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Journal of Biomolecular Structure &... 2023Malaria is a neglected parasitic infection of global importance. It is mainly present in tropical countries and caused by a protozoa that belongs to the genus . The...
Malaria is a neglected parasitic infection of global importance. It is mainly present in tropical countries and caused by a protozoa that belongs to the genus . The disease vectors are female Anopheles mosquitoes infected with the spp. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 241 million malaria cases worldwide in 2020 and approximately 627 thousand malaria deaths in the same year. The increasing resistance to treatment has been a major problem since the beginning of the 21st century. New studies have been conducted to find possible drugs that can be used for the eradication of the disease. In this scenario, a protein named N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) has been studied as a potential drug target. NMT has an important role on the myristoylation of proteins and binds to the plasma membrane, contributing to the stabilization of protein-protein interactions. Thus, inhibition of NMT can lead to death of the parasite cell. Therefore, in order to predict and detect potential inhibitors against NMT, Computer-Aided Drug Design techniques were used in this research that involve virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics. Three potential compounds similar to a benzofuran inhibitor were identified as stable NMT ligands. These compounds (EXP90, ZBC205 and ZDD968) originate from three different sources, respectively: a commercial library, a natural product library, and the FDA approved drugs dataset. These compounds may be further tested in and inhibition tests against NMT.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
PubMed: 36002266
DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2114942 -
Archives of Insect Biochemistry and... Dec 2022Lipophorin is a major hemolymph lipoprotein found in insects with a molecular native mass of 700 kDa. In mosquitoes, two different types of apolipoproteins are...
Lipophorin is a major hemolymph lipoprotein found in insects with a molecular native mass of 700 kDa. In mosquitoes, two different types of apolipoproteins are characterized, apolipophorin-I (ApoLp-I, ~250 kDa) and apolipophorin-II (ApoLp-II, ~80 kDa). This concentration depends on the stage of development and the age of the insects. Lipophorins are best studied in mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and Anopheles. In this study, we analyze the lipophorin sequence and show the lipophorin purification of the Culex quinquefasciatus and the transcriptional profile of the lipophorin gene in different life cycle stages. Similar amino acid composition and molecular weights are founded in three mosquitoes species lipophorins amino acid sequence. The two subunits of purified lipophorin (Apo I and Apo II) showed molecular masses of approximately 248 and 93 kDa, like that found in other mosquitoes. A gradual increase in the lipophorin expression gene was obtained during the previtellogenic period and after feeding we obtained peak expression at 24 h after feeding. With our results, we conclude that C. quinquefasciatus protein sequence has the same characteristics as those observed in other mosquitoes and that the expression of its apolipophorins is induced by blood feeding.
Topics: Animals; Culex; Lipoproteins; Aedes; Amino Acid Sequence
PubMed: 35996204
DOI: 10.1002/arch.21959 -
Journal of the American Mosquito... Sep 2022In Mexico, the genus Uranotaenia includes 11 species distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions in the southeast of the country. Uranotaenia sapphirina...
In Mexico, the genus Uranotaenia includes 11 species distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions in the southeast of the country. Uranotaenia sapphirina has been reported in 18 states in Mexico: Campeche, Coahuila, Colima, Chiapas, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico City, Mexico State, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Yucatán; whereas Ur. socialis has been reported in Chiapas and Quintana Roo. In recent surveillance studies of mosquito species in Tabasco, Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis were omitted due to the lack of recent collection records, but in historical records, the presence of Ur. sapphirina and one species consistent with the description of Ur. socialis were mentioned. During a mosquito survey collection, immature stages from ground-level natural habitats in conservation areas of Tabasco, Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis were collected in association with Anopheles albimanus, Culex erraticus, Mansonia titillans, and Ur. lowii. Additionally, 2 Mexican entomological collections were reviewed, searching additional records of those species. An identification key to separate larvae and adult females of Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis is provided. With the addition of Ur. sapphirina and Ur. socialis to the mosquito fauna of Tabasco, there are currently 107 species in the state, being the 3rd state in Mexico with the highest richness of mosquito species. Specimens collected during this study were deposited in the Collection of the Entomological and Bioassay Research Unit of Tabasco.
Topics: Animals; Culex; Culicidae; Female; Larva; Mexico
PubMed: 35913763
DOI: 10.2987/22-7064 -
PloS One 2022Rapid urbanization and its associated pollution can affect water quality in mosquito breeding habitats and, as a result, the ecology and control of mosquito vectors. To...
Rapid urbanization and its associated pollution can affect water quality in mosquito breeding habitats and, as a result, the ecology and control of mosquito vectors. To understand the effects of pollution on mosquito vectors, an accurate assessment of water quality in breeding habitats is needed. Presently, water quality assessment of mosquito breeding habitats is usually based on the measurement of individual physicochemical parameters. However, several parameters are sometimes difficult to interpret or may not give a clear picture of the overall water quality of the breeding habitats, especially when the pollutants are in complex mixtures. This study employed the use of Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy to assess water quality in breeding habitats of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes in urban areas in Cape Coast, Ghana. The LIF spectra, using a 445-nm diode laser, were measured from field-collected water samples in the laboratory. The LIF spectra showed the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and chlorophyll in the breeding habitats. The DOM and chlorophyll fluorescence signals were normalised by the Raman vibrational signals to determine water quality in each habitat. The overall water quality was better in Aedes breeding habitats than in Anopheles and Culex breeding habitats. The poor water quality in Anopheles and Culex breeding habitats was due to the presence of high fulvic acid and chlorophyll content, which often reflect pollutants from anthropogenic sources. Anopheles and Aedes habitats were made up of mainly An. coluzzii and Ae. aegypti respectively while Culex species were identified to genus level. The results add up to the growing concern about the breeding of Anopheles in polluted habitats. The study demonstrated for the first time the ability of LIF spectroscopy to assess water quality in mosquito breeding habitats.
Topics: Aedes; Animals; Anopheles; Chlorophyll; Culex; Dissolved Organic Matter; Ecosystem; Environmental Pollutants; Larva; Lasers; Mosquito Control; Mosquito Vectors; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Water Quality
PubMed: 35895685
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252248 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jul 2022Yellow fever (YF) has re-emerged in the last two decades causing several outbreaks in endemic countries and spreading to new receptive regions. This changing... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Yellow fever (YF) has re-emerged in the last two decades causing several outbreaks in endemic countries and spreading to new receptive regions. This changing epidemiology of YF creates new challenges for global public health efforts. Yellow fever is caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV) that circulates between humans, the mosquito vector, and non-human primates (NHP). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we review and analyse data on the case fatality rate (CFR) and prevalence of YFV in humans, and on the prevalence of YFV in arthropods, and NHP in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We performed a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, African Journal Online, and African Index Medicus databases. We included studies reporting data on the CFR and/or prevalence of YFV. Extracted data was verified and analysed using the random effect meta-analysis. We conducted subgroup, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analyses using the random effect meta-analysis while I2 statistic was employed to determine heterogeneity. This review was registered with PROSPERO under the identification CRD42021242444. The final meta-analysis included 55 studies. The overall case fatality rate due to YFV was 31.1% (18.3-45.4) in humans and pooled prevalence of YFV infection was 9.4% (6.9-12.2) in humans. Only five studies in West and East Africa detected the YFV in mosquito species of the genus Aedes and in Anopheles funestus. In NHP, YFV antibodies were found only in members of the Cercopithecidae family. Our analysis provides evidence on the ongoing circulation of the YFV in humans, Aedes mosquitoes and NHP in SSA. These observations highlight the ongoing transmission of the YFV and its potential to cause large outbreaks in SSA. As such, strategies such as those proposed by the WHO's Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) initiative are urgently needed to control and prevent yellow fever outbreaks in SSA.
Topics: Aedes; Africa South of the Sahara; Animals; Arthropods; Humans; Primates; Yellow Fever; Yellow fever virus
PubMed: 35867659
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010610 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jun 2022Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arboviral pathogen in the genus Alphavirus that is circulating in South America with potential to spread to naïve regions. MAYV is also one of...
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arboviral pathogen in the genus Alphavirus that is circulating in South America with potential to spread to naïve regions. MAYV is also one of the few viruses with the ability to be transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles, as well as the typical arboviral transmitting mosquitoes in the genus Aedes. Few studies have investigated the infection response of Anopheles mosquitoes. In this study we detail the transcriptomic and small RNA responses of An. stephensi to infection with MAYV via infectious bloodmeal at 2, 7, and 14 days post infection (dpi). 487 unique transcripts were significantly regulated, 78 putative novel miRNAs were identified, and an siRNA response is observed targeting the MAYV genome. Gene ontology analysis of transcripts regulated at each timepoint shows a number of proteases regulated at 2 and 7 dpi, potentially representative of Toll or melanization pathway activation, and repression of pathways related to autophagy and apoptosis at 14 dpi. These findings provide a basic understanding of the infection response of An. stephensi to MAYV and help to identify host factors which might be useful to target to inhibit viral replication in Anopheles mosquitoes.
Topics: Alphavirus; Alphavirus Infections; Animals; Anopheles; Arboviruses; MicroRNAs; Transcriptome
PubMed: 35763539
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010507 -
Insects Jun 2022Well-designed surveillance systems are required to facilitate a control program for vector-borne diseases. Light traps have long been used to sample large numbers of...
Well-designed surveillance systems are required to facilitate a control program for vector-borne diseases. Light traps have long been used to sample large numbers of insect species and are regarded as one of the standard choices for baseline insect surveys. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of six ultraviolet light-emitting diodes and one fluorescent light for trapping urban nocturnal mosquito species within the Kasetsart University (KU), Bangkok. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), (LED365, LED375, LED385, LED395, and LED405) and a fluorescent light were randomly assigned to six different locations around the campus in a Latin square design. The traps were operated continuously from 18:00 h to 06:00 h throughout the night. The traps were rotated between six locations for 72 collection-nights during the dry and wet seasons. In total, 6929 adult mosquitoes were caught, with the most predominant genus being , followed by , , and . Among the species, ( = 5121: 73.9%) was the most abundant followed by ( = 1134: 16.4%) and ( = 21: 0.3%). Small numbers of , and mosquitoes were trapped [ ( = 219: 3.2%), ( = 137: 2.0%), ( = 97: 1.4%), ( = 70: 1.0%), ( = 23: 0.3%)]. There were 2582 specimens (37.2%) captured in fluorescent light traps, whereas 942 (13.6%), 934 (13.5%), 854 (12.3%), 820 (11.8%), and 797 (11.5%) were captured in the LED375, LED405, LED395, LED365, and LED385 traps, respectively. None of the UV-LED light traps were as efficacious for sampling nocturnal mosquito species as the fluorescent light trap. Among the five UV-LED light sources, LED375 trapped the greatest number of mosquitoes. Additional field trials are needed to validate these findings in different settings in order to substantially assess the potential of the LEDs to trap outdoor nocturnal mosquitoes.
PubMed: 35735863
DOI: 10.3390/insects13060526 -
Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources 2022We present the complete mitochondrial genome of a Malaria vector Mosquito Wiedemann, 1828 from South Korea. The mitochondrial genome is about 15,421 bp long and...
We present the complete mitochondrial genome of a Malaria vector Mosquito Wiedemann, 1828 from South Korea. The mitochondrial genome is about 15,421 bp long and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and an A-T rich region. The present data were compared with those from China with respect to PCG sequence differences, tRNA structure, gene order, and control region (CR) structure. mitochondrial genomes from northeast Asia share identical gene composition and gene order. In contrast, they have distinct differences in the CR within the range 8.75% (51/583 bp) to 9.95% (58/583 bp). The phylogenetic analysis showed that from South Korea was clustered together with those from China, but there existed distinct genetic distance between the two. Likewise, mitochondrial genome sequences from other species were employed to infer phylogenetic relationships among the members of the genus . This study further promotes the enrichment of mitochondrial genome data, providing useful information for their mitochondrial genetic differences along with geographical distances in northeast Asia.
PubMed: 35692711
DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2022.2077665 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022Malaria remains a vector-borne infectious disease that is still a major public health concern worldwide, especially in tropical regions. Malaria is caused by a protozoan... (Review)
Review
Malaria remains a vector-borne infectious disease that is still a major public health concern worldwide, especially in tropical regions. Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus and transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes. The control interventions targeting mosquito vectors have achieved significant success during the last two decades and rely mainly on the use of chemical insecticides through the insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Unfortunately, resistance to conventional insecticides currently being used in public health is spreading in the natural mosquito populations, hampering the long-term success of the current vector control strategies. Thus, to achieve the goal of malaria elimination, it appears necessary to improve vector control approaches through the development of novel environment-friendly tools. Mosquito microbiota has by now given rise to the expansion of innovative control tools, such as the use of endosymbionts to target insect vectors, known as "symbiotic control." In this review, we will present the viral, fungal and bacterial diversity of mosquitoes, including the bacteriophages. This review discusses the likely interactions between the vector microbiota and its fitness and resistance to insecticides.
PubMed: 35668761
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.891573 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE May 2022Malaria remains one of the most devastating diseases worldwide and, to date, the African region is still responsible for 94% of all cases worldwide. This parasitic...
Malaria remains one of the most devastating diseases worldwide and, to date, the African region is still responsible for 94% of all cases worldwide. This parasitic disease requires a protozoan parasite, an Anopheles mosquito vector, and a vertebrate host. The Anopheles genus comprises more than 500 species, of which 60 are known as vectors of the parasite. The Plasmodium parasite genus consists of 250 species, and 48 of these are involved in disease transmission. Furthermore, the Plasmodium falciparum parasite has contributed toward an estimated 99.7% of malaria cases in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. Gametocytes form part of the sexual stage of the parasite and are ingested by the female mosquito upon feeding on an infected human host. Further development of the parasite within the mosquito is enhanced by favorable environmental conditions in the midgut of the mosquito. Here, the fusion of the female and male gametes takes place, and the motile ookinetes originate. The ookinetes enter the midgut epithelium of the mosquito, and mature ookinetes form oocysts, which, in turn, produce motile sporozoites. These sporozoites migrate to the mosquito's salivary glands and are injected as a mosquito takes a blood meal. For drug discovery purposes, mosquitoes were artificially infected with gametocyte-infected blood in the standard membrane feeding assay (SMFA). To detect infection within the mosquito and/or to assess the efficacy of antimalarial compounds, the midguts of the female mosquitoes were removed post infection and were stained with mercurochrome. This method was used to enhance the visual detection of oocysts under the microscope for the accurate determination of oocyst prevalence and intensity.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Female; Humans; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum; Male; Mosquito Vectors; Plasmodium; Plasmodium falciparum; Sporozoites
PubMed: 35635457
DOI: 10.3791/63546