1
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Dou X, Chen K, Brown MR, Strand MR. Reciprocal interactions between neuropeptide F and RYamide regulate host attraction in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2408072121. [PMID: 38950363 PMCID: PMC11252962 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408072121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Female mosquitoes produce eggs in gonadotrophic cycles that are divided between a previtellogenic and vitellogenic phase. Previtellogenic females consume water and sugar sources like nectar while also being attracted to hosts for blood feeding. Consumption of a blood meal activates the vitellogenic phase, which produces mature eggs and suppresses host attraction. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that neuropeptide Y-like hormones differentially modulate host attraction behavior in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. A series of experiments collectively indicated that enteroendocrine cells (EECs) in the posterior midgut produce and release neuropeptide F (NPF) into the hemolymph during the previtellogenic phase which stimulates attraction to humans and biting behavior. Consumption of a blood meal, which primarily consists of protein by dry weight, down-regulated NPF in EECs until mature eggs developed, which was associated with a decline in hemolymph titer. NPF depletion depended on protein digestion but was not associated with EEC loss. Other experiments showed that neurons in the terminal ganglion extend axons to the posterior midgut and produce RYamide, which showed evidence of increased secretion into circulation after a blood meal. Injection of RYamide-1 and -2 into previtellogenic females suppressed host attraction, while coinjection of RYamides with or without short NPF-2 also inhibited the host attraction activity of NPF. Overall, our results identify NPF and RYamide as gut-associated hormones in A. aegypti that link host attraction behavior to shifts in diet during sequential gonadotrophic cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Dou
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Kangkang Chen
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Mark R. Brown
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
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2
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Zeledon EV, Baxt LA, Khan TA, Michino M, Miller M, Huggins DJ, Jiang CS, Vosshall LB, Duvall LB. Next-generation neuropeptide Y receptor small-molecule agonists inhibit mosquito-biting behavior. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:276. [PMID: 38937807 PMCID: PMC11212260 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06347-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread disease-causing pathogens when they bite humans to obtain blood nutrients required for egg production. Following a complete blood meal, host-seeking is suppressed until eggs are laid. Neuropeptide Y-like receptor 7 (NPYLR7) plays a role in endogenous host-seeking suppression and previous work identified small-molecule NPYLR7 agonists that inhibit host-seeking and blood-feeding when fed to mosquitoes at high micromolar doses. METHODS Using structure-activity relationship analysis and structure-guided design we synthesized 128 compounds with similarity to known NPYLR7 agonists. RESULTS Although in vitro potency (EC50) was not strictly predictive of in vivo effect, we identified three compounds that reduced blood-feeding from a live host when fed to mosquitoes at a dose of 1 μM-a 100-fold improvement over the original reference compound. CONCLUSIONS Exogenous activation of NPYLR7 represents an innovative vector control strategy to block mosquito biting behavior and prevent mosquito-human host interactions that lead to pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emely V Zeledon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Leigh A Baxt
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Tanweer A Khan
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Atai Life Sciences, New York, NY, 10012, USA
| | - Mayako Michino
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Michael Miller
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - David J Huggins
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Caroline S Jiang
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
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3
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Zeledon EV, Baxt LA, Khan TA, Michino M, Miller M, Huggins DJ, Jiang CS, Vosshall LB, Duvall LB. Next Generation Neuropeptide Y Receptor Small Molecule Agonists Inhibit Mosquito Biting Behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.28.582529. [PMID: 38464241 PMCID: PMC10925335 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.28.582529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread disease-causing pathogens when they bite humans to obtain blood nutrients required for egg production. Following a complete blood meal, host-seeking is suppressed until eggs are laid. Neuropeptide Y-like Receptor 7 (NPYLR7) plays a role in endogenous host-seeking suppression and previous work identified small molecule NPYLR7 agonists that suppress host-seeking and blood feeding when fed to mosquitoes at high micromolar doses. Using structure activity relationship analysis and structure-guided design we synthesized 128 compounds with similarity to known NPYLR7 agonists. Although in vitro potency (EC50) was not strictly predictive of in vivo effect, we identified 3 compounds that suppressed blood feeding from a live host when fed to mosquitoes at a 1 μM dose, a 100-fold improvement over the original reference compound. Exogenous activation of NPYLR7 represents an innovative vector control strategy to block mosquito biting behavior and prevent mosquito/human host interactions that lead to pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emely V. Zeledon
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York NY 10065, USA
| | - Leigh A. Baxt
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Tanweer A. Khan
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Mayako Michino
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Michael Miller
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - David J. Huggins
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York NY 10065, USA
| | - Caroline S. Jiang
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B. Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York NY 10065, USA
- Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Laura B. Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York NY 10027, USA
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4
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Luker HA. A critical review of current laboratory methods used to evaluate mosquito repellents. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 4:1320138. [PMID: 38469342 PMCID: PMC10926509 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2024.1320138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Pathogens transmitted by mosquitoes threaten human health around the globe. The use of effective mosquito repellents can protect individuals from contracting mosquito-borne diseases. Collecting evidence to confirm and quantify the effectiveness of a mosquito repellent is crucial and requires thorough standardized testing. There are multitudes of methods to test repellents that each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Determining which type of test to conduct can be challenging and the collection of currently used and standardized methods has changed over time. Some of these methods can be powerful to rapidly screen numerous putative repellent treatments. Other methods can test mosquito responses to specific treatments and measure either spatial or contact repellency. A subset of these methods uses live animals or human volunteers to test the repellency of treatments. Assays can greatly vary in their affordability and accessibility for researchers and/or may require additional methods to confirm results. Here I present a critical review that covers some of the most frequently used laboratory assays from the last two decades. I discuss the experimental designs and highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of each type of method covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey A. Luker
- Molecular Vector Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
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5
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Sakuma C, Maekawa E, Kanuka H. Key Features and Considerations for Using Automated Long-Term Monitoring of Heat-Seeking Behavior of Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:107665. [PMID: 37024241 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of various deadly infectious diseases, including malaria and dengue fever. Because these pathogens are transmitted by mosquito blood-feeding behavior, it is important to understand how mosquitoes are attracted to their hosts and how they feed on blood. The simplest method is to observe their behavior with the naked eye or video recording. Furthermore, various devices have been invented to assay mosquito behavior, such as olfactometers. Although each method has distinctive advantages, all have disadvantages, such as limitations in the number of individuals that can be assayed at one time and in observable durations, objective quantification methods, and others. To solve these problems, we have developed an automated device to quantify the carbon dioxide-activated heat-seeking behavior of Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti with continuous monitoring for up to 1 week. This device, which is detailed in an accompanying protocol, can be applied to search for substances and molecules that affect heat-seeking behavior. It may also be applicable to other hematophagous insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chisako Sakuma
- Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Laboratory for Nutritional Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Emi Maekawa
- Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Group of Genetics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Kanuka
- Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
- Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
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6
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Castillo JS, Bellantuono AJ, DeGennaro M. Quantifying Mosquito Attraction Behavior Using Olfactometry. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:715-8. [PMID: 37024240 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
When blood feeding from human hosts, female mosquitoes can transmit life-threatening pathogens to humans, including dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and Zika virus. Olfaction is the primary sense mosquitoes use to locate and differentiate hosts and studying it can lead to new strategies to reduce the risk of disease. To effectively study host-seeking behavior in mosquitoes, a repeatable, quantitative assay that isolates olfaction from other cues is critical for interpreting mosquito behavior. Here, we contribute an overview of methods and best practices for the study of mosquito attraction (or lack thereof) by using olfactometry to quantify behavior. In the accompanying protocols, we present an olfactory-based behavioral assay using a uniport olfactometer that measures mosquito attraction rate to specific stimuli. We include construction details, setup of the uniport olfactometer, details of the behavioral assay, and data analysis guidelines, as well as how to prepare the mosquitoes before their introduction into the olfactometer. This uniport olfactometer behavioral assay is currently one of the most reliable methods to study mosquito attraction to a single olfactory stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Castillo
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
| | - Anthony J Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
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7
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Cramer MM, Gabel TM, Duvall LB. Characterizing Physical Interactions between Male and Female Mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) in Relation to Female Receptivity and Insemination Outcomes Using a Hydrophobic Fluorescent Dye. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:382-392. [PMID: 37245059 PMCID: PMC10445417 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, presents a major threat to human health across the globe as a vector of disease-causing pathogens. Females of this species generally mate only once. From this single mating event, the female stores sufficient sperm to fertilize the multiple clutches of eggs produced during her lifetime. Mating causes dramatic changes in the female's behavior and physiology, including a lifetime suppression of her mating receptivity. Female rejection behaviors include male avoidance, abdominal twisting, wing-flicking, kicking, and not opening vaginal plates or extruding the ovipositor. Many of these events occur on a scale that is too miniscule or fast to see by eye, so high-resolution videography has been used to observe these behaviors instead. However, videography can be labor intensive, require specialized equipment, and often requires restrained animals. We used an efficient, low-cost method to record physical contact between males and females during attempted and successful mating, determined by recording spermathecal filling after dissection. A hydrophobic oil-based fluorescent dye can be applied to the abdominal tip of one animal and can be subsequently transferred to the genitalia of animals of the opposite sex when genital contact occurs. Our data indicate that male mosquitoes make high levels of contact with both receptive and unreceptive females and that males attempt to mate with more females than they successfully inseminate. Female mosquitoes with disrupted remating suppression mate with and produce offspring from multiple males, transferring dye to each. These data suggest that physical copulatory interactions occur independently of the female's receptivity to mate and that many of these interactions represent unsuccessful mating attempts that do not result in insemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M Cramer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Thomas M Gabel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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8
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Yuan L, Liang Q, Li Y, Dai Y, Shen J, Hu L, Xiao H, Zhang Z. Nicotine-mediated dopamine regulates short neuropeptide F to inhibit brown planthopper feeding behavior in tobacco-rice rotation cropping. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:2959-2968. [PMID: 36966467 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7474] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tobacco-rice rotation cropping (TRRC) is an ecologically friendly system that can both alleviate soil nicotine pollution and decrease the brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stål) fitness on rice. However, few studies on this green and effective rotational cropping system have been reported. In particular, the underlying mechanisms of TRRC on the significant reduction of field pest population at the molecular level is still unknown. RESULTS Field investigation showed that BPH population decreased significantly in TRRC than in rice-rice successive cropping (RRSC) field. In addition, the short neuropeptide F (NlsNPF) and its receptor NlA7 of BPH had half-times lower levels in the TRRC field. Behavioral bioassay indicated a 1.93-fold increase in the number of salivary flanges of the dsNlsNPF group, while BPH fitness parameters, such as honeydew, weight gain, and mortality decreased significantly. Dopamine (DA) content in BPH decreased by ~11.1% under the influence of nicotine, and its presence increased the expression levels of NlsNPF and NlA7. Exogenous DA application eliminated the inhibitory effects of nicotine on BPH feeding and restored the fitness levels of its parameters. Independent application of either a mixture of dsNlsNPF with a nanocarrier or nicotine to the normal rice field revealed that the latter could produce better effects in combination with dsRNA. CONCLUSION These findings confirmed that DA regulated NlsNPF to inhibit the BPH feeding behavior in TRRC. The results not only provided novel findings on the mechanism of pest-host interactions, but also presented new method for integrated pest management. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyu Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qichang Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanfang Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangsuo Dai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianmei Shen
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liming Hu
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanxiang Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenfei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection/Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Cramer MM, Gabel TM, Duvall LB. Characterizing physical interactions between male and female mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) in relation to female receptivity and insemination outcomes using a hydrophobic fluorescent dye. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542180. [PMID: 37292930 PMCID: PMC10246000 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, presents a major threat to human health across the globe as a vector of disease-causing pathogens. Females of this species generally mate only once. From this single mating event, the female stores sufficient sperm to fertilize the multiple clutches of eggs produced during her lifetime. Mating causes dramatic changes in the female's behavior and physiology, including a lifetime suppression of her mating receptivity. Female rejection behaviors include male avoidance, abdominal twisting, wing-flicking, kicking, and not opening vaginal plates or extruding the ovipositor. Many of these events occur on a scale that is too miniscule or fast to see by eye, so high-resolution videography has been used to observe these behaviors instead. However, videography can be labor intensive, require specialized equipment, and often requires restrained animals. We used an efficient, low-cost method to record physical contact between males and females during attempted and successful mating, determined by recording spermathecal filling after dissection. A hydrophobic oil-based fluorescent dye can be applied to the abdominal tip of one animal and can be subsequently transferred to the genitalia of animals of the opposite sex when genital contact occurs. Our data indicate that male mosquitoes make high levels of contact with both receptive and unreceptive females and that males attempt to mate with more females than they successfully inseminate. Female mosquitoes with disrupted remating suppression mate with and produce offspring from multiple males, transferring dye to each. These data suggest that physical copulatory interactions occur independently of the female's receptivity to mate and that many of these interactions represent unsuccessful mating attempts that do not result in insemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M. Cramer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Thomas M. Gabel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Laura B. Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
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10
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Finetti L, Paluzzi JP, Orchard I, Lange AB. Octopamine and tyramine signalling in Aedes aegypti: Molecular characterization and insight into potential physiological roles. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281917. [PMID: 36795713 PMCID: PMC9934454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In insects, the biogenic amines octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA) are involved in controlling several physiological and behavioural processes. OA and TA act as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators or neurohormones, performing their functions by binding to specific receptors belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. OA and TA along with their receptors are involved in reproduction, smell perception, metabolism, and homeostasis. Moreover, OA and TA receptors are targets for insecticides and antiparasitic agents, such as the formamidine Amitraz. In the dengue and yellow fever vector, Aedes aegypti, limited research has been reported on their OA or TA receptors. Here, we identify and molecularly characterize the OA and TA receptors in A. aegypti. Bioinformatic tools were used to identify four OA and three TA receptors in the genome of A. aegypti. The seven receptors are expressed in all developmental stages of A. aegypti; however, their highest transcript abundance is observed in the adult. Among several adult A. aegypti tissues examined, including the central nervous system, antennae and rostrum, midgut, Malpighian tubules, ovaries, and testes, the type 2 TA receptor (TAR2) transcript is most abundant in the ovaries and the type 3 TA receptor (TAR3) is enriched in the Malpighian tubules, leading us to propose putative roles for these receptors in reproduction and diuresis, respectively. Furthermore, a blood meal influenced OA and TA receptor transcript expression patterns in adult female tissues at several time points post blood meal, suggesting these receptors may play key physiological roles associated with feeding. To better understand OA and TA signalling in A. aegypti, the transcript expression profiles of key enzymes in their biosynthetic pathway, namely tyrosine decarboxylase (Tdc) and tyramine β-hydroxylase (Tβh), were examined in developmental stages, adult tissues, and brains from blood-fed females. These findings provide information for better understanding the physiological roles of OA, TA, and their receptors in A. aegypti, and additionally, may help in the development of novel strategies for the control of these human disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Finetti
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Angela B. Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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11
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Venkataraman K, Shai N, Lakhiani P, Zylka S, Zhao J, Herre M, Zeng J, Neal LA, Molina H, Zhao L, Vosshall LB. Two novel, tightly linked, and rapidly evolving genes underlie Aedes aegypti mosquito reproductive resilience during drought. eLife 2023; 12:e80489. [PMID: 36744865 PMCID: PMC10076016 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80489] [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: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes impose a severe global public health burden as vectors of multiple viral pathogens. Under optimal environmental conditions, Aedes aegypti females have access to human hosts that provide blood proteins for egg development, conspecific males that provide sperm for fertilization, and freshwater that serves as an egg-laying substrate suitable for offspring survival. As global temperatures rise, Aedes aegypti females are faced with climate challenges like intense droughts and intermittent precipitation, which create unpredictable, suboptimal conditions for egg-laying. Here, we show that under drought-like conditions simulated in the laboratory, females retain mature eggs in their ovaries for extended periods, while maintaining the viability of these eggs until they can be laid in freshwater. Using transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of Aedes aegypti ovaries, we identify two previously uncharacterized genes named tweedledee and tweedledum, each encoding a small, secreted protein that both show ovary-enriched, temporally-restricted expression during egg retention. These genes are mosquito-specific, linked within a syntenic locus, and rapidly evolving under positive selection, raising the possibility that they serve an adaptive function. CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of both tweedledee and tweedledum demonstrates that they are specifically required for extended retention of viable eggs. These results highlight an elegant example of taxon-restricted genes at the heart of an important adaptation that equips Aedes aegypti females with 'insurance' to flexibly extend their reproductive schedule without losing reproductive capacity, thus allowing this species to exploit unpredictable habitats in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krithika Venkataraman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Nadav Shai
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Priyanka Lakhiani
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sarah Zylka
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Jieqing Zhao
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Margaret Herre
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Joshua Zeng
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Lauren A Neal
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteomics Resource Center, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Li Zhao
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
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12
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Barredo E, Raji JI, Ramon M, DeGennaro M, Theobald J. Carbon dioxide and blood-feeding shift visual cue tracking during navigation in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220270. [PMID: 36166270 PMCID: PMC9514554 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Haematophagous mosquitoes need a blood meal to complete their reproductive cycle. To accomplish this, female mosquitoes seek vertebrate hosts, land on them and bite. As their eggs mature, they shift attention away from hosts and towards finding sites to lay eggs. We asked whether females were more tuned to visual cues when a host-related signal, carbon dioxide, was present, and further examined the effect of a blood meal, which shifts behaviour to ovipositing. Using a custom, tethered-flight arena that records wing stroke changes while displaying visual cues, we found the presence of carbon dioxide enhances visual attention towards discrete stimuli and improves contrast sensitivity for host-seeking Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Conversely, intake of a blood meal reverses vertical bar tracking, a stimulus that non-fed females readily follow. This switch in behaviour suggests that having a blood meal modulates visual attention in mosquitoes, a phenomenon that has been described before in olfaction but not in visually driven behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Barredo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Joshua I. Raji
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Michael Ramon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Jamie Theobald
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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13
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Venkataraman K, Jové V, Duvall LB. Size Quantification of Blood and Sugar Meals in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:Pdb.prot107862. [PMID: 35478167 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot107862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Both male and female mosquitoes consume sugar-rich nectar meals required for metabolic energy, but only females consume protein-rich blood meals, which are required for egg development. The size of each meal consumed has subsequent effects on behavior and reproduction; therefore, precise quantification is an important aspect of mosquito feeding behavior studies. This protocol describes a high-throughput, end-point assay to quantify meal volumes ingested by individual mosquitoes. The addition of a fluorescent dye to the meal allows for meal size quantification. Individual mosquitoes that have been fed this meal are homogenized in 96-well plates, and the fluorescence levels are measured with a plate reader. This protocol can also be adapted to determine if alteration of meal composition affects the ingested meal volume, if mosquito strain or genotype dictates consumption, or if meals are derived from multiple sources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Veronica Jové
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, New York 10027, USA
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14
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Venkataraman K, Jové V, Duvall LB. Methods to Assess Blood and Nectar Meals in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:Pdb.top107657. [PMID: 35478168 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Male and female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes survive by feeding on floral nectar for metabolic energy, but females require blood protein, obtained from biting a host, for egg development. Although males exclusively derive energy from nectar sugars, females must select the meal that best matches their present metabolic and reproductive needs. In females, blood and nectar promote independent feeding behaviors with distinct sensory appendages, meal sizes, digestive tract targets, and metabolic fates. Understanding how male and female mosquitoes recognize, locate, and metabolize nutrients is essential for characterizing the survival and reproductive capabilities of this mosquito. Here, we provide an introduction to blood versus nectar feeding and methods to quantify nectar and blood meal sizes in individual Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Precise quantification of meal size is crucial for ensuring consistency in assays that record events downstream of feeding behavior, including host attraction or fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Veronica Jové
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, New York 10027, USA
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15
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Bidirectional Microbiome-Gut-Brain-Axis Communication Influences Metabolic Switch-Associated Responses in the Mosquito Anopheles culicifacies. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111798. [PMID: 35681493 PMCID: PMC9180301 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The periodic ingestion of a protein-rich blood meal by adult female mosquitoes causes a drastic metabolic change in their innate physiological status, which is referred to as a ‘metabolic switch’. While understanding the neural circuits for host-seeking is modestly attended, how the gut ‘metabolic switch’ modulates brain functions, and resilience to physiological homeostasis, remains unexplored. Here, through a comparative brain RNA-Seq study, we demonstrate that the protein-rich diet induces the expression of brain transcripts related to mitochondrial function and energy metabolism, possibly causing a shift in the brain’s engagement to manage organismal homeostasis. A dynamic mRNA expression pattern of neuro-signaling and neuro-modulatory genes in both the gut and brain likely establishes an active gut–brain communication. The disruption of this communication through decapitation does not affect the modulation of the neuro-modulator receptor genes in the gut. In parallel, an unusual and paramount shift in the level of neurotransmitters (NTs), from the brain to the gut after blood feeding, further supports the idea of the gut’s ability to serve as a ‘second brain’. After blood-feeding, a moderate enrichment of the gut microbial population, and altered immunity in the gut of histamine receptor-silenced mosquitoes, provide initial evidence that the gut-microbiome plays a crucial role in gut–brain–axis communication. Finally, a comparative metagenomics evaluation of the gut microbiome highlighted that blood-feeding enriches the family members of the Morganellaceae and Pseudomonadaceae bacterial communities. The notable observation of a rapid proliferation of Pseudomonas bacterial sp. and tryptophan enrichment in the gut correlates with the suppression of appetite after blood-feeding. Additionally, altered NTs dynamics of naïve and aseptic mosquitoes provide further evidence that gut-endosymbionts are key modulators for the synthesis of major neuroactive molecules. Our data establish a new conceptual understanding of microbiome–gut–brain–axis communication in mosquitoes.
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16
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Xu Z, Wei Y, Huang H, Guo S, Ye H. Immunomodulatory role of short neuropeptide F in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 126:104260. [PMID: 34536467 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Short neuropeptide F (sNPF) is bioactive peptide secreted by neurons of invertebrates. It is one of the important pleiotropic neural molecules that is associated with a variety of physiological processes in invertebrates. However, little is known about the role of sNPF in the immune response. This study aimed to determine the distribution, localization, functional characteristics and signaling mechanisms of the sNPF gene and sNPF receptor (sNPF-R) gene in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. Results of this study showed that Sp-sNPF and Sp-sNPF-R were widely expressed in neural tissue and other tissues including hemocytes. Further, in situ hybridization analysis revealed that Sp-sNPF and Sp-sNPF-R have specific localization in cerebral ganglion and hemocytes. It was also found that immune stimuli significantly induced Sp-sNPF expression in cerebral ganglion. The hemocyte-derived Sp-sNPF and Sp-sNPF-R were also efficiently activated upon immune stimulation. In vitro sNPF peptide administration enhanced phagocytic ability of hemocytes. However, this activity could be blocked through knockdown of sNPF-R-dsRNA or using adenylate cyclase inhibitors SQ 22536. The results of this study also demonstrated that the contents of signaling molecule adenylyl cyclase (AC), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) in hemocytes can be up-regulated after incubation with sNPF peptide. In addition, the results of in vivo experiments showed that sNPF increased concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and enhanced phagocytic potential in S. paramamosain. The sNPF also significantly induced the expression of immune-related molecules at the gene level in S. paramamosain. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that sNPF mediates hemocyte phagocytosis via sNPF-R receptor-coupled AC-cAMP-PKA pathway and influences the innate immune processes in S. paramamosain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanning Xu
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yujie Wei
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Huiyang Huang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Songlin Guo
- College of Fisheries, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Haihui Ye
- College of Fisheries, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China.
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17
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Hillary VE, Ceasar SA. Genome engineering in insects for the control of vector borne diseases. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 179:197-223. [PMID: 33785177 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Insects cause many vector-borne infectious diseases and have become a major threat to human health. Although many control measures are undertaken, some insects are resistant to it, exacerbated by environmental changes which is a major challenge for control measures. Genetic studies by targeting the genomes of insects may offer an alternative strategy. Developments with novel genome engineering technologies have stretched our ability to target and modify any genomic sequence in Eukaryotes including insects. Genome engineering tools such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and most recently discovered, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) systems hold the potential to control the vector-borne diseases. In this chapter, we review the vector control strategy undertaken by employing three major genome engineering tools (ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9) and discuss the future prospects of this system to control insect vectors. Finally, we also discuss the CRISPR-based gene drive system and its concerns due to ecological impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Edwin Hillary
- Division of Biotechnology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Antony Ceasar
- Division of Biotechnology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Division of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, Kochi, India.
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18
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Sakuma C, Kanuka H. A simple and affordable method for estimating the fluid volume a mosquito sucks using food dyes. Trop Med Health 2021; 49:13. [PMID: 33536084 PMCID: PMC7856782 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-021-00302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood-sucking by mosquitoes is an inevitable behavior when pathogens are transmitted among humans. Adenine nucleotides such as ATP are known as phagostimulants for mosquitoes and are widely used to induce and enhance the blood-sucking activity in an artificial manner. Although using ATP solution is convenient to introduce a variety of substances (for example chemicals and pathogens) into the mosquito body via sucking, establishing an easy and cost-effective method to quantify the amount of solution ingested has yet to be reported. RESULTS A set of commercial food dyes (green, blue, yellow, and red) was employed in this study. Each dye was added to ATP solution used to colorize the abdomen of Ae. aegypti female mosquitoes after ingestion. The intake of food dyes did not show any toxicity to the mosquitoes, affecting neither ATP-sucking behavior nor survival of the mosquitoes. We observed that quantifying the color intensity of green dye in the mosquito abdomen by spectral analysis, as well as distinguishing the size of the colored abdomen using the naked eye, allowed the estimation of the amount of ingested solution. Using this method, capsaicin, a pungent component of chili peppers, was identified as an aversive tastant that can discourage mosquitoes from sucking the ATP solution. CONCLUSIONS Employing commercially available, non-toxic food dyes converted ATP-driven membrane feeding into an easy-to-use method to estimate the amount of solution ingested by mosquitoes. This method can be further applied for a variety of experiments such as introducing a certain quantity of chemical compounds or microbes into the mosquito body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chisako Sakuma
- Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
- Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Kanuka
- Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
- Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
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19
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A selectable, plasmid-based system to generate CRISPR/Cas9 gene edited and knock-in mosquito cell lines. Sci Rep 2021; 11:736. [PMID: 33436886 PMCID: PMC7804293 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80436-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes (Ae.) aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes transmit arthropod-borne diseases around the globe, causing ~ 700,000 deaths each year. Genetic mutants are valuable tools to interrogate both fundamental vector biology and mosquito host factors important for viral infection. However, very few genetic mutants have been described in mosquitoes in comparison to model organisms. The relative ease of applying CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing has transformed genome engineering and has rapidly increased the number of available gene mutants in mosquitoes. Yet, in vivo studies may not be practical for screening large sets of mutants or possible for laboratories that lack insectaries. Thus, it would be useful to adapt CRISPR/Cas9 systems to common mosquito cell lines. In this study, we generated and characterized a mosquito optimized, plasmid-based CRISPR/Cas9 system for use in U4.4 (Ae. albopictus) and Aag2 (Ae. aegypti) cell lines. We demonstrated highly efficient editing of the AGO1 locus and isolated U4.4 and Aag2 cell lines with reduced AGO1 expression. Further, we used homology-directed repair to establish knock-in Aag2 cell lines with a 3xFLAG-tag at the N-terminus of endogenous AGO1. These experimentally verified plasmids are versatile, cost-effective, and efficiently edit immune competent mosquito cell lines that are widely used in arbovirus studies.
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20
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Jové V, Gong Z, Hol FJH, Zhao Z, Sorrells TR, Carroll TS, Prakash M, McBride CS, Vosshall LB. Sensory Discrimination of Blood and Floral Nectar by Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Neuron 2020; 108:1163-1180.e12. [PMID: 33049200 PMCID: PMC9831381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Blood-feeding mosquitoes survive by feeding on nectar for metabolic energy but require a blood meal to develop eggs. Aedes aegypti females must accurately discriminate blood and nectar because each meal promotes mutually exclusive feeding programs with distinct sensory appendages, meal sizes, digestive tract targets, and metabolic fates. We investigated the syringe-like blood-feeding appendage, the stylet, and discovered that sexually dimorphic stylet neurons taste blood. Using pan-neuronal calcium imaging, we found that blood is detected by four functionally distinct stylet neuron classes, each tuned to specific blood components associated with diverse taste qualities. Stylet neurons are insensitive to nectar-specific sugars and respond to glucose only in the presence of additional blood components. The distinction between blood and nectar is therefore encoded in specialized neurons at the very first level of sensory detection in mosquitoes. This innate ability to recognize blood is the basis of vector-borne disease transmission to millions of people worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Jové
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zhongyan Gong
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Felix J H Hol
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Zhilei Zhao
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Trevor R Sorrells
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas S Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Carolyn S McBride
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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21
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Basrur NS, De Obaldia ME, Morita T, Herre M, von Heynitz RK, Tsitohay YN, Vosshall LB. Fruitless mutant male mosquitoes gain attraction to human odor. eLife 2020; 9:e63982. [PMID: 33284111 PMCID: PMC7806257 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Aedesaegypti mosquito shows extreme sexual dimorphism in feeding. Only females are attracted to and obtain a blood-meal from humans, which they use to stimulate egg production. The fruitless gene is sex-specifically spliced and encodes a BTB zinc-finger transcription factor proposed to be a master regulator of male courtship and mating behavior across insects. We generated fruitless mutant mosquitoes and showed that males failed to mate, confirming the ancestral function of this gene in male sexual behavior. Remarkably, fruitless males also gain strong attraction to a live human host, a behavior that wild-type males never display, suggesting that male mosquitoes possess the central or peripheral neural circuits required to host-seek and that removing fruitless reveals this latent behavior in males. Our results highlight an unexpected repurposing of a master regulator of male-specific sexual behavior to control one module of female-specific blood-feeding behavior in a deadly vector of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nipun S Basrur
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Maria Elena De Obaldia
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Takeshi Morita
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Margaret Herre
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Ricarda K von Heynitz
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Yael N Tsitohay
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Kavli Neural Systems InstituteNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkUnited States
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22
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Jové V, Venkataraman K, Gabel TM, Duvall LB. Feeding and Quantifying Animal-Derived Blood and Artificial Meals in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. J Vis Exp 2020:10.3791/61835. [PMID: 33165316 PMCID: PMC8060843 DOI: 10.3791/61835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Females of certain mosquito species can spread diseases while biting vertebrate hosts to obtain protein-rich blood meals required for egg development. In the laboratory, researchers can deliver animal-derived and artificial blood meals to mosquitoes via membrane feeders, which allow for manipulation of meal composition. Here, we present methods for feeding blood and artificial blood meals to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and quantifying the volume consumed by individual females. Targeted feeding and quantification of artificial/blood meals have broad uses, including testing the effects of meal components on mosquito behavior and physiology, delivering pharmacological compounds without injection, and infecting mosquitoes with specific pathogens. Adding fluorescein dye to the meal prior to feeding allows for subsequent meal size quantification. The meal volume consumed by mosquitoes can be measured either by weight, if the females are to be used later for behavioral experiments, or by homogenizing individual females in 96-well plates and measuring fluorescence levels using a plate reader as an endpoint assay. Meal size quantification can be used to determine whether changing the meal components alters the meal volume ingested or if meal consumption differs between mosquito strains. Precise meal size quantification is also critical for downstream assays, such as those measuring effects on host attraction or fecundity. The methods presented here can be further adapted to track meal digestion over the course of days or to include multiple distinguishable markers added to different meals (like nectar and blood) to quantify the consumption of each meal by a single mosquito. These methods allow researchers to singlehandedly perform high-throughput measurements to compare the meal volume consumed by hundreds of individual mosquitoes. These tools will therefore be broadly useful to the community of mosquito researchers for answering diverse biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Jové
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
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23
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Barredo E, DeGennaro M. Not Just from Blood: Mosquito Nutrient Acquisition from Nectar Sources. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:473-484. [PMID: 32298634 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Anthropophilic female mosquitoes are well known for their strong attraction to human hosts, but plant nectar is a common energy source in their diets. When sugar sources are scarce, female mosquitoes of some species can compensate by taking larger and more frequent blood meals. Male mosquitoes are exclusively dependent on plant nectar or alternative sugar sources. Plant preference is likely driven by an innate attraction that may be enhanced by experience, as mosquitoes learn to recognize available sugar rewards. Nectar-seeking involves the integration of at least three sensory systems: olfaction, vision and taste. The prevention of vector-borne illnesses, the determination of the mosquitoes' ecological role, and the design of efficient sugar-baited traps will all benefit from understanding the molecular basis of nectar-seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Barredo
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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24
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Matthews BJ, Vosshall LB. How to turn an organism into a model organism in 10 'easy' steps. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/Suppl_1/jeb218198. [PMID: 32034051 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.218198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Many of the major biological discoveries of the 20th century were made using just six species: Escherichia coli bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, Drosophila melanogaster flies and Mus musculus mice. Our molecular understanding of the cell division cycle, embryonic development, biological clocks and metabolism were all obtained through genetic analysis using these species. Yet the 'big 6' did not start out as genetic model organisms (hereafter 'model organisms'), so how did they mature into such powerful systems? First, these model organisms are abundant human commensals: they are the bacteria in our gut, the yeast in our beer and bread, the nematodes in our compost pile, the flies in our kitchen and the mice in our walls. Because of this, they are cheaply, easily and rapidly bred in the laboratory and in addition were amenable to genetic analysis. How and why should we add additional species to this roster? We argue that specialist species will reveal new secrets in important areas of biology and that with modern technological innovations like next-generation sequencing and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, the time is ripe to move beyond the big 6. In this review, we chart a 10-step path to this goal, using our own experience with the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which we built into a model organism for neurobiology in one decade. Insights into the biology of this deadly disease vector require that we work with the mosquito itself rather than modeling its biology in another species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Matthews
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
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25
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Duvall LB, Ramos-Espiritu L, Barsoum KE, Glickman JF, Vosshall LB. Small-Molecule Agonists of Ae. aegypti Neuropeptide Y Receptor Block Mosquito Biting. Cell 2019; 176:687-701.e5. [PMID: 30735632 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes bite humans to obtain blood to develop their eggs. Remarkably, their strong attraction to humans is suppressed for days after the blood meal by an unknown mechanism. We investigated a role for neuropeptide Y (NPY)-related signaling in long-term behavioral suppression and discovered that drugs targeting human NPY receptors modulate mosquito host-seeking. In a screen of all 49 predicted Ae. aegypti peptide receptors, we identified NPY-like receptor 7 (NPYLR7) as the sole target of these drugs. To obtain small-molecule agonists selective for NPYLR7, we performed a high-throughput cell-based assay of 265,211 compounds and isolated six highly selective NPYLR7 agonists that inhibit mosquito attraction to humans. NPYLR7 CRISPR-Cas9 null mutants are defective in behavioral suppression and resistant to these drugs. Finally, we show that these drugs can inhibit biting and blood-feeding on a live host, suggesting a novel approach to control infectious disease transmission by controlling mosquito behavior. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Duvall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lavoisier Ramos-Espiritu
- High-Throughput Screening and Spectroscopy Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kyrollos E Barsoum
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - J Fraser Glickman
- High-Throughput Screening and Spectroscopy Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Raji JI, Gonzalez S, DeGennaro M. Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water. Commun Integr Biol 2019; 12:181-186. [PMID: 31700566 PMCID: PMC6824317 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2019.1681063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The detection of water sources is crucial for insects such as mosquitoes to avoid desiccation and survive. In addition, mosquitoes use humidity cues to successfully navigate the environment to find a suitable oviposition site. Previous studies have implicated some members of the ionotropic receptor family in humidity sensing by Drosophila. Here, we investigate if IR8a co-receptor mediates water detection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Using a simple behavioral assay, we examined the attraction of Ir8a mutant mosquitoes to standing water. Ir8a mutant mosquitoes were able to discriminate between traps containing water and those without as well as wild-type and heterozygous control females. Surprisingly, the female mutants were more robustly drawn to standing water than control mosquitoes. Further investigation revealed that the increased behavioral attraction to water is likely not mediated by a metabolic need or an activity defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I Raji
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sheyla Gonzalez
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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27
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Human Odour Coding in the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13336. [PMID: 31527631 PMCID: PMC6746732 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49753-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects use their olfactory systems to obtain chemical information on mating partners, oviposition sites and food. The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, an important vector of human infectious diseases, shows strong preference for human blood meals. This study investigated the chemical basis of host detection by characterizing the neuronal responses of antennal olfactory sensilla of female Ae. aegypti to 103 compounds from human skin emanations. The effect of blood feeding on the responses of olfactory sensilla to these odorants was examined as well. Sensilla SBTII, GP, and three functional subtypes of SST (SST1, SST2, and SST3) responded to most of the compounds tested. Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) ‘A’ and ‘B’ in the trichoid sensilla, either activated or inhibited, were involved in the odour coding process. Compounds from different chemical classes elicited responses with different temporal structures and different response patterns across the olfactory sensilla. Except for their increased responses to several odorants, blood-fed mosquitoes generally evoked reduced responses to specific aldehydes, alcohols, aliphatics/aromatics, ketones, and amines through the SST1, SST2, SBTI, SBTII and GP sensilla. The odorants eliciting diminished responses in female mosquitoes after blood feeding may be important in Ae. aegypti host-seeking activity and thus can be candidates for mosquito attractants in the process of this disease vector management.
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28
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Hill SR, Ghaninia M, Ignell R. Blood Meal Induced Regulation of Gene Expression in the Maxillary Palps, a Chemosensory Organ of the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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29
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Duvall LB. Mosquito Host-Seeking Regulation: Targets for Behavioral Control. Trends Parasitol 2019; 35:704-714. [PMID: 31326312 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes require protein from blood to develop eggs. They have evolved a strong innate drive to find and bite humans and engorge on their blood. Decades of research have revealed that attraction to hosts is suppressed for days after blood-feeding. During this time, females coordinate complex physiological changes, allowing them to utilize blood protein to develop eggs: clearing excess fluid, digesting protein, and egg maturation. How do mechanosensation, nutrient consumption, and reproductive pathways combine to produce the full expression of host-seeking suppression? Understanding mechanisms of endogenous host-seeking suppression may allow them to be 'weaponized' against mosquitoes through exogenous activation and developed as tools for vector control. Recent work allows unprecedented genetic and pharmacological access to characterize and disrupt this behavioral cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Duvall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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30
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Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes bite human hosts to obtain a blood meal and, in the process, act as vectors for many disease-causing viruses, including the dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. After a complete meal, the female mosquitoes lose attraction to their hosts for several days. New research shows that pharmacological activation of neuropeptide Y-like receptor (NPYLR) signaling elicits host aversion in female mosquitoes. This behavior of mosquitoes shows remarkable similarities to a bacterial-aversion behavior of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans Feeding on pathogenic bacteria causes bloating of the gut in C. elegans that leads to activation of NPYLR signaling and bacterial aversion. Several studies suggest that this newly discovered mechanism underlying foraging may be conserved across a large number of species. A better understanding of the regulation of NPYLR signaling pathways could provide molecular targets for the control of eating behaviors in different animals, including human-disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jogender Singh
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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31
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Dennis EJ, Goldman OV, Vosshall LB. Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Use Their Legs to Sense DEET on Contact. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1551-1556.e5. [PMID: 31031114 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the most effective and widely used insect repellent, but its mechanism of action is both complex and controversial [1]. DEET acts on insect smell [2-6] and taste [7-11], and its olfactory mode of action requires the odorant co-receptor orco [2, 3, 6]. We previously observed that orco mutant female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are strongly attracted to humans even in the presence of DEET, but they are rapidly repelled after contacting DEET-treated skin [6]. DEET inhibits food ingestion by Drosophila melanogaster flies, and this repellency is mediated by bitter taste neurons in the proboscis [9]. Similar neurons were identified in the mosquito proboscis, leading to the hypothesis that DEET repels on contact by activating an aversive bitter taste pathway [10]. To understand the basis of DEET contact chemorepellency, we carried out behavioral experiments and discovered that DEET acts by three distinct mechanisms: smell, ingestion, and contact. Like bitter tastants, DEET is a feeding deterrent when ingested, but its bitterness per se does not fully explain DEET contact chemorepellency. Mosquitoes blood fed on human arms treated with high concentrations of bitters, but rapidly avoided DEET-treated skin and did not blood feed. Insects detect tastants both through their proboscis and legs. We show that DEET contact chemorepellency is mediated exclusively by the tarsal segments of the legs and not the proboscis. This work establishes mosquito legs as the behaviorally relevant contact sensors of DEET. These results will inform the search for molecular mechanisms mediating DEET contact chemorepellency and novel contact-based insect repellents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Dennis
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivia V Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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32
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Raji JI, Melo N, Castillo JS, Gonzalez S, Saldana V, Stensmyr MC, DeGennaro M. Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Detect Acidic Volatiles Found in Human Odor Using the IR8a Pathway. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1253-1262.e7. [PMID: 30930038 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes use olfaction as a primary means of detecting their hosts. Previously, the functional ablation of a family of Aedes aegypti olfactory receptors, the odorant receptors (ORs), was not sufficient to reduce host seeking in the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2). This suggests the olfactory receptors that remain, such as the ionotropic receptors (IRs), could play a significant role in host detection. To test this, we disrupted the Ir8a co-receptor in Ae. aegypti using CRISPR/Cas9. We found that Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes are not attracted to lactic acid, a behaviorally active component of human sweat, and they lack odor-evoked responses to acidic volatiles. The loss of Ir8a reduces mosquito attraction to humans and their odor. We show that the CO2-detection pathway is necessary but not sufficient for IR8a to detect human odor. Our study reveals that the IR8a pathway is crucial for an anthropophilic vector mosquito to effectively seek hosts. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua I Raji
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Nadia Melo
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - John S Castillo
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Sheyla Gonzalez
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Valeria Saldana
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | | | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences & Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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33
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Hill S, Ignell R. Mosquitoes on a Diet Reduce Those Pesky Bites. Trends Parasitol 2019; 35:335-336. [PMID: 30910491 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the internal regulation of mosquito's human-seeking capacity provides a novel means for vector control. Mosquitoes bite us to obtain blood in order to develop their eggs. Professor Vosshall and colleagues (Cell 2019;176:687-701) have exploited the modulatory pathway to control this hunger for blood by designing drugs based on human diet-suppression pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Hill
- Disease Vector Group, Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; The authors made equal contributions
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden; The authors made equal contributions.
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34
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Meuti ME, Short SM. Physiological and Environmental Factors Affecting the Composition of the Ejaculate in Mosquitoes and Other Insects. INSECTS 2019; 10:E74. [PMID: 30875967 PMCID: PMC6468485 DOI: 10.3390/insects10030074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
In addition to transferring sperm, male mosquitoes deliver several proteins, hormones and other factors to females in their seminal fluid that inhibit remating, alter host-seeking behaviors and stimulate oviposition. Recently, bioinformatics, transcriptomics and proteomics have been used to characterize the genes transcribed in male reproductive tissues and the individual proteins that are delivered to females. Thanks to these foundational studies, we now understand the complexity of the ejaculate in several mosquito species. Building on this work, researchers have begun to identify the functions of various proteins and hormones in the male ejaculate, and how they mediate their effects on female mosquitoes. Here, we present an overview of these studies, followed by a discussion of an under-studied aspect of male reproductive physiology: the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the composition of the ejaculate. We argue that future research in this area would improve our understanding of male reproductive biology from a physiological and ecological perspective, and that researchers may be able to leverage this information to study key components of the ejaculate. Furthermore, this work has the potential to improve mosquito control by allowing us to account for relevant factors when implementing vector control strategies involving male reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Meuti
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 2001 Fyffe Rd., Room 232 Howlett Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Sarah M Short
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 2001 Fyffe Rd., Room 232 Howlett Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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35
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Fadda M, Hasakiogullari I, Temmerman L, Beets I, Zels S, Schoofs L. Regulation of Feeding and Metabolism by Neuropeptide F and Short Neuropeptide F in Invertebrates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:64. [PMID: 30837946 PMCID: PMC6389622 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous neuropeptide systems have been implicated to coordinately control energy homeostasis, both centrally and peripherally. However, the vertebrate neuropeptide Y (NPY) system has emerged as the best described one regarding this biological process. The protostomian ortholog of NPY is neuropeptide F, characterized by an RXRF(Y)amide carboxyterminal motif. A second neuropeptide system is short NPF, characterized by an M/T/L/FRF(W)amide carboxyterminal motif. Although both short and long NPF neuropeptide systems display carboxyterminal sequence similarities, they are evolutionary distant and likely already arose as separate signaling systems in the common ancestor of deuterostomes and protostomes, indicating the functional importance of both. Both NPF and short-NPF systems seem to have roles in the coordination of feeding across bilaterian species, but during chordate evolution, the short NPF system appears to have been lost or evolved into the prolactin releasing peptide signaling system, which regulates feeding and has been suggested to be orthologous to sNPF. Here we review the roles of both NPF and sNPF systems in the regulation of feeding and metabolism in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Liliane Schoofs
- Department of Biology, Functional Genomics and Proteomics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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36
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Duan Şahbaz B, Birgül Iyison N. Prediction and expression analysis of G protein-coupled receptors in the laboratory stick insect, Carausius morosus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 43:77-88. [PMID: 30930638 PMCID: PMC6426647 DOI: 10.3906/biy-1809-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are 7-transmembrane proteins that transduce various extracellular signals into intracellular pathways. They are the major target of neuropeptides, which regulate the development, feeding behavior, mating behavior, circadian rhythm, and many other physiological functions of insects. In the present study, we performed RNA sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly to uncover the GPCRs expressed in the stick insect Carausius morosus. The transcript assemblies were predicted for the presence of 7-transmembrane GPCR domains. As a result, 430 putative GPCR transcripts were obtained and 43 of these revealed full-length sequences with highly significant similarity to known GPCR sequences in the databases. Thirteen different GPCRs were chosen for tissue expression analysis. Some of these receptors, such as calcitonin, inotocin, and tyramine receptors, showed specific expression in some of the tissues. Additionally, GPCR prediction yielded a novel uncharacterized GPCR sequence, which was specifically expressed in the central nervous system and ganglia. Previously, the only information about the anatomy of the stick insect was on its gastrointestinal system. This study provides complete anatomical information about the adult insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burçin Duan Şahbaz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Boğaziçi University , İstanbul , Turkey
| | - Necla Birgül Iyison
- Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Boğaziçi University , İstanbul , Turkey.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Boğaziçi University , İstanbul , Turkey
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37
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The Perfect Appetizer: A Pharmacological Strategy for a Non-biting Mosquito. Cell 2019; 176:679-681. [PMID: 30735629 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
New possibilities for vector-borne disease control are revealed by Duvall et al. (2019), who link host-seeking behavioral modulation in Aedes aegypti to neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like receptor 7. Small-molecule screening yields agonist compounds able to activate NPYLR7 and suppress attraction to hosts.
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38
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Sedra L, Paluzzi JP, Lange AB. Characterization and expression of a long neuropeptide F (NPF) receptor in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202425. [PMID: 30114273 PMCID: PMC6095579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, a long neuropeptide F receptor of the blood-feeding hemipteran, Rhodnius prolixus (RhoprNPFR) has been cloned and characterized. Approximately 70% of the RhoprNPFR deduced protein sequence is identical to that of other hemipteran NPFRs. RhoprNPFR has seven highly-conserved transmembrane domains, two cysteine residues in the 2nd and 3rd extracellular loops that likely form a disulfide bond integral for maintaining the structure of the receptor, and a conserved DRY motif after the third transmembrane domain. All of these characteristics are typical of class A rhodopsin-like GPCRs. The receptor transcript is predominantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and gut of both fifth instar and adult R. prolixus. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we identified six bilaterally-paired large median neurosecretory cells (approximately 30μm in diameter) in the brain that express the RhoprNPFR mRNA transcript. We also found RhoprNPFR transcript expression in endocrine cells in the anterior midgut of fifth instars, as well as in putative pre-follicular cells present in the germarium and between developing oocytes, and in the nutritive cord. These results suggest that RhoprNPFR may play a role within the CNS, and in digestion and possibly egg production and/or egg development in R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sedra
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Angela B. Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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39
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Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Macias VM, Hughes GL, Pujhari S, Suzuki Y, Peterson DR, Kim D, McKeand S, Rasgon JL. Targeted delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein into arthropod ovaries for heritable germline gene editing. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3008. [PMID: 30068905 PMCID: PMC6070532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cas9-mediated gene editing is a powerful tool for addressing research questions in arthropods. Current approaches rely upon delivering Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex by embryonic microinjection, which is challenging, is limited to a small number of species, and is inefficient even in optimized taxa. Here we develop a technology termed Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control) to deliver Cas9 RNP to the arthropod germline by injection into adult female mosquitoes. We identify a peptide (P2C) that mediates transduction of Cas9 RNP from the female hemolymph to the developing mosquito oocytes, resulting in heritable gene editing of the offspring with efficiency as high as 0.3 mutants per injected mosquito. We demonstrate that P2C functions in six mosquito species. Identification of taxa-specific ovary-specific ligand-receptor pairs may further extend the use of ReMOT Control for gene editing in novel species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Vanessa M Macias
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Grant L Hughes
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,Department of Pathology, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Center for Tropical Diseases, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Sujit Pujhari
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yasutsugu Suzuki
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.,Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche, 3569, Paris, France
| | - David R Peterson
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Donghun Kim
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Sage McKeand
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Center for infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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40
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Christ P, Hill SR, Schachtner J, Hauser F, Ignell R. Functional characterization of mosquito short neuropeptide F receptors. Peptides 2018; 103:31-39. [PMID: 29550617 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito blood feeding transiently inhibits sugar- and host seeking through neuropeptide signaling. Short neuropeptide F (sNPF) is one of the neuromodulators involved in this regulation. Here, we identified the genes for the sNPF precursor and the sNPF receptor in the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. Comparative analyses are made with the genes of the sNPF precursor and receptor from two other important vectors, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles coluzzii. We functionally characterized the receptors in all three species using endogenous neuropeptides, and quantified their transcript expression following a blood meal and a sugar meal. Our analysis reveals several Cx. quinquefasciatus-specific duplications of the sNPF-3 isoform on the sNPF precursor, which are not reflected in the precursors of the other two species. In contrast, the structure of the sNPF receptors is highly conserved within mosquitoes, and a putative ligand binding region is proposed and discussed. Reflecting the high structural conservation, the sNPF receptor sensitivity to endogenous sNPF isoforms is conserved across mosquito species. Using quantitative real time PCR, we demonstrate that transcript abundance of the sNPF receptor and precursor is regulated following feeding, only in Cx. quinquefasciatus. We discuss our findings in relation to previous work on sNPF signaling and its role in feeding regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christ
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Sharon R Hill
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Joachim Schachtner
- Neurobiology/Ethology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Frank Hauser
- Center for Functional and Comparative Insect Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden.
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41
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Christ P, Hill SR, Schachtner J, Hauser F, Ignell R. Functional characterization of the dual allatostatin-A receptors in mosquitoes. Peptides 2018; 99:44-55. [PMID: 29103918 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide allatostatin-A (AstA) and its cognate receptors (AstARs) are involved in the modulation of feeding behavior, which in hematophagous insects includes the regulation of the disease vector-related behaviors, host seeking and blood feeding. In mosquitoes and other dipterans, there are two copies of AstAR, contrasting with the single copy found in other insects. In this study, we identified and cloned the dual AstAR system of two important disease vectors Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, and compared them with those previously described, including those in Anopheles coluzzii and Drosophila melanogaster. Phylogenetic analysis of the AstARs revealed that the mosquito AstAR1s has retained a similar amino acid sequence as the AstARs from non-dipteran insect species. Intron analysis revealed that the number of introns accumulated in the AstAR2s is similar to that in other insects, and that introns are conserved within the receptor types, but that only the final two introns are conserved across AstAR1s and 2s. We functionally characterized the dual AstARs in An. coluzzii, Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus by stably expressing the receptors in a Chinese hamster oocyte cell line (CHO) also stably expressing a promiscuous G-protein (G16), and challenged them with the endogenous isoforms of AstA from the three mosquito species. In the culicine mosquitoes, Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus, the AstARs demonstrated differential sensitivity to AstA, with the AstAR2s displaying a higher sensitivity than the AstAR1s, suggesting a divergence of functional roles for these AstARs. In contrast, both An. coluzzii AstARs demonstrated a similar sensitivity to the AstA ligands. We discuss our findings in the light of AstA acting as a regulator of blood feeding in mosquitoes. A better understanding of the regulation of host seeking and blood feeding in vector mosquitoes will lead to the rational development of novel approaches for vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christ
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Sharon R Hill
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Joachim Schachtner
- Neurobiology/Ethology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
| | - Frank Hauser
- Center for Functional and Comparative Insect Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen,Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden.
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Bao C, Yang Y, Huang H, Ye H. Inhibitory Role of the Mud Crab Short Neuropeptide F in Vitellogenesis and Oocyte Maturation via Autocrine/Paracrine Signaling. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:390. [PMID: 30057569 PMCID: PMC6053504 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides, in addition to their classical role in the nervous system, act on intraovarian factors to regulate reproductive functions in vertebrates. However, this function of neuropeptides has not been characterized in crustaceans. Short neuropeptide F (sNPF), a highly conserved invertebrate neuropeptide, has been reported to be involved in feeding, metabolism, and in differentiation processes including reproduction. Although sNPF and its receptor (sNPFR) have been detected in the ovary in different species, ovarian colocalization of sNPF/sNPFR has not been investigated. In this study, we identified Scylla paramamosain (mud crab) sNPF (Sp-sNPF) as an endogenous ligand for the S. paramamosain orphan G protein-coupled receptor NPY2R in mammalian cell line HEK293T. We designated this receptor as Sp-sNPFR. RNA in situ hybridization in pre-vitellogenic ovary and reverse transcription-PCR on isolated denuded oocytes and follicle layers showed that Sp-sNPF was exclusively localized to the follicle cells, whereas Sp-sNPFR was detected in both follicle cells and oocytes. We also found that Sp-sNPF partly suppressed spontaneous maturation of denuded oocytes and caused intracellular cAMP accumulation and Ca2+ mobilization. Moreover, injection of synthetic Sp-sNPF peptides inhibited the expression of vitellogenin and vitellogenin receptor genes in vivo. These combined results suggest for the first time that Sp-sNPF may have inhibitory functions in vitellogenesis and oocyte maturation possibly via the autocrine/paracrine pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchang Bao
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanan Yang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huiyang Huang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Haihui Ye
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen, China
- *Correspondence: Haihui Ye
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Li M, Bui M, Yang T, Bowman CS, White BJ, Akbari OS. Germline Cas9 expression yields highly efficient genome engineering in a major worldwide disease vector, Aedes aegypti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10540-E10549. [PMID: 29138316 PMCID: PMC5724270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711538114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies has dramatically increased the accessibility and efficiency of genome editing in many organisms. In general, in vivo germline expression of Cas9 results in substantially higher activity than embryonic injection. However, no transgenic lines expressing Cas9 have been developed for the major mosquito disease vector Aedes aegypti Here, we describe the generation of multiple stable, transgenic Ae. aegypti strains expressing Cas9 in the germline, resulting in dramatic improvements in both the consistency and efficiency of genome modifications using CRISPR. Using these strains, we disrupted numerous genes important for normal morphological development, and even generated triple mutants from a single injection. We have also managed to increase the rates of homology-directed repair by more than an order of magnitude. Given the exceptional mutagenic efficiency and specificity of the Cas9 strains we engineered, they can be used for high-throughput reverse genetic screens to help functionally annotate the Ae. aegypti genome. Additionally, these strains represent a step toward the development of novel population control technologies targeting Ae. aegypti that rely on Cas9-based gene drives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Michelle Bui
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Christian S Bowman
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Bradley J White
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521;
- Center for Disease Vector Research, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
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Christ P, Reifenrath A, Kahnt J, Hauser F, Hill SR, Schachtner J, Ignell R. Feeding-induced changes in allatostatin-A and short neuropeptide F in the antennal lobes affect odor-mediated host seeking in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188243. [PMID: 29166650 PMCID: PMC5699834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a model species in which the endogenous regulation of odor-mediated host seeking behavior has received some attention. Sugar feeding and host seeking in female A. aegypti are transiently inhibited following a blood meal. This inhibition is partially mediated by short neuropeptide F (sNPF). The paired antennal lobes (ALs), as the first processing centers for olfactory information, has been shown to play a significant role in the neuropeptidergic regulation of odor-mediated behaviors in insects. The expression of sNPF, along with other peptides in the ALs of A. aegypti, indicate parallel neuromodulatory systems that may affect olfactory processing. To identify neuropeptides involved in regulating the odor-mediated host seeking behavior in A. aegypti, we use a semi-quantitative neuropeptidomic analysis of single ALs to analyze changes in the levels of five individual neuropeptides in response to different feeding regimes. Our results show that the level of sNPF-2, allatostatin-A-5 (AstA-5) and neuropeptide-like precursor-1-5 (NPLP-1-5), but not of tachykinin-related-peptides and SIFamide (SIFa), in the AL of female mosquitoes, changes 24 h and 48 h post-blood meal, and are dependent on prior access to sugar. To assess the role of these neuropeptides in modulating host seeking behavior, when systemically injected individually, sNPF-2 and AstA-5 significantly reduced host seeking behavior. However, only the injection of the binary mixture of the two neuropeptides lead to a host seeking inhibition similar to that observed in blood fed females. We conclude that modulation of the odor mediated host seeking behavior of A. aegypti is likely regulated by a dual neuropeptidergic pathway acting in concert in the ALs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christ
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Anna Reifenrath
- Neurobiology/Ethology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Kahnt
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Frank Hauser
- Center for Functional and Comparative Insect Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sharon Rose Hill
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Joachim Schachtner
- Neurobiology/Ethology, Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
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Duvall LB, Basrur NS, Molina H, McMeniman CJ, Vosshall LB. A Peptide Signaling System that Rapidly Enforces Paternity in the Aedes aegypti Mosquito. Curr Biol 2017; 27:3734-3742.e5. [PMID: 29174895 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes typically mate only once with one male in their lifetime, a behavior known as "monandry" [1]. This single mating event provisions the female with sufficient sperm to fertilize the >500 eggs she will produce during her ∼4- to 6-week lifespan in the laboratory [2]. Successful mating induces lifetime refractoriness to subsequent insemination by other males, enforcing the paternity of the first male [3-5]. Ae. aegypti mate in flight near human hosts [6], and females become refractory to remating within seconds [1, 3, 4], suggesting the existence of a rapid mechanism to prevent female remating. In this study, we implicate HP-I, an Aedes- and male-specific peptide transferred to females [7], and its cognate receptor in the female, NPYLR1 [8], in rapid enforcement of paternity. HP-I mutant males were ineffective in enforcing paternity when a second male was given access to the female within 1 hr. NPYLR1 mutant females produced mixed paternity offspring at high frequency, indicating acceptance of multiple mates. Synthetic HP-I injected into wild-type, but not NPYLR1 mutant, virgins reduced successful matings. Asian tiger mosquito (Ae. albopictus) HP-I peptides potently activated Ae. aegypti NPYLR1. Invasive Ae. albopictus males are known to copulate with and effectively sterilize Ae. aegypti females by causing them to reject future mates [9]. Cross-species transfer of sperm and active seminal fluid proteins including HP-I may contribute to this phenomenon. This signaling system promotes rapid paternity enforcement within Ae. aegypti but may promote local extinction in areas where they compete with Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Duvall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nipun S Basrur
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteomics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Macias VM, Ohm JR, Rasgon JL. Gene Drive for Mosquito Control: Where Did It Come from and Where Are We Headed? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14091006. [PMID: 28869513 PMCID: PMC5615543 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14091006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne pathogens place an enormous burden on human health. The existing toolkit is insufficient to support ongoing vector-control efforts towards meeting disease elimination and eradication goals. The perspective that genetic approaches can potentially add a significant set of tools toward mosquito control is not new, but the recent improvements in site-specific gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 systems have enhanced our ability to both study mosquito biology using reverse genetics and produce genetics-based tools. Cas9-mediated gene-editing is an efficient and adaptable platform for gene drive strategies, which have advantages over innundative release strategies for introgressing desirable suppression and pathogen-blocking genotypes into wild mosquito populations; until recently, an effective gene drive has been largely out of reach. Many considerations will inform the effective use of new genetic tools, including gene drives. Here we review the lengthy history of genetic advances in mosquito biology and discuss both the impact of efficient site-specific gene editing on vector biology and the resulting potential to deploy new genetic tools for the abatement of mosquito-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M Macias
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Johanna R Ohm
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Benton R. The neurobiology of gustation in insect disease vectors: progress and potential. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 20:19-27. [PMID: 28602232 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
For insect vectors of human diseases, mealtimes are a key moment of infection. Understanding how and when such species decide on what to feed is both an interesting problem in sensory neurobiology and a source of information for intervention of these behaviors to control spread of infectious agents. Here I review the current knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of gustation in insect disease vectors, covering blood-feeders as well as scavengers that spread pathogens indirectly. I also consider how these behaviors are modulated over short and long timescales, and describe efforts to artificially modulate them. Though a relatively nascent field, gustatory neurobiology in insect vectors has much promise for future fundamental discoveries and practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Génopode Building, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Schoofs L, De Loof A, Van Hiel MB. Neuropeptides as Regulators of Behavior in Insects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 62:35-52. [PMID: 27813667 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides are by far the largest and most diverse group of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms. They are ancient molecules important in regulating a multitude of processes. Their small proteinaceous character allowed them to evolve and radiate quickly into numerous different molecules. On average, hundreds of distinct neuropeptides are present in animals, sometimes with unique classes that do not occur in distantly related species. Acting as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, hormones, or growth factors, they are extremely diverse and are involved in controlling growth, development, ecdysis, digestion, diuresis, and many more physiological processes. Neuropeptides are also crucial in regulating myriad behavioral actions associated with feeding, courtship, sleep, learning and memory, stress, addiction, and social interactions. In general, behavior ensures that an organism can survive in its environment and is defined as any action that can change an organism's relationship to its surroundings. Even though the mode of action of neuropeptides in insects has been vigorously studied, relatively little is known about most neuropeptides and only a few model insects have been investigated. Here, we provide an overview of the roles neuropeptides play in insect behavior. We conclude that multiple neuropeptides need to work in concert to coordinate certain behaviors. Additionally, most neuropeptides studied to date have more than a single function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliane Schoofs
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; , ,
| | - Arnold De Loof
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; , ,
| | - Matthias Boris Van Hiel
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; , ,
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49
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Strand MR, Brown MR, Vogel KJ. Mosquito Peptide Hormones: Diversity, Production, and Function. ADVANCES IN INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 51:145-188. [PMID: 30662099 PMCID: PMC6338476 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aiip.2016.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes, like other insects, produce a diversity of peptide hormones that are processed from different precursor proteins and have a range of activities. Early studies relied on purification of bioactive peptides for hormone identification, but more recently genomic data have provided the information needed to more comprehensively identify peptide hormone genes and associated receptors. The first part of this chapter summarizes the known or predicted peptide hormones that are produced by mosquitoes. The second part of this chapter discusses the sources of these molecules and their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Strand
- University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - M R Brown
- University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - K J Vogel
- University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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50
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Leucokinin mimetic elicits aversive behavior in mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.) and inhibits the sugar taste neuron. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:6880-5. [PMID: 27274056 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520404113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect kinins (leucokinins) are multifunctional peptides acting as neurohormones and neurotransmitters. In females of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti (L.), aedeskinins are known to stimulate fluid secretion from the renal organs (Malpighian tubules) and hindgut contractions by activating a G protein-coupled kinin receptor designated "Aedae-KR." We used protease-resistant kinin analogs 1728, 1729, and 1460 to evaluate their effects on sucrose perception and feeding behavior. In no-choice feeding bioassays (capillary feeder and plate assays), the analog 1728, which contains α-amino isobutyric acid, inhibited females from feeding on sucrose. It further induced quick fly-away or walk-away behavior following contact with the tarsi and the mouthparts. Electrophysiological recordings from single long labellar sensilla of the proboscis demonstrated that mixing the analog 1728 at 1 mM with sucrose almost completely inhibited the detection of sucrose. Aedae-KR was immunolocalized in contact chemosensory neurons in prothoracic tarsi and in sensory neurons and accessory cells of long labellar sensilla in the distal labellum. Silencing Aedae-KR by RNAi significantly reduced gene expression and eliminated the feeding-aversion behavior resulting from contact with the analog 1728, thus directly implicating the Aedae-KR in the aversion response. To our knowledge, this is the first report that kinin analogs modulate sucrose perception in any insect. The aversion to feeding elicited by analog 1728 suggests that synthetic molecules targeting the mosquito Aedae-KR in the labellum and tarsi should be investigated for the potential to discover novel feeding deterrents of mosquito vectors.
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