Ajayi OM, Eilerts DF, Bailey ST, Vinauger C, Benoit JB. Do Mosquitoes Sleep?
Trends Parasitol 2020;
36:888-897. [PMID:
32952061 PMCID:
PMC8094063 DOI:
10.1016/j.pt.2020.08.004]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a phenomenon conserved across the animal kingdom, where studies on Drosophila melanogaster have revealed that sleep phenotypes and molecular underpinnings are similar to those in mammals. However, little is known about sleep in blood-feeding arthropods, which have a critical role in public health as disease vectors. Specifically, sleep studies in mosquitoes are lacking despite considerable focus on how circadian processes, which have a central role in regulating sleep/wake cycles, impact activity, feeding, and immunity. Here, we review observations which suggest that sleep-like states likely occur in mosquitoes and discuss the potential role of sleep in relation to mosquito biology and their ability to function as disease vectors.
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