Olfactory systems across mosquito species

Wheelwright, Matthew; Whittle, Catherine R.; Riabinina, Olena

doi:10.1007/s00441-020-03407-2

Cited by 47 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 182 publications

(311 reference statements)

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“…These results are highly interesting since GABA is involved in locomotor activity [ 23 , 30 ], regulation of the circadian clock [ 92 ], olfaction, and olfactory learning [ 83 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 ]. In particular, the significant role of GABA in olfaction is of interest in vector research considering that it is important for mosquito behavior [ 39 , 97 , 98 ]. Interestingly, behavioral changes related to olfaction [ 23 , 31 , 32 ] and locomotion [ 23 , 30 ] have already been described in arbovirus-infected mosquitoes, for which an influence on GABA is possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One factor contributing to the lack of knowledge represents limited information about the neuroanatomy and neurotransmission of many mosquito species, irrespective of extensive efforts to elucidate the structural and functional organization of their nervous systems [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. In fact, most studies focus on Aedes and Anopheles species, although cross-species studies are highly important for understanding the underlying mechanisms of species-specific behavioral traits [ 40 , 42 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Nervous System of Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae)

Gregor¹,

Becker

Hellhammer

et al. 2022

Biology

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Arthropod-borne diseases represent one of the greatest infection-related threats as a result of climate change and globalization. Repeatedly, arbovirus-infected mosquitoes show behavioral changes whose underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown, but might help to develop control strategies. However, in contrast to well-characterized insects such as fruit flies, little is known about neuroanatomy and neurotransmission in mosquitoes. To overcome this limitation, the study focuses on the immunohistochemical characterization of the nervous system of Culex pipiens biotype molestus in comparison to Drosophila melanogaster using 13 antibodies labeling nervous tissue, neurotransmitters or neurotransmitter-related enzymes. Antibodies directed against γ-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, tyrosine-hydroxylase and glutamine synthetase were suitable for investigations in Culex pipiens and Drosophila melanogaster, albeit species-specific spatial differences were observed. Likewise, similar staining results were achieved for neuronal glycoproteins, axons, dendrites and synaptic zones in both species. Interestingly, anti-phosphosynapsin and anti-gephyrin appear to represent novel markers for synapses and glial cells, respectively. In contrast, antibodies directed against acetylcholine, choline acetyltransferase, elav and repo failed to produce a signal in Culex pipiens comparable to that in Drosophila melanogaster. In summary, present results enable a detailed investigation of the nervous system of mosquitoes, facilitating further studies of behavioral mechanisms associated with arboviruses in the course of vector research.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Nervous System of Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae)

Gregor¹,

Becker

Hellhammer

et al. 2022

Biology

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“…Human skin odors, exhaled CO2, body heat and visual contrast all act as signals for female mosquitoes to find blood meal hosts (Liu and Vosshall, 2019). Although male mosquitoes do not blood feed, they have sophisticated olfactory systems (Wheelwright et al, 2021) used to locate female mosquitoes (Cator et al, 2009, Menda et al, 2019, nectar and other sugar sources (Barredo and DeGennaro, 2020), and conspecific males (Cabrera and Jaffe, 2007, Fawaz et al, 2014, Pitts et al, 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comment on ‘Fruitless mutant male mosquitoes gain attraction to human odor’

Amos

Hoffmann

Staunton

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes integrate multiple sensory cues to locate human hosts for blood meals. While male mosquitoes do not blood feed, male Ae. aegypti swarm around and land on humans in nature. Basrur et al. (2020) generated male Aedes aegypti lacking the fruitless gene and discovered that they gained strong attraction to humans, similar to female mosquitoes. The authors assume that host-seeking is a female-specific trait, which they confirmed through experiments. However, all experiments were performed under confined laboratory conditions which appear to inhibit swarming behavior. We used semi-field experiments to demonstrate robust attraction of male Ae. aegypti to humans. Human-baited traps captured up to 25% of released males within 15 min, whereas control traps without humans as bait failed to capture males. Rapid attraction to humans was further demonstrated through videography. Males swarmed around and landed on human subjects, with no activity recorded in paired unbaited controls. The absence of female Ae. aegypti in these experiments rules out a hypothesis by Basrur et al. (2020) that males are attracted not to the human, but to host-seeking females near humans. Finally, we confirm the lack of male attraction to humans in small laboratory cages, even when using recently field-collected males. Our direct observations of male mosquito attraction to humans refute a key assumption of Basrur et al. (2020) and raise questions around conditions under which fruitless prevents male host-seeking. Male mosquito attraction to humans is likely to be important for mating success in wild populations and its basis should be further explored.

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“…albopictus [11] are 79, 131, 180 and 158, respectively. The OR genes have been identi ed in the genomes of two species of Aedes, 19 species of Anopheles and one species of Culex, and the list is growing [12]. The ORs are divided into two classes: traditional ligand-based ORs (ORx) [13] and coexpressing odorant receptors (odorant receptor coreceptors, Orcos), which are highly conserved in different insect species [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening for Odorant Receptor Genes Expressed in Aedes Aegypti Involved in Blood-Feeding and Oviposition Behaviors

Zhao

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: Aedes aegypti is one of the most important vector worldwide, and its survival and reproductive processes depend heavily on the olfactory system. In this study, the expression levels of all odorant receptor (OR) genes of Ae. aegypti were explored in different physiological periods to identify olfactory genes that may be associated with mosquito blood sucking and searching for oviposition sites.Methods: Four groups, consisting of Ae. aegypti males (M), pre-blood-feeding females (F), post-blood-feeding females (B) and post-oviposition females (O), were established. A total of 114 pairs of primer targeting all OR genes were designed based on the whole genome of Ae. aegypti. The expression of OR genes was evaluated by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR for relative quantification and the comparison of differences between groups.Results: A total of 53 differentially expressed OR genes were identified between males and females in Ae. aegypti antennae. And 8, 5 and 13 differentially expressed OR genes were identified before versus after blood feeding, before versus after oviposition and post-blood-feeding versus post-oviposition, respectively. Meanwhile, 16 OR genes were significantly differentially expressed in multiple physiological periods of mosquitoes.Conclusions: A large number of ORs with significant intergroup differences and high expression levels were screened in this study, including OR75, OR88, OR110 and OR115 and so on. Some of these genes are reported for the first time, providing possible targets for the development of mosquito control pathways based on the olfactory system.

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Olfactory systems across mosquito species

Cited by 47 publications

References 182 publications

Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Nervous System of Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae)

Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Nervous System of Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae)

Comment on ‘Fruitless mutant male mosquitoes gain attraction to human odor’

Screening for Odorant Receptor Genes Expressed in Aedes Aegypti Involved in Blood-Feeding and Oviposition Behaviors

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