transcripts using cDNA microarrays in adult female Anopheles gambiae at selected times during the first two days following blood ingestion, at 5 and 30 min during a 40 minute blood meal and at 0, 1, 3, 5, 12, 16, 24 and 48 hours after completion of the blood meal and compared their expression to transcript levels in mosquitoes with access only to a sugar solution.

Results

In blood-fed mosquitoes, 413 unique transcripts, approximately 25% of the total, were expressed at least two-fold above or below their levels in the sugar-fed mosquitoes, at one or more time points. These differentially expressed gene products were clustered using k-means clustering into Early Genes, Middle Genes, and Late Genes, containing 144, 130, and 139 unique transcripts, respectively. Several genes from each group were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in order to validate the microarray results.

Conclusion

The expression patterns and annotation of the genes in these three groups (Early, Middle, and Late genes) are discussed in the context of female mosquitoes' physiological responses to blood feeding, including blood digestion, peritrophic matrix formation, egg development, and immunity.

Interactions between malaria and mosquitoes: the role of apoptosis in parasite establishment and vector response to infection

Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium are transmitted from host to host by mosquitoes. Sexual reproduction occurs in the blood meal and the resultant motile zygote, the ookinete, migrates through the midgut epithelium and transforms to an oocyst under the basal lamina. After sporogony, sporozoites are released into the mosquito haemocoel and invade the salivary gland before injection when next the mosquito feeds on a host. Interactions between parasite and vector occur at all stages of the establishment and development of the parasite and some of these result in the death of parasite and host cells by apoptosis. Infection-induced programmed cell death occurs in patches of follicular epithelial cells in the ovary, resulting in follicle resorption and thus a reduction in egg production. We argue that fecundity reduction will result in a change in resource partitioning that may benefit the parasite. Apoptosis also occurs in cells of the midgut epithelium that have been invaded by the parasite and are subsequently expelled into the midgut. In addition, the parasite itself dies by a process of programmed cell death (PCD) in the lumen of the midgut before invasion has occurred. Caspase-like activity has been detected in the cytoplasm of the ookinetes, despite the absence of genes homologous to caspases in the genome of this, or any, unicellular eukaryote. The putative involvement of other cysteine proteases in ancient apoptotic pathways is discussed. Potential signal pathways for induction of apoptosis in the host and parasite are reviewed and we consider the evidence that nitric oxide may play a role in this induction. Finally, we consider the hypothesis that death of some parasites in the midgut will limit infection and thus prevent vector death before the parasites have developed into mature sporozoites.