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Dos Santos LV, Silva ERMND, Caiado MS, Rezende SRDF, de Carvalho MG, Pontes EG. Differential expression of brummer and levels of TAG in different developmental stages Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), including fasted adults. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 115:e22084. [PMID: 38288494 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22084] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Lipid storage in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) is essential for insect life, as it enables flight, development, and reproduction. The activity of the lipase brummer (bmm) has been shown to be essential to insects' homeostasis. The objective of this study was to evaluate how bmm expression occurs in Aedes aegypti larvae and adults, and to observe TAG levels during fasting in adult females. The bmm sequence was identified in A. aegypti and exhibited a patatin-like phospholipase domain reinforced by the presence of a catalytic dyad with serine and aspartate residues, revealing a high degree of similarity with other organisms. Bmm expression was differentiated in the larvae and adult fat body (FB) following TAG reserve dynamics. Bmm was expressed three times in larval stages L3, L4, and pupae compared with L1 and L2, which could indicate its role in the maturation of these insects. In the postemergence (PE) and post-blood meal (PBM) FB of adult insects, bmm expression varied over several days. PE adults showed a pronounced bmm increase from the third day onward compared with those not subjected to fasting. This was accompanied by a decrease in TAG from the third day onward, suggesting the participation of bmm. Six hours after blood feeding, TAG levels increased in mosquitos reared in the absence of sucrose, suggesting lipid accumulation to guarantee reproduction. Bmm responded positively to fasting, followed by TAG mobilization in adult FB. During the previtellogenic period, bmm levels responded to low TAG levels, unlike the PBM period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Valim Dos Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Matheus Silva Caiado
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Mario Geraldo de Carvalho
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emerson Guedes Pontes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Cruz LNPD, Teles-de-Freitas R, Resck MEB, Fonseca ABDA, Padilha KP, Farnesi LC, Araripe LO, Bruno RV. Light and dark cycles modify the expression of clock genes in the ovaries of Aedes aegypti in a noncircadian manner. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287237. [PMID: 37856474 PMCID: PMC10586701 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287237] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian oscillators (i.e., circadian clocks) are essential to producing the circadian rhythms observed in virtually all multicellular organisms. In arthropods, many rhythmic behaviors are generated by oscillations of the central pacemaker, specific groups of neurons of the protocerebrum in which the circadian oscillator molecular machinery is expressed and works; however, oscillators located in other tissues (i.e., peripheral clocks) could also contribute to certain rhythms, but are not well known in non-model organisms. Here, we investigated whether eight clock genes that likely constitute the Aedes aegypti clock are expressed in a circadian manner in the previtellogenic ovaries of this mosquito. Also, we asked if insemination by conspecific males would alter the expression profiles of these clock genes. We observed that the clock genes do not have a rhythmic expression profile in the ovaries of virgin (VF) or inseminated (IF) females, except for period, which showed a rhythmic expression profile in ovaries of IF kept in light and dark (LD) cycles, but not in constant darkness (DD). The mean expression of seven clock genes was affected by the insemination status (VF or IF) or the light condition (LD 12:12 or DD), among which five were affected solely by the light condition, one solely by the insemination status, and one by both factors. Our results suggest that a functional circadian clock is absent in the ovaries of A. aegypti. Still, their differential mean expression promoted by light conditions or insemination suggests roles other than circadian rhythms in this mosquito's ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rayane Teles-de-Freitas
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda Barreto Resck
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Karine Pedreira Padilha
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
| | - Luana Cristina Farnesi
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana Ordunha Araripe
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Vieira Bruno
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), CNPq, Rio de Janeiro- RJ, Brazil
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Talyuli OAC, Oliveira JHM, Bottino-Rojas V, Silveira GO, Alvarenga PH, Barletta ABF, Kantor AM, Paiva-Silva GO, Barillas-Mury C, Oliveira PL. The Aedes aegypti peritrophic matrix controls arbovirus vector competence through HPx1, a heme-induced peroxidase. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011149. [PMID: 36780872 PMCID: PMC9956595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the main vectors of arboviruses. The peritrophic matrix (PM) is an extracellular layer that surrounds the blood bolus. It acts as an immune barrier that prevents direct contact of bacteria with midgut epithelial cells during blood digestion. Here, we describe a heme-dependent peroxidase, hereafter referred to as heme peroxidase 1 (HPx1). HPx1 promotes PM assembly and antioxidant ability, modulating vector competence. Mechanistically, the heme presence in a blood meal induces HPx1 transcriptional activation mediated by the E75 transcription factor. HPx1 knockdown increases midgut reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the DUOX NADPH oxidase. Elevated ROS levels reduce microbiota growth while enhancing epithelial mitosis, a response to tissue damage. However, simultaneous HPx1 and DUOX silencing was not able to rescue bacterial population growth, as explained by increased expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which occurred only after double knockdown. This result revealed hierarchical activation of ROS and AMPs to control microbiota. HPx1 knockdown produced a 100-fold decrease in Zika and dengue 2 midgut infection, demonstrating the essential role of the mosquito PM in the modulation of arbovirus vector competence. Our data show that the PM connects blood digestion to midgut immunological sensing of the microbiota and viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio A. C. Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jose Henrique M. Oliveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Gilbert O. Silveira
- Laboratório de Expressão Genica em Eucariotos, Instituto Butantan and Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patricia H. Alvarenga
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz F. Barletta
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Asher M. Kantor
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gabriela O. Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Pedro L. Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Males of Aedes aegypti show different clock gene expression profiles in the presence of conspecific females. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:374. [PMID: 36258200 PMCID: PMC9578191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8] [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: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The study of behavioral and physiological traits in mosquitoes has been mainly focused on females since males are not hematophagous and thus do not transfer the parasites that cause diseases in human populations. However, the performance of male mosquitoes is key for the expansion of populations and the perpetuation of mosquito species. Pre-copulatory communication between males and females is the initial and essential step for the success of copulation and studying the male facet of this interaction provides fertile ground for the improvement of vector control strategies. Like in most animals, reproduction, feeding, and oviposition are closely associated with locomotor activity in mosquitoes. Rhythmic cycles of locomotor activity have been previously described in Aedes aegypti, and in females, they are known to be altered by blood-feeding and arbovirus infection. In previous work, we found that males in the presence of females significantly change their locomotor activity profiles, with a shift in the phase of the activity peak. Here, we investigated whether this shift is associated with changes in the expression level of three central circadian clock genes. Methods Real-time PCR reactions were performed for the gene period, cycle, and cryptochrome 2 in samples of heads, antennae, and abdominal tips of solitary males and males in the presence of females. Assays with antennae-ablated males were also performed, asking whether this is an essential organ mediating the communication and the variation in activity profiles. Results The gene period showed a conserved expression pattern in all tissues and conditions, while the other two genes varied according to the male condition. A remarking pattern was observed in cry2, where the difference between the amplitude of expression at the beginning of photophase and the expression peak in the scotophase was greater when males were in the presence of females. Antennae ablation in males did not have a significant effect on the expression profiles, suggesting that female recognition may involve other senses besides hearing and olfaction. Conclusion Our results suggest that the expression of gene cryptochrome 2 varies in association with the interaction between males and females. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8.
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Amarante ADM, da Silva ICDA, Carneiro VC, Vicentino ARR, Pinto MDA, Higa LM, Moharana KC, Talyuli OAC, Venancio TM, de Oliveira PL, Fantappié MR. Zika virus infection drives epigenetic modulation of immunity by the histone acetyltransferase CBP of Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010559. [PMID: 35759510 PMCID: PMC9269902 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for a wide range of biological phenomena in insects, controlling embryonic development, growth, aging and nutrition. Despite this, the role of epigenetics in shaping insect-pathogen interactions has received little attention. Gene expression in eukaryotes is regulated by histone acetylation/deacetylation, an epigenetic process mediated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). In this study, we explored the role of the Aedes aegypti histone acetyltransferase CBP (AaCBP) after infection with Zika virus (ZIKV), focusing on the two main immune tissues, the midgut and fat body. We showed that the expression and activity of AaCBP could be positively modulated by blood meal and ZIKV infection. Nevertheless, Zika-infected mosquitoes that were silenced for AaCBP revealed a significant reduction in the acetylation of H3K27 (CBP target marker), followed by downmodulation of the expression of immune genes, higher titers of ZIKV and lower survival rates. Importantly, in Zika-infected mosquitoes that were treated with sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, their capacity to fight virus infection was rescued. Our data point to a direct correlation among histone hyperacetylation by AaCBP, upregulation of antimicrobial peptide genes and increased survival of Zika-infected-A. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson de Mendonça Amarante
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Isabel Caetano de Abreu da Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Vitor Coutinho Carneiro
- Division of Epigenetics, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Amanda Roberta Revoredo Vicentino
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcia de Amorim Pinto
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Luiza Mendonça Higa
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Kanhu Charan Moharana
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil
| | - Octavio A. C. Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Thiago Motta Venancio
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brasil
| | - Pedro Lagerblad de Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Rosado Fantappié
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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Barletta Ferreira AB, Bahia AC, Pitaluga AN, Barros E, Gama dos Santos D, Bottino-Rojas V, Kubota MS, Oliveira PLD, Pimenta PFP, Traub-Csekö YM, Sorgine MHF. Sexual Dimorphism in Immune Responses and Infection Resistance in Aedes aegypti and Other Hematophagous Insect Vectors. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.847109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in immune function is prevalent across different species, where males trade their ability to fight pathogens for a practical reproductive function while females favor an extended lifespan. In insects, these differences in immune function reflect an evolutionary life strategy, where females have a presumably more robust immune system than insect males. Here, we evaluate immune functioning in four male and female insect vectors, Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae), Anopheles aquasalis (Diptera, Culicidae), Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera, Psychodidae) and Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae). We show evidence that challenges the concept of immune sexual dimorphism in three of these insect vectors. In the three Diptera species, A. aegypti, A. aquasalis and L. longipalpis that transmit arboviruses, Plasmodium spp. (Haemospororida, Plasmodiidae) and Leishmania spp. (Trypanosomatida, Trypanosomatidae), respectively, unchallenged adult males express higher levels of immune-related genes than adult females and immature developmental stages. The main components of the Toll, IMD, and Jak/STAT pathways and antimicrobial effectors are highly expressed in whole-body males. Additionally, males present lower midgut basal microbiota levels than females. In A. aegypti mosquitoes, the differences in immune gene expression and microbiota levels are established in adult mosquitoes but are not present at the recently emerged adults and pupal stage. Antibiotic treatment does not affect the consistently higher expression of immune genes in males, except defensin, which is reduced significantly after microbiota depletion and restored after re-introduction. Our data suggest that Diptera males have a basal state of activation of the immune system and that activation of a more robust response through systemic immune challenge acutely compromises their survival. The ones who survive clear the infection entirely. Females follow a different strategy where a moderate immune reaction render higher tolerance to infection and survival. In contrast, hematophagous adult males of the Hemiptera vector R. prolixus, which transmits Trypanosoma cruzi, present no differences in immune activation compared to females, suggesting that diet differences between males and females may influence immune sexual dimorphism. These findings expand our understanding of the biology of insect vectors of human pathogens, which can help to direct the development of new strategies to limit vector populations.
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Bottino-Rojas V, Ferreira-Almeida I, Nunes RD, Feng X, Pham TB, Kelsey A, Carballar-Lejarazú R, Gantz V, Oliveira PL, James AA. Beyond the eye: Kynurenine pathway impairment causes midgut homeostasis dysfunction and survival and reproductive costs in blood-feeding mosquitoes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 142:103720. [PMID: 34999199 PMCID: PMC11055609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Insect ommochrome biosynthesis pathways metabolize tryptophan to generate eye-color pigments and wild-type alleles of pathway genes are useful phenotypic markers in transgenesis studies. Pleiotropic effects of mutations in some genes exert a load on both survival and reproductive success in blood-feeding species. Here, we investigated the challenges imposed on mosquitoes by the increase of tryptophan metabolites resulting from blood meal digestion and the impact of disruptions of the ommochrome biosynthesis pathway. Female mosquitoes with spontaneous and induced mutations in the orthologs of the genes encoding kynurenine hydroxylase in Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus exhibited impaired survival and reproductive phenotypes that varied in type and severity among the species. A compromised midgut permeability barrier function was also observed in An. stephensi. Surprisingly, mutant mosquitoes displayed an increase in microbiota compared to controls that was not accompanied by a general induction of immune genes. Antibiotic treatment rescued some deleterious traits implicating a role for the kynurenine pathway (KP) in midgut homeostasis. Supplemental xanthurenic acid, a KP end-product, rescued lethality and limited microbiota proliferation in Ae. aegypti. These data implicate the KP in the regulation of the host/microbiota interface. These pleiotropic effects on mosquito physiology are important in the development of genetic strategies targeting vector mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Igor Ferreira-Almeida
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo D Nunes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Xuechun Feng
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thai Binh Pham
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Adam Kelsey
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Valentino Gantz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Anthony A James
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Suppression of female fertility in Aedes aegypti with a CRISPR-targeted male-sterile mutation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105075118. [PMID: 34031258 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105075118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti spread devastating viruses such as dengue, which causes disease among 100 to 400 million people annually. A potential approach to control mosquito disease vectors is the sterile insect technique (SIT). The strategy involves repeated release of large numbers of sterile males, which reduces insect populations because the sterile males mate and thereby suppress the fertility of females that would otherwise mate with fertile males. While SIT has been successful in suppressing certain agricultural pests, it has been less effective in depressing populations of Ae. aegypti This limitation is in part because of the fitness effects resulting from mutagenizing the mosquitoes nonspecifically. Here, we introduced and characterized the impact on female fertility of an Ae. aegypti mutation that disrupts a gene that is specifically expressed in testes. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a null mutation in the Ae. aegypti β2-tubulin (B2t) gene, which eliminates male fertility. When we allowed wild-type females to first mate with B2t mutant males, most of the females did not produce progeny even after being subsequently exposed to wild-type males. We also introduced B2t mutant and wild-type males simultaneously with wild-type females and found that a larger number of B2t mutant males relative to the wild-type males was effective in significantly suppressing female fertility. These results raise the possibility of employing B2t sterile males to improve the efficacy of SIT in suppressing populations of Ae. aegypti through repeated releases and thereby reduce the transmission of viruses by these invasive mosquitoes.
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da Silva RM, Vital WO, Martins RS, Moraes J, Gomes H, Calixto C, Konnai S, Ohashi K, da Silva Vaz I, Logullo C. Differential expression of PEPCK isoforms is correlated to Aedes aegypti oogenesis and embryogenesis. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110618. [PMID: 34015437 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti undertakes a shift in carbohydrate metabolism during embryogenesis, including an increase in the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), a key gluconeogenic enzyme, at critical steps of embryo development. All eukaryotes studied to date present two PEPCK isoforms, namely PEPCK-M (mitochondrial) and PEPCK-C (cytosolic). In A. aegypti, however, these proteins are so far uncharacterized. In the present work we describe two A. aegypti PEPCK isoforms by sequence alignment, protein modeling, and transcription analysis in different tissues, as well as PEPCK enzymatic activity assays in mitochondrial and cytoplasmic compartments during oogenesis and embryogenesis. First, we characterized the protein sequences compared to other organisms, and identified conserved sites and key amino acids. We also performed structure modeling for AePEPCK(M) and AePEPCK(C), identifying highly conserved structural sites, as well as a signal peptide in AePEPCK(M) localized in a very hydrophobic region. Moreover, after blood meal and during mosquito oogenesis and embryogenesis, both PEPCKs isoforms showed different transcriptional profiles, suggesting that mRNA for the cytosolic form is transmitted maternally, whereas the mitochondrial form is synthesized by the zygote. Collectively, these results improve our understanding of mosquito physiology and may yield putative targets for developing new methods for A. aegypti control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Martins da Silva
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Wagner Oliveira Vital
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Jorge Moraes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Helga Gomes
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christiano Calixto
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohashi
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia and Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda and Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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10
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Barletta ABF, Alves e Silva TL, Talyuli OAC, Luna-Gomes T, Sim S, Angleró-Rodríguez Y, Dimopoulos G, Bandeira-Melo C, Sorgine MHF. Prostaglandins regulate humoral immune responses in Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008706. [PMID: 33095767 PMCID: PMC7584201 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandins (PGs) are immuno-active lipids that mediate the immune response in invertebrates and vertebrates. In insects, PGs play a role on different physiological processes such as reproduction, ion transport and regulation of cellular immunity. However, it is unclear whether PGs play a role in invertebrate's humoral immunity, and, if so, which immune signaling pathways would be modulated by PGs. Here, we show that Aedes aegypti gut microbiota and Gram-negative bacteria challenge induces prostaglandin production sensitive to an irreversible inhibitor of the vertebrate cyclooxygenase, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). ASA treatment reduced PG synthesis and is associated with decreased expression of components of the Toll and IMD immune pathways, thereby rendering mosquitoes more susceptible to both bacterial and viral infections. We also shown that a cytosolic phospholipase (PLAc), one of the upstream regulators of PG synthesis, is induced by the microbiota in the midgut after blood feeding. The knockdown of the PLAc decreased prostaglandin production and enhanced the replication of Dengue in the midgut. We conclude that in Ae. aegypti, PGs control the amplitude of the immune response to guarantee an efficient pathogen clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Ferreira Barletta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
| | - Thiago Luiz Alves e Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
| | - Octavio A. C. Talyuli
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Tatiana Luna-Gomes
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Instituto de Aplicação Fernando Rodrigues da Silveira (CAp-UERJ), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Shuzhen Sim
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yesseinia Angleró-Rodríguez
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christianne Bandeira-Melo
- Laboratório de Inflamação, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcos H. Ferreira Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
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11
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Suzuki Y, Baidaliuk A, Miesen P, Frangeul L, Crist AB, Merkling SH, Fontaine A, Lequime S, Moltini-Conclois I, Blanc H, van Rij RP, Lambrechts L, Saleh MC. Non-retroviral Endogenous Viral Element Limits Cognate Virus Replication in Aedes aegypti Ovaries. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3495-3506.e6. [PMID: 32679098 PMCID: PMC7522710 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous viral elements (EVEs) are viral sequences integrated in host genomes. A large number of non-retroviral EVEs was recently detected in Aedes mosquito genomes, leading to the hypothesis that mosquito EVEs may control exogenous infections by closely related viruses. Here, we experimentally investigated the role of an EVE naturally found in Aedes aegypti populations and derived from the widespread insect-specific virus, cell-fusing agent virus (CFAV). Using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, we created an Ae. aegypti line lacking the CFAV EVE. Absence of the EVE resulted in increased CFAV replication in ovaries, possibly modulating vertical transmission of the virus. Viral replication was controlled by targeting of viral RNA by EVE-derived P-element-induced wimpy testis-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Our results provide evidence that antiviral piRNAs are produced in the presence of a naturally occurring EVE and its cognate virus, demonstrating a functional link between non-retroviral EVEs and antiviral immunity in a natural insect-virus interaction. Aedes aegypti harbors EVEs with high sequence identity to a contemporary RNA virus EVE-derived piRNAs target genomic viral RNA in infected mosquitoes Ablation of EVE results in increased viral replication in Aedes aegypti ovaries piRNA pathway fulfills antiviral function in presence of EVE and cognate virus
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasutsugu Suzuki
- Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3569, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Artem Baidaliuk
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRS, Paris, France; Collège Doctoral, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pascal Miesen
- Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3569, CNRS, Paris, France; Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Lionel Frangeul
- Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3569, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Anna B Crist
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Sarah H Merkling
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Albin Fontaine
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Sebastian Lequime
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Hervé Blanc
- Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3569, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Ronald P van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR2000, CNRS, Paris, France.
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3569, CNRS, Paris, France.
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12
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Oliveira FAA, Buri MV, Rodriguez BL, Costa-da-Silva AL, Araújo HRC, Capurro ML, Lu S, Tanaka AS. The first characterization of a cystatin and a cathepsin L-like peptidase from Aedes aegypti and their possible role in DENV infection by the modulation of apoptosis. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 146:141-149. [PMID: 31857170 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recently, a salivary gland transcriptome study demonstrated that the transcripts of a putative cystatin gene (SeqID AAEL013287; Aacystatins) from Aedes aegypti were increased in DENV2-infected mosquitoes and that silencing of the Aacystatin gene resulted in an increase in DENV titres. In this work, Aacystatin was biochemically characterized; the purified recombinant inhibitor was able to inhibit typical cysteine proteases with a Ki in the nM range. Pulldown assays using Aag2 cell extracts identified a cathepsin L-like peptidase (AaCatL) as a possible target of Aacystatin. Purified recombinant AaCatL had an optimal pH of 5.0 and displayed a preference for Leu, Val and Phe residues at P2, which is common for other cathepsin L-like peptidases. Transcription analysis of Aacystatin and AaCatL in the salivary glands and midgut of DENV2-infected mosquitoes revealed a negative correlation between DENV2 titres and levels of the inhibitor and peptidase, suggesting their involvement in DENV2-mosquito interactions. Considering that apoptosis may play an important role during viral infections, the possible involvement of Aacystatin in staurosporine-induced apoptosis in Aag2 cells was investigated; the results showed higher expression of the inhibitor in treated cells; moreover, pre incubation with rAacystatin was able to increase Aag2 cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A A Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
| | - Marcus V Buri
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
| | - Boris L Rodriguez
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
| | - André L Costa-da-Silva
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | - Helena R C Araújo
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | - Margareth L Capurro
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | - Stephen Lu
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | - Aparecida S Tanaka
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
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13
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Merkling SH, Raquin V, Dabo S, Henrion-Lacritick A, Blanc H, Moltini-Conclois I, Frangeul L, Varet H, Saleh MC, Lambrechts L. Tudor-SN Promotes Early Replication of Dengue Virus in the Aedes aegypti Midgut. iScience 2020; 23:100870. [PMID: 32059176 PMCID: PMC7054812 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses have been on the rise for the last decades, and novel methods aiming to use laboratory-engineered mosquitoes that are incapable of carrying viruses have been developed to reduce pathogen transmission. This has stimulated efforts to identify optimal target genes that are naturally involved in mosquito antiviral defenses or required for viral replication. Here, we investigated the role of a member of the Tudor protein family, Tudor-SN, upon dengue virus infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Tudor-SN knockdown reduced dengue virus replication in the midgut of Ae. aegypti females. In immunofluorescence assays, Tudor-SN localized to the nucleolus in both Ae. aegypti and Aedes albopictus cells. A reporter assay and small RNA profiling demonstrated that Tudor-SN was not required for RNA interference function in vivo. Collectively, these results defined a novel proviral role for Tudor-SN upon early dengue virus infection of the Ae. aegypti midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hélène Merkling
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Raquin
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Dabo
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Hervé Blanc
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Lionel Frangeul
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Hugo Varet
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique - Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756, CNRS, Paris, France; Plate-forme Technologique Biomics - Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France.
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14
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Bottino-Rojas V, Pereira LOR, Silva G, Talyuli OAC, Dunkov BC, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Non-canonical transcriptional regulation of heme oxygenase in Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13726. [PMID: 31551499 PMCID: PMC6760526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49396-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme oxygenase (HO) is a ubiquitous enzyme responsible for heme breakdown, which yields carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin (BV) and ferrous ion. Here we show that the Aedes aegypti heme oxygenase gene (AeHO - AAEL008136) is expressed in different developmental stages and tissues. AeHO expression increases after a blood meal in the midgut, and its maximal transcription levels overlaps with the maximal rate of the further modified A. aegypti biglutaminyl-biliverdin (AeBV) pigment production. HO is a classical component of stress response in eukaryotic cells, being activated under oxidative stress or increased heme levels. Indeed, the final product of HO activity in the mosquito midgut, AeBV, exerts a protective antioxidant activity. AeHO, however, does not seem to be under a classical redox-sensitive transcriptional regulation, being unresponsive to heme itself, and even down regulated when insects face a pro-oxidant insult. In contrast, AeHO gene expression responds to nutrient sensing mechanisms, through the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway. This unusual transcriptional control of AeHO, together with the antioxidant properties of AeBV, suggests that heme degradation by HO, in addition to its important role in protection of Aedes aegypti against heme exposure, also acts as a digestive feature, being an essential adaptation to blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Luiza O R Pereira
- Laboratório de Pesquisas em Leishmaniose, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Octavio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Boris C Dunkov
- Center for Insect Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0106, USA
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.
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15
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Souza RS, Gama MDVF, Schama R, Lima JBP, Diaz-Albiter HM, Genta FA. Biochemical and Functional Characterization of Glycoside Hydrolase Family 16 Genes in Aedes aegypti Larvae: Identification of the Major Digestive β-1,3-Glucanase. Front Physiol 2019; 10:122. [PMID: 30873040 PMCID: PMC6403176 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00122] [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] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect β-1,3-glucanases belong to Glycoside Hydrolase Family 16 (GHF16) and are involved in digestion of detritus and plant hemicellulose. In this work, we investigated the role of GHF16 genes in Aedes aegypti larvae, due to their detritivore diet. Aedes aegypti genome has six genes belonging to GHF16 (Aae GH16.1 – Aae GH16.6), containing two to six exons. Sequence analysis suggests that five of these GHF16 sequences (Aae GH16.1, 2, 3, 5, and 6) contain the conserved catalytic residues of this family and correspond to glucanases. All genomes of Nematocera analyzed showed putative gene duplications corresponding to these sequences. Aae GH16.4 has no conserved catalytic residues and is probably a β-1,3-glucan binding protein involved in the activation of innate immune responses. Additionally, Ae. aegypti larvae contain significant β-1,3-glucanase activities in the head, gut and rest of body. These activities have optimum pH about 5–6 and molecular masses between 41 and 150 kDa. All GHF16 genes above showed different levels of expression in the larval head, gut or rest of the body. Knock-down of AeGH16.5 resulted in survival and pupation rates lower than controls (dsGFP and water treated). However, under stress conditions, severe mortalities were observed in AeGH16.1 and AeGH16.6 knocked-down larvae. Enzymatic assays of β-1,3-glucanase in AeGH16.5 silenced larvae exhibited lower activity in the gut and no change in the rest of the body. Chromatographic activity profiles from gut samples after GH16.5 silencing showed suppression of enzymatic activity, suggesting that this gene codes for the digestive larval β-1,3-glucanase of Ae. aegypti. This gene and enzyme are attractive targets for new control strategies, based on the impairment of normal gut physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Santos Souza
- Laboratory of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maiara do Valle Faria Gama
- Laboratory of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renata Schama
- Laboratory of Systems and Computational Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Bento Pereira Lima
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Arthropod Vectors, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Fernando Ariel Genta
- Laboratory of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Hypometabolic strategy and glucose metabolism maintenance of Aedes aegypti egg desiccation. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 227:56-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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17
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Bahia AC, Kubota MS, Souza-Neto JA, Koerich LB, Barletta AB, Araújo HRC, Gonçalves CM, Ríos-Velásquez CM, Pimenta PFP, Traub-Csekö YM. An Anopheles aquasalis GATA factor Serpent is required for immunity against Plasmodium and bacteria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006785. [PMID: 30248099 PMCID: PMC6171954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity is an ancient and conserved defense system that provides an early effective response against invaders. Many immune genes of Anopheles mosquitoes have been implicated in defense against a variety of pathogens, including plasmodia. Nevertheless, only recent work identified some immune genes of Anopheles aquasalis mosquitoes upon P. vivax infection. Among these was a GATA transcription factor gene, which is described here. This is an ortholog of GATA factor Serpent genes described in Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae. Gene expression analyses showed an increase of GATA-Serpent mRNA in P. vivax-infected A. aquasalis and functional RNAi experiments identified this transcription factor as an important immune gene of A. aquasalis against both bacteria and P. vivax. Besides, we were able to identify an effect of GATA-Serpent knockdown on A. aquasalis hemocyte proliferation and differentiation. These findings expand our understanding of the poorly studied A. aquasalis-P. vivax interactions and uncover GATA-Serpent as a key player of the mosquito innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Bahia
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marina S. Kubota
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jayme A. Souza-Neto
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo B. Koerich
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz Barletta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Helena R. C. Araújo
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Caroline M. Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Cláudia M. Ríos-Velásquez
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo F. P. Pimenta
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade em Saúde, Centro de Pesquisa Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Yara M. Traub-Csekö
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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18
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Bottino-Rojas V, Talyuli OAC, Carrara L, Martins AJ, James AA, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. The redox-sensing gene Nrf2 affects intestinal homeostasis, insecticide resistance, and Zika virus susceptibility in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9053-9063. [PMID: 29685890 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.001589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are extensively regulated to ensure proper cellular responses to various environmental stimuli and stresses. Moreover, physiologically generated ROS function as secondary messengers that can influence tissue homeostasis. The cap'n'collar transcription factor known as nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2 (Nrf2) coordinates an evolutionarily conserved transcriptional activation pathway that mediates antioxidant and detoxification responses in many animal species, including insects and mammals. Here, we show that Nrf2-mediated signaling affects embryo survival, midgut homeostasis, and redox biology in Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species vector of dengue, Zika, and other disease-causing viruses. We observed that AeNrf2 silencing increases ROS levels and stimulates intestinal stem cell proliferation. Because ROS production is a major aspect of innate immunity in mosquito gut, we found that a decrease in Nrf2 signaling results in reduced microbiota growth and Zika virus infection. Moreover, we provide evidence that AeNrf2 signaling also controls transcriptional adaptation of A. aegypti to insecticide challenge. Therefore, we conclude that Nrf2-mediated response regulates assorted gene clusters in A. aegypti that determine cellular and midgut redox balance, affecting overall xenobiotic resistance and vectorial adaptation of the mosquito.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Octavio A C Talyuli
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil
| | - Luana Carrara
- Laficave, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Ademir J Martins
- Laficave, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
| | - Anthony A James
- the Departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3900
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil.,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- From the Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902 Brazil, .,the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and
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19
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Gandara ACP, Torres A, Bahia AC, Oliveira PL, Schama R. Erratum to: Evolutionary origin and function of NOX4- art, an arthropod specific NADPH oxidase. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:196. [PMID: 28826395 PMCID: PMC5563910 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-1041-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Oliveira JHM, Talyuli OAC, Goncalves RLS, Paiva-Silva GO, Sorgine MHF, Alvarenga PH, Oliveira PL. Catalase protects Aedes aegypti from oxidative stress and increases midgut infection prevalence of Dengue but not Zika. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005525. [PMID: 28379952 PMCID: PMC5393625 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Digestion of blood in the midgut of Aedes aegypti results in the release of pro-oxidant molecules that can be toxic to the mosquito. We hypothesized that after a blood meal, the antioxidant capacity of the midgut is increased to protect cells against oxidative stress. Concomitantly, pathogens present in the blood ingested by mosquitoes, such as the arboviruses Dengue and Zika, also have to overcome the same oxidative challenge, and the antioxidant program induced by the insect is likely to influence infection status of the mosquito and its vectorial competence. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We found that blood-induced catalase mRNA and activity in the midgut peaked 24 h after feeding and returned to basal levels after the completion of digestion. RNAi-mediated silencing of catalase (AAEL013407-RB) reduced enzyme activity in the midgut epithelia, increased H2O2 leakage and decreased fecundity and lifespan when mosquitoes were fed H2O2. When infected with Dengue 4 and Zika virus, catalase-silenced mosquitoes showed no alteration in infection intensity (number of plaque forming units/midgut) 7 days after the infectious meal. However, catalase knockdown reduced Dengue 4, but not Zika, infection prevalence (percent of infected midguts). CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Here, we showed that blood ingestion triggers an antioxidant response in the midgut through the induction of catalase. This protection facilitates the establishment of Dengue virus in the midgut. Importantly, this mechanism appears to be specific for Dengue because catalase silencing did not change Zika virus prevalence. In summary, our data suggest that redox balance in the midgut modulates mosquito vectorial competence to arboviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Henrique M. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Octávio A. C. Talyuli
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Renata L. S. Goncalves
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Gabriela Oliveira Paiva-Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
| | - Marcos Henrique F. Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
| | - Patricia Hessab Alvarenga
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Pedro L. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
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Gandara ACP, Torres A, Bahia AC, Oliveira PL, Schama R. Evolutionary origin and function of NOX4-art, an arthropod specific NADPH oxidase. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:92. [PMID: 28356077 PMCID: PMC5372347 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0940-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND NADPH oxidases (NOX) are ROS producing enzymes that perform essential roles in cell physiology, including cell signaling and antimicrobial defense. This gene family is present in most eukaryotes, suggesting a common ancestor. To date, only a limited number of phylogenetic studies of metazoan NOXes have been performed, with few arthropod genes. In arthropods, only NOX5 and DUOX genes have been found and a gene called NOXm was found in mosquitoes but its origin and function has not been examined. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of this gene family in arthropods. A thorough search of genomes and transcriptomes was performed enabling us to browse most branches of arthropod phylogeny. RESULTS We have found that the subfamilies NOX5 and DUOX are present in all arthropod groups. We also show that a NOX gene, closely related to NOX4 and previously found only in mosquitoes (NOXm), can also be found in other taxonomic groups, leading us to rename it as NOX4-art. Although the accessory protein p22-phox, essential for NOX1-4 activation, was not found in any of the arthropods studied, NOX4-art of Aedes aegypti encodes an active protein that produces H2O2. Although NOX4-art has been lost in a number of arthropod lineages, it has all the domains and many signature residues and motifs necessary for ROS production and, when silenced, H2O2 production is considerably diminished in A. aegypti cells. CONCLUSIONS Combining all bioinformatic analyses and laboratory work we have reached interesting conclusions regarding arthropod NOX gene family evolution. NOX5 and DUOX are present in all arthropod lineages but it seems that a NOX2-like gene was lost in the ancestral lineage leading to Ecdysozoa. The NOX4-art gene originated from a NOX4-like ancestor and is functional. Although no p22-phox was observed in arthropods, there was no evidence of neo-functionalization and this gene probably produces H2O2 as in other metazoan NOX4 genes. Although functional and present in the genomes of many species, NOX4-art was lost in a number of arthropod lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Caroline Paiva Gandara
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - André Torres
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Bahia
- Instituto de Biofísica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renata Schama
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular - INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Barletta ABF, Nascimento-Silva MCL, Talyuli OAC, Oliveira JHM, Pereira LOR, Oliveira PL, Sorgine MHF. Microbiota activates IMD pathway and limits Sindbis infection in Aedes aegypti. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:103. [PMID: 28231846 PMCID: PMC5324288 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2040-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti is the main vector of important arboviruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya. During infections mosquitoes can activate the immune pathways Toll, IMD and JAK/STAT to limit pathogen replication. RESULTS Here, we evaluate the immune response profile of Ae. aegypti against Sindbis virus (SINV). We analyzed gene expression of components of Toll, IMD and JAK/STAT pathways and showed that a blood meal and virus infection upregulated aaREL2 in a microbiota-dependent fashion, since this induction was prevented by antibiotic. The presence of the microbiota activates IMD and impaired the replication of SINV in the midgut. Constitutive activation of the IMD pathway, by Caspar depletion, leads to a decrease in microbiota levels and an increase in SINV loads. CONCLUSION Together, these results suggest that a blood meal is able to activate innate immune pathways, through a nutrient induced growth of microbiota, leading to upregulation of aaREL2 and IMD activation. Microbiota levels seemed to have a reciprocal interaction, where the proliferation of the microbiota activates IMD pathway that in turn controls bacterial levels, allowing SINV replication in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. The activation of the IMD pathway seems to have an indirect effect in SINV levels that is induced by the microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Ferreira Barletta
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | | | - Octávio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Henrique M Oliveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcos Henrique F Sorgine
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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de Mendonça Amarante A, Jupatanakul N, de Abreu da Silva IC, Carneiro VC, Vicentino ARR, Dimopolous G, Talyuli OAC, Fantappié MR. The DNA chaperone HMGB1 potentiates the transcriptional activity of Rel1A in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 80:32-41. [PMID: 27867076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
High Mobility Group protein 1 (HMGB1) is a non-histone, chromatin-associated nuclear protein that functions in regulating eukaryotic gene expression. We investigated the influence and mechanism of action of Aedes aegypti HMGB1 (AaHMGB1) on mosquito Rel1A-mediated transcription from target gene promoters. The DNA-binding domain (RHD) of AaRel1A was bacterially expressed and purified, and AaHMGB1 dramatically enhanced RHD binding to consensus NF-kB/Rel DNA response elements. Luciferase reporter analyses using a cecropin gene promoter showed that AaHMGB1 potentiates the transcriptional activity of AaRel1A in Aag-2 cells. Moreover, overexpression of AaHMGB1 in Aag-2 cells led to an increase in mRNA levels of antimicrobial peptide genes. In vitro GST pull-down assays revealed that the presence of DNA is a pre-requisite for assembly of a possible ternary complex containing DNA, AaHMGB1 and AaRel1A. Notably, DNA bending by AaHMGB1 enhanced the binding of AaRel1A to a DNA fragment containing a putative NF-kB/Rel response element. Importantly, AaHMGB1 was identified as a potential immune modulator in A. aegypti through AaHMGB1 overexpression or RNAi silencing in Aag-2 cells followed by bacterial challenge or through AaHMGB1 RNAi knockdown in mosquitoes followed by Dengue virus (DENV) infection. We propose a model in which AaHMGB1 bends NF-kB/Rel target DNA to recruit and allow more efficient AaRel1A binding to activate transcription of effector genes, culminating in a stronger Toll pathway-mediated response against DENV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson de Mendonça Amarante
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natapong Jupatanakul
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Isabel Caetano de Abreu da Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vitor Coutinho Carneiro
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amanda Roberta Revoredo Vicentino
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - George Dimopolous
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Octávio Augusto C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Rosado Fantappié
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Barletta ABF, Alves LR, Silva MCLN, Sim S, Dimopoulos G, Liechocki S, Maya-Monteiro CM, Sorgine MHF. Emerging role of lipid droplets in Aedes aegypti immune response against bacteria and Dengue virus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19928. [PMID: 26887863 PMCID: PMC4757862 DOI: 10.1038/srep19928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles that modulate immune and inflammatory responses through the production of lipid mediators. In insects, it is unknown whether LDs play any role during the development of immune responses. We show that Aedes aegypti Aag2 cells – an immune responsive cell lineage – accumulates LDs when challenged with Enterobacter cloacae, Sindbis, and Dengue viruses. Microarray analysis of Aag2 challenged with E.cloacae or infected with Dengue virus revealed high transcripts levels of genes associated with lipid storage and LDs biogenesis, correlating with the increased LDs numbers in those conditions. Similarly, in mosquitoes, LDs accumulate in midgut cells in response to Serratia marcescens and Sindbis virus or when the native microbiota proliferates, following a blood meal. Also, constitutive activation of Toll and IMD pathways by knocking-down their respective negative modulators (Cactus and Caspar) increases LDs numbers in the midgut. Our results show for the first time an infection-induced LDs accumulation in response to both bacterial and viral infections in Ae. Aegypti, and we propose a role for LDs in mosquito immunity. These findings open new venues for further studies in insect immune responses associated with lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Ferreira Barletta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
| | - Liliane Rosa Alves
- Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Hospital do Câncer II, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Maria Clara L Nascimento Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Shuzhen Sim
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sally Liechocki
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Clarissa M Maya-Monteiro
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcos H Ferreira Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brasil
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Talyuli OAC, Bottino-Rojas V, Taracena ML, Soares ALM, Oliveira JHM, Oliveira PL. The use of a chemically defined artificial diet as a tool to study Aedes aegypti physiology. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 83:1-7. [PMID: 26578294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes obtain from vertebrate blood nutrients that are essential to oogenesis, such as proteins and lipids. As with all insects, mosquitoes do not synthesize cholesterol but take it from the diet. Here, we used a chemically defined artificial diet, hereafter referred to as Substitute Blood Meal (SBM), that was supplemented with cholesterol to test the nutritional role of cholesterol. SBM-fed and blood-fed mosquitoes were compared regarding several aspects of the insect physiology that are influenced by a blood meal, including egg laying, peritrophic matrix formation, gut microbiota proliferation, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and expression of antioxidant genes, such as catalase and ferritin. Our results show that SBM induced a physiological response that was very similar to a regular blood meal. Depending on the nutritional life history of the mosquito since the larval stage, the presence of cholesterol in the diet increased egg development, suggesting that the teneral reserves of cholesterol in the newly hatched female are determinant of reproductive performance. We propose here the use of SBM as a tool to study other aspects of the physiology of mosquitoes, including their interaction with microbiota and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octávio A C Talyuli
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil; Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Mabel L Taracena
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Ana Luiza Macedo Soares
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil; Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Henrique M Oliveira
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil.
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Heme Signaling Impacts Global Gene Expression, Immunity and Dengue Virus Infectivity in Aedes aegypti. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135985. [PMID: 26275150 PMCID: PMC4537099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding mosquitoes are exposed to high levels of heme, the product of hemoglobin degradation. Heme is a pro-oxidant that influences a variety of cellular processes. We performed a global analysis of heme-regulated Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) transcriptional changes to better understand influence on mosquito physiology at the molecular level. We observed an iron- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-independent signaling induced by heme that comprised genes related to redox metabolism. By modulating the abundance of these transcripts, heme possibly acts as a danger signaling molecule. Furthermore, heme triggered critical changes in the expression of energy metabolism and immune response genes, altering the susceptibility towards bacteria and dengue virus. These findings seem to have implications on the adaptation of mosquitoes to hematophagy and consequently on their ability to transmit diseases. Altogether, these results may also contribute to the understanding of heme cell biology in eukaryotic cells.
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Marinotti O, Ribeiro JMC, Silva MCP, Lopes AR, Barros MS, Sá-Nunes A, Kojin BB, Carvalho E, Suesdek L, Silva-Neto MAC, James AA, Capurro ML. Transcriptome sequencing and developmental regulation of gene expression in Anopheles aquasalis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3005. [PMID: 25033462 PMCID: PMC4102416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles aquasalis is a major malaria vector in coastal areas of South and Central America where it breeds preferentially in brackish water. This species is very susceptible to Plasmodium vivax and it has been already incriminated as responsible vector in malaria outbreaks. There has been no high-throughput investigation into the sequencing of An. aquasalis genes, transcripts and proteins despite its epidemiological relevance. Here we describe the sequencing, assembly and annotation of the An. aquasalis transcriptome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 419 thousand cDNA sequence reads, encompassing 164 million nucleotides, were assembled in 7544 contigs of ≥ 2 sequences, and 1999 singletons. The majority of the An. aquasalis transcripts encode proteins with their closest counterparts in another neotropical malaria vector, An. darlingi. Several analyses in different protein databases were used to annotate and predict the putative functions of the deduced An. aquasalis proteins. Larval and adult-specific transcripts were represented by 121 and 424 contig sequences, respectively. Fifty-one transcripts were only detected in blood-fed females. The data also reveal a list of transcripts up- or down-regulated in adult females after a blood meal. Transcripts associated with immunity, signaling networks and blood feeding and digestion are discussed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study represents the first large-scale effort to sequence the transcriptome of An. aquasalis. It provides valuable information that will facilitate studies on the biology of this species and may lead to novel strategies to reduce malaria transmission on the South American continent. The An. aquasalis transcriptome is accessible at http://exon.niaid.nih.gov/transcriptome/An_aquasalis/Anaquexcel.xlsx.
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Affiliation(s)
- André L. Costa-da-Silva
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Osvaldo Marinotti
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - José M. C. Ribeiro
- Section of Vector Biology, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria C. P. Silva
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana R. Lopes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele S. Barros
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Sá-Nunes
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bianca B. Kojin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Eneas Carvalho
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lincoln Suesdek
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mário Alberto C. Silva-Neto
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Sinalização Celular, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anthony A. James
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Margareth L. Capurro
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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da Rocha Fernandes M, Martins R, Pessoa Costa E, Casagrande Pacidônio E, Araujo de Abreu L, da Silva Vaz I, Moreira LA, da Fonseca RN, Logullo C. The modulation of the symbiont/host interaction between Wolbachia pipientis and Aedes fluviatilis embryos by glycogen metabolism. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98966. [PMID: 24926801 PMCID: PMC4057193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis, a maternally transmitted bacterium that colonizes arthropods, may affect the general aspects of insect physiology, particularly reproduction. Wolbachia is a natural endosymbiont of Aedes fluviatilis, whose effects in embryogenesis and reproduction have not been addressed so far. In this context, we investigated the correlation between glucose metabolism and morphological alterations during A. fluviatilis embryo development in Wolbachia-positive (W+) and Wolbachia-negative (W-) mosquito strains. While both strains do not display significant morphological and larval hatching differences, larger differences were observed in hexokinase activity and glycogen contents during early and mid-stages of embryogenesis, respectively. To investigate if glycogen would be required for parasite-host interaction, we reduced Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) levels in adult females and their eggs by RNAi. GSK-3 knock-down leads to embryonic lethality, lower levels of glycogen and total protein and Wolbachia reduction. Therefore, our results suggest that the relationship between A. fluviatilis and Wolbachia may be modulated by glycogen metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana da Rocha Fernandes
- Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Unidade de Experimentação Animal - RJ, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renato Martins
- Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Unidade de Experimentação Animal - RJ, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Evenilton Pessoa Costa
- Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Unidade de Experimentação Animal - RJ, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Leonardo Araujo de Abreu
- Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Unidade de Experimentação Animal - RJ, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda (LIBHM), Núcleo de Pesquisas Ecológicas e Socioambientais de Macaé (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ/Macaé), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciano A. Moreira
- Laboratório de Malária, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou - Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Nunes da Fonseca
- Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda (LIBHM), Núcleo de Pesquisas Ecológicas e Socioambientais de Macaé (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ/Macaé), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Unidade de Experimentação Animal - RJ, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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The role of reactive oxygen species in Anopheles aquasalis response to Plasmodium vivax infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57014. [PMID: 23441231 PMCID: PMC3575503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria affects millions of people worldwide and hundreds of thousands of people each year in Brazil. The mosquito Anopheles aquasalis is an important vector of Plasmodium vivax, the main human malaria parasite in the Americas. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to have a role in insect innate immune responses as a potent pathogen-killing agent. We investigated the mechanisms of free radicals modulation after A. aquasalis infection with P. vivax. ROS metabolism was evaluated in the vector by studying expression and activity of three key detoxification enzymes, one catalase and two superoxide dismutases (SOD3A and SOD3B). Also, the involvement of free radicals in the mosquito immunity was measured by silencing the catalase gene followed by infection of A. aquasalis with P. vivax. Catalase, SOD3A and SOD3B expression in whole A. aquasalis were at the same levels of controls at 24 h and upregulated 36 h after ingestion of blood containing P. vivax. However, in the insect isolated midgut, the mRNA for these enzymes was not regulated by P. vivax infection, while catalase activity was reduced 24 h after the infectious meal. RNAi-mediated silencing of catalase reduced enzyme activity in the midgut, resulted in increased P. vivax infection and prevalence, and decreased bacterial load in the mosquito midgut. Our findings suggest that the interactions between A. aquasalis and P. vivax do not follow the model of ROS-induced parasite killing. It appears that P. vivax manipulates the mosquito detoxification system in order to allow its own development. This can be an indirect effect of fewer competitive bacteria present in the mosquito midgut caused by the increase of ROS after catalase silencing. These findings provide novel information on unique aspects of the main malaria parasite in the Americas interaction with one of its natural vectors.
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Validation of Aedes aegypti Aag-2 cells as a model for insect immune studies. Parasit Vectors 2012; 5:148. [PMID: 22827926 PMCID: PMC3419682 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-5-148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The understanding of mosquito immune responses can provide valuable tools for development of novel mosquito control strategies. Aiming the study at insect innate immunity, continuous insect cell lines have been established and used as research tools due to the fact that they constitute more homogeneous, sensitive, and reproducible systems than the insects from which they originated. More recently, Aag-2, an Aedes aegypti cell lineage, began to be frequently used as a model for studies of mosquito immunity. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no study has systematically characterized the responses of Aag-2 cell line against different kinds of pathogens and compared its response to those exhibited by whole mosquitoes. For this reason, in this study we characterized gene expression profiles of the Aag-2 cell line in response to different kinds of immune challenges, such as Gram negative and positive bacteria, fungi and viruses, comparing the obtained results with the ones already described in the literature for whole mosquitoes. Methods Aedes aegypti Aag-2 cells were exposed to different immune stimuli (gram-positive and gram negative heat inactivated bacteria, zymosan or Sindbis virus) for 24 hours and the expression of selected marker genes from toll, IMD and Jak/STAT pathways was analyzed by qPCR. Also, cells were incubated with fluorescent latex beads for evaluation of its phagocytosis capacity. Results Aag-2 cells were stimulated with two concentrations of heat-killed Gram negative (Enterobacter cloacae) or Gram positive (Micrococcus luteus) bacteria, Zymosan or infected with Sindbis virus and the expression of key genes from the main immune related pathways, Toll, IMD and Jak/STAT, were investigated. Our results suggest that Toll and IMD pathways are activated in response to both Gram positive and negative bacteria and Zymosan in Aag-2 cells, displaying an immune profile similar to those described in the literature for whole mosquitoes. The same stimuli were also capable of activating Jak/STAT pathway in Aag-2 cells. Infection with Sindbis virus led to an up-regulation of the transcription factor STAT but was not able to induce the expression of any other gene from any of the pathways assayed. We also showed that this cell line is able to phagocytose latex beads in culture. Conclusions Our results characterize the expression profile of Aag-2 cells in response to different immune stimuli and demonstrate that this cell lineage is immune-competent and closely resembles the response described for whole Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Hence, our findings support the use of Aag-2 as a tool to comprehend Ae. aegypti immune response both at cellular and humoral levels.
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Ribeiro FS, de Abreu da Silva IC, Carneiro VC, Belgrano FDS, Mohana-Borges R, de Andrade Rosa I, Benchimol M, Souza NRQ, Mesquita RD, Sorgine MHF, Gazos-Lopes F, Vicentino ARR, Wu W, de Moraes Maciel R, da Silva-Neto MAC, Fantappié MR. The dengue vector Aedes aegypti contains a functional high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein with a unique regulatory C-terminus. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40192. [PMID: 22802955 PMCID: PMC3388995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti can spread the dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever viruses. Thus, the search for key molecules involved in the mosquito survival represents today a promising vector control strategy. High Mobility Group Box (HMGB) proteins are essential nuclear factors that maintain the high-order structure of chromatin, keeping eukaryotic cells viable. Outside the nucleus, secreted HMGB proteins could alert the innate immune system to foreign antigens and trigger the initiation of host defenses. In this work, we cloned and functionally characterized the HMGB1 protein from Aedes aegypti (AaHMGB1). The AaHMGB1 protein typically consists of two HMG-box DNA binding domains and an acidic C-terminus. Interestingly, AaHMGB1 contains a unique alanine/glutamine-rich (AQ-rich) C-terminal region that seems to be exclusive of dipteran HMGB proteins. AaHMGB1 is localized to the cell nucleus, mainly associated with heterochromatin. Circular dichroism analyses of AaHMGB1 or the C-terminal truncated proteins revealed α-helical structures. We showed that AaHMGB1 can effectively bind and change the topology of DNA, and that the AQ-rich and the C-terminal acidic regions can modulate its ability to promote DNA supercoiling, as well as its preference to bind supercoiled DNA. AaHMGB1 is phosphorylated by PKA and PKC, but not by CK2. Importantly, phosphorylation of AaHMGB1 by PKA or PKC completely abolishes its DNA bending activity. Thus, our study shows that a functional HMGB1 protein occurs in Aedes aegypt and we provide the first description of a HMGB1 protein containing an AQ-rich regulatory C-terminus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Schneider Ribeiro
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Isabel Caetano de Abreu da Silva
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Vitor Coutinho Carneiro
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | | | - Ronaldo Mohana-Borges
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Ivone de Andrade Rosa
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Universidade Santa Úrsula, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | | | - Nathalia Rocha Quintino Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Rafael Dias Mesquita
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcos Henrique Ferreira Sorgine
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Felipe Gazos-Lopes
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Amanda Roberta Revoredo Vicentino
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Wenjie Wu
- Department of Urology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Renata de Moraes Maciel
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Mario Alberto Cardoso da Silva-Neto
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Rosado Fantappié
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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The JAK-STAT pathway controls Plasmodium vivax load in early stages of Anopheles aquasalis infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1317. [PMID: 22069502 PMCID: PMC3206008 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2010] [Accepted: 07/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria affects 300 million people worldwide every year and 450,000 in Brazil. In coastal areas of Brazil, the main malaria vector is Anopheles aquasalis, and Plasmodium vivax is responsible for the majority of malaria cases in the Americas. Insects possess a powerful immune system to combat infections. Three pathways control the insect immune response: Toll, IMD, and JAK-STAT. Here we analyze the immune role of the A. aquasalis JAK-STAT pathway after P. vivax infection. Three genes, the transcription factor Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT), the regulatory Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT (PIAS) and the Nitric Oxide Synthase enzyme (NOS) were characterized. Expression of STAT and PIAS was higher in males than females and in eggs and first instar larvae when compared to larvae and pupae. RNA levels for STAT and PIAS increased 24 and 36 hours (h) after P. vivax challenge. NOS transcription increased 36 h post infection (hpi) while this protein was already detected in some midgut epithelial cells 24 hpi. Imunocytochemistry experiments using specific antibodies showed that in non-infected insects STAT and PIAS were found mostly in the fat body, while in infected mosquitoes the proteins were found in other body tissues. The knockdown of STAT by RNAi increased the number of oocysts in the midgut of A. aquasalis. This is the first clear evidence for the involvement of a specific immune pathway in the interaction of the Brazilian malaria vector A. aquasalis with P. vivax, delineating a potential target for the future development of disease controlling strategies.
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Salvemini M, Mauro U, Lombardo F, Milano A, Zazzaro V, Arcà B, Polito LC, Saccone G. Genomic organization and splicing evolution of the doublesex gene, a Drosophila regulator of sexual differentiation, in the dengue and yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. BMC Evol Biol 2011; 11:41. [PMID: 21310052 PMCID: PMC3045327 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-11-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2010] [Accepted: 02/10/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the model system Drosophila melanogaster, doublesex (dsx) is the double-switch gene at the bottom of the somatic sex determination cascade that determines the differentiation of sexually dimorphic traits. Homologues of dsx are functionally conserved in various dipteran species, including the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. They show a striking conservation of sex-specific regulation, based on alternative splicing, and of the encoded sex-specific proteins, which are transcriptional regulators of downstream terminal genes that influence sexual differentiation of cells, tissues and organs. Results In this work, we report on the molecular characterization of the dsx homologue in the dengue and yellow fever vector Aedes aegypti (Aeadsx). Aeadsx produces sex-specific transcripts by alternative splicing, which encode isoforms with a high degree of identity to Anopheles gambiae and Drosophila melanogaster homologues. Interestingly, Aeadsx produces an additional novel female-specific splicing variant. Genomic comparative analyses between the Aedes and Anopheles dsx genes revealed a partial conservation of the exon organization and extensive divergence in the intron lengths. An expression analysis showed that Aeadsx transcripts were present from early stages of development and that sex-specific regulation starts at least from late larval stages. The analysis of the female-specific untranslated region (UTR) led to the identification of putative regulatory cis-elements potentially involved in the sex-specific splicing regulation. The Aedes dsx sex-specific splicing regulation seems to be more complex with the respect of other dipteran species, suggesting slightly novel evolutionary trajectories for its regulation and hence for the recruitment of upstream splicing regulators. Conclusions This study led to uncover the molecular evolution of Aedes aegypti dsx splicing regulation with the respect of the more closely related Culicidae Anopheles gambiae orthologue. In Aedes aegypti, the dsx gene is sex-specifically regulated and encodes two female-specific and one male-specific isoforms, all sharing a doublesex/mab-3 (DM) domain-containing N-terminus and different C-termini. The sex-specific regulation is based on a combination of exon skipping, 5' alternative splice site choice and, most likely, alternative polyadenylation. Interestingly, when the Aeadsx gene is compared to the Anopheles dsx ortholog, there are differences in the in silico predicted default and regulated sex-specific splicing events, which suggests that the upstream regulators either are different or act in a slightly different manner. Furthermore, this study is a premise for the future development of transgenic sexing strains in mosquitoes useful for sterile insect technique (SIT) programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
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Rona LDP, Carvalho-Pinto CJ, Mazzoni CJ, Peixoto AA. Estimation of divergence time between two sibling species of the Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii complex using a multilocus approach. BMC Evol Biol 2010; 10:91. [PMID: 20356389 PMCID: PMC3087556 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2009] [Accepted: 03/31/2010] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anopheles cruzii is the primary human Plasmodium vector in southern and southeastern Brazil. The distribution of this mosquito follows the coast of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Previous studies indicated that An. cruzii is a complex of cryptic species. Results A multilocus approach using six loci, three circadian clock genes and three encoding ribosomal proteins, was implemented to investigate in more detail the genetic differentiation between the An. cruzii populations from Santa Catarina (southern Brazil) and Bahia States (northeastern Brazil) that represent two sibling species. The analysis revealed very high FST values and fixed differences between the two An. cruzii sibling species in all loci, irrespective of their function. An Isolation with Migration model was fit to the data using the IM program. The results reveal no migration in either direction and allowed a rough estimate of the divergence time between the two sibling species. Conclusions Population genetics analysis of An. cruzii samples from two Brazilian localities using a multilocus approach confirmed that they represent two different sibling species in this complex. The results suggest that the two species have not exchanged migrants since their separation and that they possibly diverged between 1.1 and 3.6 million years ago, a period of intense climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa D P Rona
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Av, Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, RJ, Brazil
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Bahia AC, Kubota MS, Tempone AJ, Pinheiro WD, Tadei WP, Secundino NFC, Traub-Csekö YM, Pimenta PFP. Anopheles aquasalis Infected by Plasmodium vivax displays unique gene expression profiles when compared to other malaria vectors and plasmodia. PLoS One 2010; 5:e9795. [PMID: 20339545 PMCID: PMC2842430 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2009] [Accepted: 02/24/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria affects 300 million people worldwide every year and is endemic in 22 countries in the Americas where transmission occurs mainly in the Amazon Region. Most malaria cases in the Americas are caused by Plasmodium vivax, a parasite that is almost impossible to cultivate in vitro, and Anopheles aquasalis is an important malaria vector. Understanding the interactions between this vector and its parasite will provide important information for development of disease control strategies. To this end, we performed mRNA subtraction experiments using A. aquasalis 2 and 24 hours after feeding on blood and blood from malaria patients infected with P. vivax to identify changes in the mosquito vector gene induction that could be important during the initial steps of infection. A total of 2,138 clones of differentially expressed genes were sequenced and 496 high quality unique sequences were obtained. Annotation revealed 36% of sequences unrelated to genes in any database, suggesting that they were specific to A. aquasalis. A high number of sequences (59%) with no matches in any databases were found 24 h after infection. Genes related to embryogenesis were down-regulated in insects infected by P. vivax. Only a handful of genes related to immune responses were detected in our subtraction experiment. This apparent weak immune response of A. aquasalis to P. vivax infection could be related to the susceptibility of this vector to this important human malaria parasite. Analysis of some genes by real time PCR corroborated and expanded the subtraction results. Taken together, these data provide important new information about this poorly studied American malaria vector by revealing differences between the responses of A. aquasalis to P. vivax infection, in relation to better studied mosquito-Plasmodium pairs. These differences may be important for the development of malaria transmission-blocking strategies in the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Bahia
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marina S. Kubota
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antonio J. Tempone
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Waleria D. Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Malária e Dengue, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Wanderli P. Tadei
- Laboratório de Malária e Dengue, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Nágila F. C. Secundino
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Yara M. Traub-Csekö
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paulo F. P. Pimenta
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Vital W, Rezende GL, Abreu L, Moraes J, Lemos FJA, Vaz IDS, Logullo C. Germ band retraction as a landmark in glucose metabolism during Aedes aegypti embryogenesis. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2010; 10:25. [PMID: 20184739 PMCID: PMC2838828 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-10-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2009] [Accepted: 02/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background The mosquito A. aegypti is vector of dengue and other viruses. New methods of vector control are needed and can be achieved by a better understanding of the life cycle of this insect. Embryogenesis is a part of A. aegypty life cycle that is poorly understood. In insects in general and in mosquitoes in particular energetic metabolism is well studied during oogenesis, when the oocyte exhibits fast growth, accumulating carbohydrates, lipids and proteins that will meet the regulatory and metabolic needs of the developing embryo. On the other hand, events related with energetic metabolism during A. aegypti embryogenesis are unknown. Results Glucose metabolism was investigated throughout Aedes aegypti (Diptera) embryonic development. Both cellular blastoderm formation (CBf, 5 h after egg laying - HAE) and germ band retraction (GBr, 24 HAE) may be considered landmarks regarding glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) destination. We observed high levels of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity at the very beginning of embryogenesis, which nevertheless decreased up to 5 HAE. This activity is correlated with the need for nucleotide precursors generated by the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), of which G6PDH is the key enzyme. We suggest the synchronism of egg metabolism with carbohydrate distribution based on the decreasing levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activity and on the elevation observed in protein content up to 24 HAE. Concomitantly, increasing levels of hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) activity were observed, and PEPCK reached a peak around 48 HAE. Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3) activity was also monitored and shown to be inversely correlated with glycogen distribution during embryogenesis. Conclusions The results herein support the hypothesis that glucose metabolic fate changes according to developmental embryonic stages. Germ band retraction is a moment that was characterized as a landmark in glucose metabolism during Aedes aegypti embryogenesis. Furthermore, the results also suggest a role for GSK3 in glycogen balance/distribution during morphological modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagner Vital
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos and Laboratório de Biotecnologia-CBB-UENF, Horto, CEP 28015-620 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
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Gonçalves RLS, Machado ACL, Paiva-Silva GO, Sorgine MHF, Momoli MM, Oliveira JHM, Vannier-Santos MA, Galina A, Oliveira PL, Oliveira MF. Blood-feeding induces reversible functional changes in flight muscle mitochondria of Aedes aegypti mosquito. PLoS One 2009; 4:e7854. [PMID: 19924237 PMCID: PMC2773413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Accepted: 10/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hematophagy poses a challenge to blood-feeding organisms since products of blood digestion can exert cellular deleterious effects. Mitochondria perform multiple roles in cell biology acting as the site of aerobic energy-transducing pathways, and also an important source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), modulating redox metabolism. Therefore, regulation of mitochondrial function should be relevant for hematophagous arthropods. Here, we investigated the effects of blood-feeding on flight muscle (FM) mitochondria from the mosquito Aedes aegypti, a vector of dengue and yellow fever. Methodology/Principal Findings Blood-feeding caused a reversible reduction in mitochondrial oxygen consumption, an event that was parallel to blood digestion. These changes were most intense at 24 h after blood meal (ABM), the peak of blood digestion, when oxygen consumption was inhibited by 68%. Cytochromes c and a+a3 levels and cytochrome c oxidase activity of the electron transport chain were all reduced at 24 h ABM. Ultrastructural and molecular analyses of FM revealed that mitochondria fuse upon blood meal, a condition related to reduced ROS generation. Consistently, BF induced a reversible decrease in mitochondrial H2O2 formation during blood digestion, reaching their lowest values at 24 h ABM where a reduction of 51% was observed. Conclusion Blood-feeding triggers functional and structural changes in hematophagous insect mitochondria, which may represent an important adaptation to blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata L. S. Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Redox, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Inflamação e Metabolismo, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (INBEB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina L. Machado
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Redox, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Inflamação e Metabolismo, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (INBEB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O. Paiva-Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos H. F. Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marisa M. Momoli
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jose Henrique M. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos A. Vannier-Santos
- Laboratório de Biomorfologia Parasitária, Instituto de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz, Fiocruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Antonio Galina
- Laboratório de Bioenergética & Fisiologia Mitocondrial, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Bioquímica e Biofísica Celular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcus F. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Redox, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Inflamação e Metabolismo, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (INBEB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Van Hiel MB, Van Wielendaele P, Temmerman L, Van Soest S, Vuerinckx K, Huybrechts R, Broeck JV, Simonet G. Identification and validation of housekeeping genes in brains of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria under different developmental conditions. BMC Mol Biol 2009; 10:56. [PMID: 19508726 PMCID: PMC2700112 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2199-10-56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2009] [Accepted: 06/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To obtain reliable quantitative RT-PCR data, normalization relative to stable housekeeping genes is required. However, in practice, expression levels of 'typical' housekeeping genes have been found to vary between tissues and under different experimental conditions. To date, validation studies of reference genes in insects are extremely rare and have never been performed in locusts. In this study, putative housekeeping genes were identified in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria and two different software programs (geNorm and Normfinder) were applied to assess the stability of these genes. RESULTS We have identified seven orthologs of commonly used housekeeping genes in the desert locust. The selected genes were the orthologs of actin, EF1a, GAPDH, RP49, TubA1, Ubi, and CG13220. By employing real time RT-PCR we have analysed the expression of these housekeeping genes in brain tissue of fifth instar nymphs and adults. In the brain of fifth instar nymphs geNorm indicated Sg-EF1a, Sg-GAPDH and Sg-RP49 as most stable genes, while Normfinder ranked Sg-RP49, Sg-EF1a and Sg-ACT as most suitable candidates for normalization. The best normalization candidates for gene expression studies in the brains of adult locusts were Sg-EF1a, Sg-GAPDH and Sg-Ubi according to geNorm, while Normfinder determined Sg-GAPDH, Sg-Ubi and Sg-ACT as the most stable housekeeping genes. CONCLUSION To perform transcript profiling studies on brains of the desert locust, the use of Sg-RP49, Sg-EF1a and Sg-ACT as reference genes is proposed for studies of fifth instar nymphs. In experiments with adult brains, however, the most preferred reference genes were Sg-GAPDH, Sg-Ubi and Sg-EF1a. These data will facilitate transcript profiling studies in desert locusts and provide a good starting point for the initial selection of genes for validation studies in other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias B Van Hiel
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, K,U,Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.
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Goltsev Y, Rezende GL, Vranizan K, Lanzaro G, Valle D, Levine M. Developmental and evolutionary basis for drought tolerance of the Anopheles gambiae embryo. Dev Biol 2009; 330:462-70. [PMID: 19298808 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2008] [Revised: 02/19/2009] [Accepted: 02/23/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
During the evolution of the Diptera there is a dramatic modification of the embryonic ectoderm, whereby mosquitoes contain separate amnion and serosa lineages while higher flies such as Drosophila melanogaster contain a single amnioserosa. Whole-genome transcriptome assays were performed with isolated serosa from Anopheles gambiae embryos. These assays identified a large number of genes implicated in the production of the larval cuticle. In D. melanogaster, these genes are activated just once during embryogenesis, during late stages where they are used for the production of the larval cuticle. Evidence is presented that the serosal cells secrete a dedicated serosal cuticle, which protects A. gambiae embryos from desiccation. Detailed temporal microarray assays of mosquito gene expression profiles revealed that the cuticular genes display biphasic expression during A. gambiae embryogenesis, first in the serosa of early embryos and then again during late stages as seen in D. melanogaster. We discuss how evolutionary modifications in the well-defined dorsal-ventral patterning network led to the wholesale deployment of the cuticle biosynthesis pathway in early embryos of A. gambiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yury Goltsev
- Department of Mol. Cell Biology, Division of Genetics Genomics and Development, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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40
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Rezende GL, Martins AJ, Gentile C, Farnesi LC, Pelajo-Machado M, Peixoto AA, Valle D. Embryonic desiccation resistance in Aedes aegypti: presumptive role of the chitinized serosal cuticle. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2008; 8:82. [PMID: 18789161 PMCID: PMC2561029 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-8-82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2007] [Accepted: 09/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background One of the major problems concerning dengue transmission is that embryos of its main vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti, resist desiccation, surviving several months under dry conditions. The serosal cuticle (SC) contributes to mosquito egg desiccation resistance, but the kinetics of SC secretion during embryogenesis is unknown. It has been argued that mosquito SC contains chitin as one of its components, however conclusive evidence is still missing. Results We observed an abrupt acquisition of desiccation resistance during Ae. aegypti embryogenesis associated with serosal cuticle secretion, occurring at complete germ band extension, between 11 and 13 hours after egglaying. After SC formation embryos are viable on dry for at least several days. The presence of chitin as one of the SC constituents was confirmed through Calcofluor and WGA labeling and chitin quantitation. The Ae. aegypti Chitin Synthase A gene (AaCHS1) possesses two alternatively spliced variants, AaCHS1a and AaCHS1b, differentially expressed during Ae. aegypti embryonic development. It was verified that at the moment of serosal cuticle formation, AaCHS1a is the sole variant specifically expressed. Conclusion In addition to the peritrophic matrix and exoskeleton, these findings confirm chitin is also present in the mosquito serosal cuticle. They also point to the role of the chitinized SC in the desiccation resistance of Ae. aegypti eggs. AaCHS1a expression would be responsible for SC chitin synthesis. With this embryological approach we expect to shed new light regarding this important physiological process related to the Ae. aegypti life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Lazzaro Rezende
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ and Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Rodrigues FG, Santos MN, de Carvalho TXT, Rocha BC, Riehle MA, Pimenta PFP, Abraham EG, Jacobs-Lorena M, Alves de Brito CF, Moreira LA. Expression of a mutated phospholipase A2 in transgenic Aedes fluviatilis mosquitoes impacts Plasmodium gallinaceum development. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 17:175-83. [PMID: 18353106 PMCID: PMC4137777 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2008.00791.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The genetic manipulation of mosquito vectors is an alternative strategy in the fight against malaria. It was previously shown that bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibits ookinete invasion of the mosquito midgut although mosquito fitness was reduced. To maintain the PLA2 blocking ability without compromising mosquito biology, we mutated the protein-coding sequence to inactivate the enzyme while maintaining the protein's structure. DNA encoding the mutated PLA2 (mPLA2) was placed downstream of a mosquito midgut-specific promoter (Anopheles gambiae peritrophin protein 1 promoter, AgPer1) and this construct used to transform Aedes fluviatilis mosquitoes. Four different transgenic lines were obtained and characterized and all lines significantly inhibited Plasmodium gallinaceum oocyst development (up to 68% fewer oocysts). No fitness cost was observed when this mosquito species expressed the mPLA2.
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Affiliation(s)
- F G Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Malária, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
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Gentile C, Meireles-Filho ACA, Britto C, Lima JBP, Valle D, Peixoto AA. Cloning and daily expression of the timeless gene in Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2006; 36:878-84. [PMID: 17046601 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2006.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2006] [Revised: 08/15/2006] [Accepted: 08/23/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Molecular approaches for studying biological rhythms in insects have been well investigated in the model Drosophila melanogaster, in which a number of genes have been characterized in terms of sequence, expression, protein interactions and involvement in the control of locomotor activity and eclosion rhythms. However, only scattered information is available for insect vectors of diseases. In this paper, we report the cloning and expression analysis of the clock gene timeless in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, vector of Dengue and Yellow Fever viruses. In Drosophila, timeless has a crucial role in the control of the central pacemaker and the resetting mechanism that allows the clock to synchronize with the environment light-dark cycles. Comparison of the predicted protein sequence encoded by timeless in Ae. aegypti and D. melanogaster demonstrated high similarity in some important domains, suggesting functional conservation. Analysis of the daily expression of timeless in Ae. aegypti shows a peak in mRNA abundance around the light-dark transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gentile
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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