scholarly journals Olfaction-based anthropophily in a mosquito-specialist predator

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona R. Cross ◽  
Robert R. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Human Malaria ◽  
Specialist Predator ◽  
Evarcha Culicivora ◽  
Human Odour

Evarcha culicivora is an unusual salticid spider because it feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey. Its preferred mosquitoes are Anopheles , the genus to which all human malaria vectors belong. Here, we show that human odour, which is known to be salient to malaria vectors, is also salient to the adults and juveniles of E. culicivora . Test spiders spent more time in the vicinity of a source of human odour (previously worn socks) when the alternative was unworn socks.

scholarly journals The regulatory genome of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae: integrating chromatin accessibility and gene expression

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
José L Ruiz ◽  
Lisa C Ranford-Cartwright ◽  
Elena Gómez-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Mosquito Control ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Human Malaria

Abstract Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes are primary human malaria vectors, but we know very little about their mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. We profiled chromatin accessibility by the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin by sequencing (ATAC-seq) in laboratory-reared A. gambiae mosquitoes experimentally infected with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. By integrating ATAC-seq, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data, we showed a positive correlation between accessibility at promoters and introns, gene expression and active histone marks. By comparing expression and chromatin structure patterns in different tissues, we were able to infer cis-regulatory elements controlling tissue-specific gene expression and to predict the in vivo binding sites of relevant transcription factors. The ATAC-seq assay also allowed the precise mapping of active regulatory regions, including novel transcription start sites and enhancers that were annotated to mosquito immune-related genes. Not only is this study important for advancing our understanding of mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in the mosquito vector of human malaria, but the information we produced also has great potential for developing new mosquito-control and anti-malaria strategies.

scholarly journals Draft Genomes of Anopheles cracens and Anopheles maculatus: Comparison of Simian Malaria and Human Malaria Vectors in Peninsular Malaysia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e0157893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee-Ling Lau ◽  
Wenn-Chyau Lee ◽  
Junhui Chen ◽  
Zhen Zhong ◽  
Jianbo Jian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Human Malaria ◽  
Simian Malaria ◽  
Anopheles Cracens

scholarly journals Phylogenetic interpretation and chromosomal polymorphism among nine strains of human malaria vectors of the Anopheles leucosphyrus group.

1983 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tozo KANDA ◽  
Kenji TAKAI ◽  
Geok Lian CHIANG ◽  
Kok Poay LOONG ◽  
Supat SUCHARIT ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chromosomal Polymorphism ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Human Malaria

scholarly journals The regulatory genome of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae: integrating chromatin accessibility and gene expression

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
José L. Ruiz ◽  
Lisa C. Ranford-Cartwright ◽  
Elena Gómez-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Mosquito Control ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Human Malaria

ABSTRACTAnopheles gambiae mosquitoes are primary human malaria vectors, but we know very little about mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. We profiled chromatin accessibility by ATAC-seq in laboratory-reared An. gambiae mosquitoes experimentally infected with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. By integrating ATAC-seq, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data we showed a positive correlation between accessibility at promoters and introns, gene expression and active histone marks. By comparing expression and chromatin structure patterns in different tissues, we were able to infer cis-regulatory elements controlling tissue specific gene expression and to predict the in vivo binding sites of relevant transcription factors. The ATAC-seq assay also allowed the precise mapping of active regulatory regions, including novel transcription start sites and enhancers that annotate to mosquito immune-response genes. This study is important not only for advancing our understanding of mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in the mosquito vector of human malaria, but the information is of great potential for developing new mosquito-control and anti-malaria strategies.

scholarly journals Blood meal sources of Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Malawi: Implications for malaria transmission and effectiveness of interventions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rex B Mbewe ◽  
John Keven ◽  
Themba Mzilahowa ◽  
Lauren Cohee ◽  
Miriam K Laufer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Blood ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
Light Trap ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
Human Malaria ◽  
Anopheles Vectors ◽  
Wide Availability ◽  
Blood Meals

Abstract BackgroundSelection of blood meal hosts by mosquitoes is a key variable in the vectorial capacity of Anopheles mosquitoes for human malaria. Blood feeding on humans is likely to be modulated by use of different types of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and the effectiveness of LLINs is impacted by the relative intensity of insecticide resistance. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that LLINs containing pyrethroid and the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) would lead to a reduction of human host utilization than LLINs containing only pyrethroid and that blood feeding patterns of Anopheles in Malawi compromise malaria interventions.MethodsFemale Anopheles mosquitoes were sampled indoors from May 2019 through April 2020 by aspiration, pyrethrum spray catch, and CDC light trap in rural villages of Namanolo (conventional nets) and Ntaja (PBO nets) in Balaka and Machinga districts respectively. Anopheles species, blood meal sources, and infection with Plasmodium falciparum in the head and thorax of individual mosquitoes were determined with PCR.ResultsOf a total of 6,585 Anopheles females sampled indoors in 203 houses, 633 (9.6%) were blood-fed and consisted of An. arabiensis (44.1% (n = 279)), An. gambiae s.s (16.2% (n = 103)), An. funestus s.s (33.5% (n = 212)), An. parensis 0.3% (n = 2), and unidentified Anopheles spp (5.8% (n = 37)). Of the 541 mosquitoes (85.5%) successfully identified blood meals, 436 (81.0%) were solely human, 28 (5.2%) goat, 11 (2.0%) dog, 60 (11.1%) mixed goat-human, 5 (0.9%) dog-human, and 1 dog-goat. Human blood index and EIR was high in Namanolo than Ntaja (0.96 vs 0.89 (p = 0.001) and 0.11 vs 0.06 infective bites per person per year respectively) despite high net ownership (92%) and nightly use (75%) rates. Relative to host availability, non-human hosts were over selected in the two sites.ConclusionThe use of PBO nets was associated with lower HBI and EIR, however, the wide availability of LLINs was still associated with extensive successful human blood meals by the main malaria vectors in Malawi. The presence of a small fraction of mixed blood meals indicates constrained plasticity of Anopheles vectors to switch to non-human hosts and circumvent malaria control interventions.

The response of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and A. funestus (Diptera: Culicidae) to tents baited with human odour or carbon dioxide in Tanzania

1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.E.G. Mboera ◽  
B.G.J. Knols ◽  
W. Takken ◽  
A. della Torre
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Light Trap ◽  
Anopheles Funestus ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Concentration ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Bed Net ◽  
Human Odour

AbstractField studies on the response of Anopheles gambiae s.l. Giles and Anopheles funestus Giles to tents baited with human odour or carbon dioxide were conducted in south-east Tanzania. Two exit traps and a CDC miniature light trap set beside a bed net were used to sample mosquitoes that entered the tent. Human odour, pumped from an underground pit into a bed net attracted a similar number of mosquitoes as a bed net occupied by a human male. Significantly fewer mosquitoes were caught in a tent into which carbon dioxide (300 ml min-1) was pumped than in a human-odour baited tent (9 and 27% for A. gambiae s.l. and A. funestus respectively). A five-fold increase of the carbon dioxide concentration (to 1500 ml min-1) did not increase the catches of A. gambiae s.l. whereas those of A. funestus were increased to 69% of the catches by human odour. Species identifications of A. gambiae s.l. catches showed that A. arabiensis Patton prevailed and that the proportions of A. arabiensis/A. gambiae s.s. did not differ between treatments. It is concluded that in the indoor situation described, human odour other than carbon dioxide is the principal cue to which these malaria vectors are attracted and that the physical presence of a host and carbon dioxide, when used as a kairomone on its own, accounts for only a minor part of the overall attractiveness of man, particularly for A. gambiae s.l.

The Transcriptome of Human Malaria Vectors

2014 ◽  
pp. 516-530
Author(s):  
Osvaldo Marinotti ◽  
Anthony A. James
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Human Malaria
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