1
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Cramer MM, Gabel TM, Duvall LB. Characterizing Physical Interactions between Male and Female Mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) in Relation to Female Receptivity and Insemination Outcomes Using a Hydrophobic Fluorescent Dye. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:382-392. [PMID: 37245059 PMCID: PMC10445417 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, presents a major threat to human health across the globe as a vector of disease-causing pathogens. Females of this species generally mate only once. From this single mating event, the female stores sufficient sperm to fertilize the multiple clutches of eggs produced during her lifetime. Mating causes dramatic changes in the female's behavior and physiology, including a lifetime suppression of her mating receptivity. Female rejection behaviors include male avoidance, abdominal twisting, wing-flicking, kicking, and not opening vaginal plates or extruding the ovipositor. Many of these events occur on a scale that is too miniscule or fast to see by eye, so high-resolution videography has been used to observe these behaviors instead. However, videography can be labor intensive, require specialized equipment, and often requires restrained animals. We used an efficient, low-cost method to record physical contact between males and females during attempted and successful mating, determined by recording spermathecal filling after dissection. A hydrophobic oil-based fluorescent dye can be applied to the abdominal tip of one animal and can be subsequently transferred to the genitalia of animals of the opposite sex when genital contact occurs. Our data indicate that male mosquitoes make high levels of contact with both receptive and unreceptive females and that males attempt to mate with more females than they successfully inseminate. Female mosquitoes with disrupted remating suppression mate with and produce offspring from multiple males, transferring dye to each. These data suggest that physical copulatory interactions occur independently of the female's receptivity to mate and that many of these interactions represent unsuccessful mating attempts that do not result in insemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M Cramer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Thomas M Gabel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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2
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Cramer MM, Gabel TM, Duvall LB. Characterizing physical interactions between male and female mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) in relation to female receptivity and insemination outcomes using a hydrophobic fluorescent dye. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542180. [PMID: 37292930 PMCID: PMC10246000 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, presents a major threat to human health across the globe as a vector of disease-causing pathogens. Females of this species generally mate only once. From this single mating event, the female stores sufficient sperm to fertilize the multiple clutches of eggs produced during her lifetime. Mating causes dramatic changes in the female's behavior and physiology, including a lifetime suppression of her mating receptivity. Female rejection behaviors include male avoidance, abdominal twisting, wing-flicking, kicking, and not opening vaginal plates or extruding the ovipositor. Many of these events occur on a scale that is too miniscule or fast to see by eye, so high-resolution videography has been used to observe these behaviors instead. However, videography can be labor intensive, require specialized equipment, and often requires restrained animals. We used an efficient, low-cost method to record physical contact between males and females during attempted and successful mating, determined by recording spermathecal filling after dissection. A hydrophobic oil-based fluorescent dye can be applied to the abdominal tip of one animal and can be subsequently transferred to the genitalia of animals of the opposite sex when genital contact occurs. Our data indicate that male mosquitoes make high levels of contact with both receptive and unreceptive females and that males attempt to mate with more females than they successfully inseminate. Female mosquitoes with disrupted remating suppression mate with and produce offspring from multiple males, transferring dye to each. These data suggest that physical copulatory interactions occur independently of the female's receptivity to mate and that many of these interactions represent unsuccessful mating attempts that do not result in insemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica M. Cramer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Thomas M. Gabel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Laura B. Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA
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3
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Overview of Aedes aegypti and Use in Laboratory Studies. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:107651-pdb.top. [PMID: 36223992 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is a prolific disease vector. This mosquito has been the subject of scientific investigation for more than a century. Continued research into Aedes aegypti biology is crucial for understanding how to halt the suite of major arthropod-borne viral diseases this mosquito transmits. Here, we provide an introductory overview of Aedes aegypti life cycle; evolutionary history, biology, and ecology; genetics and sex differences; vector competence; and laboratory colonization and considerations for rearing this robust mosquito species for use in laboratory research.
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4
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Facchinelli L, Badolo A, McCall PJ. Biology and Behaviour of Aedes aegypti in the Human Environment: Opportunities for Vector Control of Arbovirus Transmission. Viruses 2023; 15:636. [PMID: 36992346 PMCID: PMC10053764 DOI: 10.3390/v15030636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a ubiquitous vector of arboviruses mostly in urbanised areas throughout the tropics and subtropics and a growing threat beyond. Control of Ae. aegypti is difficult and costly, and no vaccines are available for most of the viruses it transmits. With practical control solutions our goal, ideally suitable for delivery by householders in affected communities, we reviewed the literature on adult Ae. aegypti biology and behaviour, within and close to the human home, the arena where such interventions must impact. We found that knowledge was vague or important details were missing for multiple events or activities in the mosquito life cycle, such as the duration or location of the many periods when females rest between blood feeding and oviposition. The existing body of literature, though substantial, is not wholly reliable, and evidence for commonly held "facts" range from untraceable to extensive. Source references of some basic information are poor or date back more than 60 years, while other information that today is accepted widely as "fact" is not supported by evidence in the literature. Many topics, e.g., sugar feeding, resting preferences (location and duration), and blood feeding, merit being revisited in new geographical regions and ecological contexts to identify vulnerabilities for exploitation in control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Facchinelli
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Athanase Badolo
- Laboratoire d’Entomologie Fondamentale et Appliquée, Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021, Burkina Faso
| | - Philip J. McCall
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
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5
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Contreras B, Adelman ZN, Chae K. Evaluating the Mating Competency of Genetically Modified Male Mosquitoes in Laboratory Conditions. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2023; 4:1106671. [PMID: 37860147 PMCID: PMC10586724 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2023.1106671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efforts to eradicate mosquito-borne diseases have increased the demand for genetic control strategies, many of which involve the release of genetically modified (GM) mosquito males into natural populations. The first hurdle for GM males is to compete with their wild-type counterparts for access to females. Here, we introduce an eye color-based mating assay, in which both Lvp wild-type and kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo)-null males compete for access to kmo-null females, and therefore the eye color phenotype (black or white) of the progeny is dependent on the parental mating pair. A series of tests addressed that male mating competitiveness between the two strains can significantly be influenced by adult density, light intensity, and mating duration. Interestingly, the mating competitiveness of males was not correlated with body size, which was negatively influenced by a high larval density. Lastly, this eye color-associated assay was applied to characterize GM mosquitoes in their mating competitiveness, establishing this method as a fast and precise way of benchmarking this fitness parameter for laboratory-raised males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Contreras
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Zach N. Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Keun Chae
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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6
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Pimid M, Krishnan KT, Ahmad AH, Mohd Naim D, Chambers GK, Mohd Nor SA, Ab Majid AH. Parentage Assignment Using Microsatellites Reveals Multiple Mating in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for Mating Dynamics. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1525-1533. [PMID: 35733165 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of the dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses. Evidence shows that Ae. aegypti males are polyandrous whereas Ae. aegypti females are monandrous in mating. However, the degree to which Ae. aegypti males and females can mate with different partners has not been rigorously tested. Therefore, this study examined the rates of polyandry via parentage assignment in three sets of competitive mating experiments using wild-type male and female Ae. aegypti. Parentage assignment was monitored using nine microsatellite DNA markers. All Ae. aegypti offspring were successfully assigned to parents with 80% or 95% confidence using CERVUS software. The results showed that both male and female Ae. aegypti mated with up to 3-4 different partners. Adults contributed differentially to the emergent offspring, with reproductive outputs ranging from 1 to 25 viable progeny. This study demonstrates a new perspective on the capabilities of male and female Ae. aegypti in mating. These findings are significant because successful deployment of reproductive control methods using genetic modification or sterile Ae. aegypti must consider the following criteria regarding their mating fitness: 1) choosing Ae. aegypti males that can mate with many different females; 2) testing how transformed Ae. aegypti male perform with polyandrous females; and 3) prioritizing the selection of polyandrous males and/or females Ae. aegypti that have the most offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Pimid
- Faculty of Agro Based Industry, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Kelantan, Malaysia
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Kumara Thevan Krishnan
- Faculty of Agro Based Industry, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600 Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Abu Hassan Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Darlina Mohd Naim
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Geoffrey K Chambers
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, 6140 Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Siti Azizah Mohd Nor
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid
- Household & Structural Urban Entomology Laboratory, Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
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7
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Shadmany J, Lee SF, Nguyen TNM, Taylor PW. Patterns of sperm use by twice-mated female Queensland fruit flies. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:1159-1169. [PMID: 34957684 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Multiple mating by females, polyandry, is common in insects, including in tephritid fruit flies. Female insects that remate commonly store sperm of multiple males. How the sperm of different males contribute to paternity is an important element of sexual selection. Sexual behavior and reproduction of the Queensland fruit fly (Qfly), Bactrocera tryoni, has been extensively investigated both in relation to understanding this economically important species' reproductive biology and in relation to implications for Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), whereby sterile flies are released to constrain reproduction of pest populations. Despite numerous studies of pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection in Qfly, there have been no direct studies of paternity patterns in polyandrous female Qflies. We used two morphologically distinguishable lines to investigate patterns of sperm use in Qfly. The two lines showed comparable mating performance evidenced by similar mating and remating frequency, copula duration, and proportion of second mate paternity (P2) between reciprocal crosses. The mechanism of sperm usage, with P2 close to 0.5 immediately after the second mating followed by gradual decrease of P2 as females aged, is most consistent with stratification or repositioning of sperm. Patterns observed in the present study are compared with the available information from other tephritid fruit flies, and are discussed in relation to this species' reproductive biology, known patterns of sperm storage, and SIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Shadmany
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Siu F Lee
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia
| | - Thu N M Nguyen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Phillip W Taylor
- Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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8
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Parsana D, Nanfack-Minkeu F, Sirot LK. Insemination in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2022; 2022:pdb.top107668. [PMID: 35902240 PMCID: PMC9883592 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.top107668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Aedes mosquitoes are the vectors of several arboviruses that cause human disease. A better understanding of their reproduction helps to improve their management and contributes insights into the fundamental biology of mosquitoes. During mating, inseminated mosquito females receive seminal fluids and sperm from males that they then store in the spermathecae. In Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, most mated females become resistant to further insemination within 2 h of initial insemination. Although the male seminal fluids are known to be involved in initiating the resistance of inseminated females to further insemination, the mechanism underlying this resistance is not well-understood. The determination of insemination status is a key step in investigating the behavioral and molecular interactions between males and females and for exploring the proximate influences and evolutionary implications of interspecific copulations. Several methods exist for determining insemination status, as discussed here. The choice of method depends on the research question and the availability of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhwani Parsana
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691, USA
| | | | - Laura K. Sirot
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691, USA
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9
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Estimating female malaria mosquito age by quantifying Y-linked genes in stored male spermatozoa. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10570. [PMID: 35732703 PMCID: PMC9217924 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15021-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector control strategies are among the most effective measures to combat mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria. These strategies work by altering the mosquito age structure through increased mortality of the older female mosquitoes that transmit pathogens. However, methods to monitor changes to mosquito age structure are currently inadequate for programmatic implementation. Female mosquitoes generally mate a single time soon after emergence and draw down spermatozoa reserves with each oviposition cycle. Here, we demonstrate that measuring spermatozoa quantity in female Anopheles mosquitoes is an effective approach to assess mosquito age. Using multiplexed qPCR targeted at male spermatozoa, we show that Y-linked genes in female mosquitoes are exclusively found in the spermatheca, the organ that houses spermatozoa, and the quantity of these gene sequences significantly declines with age. The method can accurately identify mosquitoes more than 10 days old and thus old enough to potentially transmit pathogens harbored in the salivary glands during blood feeding. Furthermore, mosquito populations that differ by 10% in daily survivorship have a high likelihood of being distinguished using modest sample sizes, making this approach scalable for assessing the efficacy of vector intervention control programs.
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10
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Propagation of seminal toxins through binary expression gene drives could suppress populations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6332. [PMID: 35428855 PMCID: PMC9012762 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10327-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene drives can be highly effective in controlling a target population by disrupting a female fertility gene. To spread across a population, these drives require that disrupted alleles be largely recessive so as not to impose too high of a fitness penalty. We argue that this restriction may be relaxed by using a double gene drive design to spread a split binary expression system. One drive carries a dominant lethal/toxic effector alone and the other a transactivator factor, without which the effector will not act. Only after the drives reach sufficiently high frequencies would individuals have the chance to inherit both system components and the effector be expressed. We explore through mathematical modeling the potential of this design to spread dominant lethal/toxic alleles and suppress populations. We show that this system could be implemented to spread engineered seminal proteins designed to kill females, making it highly effective against polyandrous populations.
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11
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Shadmany J, Taylor PW, Yeap HL, Lee SF. Multi-locus genotyping of stored sperm reveals female remating rates in wild populations of the Queensland fruit fly. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:100040. [PMID: 36003266 PMCID: PMC9387433 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2022.100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Stored sperm in female Queensland fruit flies genotyped for 10 genetic markers Remating detected in 26 of 48 (54.2 %) ovipositing females in the wild Significant difference in remating rate between 2 collections (80.0 vs 26.1%) First evidence for polyandry in wild female Queensland fruit flies
Female insects commonly have more than one mate during a breeding period (‘polyandry’), storing and using sperm from multiple males. In addition to its evolutionary significance, insect polyandry has practical implications for pest management that relies on the sterile insect technique (SIT). The Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt), is a major horticultural pest in Australia, and outbreaks are managed by SIT in some regions. The present study provides the first evidence for polyandry in female B. tryoni from field populations from New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD) through multi-locus genotyping (ten microsatellite markers in four fluorescent multiplexes) of the stored sperm in ovipositing females. Polyandry level was significantly higher in the NSW collection (80.0 %) than the QLD collection (26.1 %), suggesting substantial regional and/or temporal variation. These findings have important implications for the use of SIT to suppress B. tryoni populations and to eradicate outbreaks.
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12
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Agudelo J, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. Male Age Influences Re-mating Incidence and Sperm Use in Females of the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti. Front Physiol 2021; 12:691221. [PMID: 34354600 PMCID: PMC8329734 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.691221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases transmitted by female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are public health issues in countries in the tropics and sub-tropics. As in other insects, A. aegypti females undergo behavioral and physiological changes upon mating that principally act to facilitate the production of progeny. The primary effectors of A. aegypti female post-mating responses are male-derived seminal proteins that are transferred to females during mating. Increased male age reduces ejaculate function in numerous taxa and alters seminal protein composition in Drosophila melanogaster, but the impacts of male age on female A. aegypti post-mating responses are unknown. Here, we used "old" (21-22 days old) and "young" (4-5 days old) A. aegypti males to assess the influence of male age on oviposition, fertility, and re-mating incidence in their mates. We also examined how age influenced paternity share in females initially mated to young or old males that subsequently re-mated with a transgenic male that transferred RFP-labeled sperm and whose progeny inherited a larval-expressed GFP marker. We found that increased male age had no effect on female fecundity or fertility but significantly impacted their ability to prevent re-mating in their mates-more than half (54.5%) of the females mated to an old male re-mated, compared to 24% of females initially mated to a young male. Polyandrous A. aegypti females displayed first male precedence regardless of the age of their initial mate. However, young males were better able to compete with rival male sperm, siring significantly more progeny (77%) compared to old males (64%). Young males had significantly more sperm in their seminal vesicles than old males at the time of mating, although males of both age groups transferred similar numbers of sperm to their mates. Our results suggest that male senescence differentially impacts the induction of some post-mating changes in A. aegypti females. As the effect of age may be further exacerbated in the field, age-related declines in male ability to induce sexual refractoriness have implications for A. aegypti population control programs that release adults into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Agudelo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.,Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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13
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Cator LJ, Wyer CAS, Harrington LC. Mosquito Sexual Selection and Reproductive Control Programs. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:330-339. [PMID: 33422425 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The field of mosquito mating biology has experienced a considerable expansion in the past decade. Recent work has generated many key insights about specific aspects of mating behavior and physiology. Here, we synthesize these findings and classify swarming mosquito systems as polygynous. Male mating success is highly variable in swarms and evidence suggests that it is likely determined by both scramble competition between males and female choice. Incorporating this new understanding will improve both implementation and long-term stability of reproductive control tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Cator
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Claudia A S Wyer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK; Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP, Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Gloria-Soria A, Soghigian J, Kellner D, Powell JR. Genetic diversity of laboratory strains and implications for research: The case of Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007930. [PMID: 31815934 PMCID: PMC6922456 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), is the primary vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya fever, among other arboviral diseases. It is also a popular laboratory model in vector biology due to its ease of rearing and manipulation in the lab. Established laboratory strains have been used worldwide in thousands of studies for decades. Laboratory evolution of reference strains and contamination among strains are potential severe problems that could dramatically change experimental outcomes and thus is a concern in vector biology. We analyzed laboratory and field colonies of Ae. aegypti and an Ae. aegypti-derived cell line (Aag2) using 12 microsatellites and ~20,000 SNPs to determine the extent of divergence among laboratory strains and relationships to their wild relatives. We found that 1) laboratory populations are less genetically variable than their field counterparts; 2) colonies bearing the same name obtained from different laboratories may be highly divergent; 3) present genetic composition of the LVP strain used as the genome reference is incompatible with its presumed origin; 4) we document changes in two wild caught colonies over ~16 generations of colonization; and 5) the Aag2 Ae. aegypti cell line has experienced minimal genetic changes within and across laboratories. These results illustrate the degree of variability within and among strains of Ae. aegypti, with implications for cross-study comparisons, and highlight the need of a common mosquito repository and the implementation of strain validation tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Gloria-Soria
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States of America
| | - John Soghigian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States of America
| | - David Kellner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey R. Powell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States of America
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15
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Carrasquilla MC, Lounibos LP, Honorio NA, Murr S. Spermathecal Filling in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus: Effects of Female and Male Body Sizes and Species. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:334-340. [PMID: 30668724 PMCID: PMC6389318 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) are ecologically similar species that have evolved independently in their native ranges, Ae. aegypti in Africa and Ae. albopictus in Asia. Where their invasive ranges overlap, interspecific mating is facilitated by both species swarming to mate around bloodmeal hosts during daylight. Here, we test hypotheses to account for variation in spermathecal filling in females of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, particularly, the effect of mosquito size on the number of spermathecae containing sperm after intraspecific and interspecifc matings of these two species. Results show that significantly more spermathecae contained sperm in large than in small Ae. albopictus females, but there was no effect of Ae. aegypti female body size on the average number of spermathecae filled. Among inseminated females, there was no effect of male size or cross-type on number of spermathecae with sperm. Differences in the effect of female size on the number of spermathecae that store sperm in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus imply differences in the mating biology of these two species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sarah Murr
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street London, UK
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Yeap HL, Endersby-Harshman NM, Hoffmann AA. The Effect of Nonrandom Mating on Wolbachia Dynamics: Implications for Population Replacement and Sterile Releases in Aedes Mosquitoes. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 99:608-617. [PMID: 29968550 PMCID: PMC6169187 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia bacteria are known to cause deviations from random mating and affect sperm competition (SC) in some of their arthropod hosts. Because these effects could influence the effectiveness of Wolbachia in mosquito population replacement and suppression programs, we developed a theoretical framework to investigate them and we collected relevant data for the wMel infection in Aedes aegypti. Using incompatibility patterns as a measure of mating success of infected versus uninfected mosquitoes, we found some evidence that uninfected males sire more offspring than infected males. However, our theoretical framework suggests that this effect is unlikely to hamper Wolbachia invasion and has only minor effects on population suppression programs. Nevertheless, we suggest that mating effects and SC need to be monitored in an ongoing manner in release programs, given the possibility of ongoing selection for altered mating patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Lin Yeap
- Pest, and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEARG), School of Bioscience, Bio21 Institute University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific, and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain Laboratories, Black Mountain, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nancy Margaret Endersby-Harshman
- Pest, and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEARG), School of Bioscience, Bio21 Institute University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ary Anthony Hoffmann
- Pest, and Environmental Adaptation Research Group (PEARG), School of Bioscience, Bio21 Institute University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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17
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Hatala AJ, Harrington LC, Degner EC. Age and Body Size Influence Sperm Quantity in Male Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 55:1051-1054. [PMID: 29618076 PMCID: PMC6025233 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector of several arboviruses impacting human health, including dengue, chikungunya, and potentially Zika. Vector control strategies that deploy modified males into the field are in use or under development and require a solid understanding of male biology; unfortunately, there has been limited effort to understand male Ae. albopictus reproductive biology, including sperm production and capacity. We tested whether body size and age affect spermatogenesis in Ae. albopictus. In general, older and larger males produced more sperm than their younger or smaller counterparts. Large males continued spermatogenesis well after 10-d post-eclosion (dpe), augmenting their reserves by 39%. By contrast, small males stopped producing sperm at 10 dpe. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of Ae. albopictus reproductive physiology. We discuss the usefulness of these findings in the context of Ae. albopictus life history and their utility in optimizing male mosquito release strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Hatala
- Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - L C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - E C Degner
- Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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18
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Carvalho DO, Chuffi S, Ioshino RS, Marques ICS, Fini R, Costa MK, Araújo HRC, Costa-da-Silva AL, Kojin BB, Capurro ML. Mosquito pornoscopy: Observation and interruption of Aedes aegypti copulation to determine female polyandric event and mixed progeny. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193164. [PMID: 29518112 PMCID: PMC5843176 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ades aegypti is the most important arbovirus vector in the world, and new strategies are under evaluation. Biological studies mentioning the occurrence of a second mate in Aedes aegypti can interfere with vector control program planning, which involves male mosquito release technique. This study presents different experiments to show the occurrence of mixed progeny. Mixed male crosses (using a combination of different type of males in confinement with virgin females) showed no polyandric female. Individual crosses with male substitution in every gonotrophic cycle also did not show any polyandric female. Individual crosses with a 20 minutes interval, with subsequent male change, showed that only a few females presented mixed offspring. The copulation breach in three different moments, group A with full coitus length, group B the coitus was interrupted in 5-7 seconds after the start; and group C, which the copulation was interrupted 3 seconds after started. In summary, group A showed a majority of unique progeny from the first male; group B showed the higher frequency of mixed offspring and group C with the majority of the crosses belonging to the second male. To conclude, the occurrence of a viable second mate and mixed offspring is only possible when the copulation is interrupted; otherwise, the first mate is responsible for mixed progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo O. Carvalho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Samira Chuffi
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafaella S. Ioshino
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Isabel C. S. Marques
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Regina Fini
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Karina Costa
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Helena R. C. Araújo
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - André L. Costa-da-Silva
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bianca Burini Kojin
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Margareth L. Capurro
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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19
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Degner EC, Harrington LC. A mosquito sperm's journey from male ejaculate to egg: Mechanisms, molecules, and methods for exploration. Mol Reprod Dev 2018; 83:897-911. [PMID: 27147424 PMCID: PMC5086422 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The fate of mosquito sperm in the female reproductive tract has been addressed sporadically and incompletely, resulting in significant gaps in our understanding of sperm-female interactions that ultimately lead to fertilization. As with other Diptera, mosquito sperm have a complex journey to their ultimate destination, the egg. After copulation, sperm spend a short time at the site of insemination where they are hyperactivated and quickly congregate near the entrance of the spermathecal ducts. Within minutes, they travel up the narrow ducts to the spermathecae, likely through the combined efforts of female transport and sperm locomotion. The female nourishes sperm and maintains them in these permanent storage organs for her entire life. When she is ready, the female coordinates the release of sperm with ovulation, and the descending egg is fertilized. Although this process has been well studied via microscopy, many questions remain regarding the molecular processes that coordinate sperm motility, movement through the reproductive tract, maintenance, and usage. In this review, we describe the current understanding of a mosquito sperm's journey to the egg, highlighting gaps in our knowledge of mosquito reproductive biology. Where insufficient information is available in mosquitoes, we describe analogous processes in other organisms, such as Drosophila melanogaster, as a basis for comparison, and we suggest future areas of research that will illuminate how sperm successfully traverse the female reproductive tract. Such studies may yield molecular targets that could be manipulated to control populations of vector species. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 897-911, 2016 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan C Degner
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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20
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Duvall LB, Basrur NS, Molina H, McMeniman CJ, Vosshall LB. A Peptide Signaling System that Rapidly Enforces Paternity in the Aedes aegypti Mosquito. Curr Biol 2017; 27:3734-3742.e5. [PMID: 29174895 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes typically mate only once with one male in their lifetime, a behavior known as "monandry" [1]. This single mating event provisions the female with sufficient sperm to fertilize the >500 eggs she will produce during her ∼4- to 6-week lifespan in the laboratory [2]. Successful mating induces lifetime refractoriness to subsequent insemination by other males, enforcing the paternity of the first male [3-5]. Ae. aegypti mate in flight near human hosts [6], and females become refractory to remating within seconds [1, 3, 4], suggesting the existence of a rapid mechanism to prevent female remating. In this study, we implicate HP-I, an Aedes- and male-specific peptide transferred to females [7], and its cognate receptor in the female, NPYLR1 [8], in rapid enforcement of paternity. HP-I mutant males were ineffective in enforcing paternity when a second male was given access to the female within 1 hr. NPYLR1 mutant females produced mixed paternity offspring at high frequency, indicating acceptance of multiple mates. Synthetic HP-I injected into wild-type, but not NPYLR1 mutant, virgins reduced successful matings. Asian tiger mosquito (Ae. albopictus) HP-I peptides potently activated Ae. aegypti NPYLR1. Invasive Ae. albopictus males are known to copulate with and effectively sterilize Ae. aegypti females by causing them to reject future mates [9]. Cross-species transfer of sperm and active seminal fluid proteins including HP-I may contribute to this phenomenon. This signaling system promotes rapid paternity enforcement within Ae. aegypti but may promote local extinction in areas where they compete with Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Duvall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nipun S Basrur
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Henrik Molina
- Proteomics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA; Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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21
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De Jesus CE, Reiskind MH. The importance of male body size on sperm uptake and usage, and female fecundity in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:447. [PMID: 27519588 PMCID: PMC4983072 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1734-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Adult mosquito density is a critical factor in the transmission of arboviruses by container Aedes spp. mosquitoes. Female fecundity drives population growth, and therefore contributes to adult mosquito density. Previous studies have focused on female body size as the major determinant of fecundity, paying little attention to male condition. In this study, we examined the effects of male body size on the abundance of sperm in spermatheca, depletion of sperm over time, and female fecundity. Methods We generated males in two size classes using different larval densities, and allowed them to mate with females generated from a moderately dense larval environment. We counted sperm in female spermatheca in a sample of females immediately after mating, then every week for four weeks post-mating. We provided weekly blood meals to females and determined their fecundity over four weeks after the initial blood meal. Results We found significantly more sperm in Aedes albopictus females than in Aedes aegypti, and detected depletion of sperm in Ae. aegypti, but not in Ae. albopictus. We did not see significant differences in number of sperm in spermathecae in relation to male body size in either species over subsequent gonotrophic cycles. We found a significant effect of male body size on fecundity in Ae. albopictus, but not Ae. aegypti, with a 46 % increase in fecundity for female Ae. albopictus offered four blood meals. Conclusions Our results suggest substantial differences in the mating biology of these ecologically similar species and the importance of considering males in understanding female fecundity. The substantial increase in fecundity in Ae. albopictus has implications for population growth, estimating vector density, and modeling the transmission of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie E De Jesus
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Box 7613, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.,Present address: Delta Vector Control District, P.O. Box 310, Visalia, CA, 93279-0310, USA
| | - Michael H Reiskind
- Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Box 7613, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
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22
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Degner EC, Harrington LC. Polyandry Depends on Postmating Time Interval in the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 94:780-785. [PMID: 26880776 PMCID: PMC4824218 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of the dengue and chikungunya viruses. After mating, male seminal fluid molecules cause females to become unreceptive to a subsequent mating. This response is often assumed to be immediate and complete, but a growing body of evidence suggests that some females do mate more than once. It is unknown how quickly a female becomes unreceptive to a second mating. Furthermore, the degree to which she remains monandrous after laying several batches of eggs has not been rigorously tested. Therefore, we assessed the rates of polyandry in two sets of experiments using wild-type males and those with fluorescent sperm. The first experiment tested the likelihood of polyandry after postmating intervals of various durations. Most females became refractory to a second mating within 2 hours after mating, and rates of polyandry ranged from 24% immediately after mating to 3% at 20 hours after mating. The second experiment tested whether females were polyandrous after cycles of blood meals and oviposition. No re-insemination was found after one, three, or five such cycles. This study is the first to demonstrate that polyandrous behavior depends on the postmating interval. Our results will inform future applications that depend on an accurate knowledge of Ae. aegypti mating behavior, including models of gene flow, investigations of molecules that drive female mating behavior, and control strategies that deploy genetically modified mosquitoes into the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- *Address correspondence to Laura C. Harrington, Department of Entomology, 2130 Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. E-mail:
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