Fresh-blood-free diet for rearing malaria mosquito vectors

Abstract

Mosquito breeding depends on the supply of fresh vertebrate blood, a major bottleneck for large-scale production of Anopheles spp. Feeding alternatives to fresh blood are thus a priority for research, outdoor large-cage trials and control interventions. Several artificial meal compositions were tested and Anopheles oogenesis, egg laying and development into the next generation of adult mosquitoes were followed. We identified blood-substitute-diets that supported ovarian development, egg maturation and fertility as well as, low progeny larval mortality, and normal development of offspring into adult mosquitoes. The formulated diet is an effective artificial meal, free of fresh blood that mimics a vertebrate blood meal and represents an important advance for the sustainability of Anopheles mosquito rearing in captivity.

Tracing the Origins of the Pituitary Adenylate-Cyclase Activating Polypeptide (PACAP)

“…The explanation for the effects caused by exposure of protostome tissues to human PACAP peptides is uncertain but may be due to low specificity ligand-receptor interactions that have previously been reported for heterologous peptides (Marques et al, 2018). In summary, based on our indepth molecular study we propose that the ADCYAP1 gene appeared in vertebrates and probably shared a common origin with the cephalochordate PACAP/GCG-like gene.…”

“…This suggests that in insects there is promiscuity between peptide ligand-receptor pairs and that this plasticity has been used by organisms to advantageously modulate host physiology via the ancient GPCR system. This idea is reinforced by the recent demonstration that human and fish SCT family peptides can modulate the physiology of the mosquito vector of malaria when provided to animals in an artificial meal (Marques et al, 2018). Furthermore, exposure to human GLP 2 peptide (GCG-peptide member) significantly increased vitellogenin expression, mosquito egg production and offspring fitness although if this was due to the activation of mosquito GPCRs was not established (Marques et al, 2018).…”

Olimpíadas De Caxiuanã: Uma Ferramenta Para O Ensino De Entomologia Nas Escolas De Ensino Fundamental Da Floresta Nacional De Caxiuanã, Melgaço-Pa

“…Cada estágio da vida dos mosquitos tem uma necessidade nutricional específica. De maneira geral, a dieta dos mosquitos deve fornecer ácidos nucleicos e nucleotídeos, vitaminas, proteínas, gordura e açúcar para proporcionar um desenvolvimento adequado (Merritt, 1992;Damiens et al, 2012;Marques et al, 2018).…”

“…A escassez de alimento na fase de larva, pode ocasionar uma maior mortalidade dos mosquitos na fase adulta (Shapiro et al, 2016). Já a falta de vitaminas e proteínas nesta fase, pode afetar a reprodução dos mosquitos adultos (Marques et al, 2018; Tavares Cabral e De Almeida e .…”

“…Os lipídeos e o glicogênio também são necessários desde os estágios imaturos até a vida adulta (Foster, 1995). O colesterol, o qual os mosquitos não são capazes de sintetizar, é um elemento importante a ser considerado na dieta, pois é um precursor do hormônio ecdisteróide, com um papel fundamental na formação e na maturação do ovo (Marques et al, 2018).…”