Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
119(23)
Published: June 1, 2022
Significance
Chemosensory
systems
play
crucial
roles
across
mosquito
life
cycles,
with
underlying
molecular
receptors
often
forming
functional
complexes
that
require
cognate
coreceptors.
To
better
understand
chemosensory
pathways
in
the
malaria
vector
Anopheles
coluzzii
,
gene
editing
were
used
to
localize
and
functionally
characterize
ionotropic
receptor
coreceptor
AcIr76b
.
Expression
of
was
observed
antennal
grooved
pegs,
coeloconic
sensilla,
other
accessory
olfactory
appendages.
When
inactivated,
mutant
mosquitoes
displayed
altered
neuronal
responses
amines..
Beyond
phenotypes,
mutants
display
significantly
impaired
mating
blood
feeding
capabilities.
Our
data
reveal
discrete
pathways,
suggesting
as
targets
for
design
control
strategies.
Cell,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
185(17), P. 3104 - 3123.e28
Published: Aug. 1, 2022
Aedes
aegypti
mosquitoes
are
a
persistent
human
foe,
transmitting
arboviruses
including
dengue
when
they
feed
on
blood.
Mosquitoes
intensely
attracted
to
body
odor
and
carbon
dioxide,
which
detect
using
ionotropic
chemosensory
receptors
encoded
by
three
large
multi-gene
families.
Genetic
mutations
that
disrupt
the
olfactory
system
have
modest
effects
attraction,
suggesting
redundancy
in
coding.
The
canonical
view
is
sensory
neurons
each
express
single
receptor
defines
its
ligand
selectivity.
We
discovered
Ae.
uses
different
organizational
principle,
with
many
co-expressing
multiple
genes.
In
vivo
electrophysiology
demonstrates
broad
ligand-sensitivity
of
mosquito
depends
this
non-canonical
co-expression.
afforded
an
co-express
may
increase
robustness
explain
our
long-standing
inability
detection
humans
mosquitoes.
Science Advances,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
11(1)
Published: Jan. 1, 2025
Sensory
compensation
occurs
when
loss
of
one
sense
leads
to
enhanced
perception
by
another
sense.
We
have
identified
a
previously
undescribed
mechanism
sensory
in
female
Aedes
aegypti
mosquitoes.
Odorant
receptor
co-receptor
(
Orco
)
mutants
show
attraction
human
skin
temperature
and
increased
heat-evoked
neuronal
activity
foreleg
neurons.
Ir140
,
foreleg-enriched
member
the
ionotropic
(IR)
superfamily
receptors,
is
up-regulated
mutant
legs.
double
do
not
heat
seeking
seen
single
mutants,
suggesting
that
up-regulation
key
underlying
mutants.
Because
expression
sparse
legs,
this
requires
an
indirect,
long-range
mechanism.
Our
findings
highlight
how
mosquitoes,
despite
suffering
olfactory
loss,
maintain
overall
effectiveness
their
host-seeking
behavior
up-regulating
temperature,
further
enhancing
status
as
most
dangerous
predator
humans.
Frontiers in Physiology,
Journal Year:
2018,
Volume and Issue:
9
Published: Feb. 1, 2018
Insects,
including
those
which
provide
vital
ecosystems
services
as
well
are
devastating
pests
or
disease
vectors,
locate
their
resources
mainly
based
on
olfaction.
Understanding
insect
olfaction
not
only
from
a
neurobiological
but
also
an
ecological
perspective
is
therefore
crucial
to
balance
control
and
conservation.
However,
among
all
sensory
stimuli
particularly
hard
grasp.
Our
chemical
environment
made
up
of
thousands
different
compounds,
might
again
be
detected
by
our
nose
in
multiple
ways.
Due
this
complexity,
researchers
have
recently
begun
explore
the
chemosensory
ecology
model
organisms
such
Drosophila,
linking
tools
neurogenetics.
This
cross-disciplinary
approach
has
enabled
several
studies
that
range
single
odors
relevance,
via
olfactory
receptor
genes
neuronal
processing,
insects'
behavior.
We
learned
system
employs
strategies
combinatorial
coding
process
general
labeled
lines
for
specific
compounds
call
immediate
response.
These
opened
new
doors
world
insects
feed,
oviposit
mate.
Female
Aedes
aegypti
mosquitoes
are
deadly
vectors
of
arboviral
pathogens
and
breed
in
containers
freshwater
associated
with
human
habitation.
Because
high
salinity
is
lethal
to
offspring,
correctly
evaluating
water
purity
a
crucial
parenting
decision.
We
found
that
the
DEG/ENaC
channel
ppk301
sensory
neurons
expressing
control
egg-laying
initiation
choice
Ae.
aegypti.
Using
calcium
imaging,
we
ppk301-expressing
cells
show
ppk301-dependent
responses
but,
unexpectedly,
also
respond
salt
ppk301-independent
fashion.
This
suggests
instructive
for
at
low-salt
concentrations,
but
pathway
responsible
inhibiting
high-salt
concentrations.
Water
key
resource
insect
survival
understanding
how
interact
different
behaviors
an
opportunity
study
evolution
chemosensory
systems.
PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
16(5), P. e0250381 - e0250381
Published: May 14, 2021
Various
insect
species
serve
as
valuable
model
systems
for
investigating
the
cellular
and
molecular
mechanisms
by
which
a
brain
controls
sophisticated
behaviors.
In
particular,
nervous
system
of
Drosophila
melanogaster
has
been
extensively
studied,
yet
experiments
aimed
at
determining
number
neurons
in
are
surprisingly
lacking.
Using
isotropic
fractionator
coupled
with
immunohistochemistry,
we
counted
total
neuronal
non-neuronal
cells
whole
brain,
central
optic
lobe
.
For
comparison,
also
populations
three
divergent
mosquito
species:
Aedes
aegypti
,
Anopheles
coluzzii
Culex
quinquefasciatus
The
average
adult
was
determined
to
be
199,380
±3,400
D
217,910
±6,180
Ae
223,020
±
4,650
An
225,911±7,220
C
mean
cell
count
vs.
lobes
(101,140
±3,650
107,270
2,720),
(109,140
3,550
112,000
4,280),
(105,130
3,670
107,140
3,090),
(108,530
±7,990
110,670
3,950)
estimated.
Each
comprised
89%
2%
out
its
population.
Isotropic
fractionation
analyses
did
not
identify
obvious
sexual
dimorphism
population
these
insects.
Our
study
provides
experimental
evidence
brains.
