Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shailabh Kumar, Felix J. H. Hol, Sujit Pujhari, Clayton Ellington, Haripriya Vaidehi Narayanan, Hongquan Li, Jason L. Rasgon, Manu Prakash
Summary: The Vectorchip is a low-cost microfluidic platform that enables high-throughput analysis of individual mosquito bites, allowing detection of mosquito-carried DNA, RNA, and viral particles. This technology provides a promising approach for laboratory and field characterization of vector-pathogen communities.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Corey E. Seavey, Mona Doshi, Andrew P. Panarello, Michael A. Felice, Andrew K. Dickerson, Mollie W. Jewett, Bradley J. Willenberg
Summary: We have successfully engineered model human dermal microvascular bed tissue to study the biology of the skin bite site created by blood-feeding arthropods. This innovative platform, termed a Biologic Interfacial Tissue-Engineered System (BITES), has the potential to advance our understanding of arthropod bite-site biology.
Article
Microbiology
Hannah J. MacLeod, George Dimopoulos, Sarah M. Short
Summary: This study found that larval diet abundance has persistent impacts on the size and composition of microbiota in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Nutrient-rich diet led to increased bacterial loads and shifts in microbiota composition, particularly in larval breeding water and larvae. The availability of diet during development can cause lasting shifts in the microbiota composition and quantity in the disease vector Aedes aegypti.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Jun Isoe, Carter J. Simington, Max E. Oscherwitz, Alyssa J. Peterson, Alberto A. Rascon, Brooke B. Massani, Roger L. Miesfeld, Michael A. Riehle
Summary: This study identified several essential proteins for eggshell formation in Aedes aegypti and characterized their roles through molecular and biochemical approaches. These proteins, along with additional secreted eggshell enzymes, provide potential targets for future mosquito control strategies. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate eggshell formation and melanization.
Article
Parasitology
Ephantus J. Muturi, Teresia M. Njoroge, Christopher Dunlap, Carla E. Caceres
Summary: Mixed blood meals have a synergistic effect on operational taxonomic unit richness and Shannon diversity index in mosquito gut microbiota. Host species identity and mixed blood-feeding are key determinants of microbial community composition. Microenvironmental conditions play an important role in structuring mosquito gut microbial communities.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dilip K. Nag, Constentin Dieme, Pascal Lapierre, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Laura D. Kramer
Summary: Transmission of pathogens by mosquitoes is linked with their reproductive strategy, as they require blood to develop eggs. Changes in gene expression in mosquito ovaries occur following blood meals, with genes related to odorant, immune response, and detoxification being enriched.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Triwibowo Ambar Garjito, Lulus Susanti, Mujiyono Mujiyono, Mega Tyas Prihatin, Dwi Susilo, Sidiq Setyo Nugroho, Mujiyanto Mujiyanto, Raden Ajeng Wigati, Tri Baskoro Tunggul Satoto, Sylvie Manguin, Laurent Gavotte, Roger Frutos
Summary: There are various methods to collect and assess the abundance of dengue vector mosquitoes, but the lack of long-term sampling methods may result in variability and lack of statistical significance in the results. There is no correlation between the collection methods and the presence of dengue virus in mosquitoes or the incidence of dengue, and the efficacy of a given method is inconsistent across different locations.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Sarah E. Maguire, Ali Afify, Loyal A. Goff, Christopher J. Potter
Summary: In mosquitoes, ectopic expression of AgOR inhibits the activity of expressing neurons and leads to significant downregulation of most AgOR transcripts. Additionally, the gene choice of AgOR remains active into adulthood and the expression of AgOR2 inhibits the turning on of AgORs at this late stage.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Daniele Carvalho Abrantes, Carolina Barbara Rogerio, Jhones L. de Oliveira, Estefania V. R. Campos, Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo, Laurindo Cesar Pampana, Marcelo Jose Duarte, Georgio Freesz Valadares, Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto
Summary: Arboviral diseases pose a threat to global public health, with a significant percentage of the world population at risk. Mosquito repellents are an effective strategy but may not be accessible to lower-income populations. The development of nanostructured lipid carriers loaded with repellents shows promise in providing effective, stable, and safe protection against arthropod-borne viruses.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Megan J. Allman, Aidan J. Slack, Nigel P. Abello, Ya-Hsun Lin, Scott L. O'Neill, Andrea J. Robinson, Heather A. Flores, D. Albert Joubert
Summary: This study tested a more environmentally friendly approach to mosquito rearing and release by encapsulating diet and egg mixtures and utilizing waste containers. The results showed that different types of waste containers maintained the health and reproductive capacity of mosquitoes, making this method culturally and economically feasible for implementation in Pacific Islands.
Article
Parasitology
Luana Cristina Farnesi, Fabiano Dias Carvalho, Anna Paula Canuto Lacerda, Luciano Andrade Moreira, Rafaela Vieira Bruno
Summary: The study found that different blood sources did not influence the fitness of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes; after 35 generations, the Wolbachia density in the mosquito population fed on mouse blood was even higher than in those fed on human blood.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter A. Faber, Ashritha J. A. P. S. Dorai, Steven L. Chown
Summary: Blood feeding is an essential part of laboratory studies on mosquitoes and other blood-sucking arthropods. However, traditional methods involving hosts have risks, require ethics approvals, and can be expensive. This article describes a low-cost insect blood feeder made from common laboratory materials.
Article
Biology
Krithika Venkataraman, Nadav Shai, Priyanka Lakhiani, Sarah Zylka, Jieqing Zhao, Margaret Herre, Joshua Zeng, Lauren A. Neal, Henrik Molina, Li Zhao, Leslie B. Vosshall
Summary: Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes face climate challenges due to rising global temperatures, causing suboptimal conditions for egg-laying. In the laboratory, under drought-like conditions, these mosquitoes retain mature eggs until suitable conditions for laying eggs arise. The genes tweedledee and tweedledum are found to play a crucial role in this extended egg retention.
Article
Parasitology
Austin J. Mejia, H. L. C. Dutra, M. J. Jones, R. Perera, E. A. McGraw
Summary: This study found that there is little relationship among the relative Wolbachia densities in different tissues of the same host. There is also very little relationship between Wolbachia densities in parents and those in offspring, except for a strong positive association in the ovary-egg relationship. Relative Wolbachia densities in reproductive tissues are always greater than those in somatic tissues.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhinan Lin, Yuqi Huang, Sihan Liu, Qiwen Huang, Biliang Zhang, Tianpeng Wang, Ziding Zhang, Xiaowei Zhu, Chenghong Liao, Qian Han
Summary: In this study, a gene coexpression network was constructed to explore the ontogeny of Ae. aegypti. Six gene modules and their intramodular hub genes associated with various developmental processes were identified. These findings provide valuable insights into potential molecular targets for disease control.
