Mosquito sex under lock and key DOI Creative Commons
Leah Houri-Zeevi,

Madison M. Walker,

Jacopo Razzauti

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 16, 2025

Abstract Female mosquitoes typically mate once in a lifetime 1–3 , making this singular mating decision critically important for the female. Yet, mosquito has been historically viewed as male-guided, with female exerting little control 4–6 . To understand contradiction, we investigated initiation of successful mosquitoes. Here show that females two invasive species, yellow fever ( Aedes aegypti ) and Asian tiger albopictus ), actively gate through previously undescribed behavior genital tip elongation. This response is triggered by rapidly-evolving secondary male structure together act “lock-and-key” mechanism. We identified differences interactions species males, which have larger structures, can bypass but not their own species. Coupled previous observations are effectively sterilized such cross-species 7–9 ability to “pick lock” heterospecific provides potential mechanism observed local extinction when they live shared territory 10,11 Our results redefine female-controlled process, implications evolution reproductive barriers population dynamics these globally

Language: Английский

Non-canonical odor coding in the mosquito DOI Creative Commons
Margaret Herre, Olivia V. Goldman, Tzu‐Chiao Lu

et al.

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.

Language: Английский

Citations

126
Humidity sensors that alert mosquitoes to nearby hosts and egg-laying sites DOI
Willem J. Laursen, Gonzalo Budelli,

Ruocong Tang

et al.

Neuron, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 111(6), P. 874 - 887.e8

Published: Jan. 13, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

44
Cross-modal sensory compensation increases mosquito attraction to humans DOI Creative Commons
Takeshi Morita, Nia G. Lyn, Ricarda K. von Heynitz

et al.

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.

Language: Английский

Citations

3
How to turn an organism into a model organism in 10 ‘easy’ steps DOI Open Access
Benjamin J. Matthews, Leslie B. Vosshall

Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 223(Suppl_1)

Published: Feb. 1, 2020

ABSTRACT Many of the major biological discoveries 20th century were made using just six species: Escherichia coli bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, Drosophila melanogaster flies Mus musculus mice. Our molecular understanding cell division cycle, embryonic development, clocks metabolism all obtained through genetic analysis these species. Yet ‘big 6’ did not start out as model organisms (hereafter ‘model organisms’), so how they mature into such powerful systems? First, are abundant human commensals: bacteria in our gut, yeast beer bread, nematodes compost pile, kitchen mice walls. Because this, cheaply, easily rapidly bred laboratory addition amenable to analysis. How why should we add additional species this roster? We argue that specialist will reveal new secrets important areas biology with modern technological innovations like next-generation sequencing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, time is ripe move beyond big 6. In review, chart a 10-step path goal, own experience Aedes aegypti mosquito, which built organism for neurobiology one decade. Insights deadly disease vector require work mosquito itself rather than modeling its another

Language: Английский

Citations

104
Molecular mechanisms of olfactory detection in insects: beyond receptors DOI Creative Commons
Hayden R. Schmidt, Richard Benton

Open Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 10(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2020

Insects thrive in diverse ecological niches large part because of their highly sophisticated olfactory systems. Over the last two decades, a major focus study insect olfaction has been on role receptors mediating neuronal responses to environmental chemicals. In vivo , these operate specialized structures, called sensilla, which comprise neurons and non-neuronal support cells, extracellular lymph fluid precisely shaped cuticle. While sensilla are inherent odour sensing insects, we only just beginning understand construction function. Here, review recent work that illuminates how odour-evoked activity is impacted by sensillar morphology, biochemistry, accessory signalling molecules physiological crosstalk between cells. These advances reveal multi-layered molecular cellular mechanisms determine selectivity, sensitivity dynamic modulation insects.

Language: Английский

Citations

82
Recent advances in taste transduction and signaling DOI Creative Commons
Sue C. Kinnamon, Thomas E. Finger

F1000Research, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 8, P. 2117 - 2117

Published: Dec. 17, 2019

In the last few years, single-cell profiling of taste cells and ganglion has advanced our understanding transduction, encoding, transmission information from buds as relayed to central nervous system. This review focuses on new knowledge these molecular approaches attempts place this in context previous questions findings field. The individual within a bud are molecularly specialized for detection one primary qualities: salt, sour, sweet, umami, bitter. Transduction transmitter release mechanisms differ substantially transducing sour (Type III cells) compared with those qualities or bitter II cells), although ultimately all relies activation purinergic P2X receptors afferent nerves. providing innervation also appear divisible into functional subtypes, each cell is primarily but not exclusively responsive quality.

Language: Английский

Citations

81
Sensory Discrimination of Blood and Floral Nectar by Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes DOI Creative Commons
Veronica Jové, Zhongyan Gong, Felix J.H. Hol

et al.

Neuron, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 108(6), P. 1163 - 1180.e12

Published: Oct. 12, 2020

Language: Английский

Citations

79
Cas9-Mediated Gene-Editing in the Malaria Mosquito Anopheles stephensi by ReMOT Control DOI Creative Commons
Vanessa M. Macias,

Sage McKeand,

Duverney Chaverra-Rodríguez

et al.

G3 Genes Genomes Genetics, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 10(4), P. 1353 - 1360

Published: March 2, 2020

Innovative tools are essential for advancing malaria control and depend on an understanding of molecular mechanisms governing transmission parasites by Anopheles mosquitoes. CRISPR/Cas9-based gene disruption is a powerful method to uncover underlying biology vector-pathogen interactions can itself form the basis mosquito strategies. However, embryo injection methods used genetically manipulate mosquitoes (especially ) difficult inefficient, particularly non-specialist laboratories. Here, we adapted ReMOT Control ( Re ceptor- m ediated O vary T ransduction C argo) technique deliver Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex adult ovaries, generating targeted heritable mutations in vector stephensi without injecting embryos. In , editing was as efficient standard injections. The application opens power CRISPR/Cas9 laboratories that lack equipment or expertise perform injections establishes flexibility diverse species.

Language: Английский

Citations

71
Mosquito Cell Atlas: A single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of the adultAedes aegyptimosquito DOI Creative Commons
Olivia V. Goldman,

Alexandra E. DeFoe,

Yanyan Qi

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

The female mosquito's remarkable ability to hunt humans and transmit pathogens relies on her unique biology. Here, we present the Mosquito Cell Atlas (MCA), a comprehensive single-nucleus RNA sequencing dataset of more than 367,000 nuclei from 19 dissected tissues adult male Aedes aegypti , providing cellular-level resolution mosquito We identify novel cell types expand our understanding sensory neuron organization chemoreceptors all tissues. Our analysis uncovers male-specific cells sexually dimorphic gene expression in antenna brain. In mosquitoes, find that glial brain, rather neurons, undergo most extensive transcriptional changes following blood feeding. findings provide insights into cellular basis behavior sexual dimorphism. MCA aims serve as resource for vector biology community, enabling systematic investigation cell-type specific across

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Olfactory systems across mosquito species DOI Creative Commons
Matthew Wheelwright, Catherine R. Whittle, Olena Riabinina

et al.

Cell and Tissue Research, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 383(1), P. 75 - 90

Published: Jan. 1, 2021

There are 3559 species of mosquitoes in the world (Harbach 2018) but, so far, only a handful them have been focus olfactory neuroscience and neurobiology research. Here we discuss mosquito anatomy function connect these to ecology. We highlight least well-known thus most interesting aspects systems promising future directions. hope this review will encourage insect community work more broadly across instead focusing narrowly on main disease vectors.

Language: Английский

Citations

53