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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 -
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular... Jul 2022The D7 proteins are highly expressed in the saliva of hematophagous Nematocera and bind biogenic amines and eicosanoid compounds produced by the host during blood...
The D7 proteins are highly expressed in the saliva of hematophagous Nematocera and bind biogenic amines and eicosanoid compounds produced by the host during blood feeding. These proteins are encoded by gene clusters expressing forms having one or two odorant-binding protein-like domains. Here we examine functional diversity within the D7 group in the genus Anopheles and make structural comparisons with D7 proteins from culicine mosquitoes in order to understand aspects of D7 functional evolution. Two domain long form (D7L) and one domain short form (D7S) proteins from anopheline and culicine mosquitoes were characterized to determine their ligand selectivity and binding pocket structures. We previously showed that a D7L protein from Anopheles stephensi, of the subgenus Cellia, could bind eicosanoids at a site in its N-terminal domain but could not bind biogenic amines in its C-terminal domain as does a D7L1 ortholog from the culicine species Aedes aegypti, raising the question of whether anopheline D7L proteins had lost their ability to bind biogenic amines. Here we find that D7L from anopheline species belonging to two other subgenera, Nyssorhynchus and Anopheles, can bind biogenic amines and have a structure much like the Ae. aegypti ortholog. The unusual D7L, D7L3, can also bind serotonin in the Cellia species An. gambiae. We also show through structural comparisons with culicine forms that the biogenic amine binding function of single domain D7S proteins in the genus Anopheles may have evolved through gene conversion of structurally similar proteins, which did not have biogenic amine binding capability. Collectively, the data indicate that D7L proteins had a biogenic amine and eicosanoid binding function in the common ancestor of anopheline and culicine mosquitoes, and that the D7S proteins may have acquired a biogenic amine binding function in anophelines through a gene conversion process.
Topics: Aedes; Animals; Anopheles; Biogenic Amines; Eicosanoids; Salivary Proteins and Peptides
PubMed: 35568118
DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103785 -
Heliyon Jan 2022In Iran, the prospect of malaria control relies mainly on insecticides used against the genus (Diptera: Culicidae) as important vectors of malaria, arboviruses, and so... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In Iran, the prospect of malaria control relies mainly on insecticides used against the genus (Diptera: Culicidae) as important vectors of malaria, arboviruses, and so on. Only eight out of 30 malaria mosquito vectors ( species) have been examined for insecticide resistance in Iran. This study aimed to review articles related to the incremental trend in insecticide resistance and their mechanisms among anopheline malaria vectors in Iran.
METHODS
A literature review was conducted based on such search engines as Iran doc, Web of Science, SID, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar websites using the following keywords: "," "Malaria," "Resistance," "Vectors," "Insecticide Resistance," and "Iran" for data collection. Published papers in English or Persian covering 1980 to 2020 were reviewed.
RESULTS
A total of 1125 articles were screened, only 16 of which were filtered to be pertinent in this review. While most of the mosquito vectors of malaria, such as were resistant to DDT, dieldrin, malathion, and becoming less susceptible to deltamethrin and other synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, few like s. l. were susceptible to all insecticides. A disseminating trend in insecticide resistance among different anopheline mosquito vector species was evident. Metabolic and insecticide target-site resistance mechanisms were involved with organochlorines and pyrethroids, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Insecticide resistance is becoming a severe scourge to the effectiveness of vector-borne disease management measures. This event is especially critical in developing and marginalized communities that applied chemical-based vector elimination programs for malaria; therefore, it is crucial to monitor insecticide resistance in malaria vectors in Iran using biochemical and molecular tools.
PubMed: 35128113
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08830 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2017To better understand the phylogeny and evolution of mosquitoes, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Anopheles stephensi and An. dirus were sequenced and...
To better understand the phylogeny and evolution of mosquitoes, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Anopheles stephensi and An. dirus were sequenced and annotated, and a total of 50 mosquito mitogenomes were comparatively analyzed. The complete mitogenome of An. stephensi and An. dirus is 1,5371 bp and 1,5406 bp long, respectively. The main features of the 50 mosquito mitogenomes are conservative: 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, positive AT-skew and negative GC-skew. The gene order trnA-trnR in ancestral insects is rearranged. All tRNA genes have the typical clover leaf secondary structure but tRNA . The control regions are highly variable in size. PCGs show signals of purifying selection, but evidence for positive selection in ND2, ND4 and ND6 is found. Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses based on all PCG nucleotides produce an identical tree topology and strongly support the monophyly of subgenera Cellia, Anopheles, Keterszia and Nyssorhynchus, the sister relationship of the subgenera Nyssorhynchus and Keterszia, and Cellia and Anopheles. The most recent ancestor of the genus Anopheles and Culicini + Aedini exited ~145 Mya ago. This is the first comprehensive study of mosquito mitogenomes, which are effective for mosquito phylogeny at various taxonomic levels.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Evolution, Molecular; Gene Order; Genome, Mitochondrial; Genomics; Open Reading Frames; Phylogeny; Selection, Genetic
PubMed: 28794438
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07977-0 -
Infectious Diseases of Poverty Mar 2023Malaria is caused by multiple parasitic species of the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread and poses challenges in elimination due...
BACKGROUND
Malaria is caused by multiple parasitic species of the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread and poses challenges in elimination due to its unique biological and epidemiological characteristics. The aim of study was to highlight the practices and experience targeting vivax malaria control and elimination in China.
MAIN BODY
P. vivax malaria was historically endemic in more than 70% of counties in China, with reported vivax malaria cases as high as 26 million a year. After around 70 years of effort, China was certified as malaria-free in June of 2021. The key insights into China's vivax malaria control and elimination were offered, including radical cure strategies, comprehensive but adaptive strategies targeting species of Plasmodium and Anopheles, mass drug administration, and case-/focus-centred surveillance and response systems.
CONCLUSION
The complete global eradication of P. vivax and eventually malaria will be more difficult, and China's practices and experience could be a valuable reference in this campaign.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Malaria, Vivax; Malaria; Plasmodium vivax; China; Anopheles
PubMed: 36941701
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01077-0 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Nov 2010Recent research in microbe-insect symbiosis has shown that acetic acid bacteria (AAB) establish symbiotic relationships with several insects of the orders Diptera,... (Review)
Review
Recent research in microbe-insect symbiosis has shown that acetic acid bacteria (AAB) establish symbiotic relationships with several insects of the orders Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, and Homoptera, all relying on sugar-based diets, such as nectars, fruit sugars, or phloem sap. To date, the fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster and Bactrocera oleae, mosquitoes of the genera Anopheles and Aedes, the honey bee Apis mellifera, the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus, and the mealybug Saccharicoccus sacchari have been found to be associated with the bacterial genera Acetobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter, Asaia, and Saccharibacter and the novel genus Commensalibacter. AAB establish symbiotic associations with the insect midgut, a niche characterized by the availability of diet-derived carbohydrates and oxygen and by an acidic pH, selective factors that support AAB growth. AAB have been shown to actively colonize different insect tissues and organs, such as the epithelia of male and female reproductive organs, the Malpighian tubules, and the salivary glands. This complex topology of the symbiosis indicates that AAB possess the keys for passing through body barriers, allowing them to migrate to different organs of the host. Recently, AAB involvement in the regulation of innate immune system homeostasis of Drosophila has been shown, indicating a functional role in host survival. All of these lines of evidence indicate that AAB can play different roles in insect biology, not being restricted to the feeding habit of the host. The close association of AAB and their insect hosts has been confirmed by the demonstration of multiple modes of transmission between individuals and to their progeny that include vertical and horizontal transmission routes, comprising a venereal one. Taken together, the data indicate that AAB represent novel secondary symbionts of insects.
Topics: Acetobacteraceae; Animals; Culicidae; Digestive System; Drosophila melanogaster; Female; Insecta; Male; Phylogeny; Symbiosis
PubMed: 20851977
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01336-10 -
Parasites & Vectors Nov 2023Adult mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles are important vectors of Plasmodium parasites, causative agents of malaria. The aim of this review was to synthesize the overall... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Adult mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles are important vectors of Plasmodium parasites, causative agents of malaria. The aim of this review was to synthesize the overall and species-specific proportion of Anopheles species infected with sporozoites and their geographical distribution in the last 2 decades (2001-2021).
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted using databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, African Journals OnLine) and manual Google search between January 1 and February 15, 2022. Original articles describing work conducted in Ethiopia, published in English and reporting infection status, were included in the review. All the required data were extracted using a standardized data extraction form, imported to SPSS-24, and analyzed accordingly. The quality of each original study was assessed using a quality assessment tool adapted from the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. This study was registered on PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; registration no. CRD42022299078).
RESULTS
A search for published articles produced a total of 3086 articles, of which 34 met the inclusion criteria. Data on mosquito surveillance revealed that a total of 129,410 anophelines comprising 25 species were captured, of which 48,365 comprising 21 species were tested for sporozoites. Anopheles arabiensis was the dominant species followed by An. pharoensis and An. coustani complex. The overall proportion infected with sporozoites over 21 years was 0.87%. Individual proportions included Anopheles arabiensis (1.09), An. pharoensis (0.79), An. coustani complex (0.13), An. funestus (2.71), An. demeilloni (0.31), An. stephensi (0.70), and An. cinereus (0.73). Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites accounted 79.2% of Plasmodium species. Mixed infection of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum was only reported from one An. arabiensis sample.
CONCLUSIONS
Anopheles arebiensis was the dominant malaria vector over the years, with the highest sporozoite infection proportion of 2.85% and an average of 0.90% over the years. Other species contributing to malaria transmission in the area were An. pharoensis, An. coustani complex, An. funestus, An. stephensi, and An. coustani. The emergence of new vector species, in particular An. stephensi, is particularly concerning and should be investigated further.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Malaria; Sporozoites; Ethiopia; Mosquito Vectors; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Malaria, Falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium
PubMed: 38008761
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06054-y -
PloS One 2023Bacterial content of mosquitoes has given rise to the development of innovative tools that influence and seek to control malaria transmission. This study identified the...
Bacterial content of mosquitoes has given rise to the development of innovative tools that influence and seek to control malaria transmission. This study identified the bacterial microbiota in field-collected female adults of the Anopheles hyrcanus group and three Anopheles species, Anopheles nivipes, Anopheles philippinensis, and Anopheles vagus, from an endemic area in the southeastern part of Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand, near the Lao PDR-Cambodia-Thailand border. A total of 17 DNA libraries were generated from pooled female Anopheles abdomen samples (10 abdomens/ sample). The mosquito microbiota was characterized through the analysis of DNA sequences from the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene, and data were analyzed in QIIME2. A total of 3,442 bacterial ASVs were obtained, revealing differences in the microbiota both within the same species/group and between different species/group. Statistical difference in alpha diversity was observed between An. hyrcanus group and An. vagus and between An. nivipes and An. vagus, and beta diversity analyses showed that the bacterial community of An. vagus was the most dissimilar from other species. The most abundant bacteria belonged to the Proteobacteria phylum (48%-75%) in which Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Pantoea were predominant genera among four Anopheles species/group. However, the most significantly abundant genus observed in each Anopheles species/group was as follows: Staphylococcus in the An. hyrcanus group, Pantoea in the An. nivipes, Rosenbergiella in An. philippinensis, and Pseudomonas in An. vagus. Particularly, Pseudomonas sp. was highly abundant in all Anopheles species except An. nivipes. The present study provides the first study on the microbiota of four potential malaria vectors as a starting step towards understanding the role of the microbiota on mosquito biology and ultimately the development of potential tools for malaria control.
Topics: Animals; Female; Anopheles; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Thailand; Mosquito Vectors; Malaria; Pantoea; Pseudomonas
PubMed: 37590198
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289733 -
Parasites & Vectors Sep 2013Malaria around the China-Myanmar border is a serious health problem in the countries of South-East Asia. An. minimus is a principle malaria vector with a wide geographic...
BACKGROUND
Malaria around the China-Myanmar border is a serious health problem in the countries of South-East Asia. An. minimus is a principle malaria vector with a wide geographic distribution in this area. Malaria is endemic along the boundary between Yunnan province in China and the Kachin State of Myanmar where the local Anopheles community (species composition) and the malaria transmission vectors have never been clarified.
METHODS
Adult Anopheles specimens were collected using CDC light traps in four villages along the border of China and Myanmar from May 2012 to April 2013. Morphological and molecular identification of mosquito adults confirmed the species of Anopheles. Blood-meal identification using the female abdomens was conducted using multiplex PCR. For sporozoite detection in An. minimus, sets of 10 female salivary glands were pooled and identified with SSU rDNA using nested PCR. Monthly abundance of An. minimus populations during the year was documented. The diversity of Anopheles and the role of An. minimus on malaria transmission in this border area were analyzed.
RESULTS
4,833 adult mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles were collected and morphologically identified to species or species complex. The Anopheles community is comprised of 13 species, and 78.83% of our total specimens belonged to An. minimus s.l., followed by An. maculatus (5.55%) and the An. culicifacies complex (4.03%). The quantity of trapped An. minimus in the rainy season of malaria transmission was greater than during the non-malarial dry season, and a peak was found in May 2012. An. minimus fed on the blood of four animals: humans (79.8%), cattle (10.6%), pigs (5.8%) and dogs (3.8%). 1,500 females of An. minimus were pooled into 150 samples and tested for sporozoites: only 1 pooled sample was found to have sporozoites of Plasmodium vivax.
CONCLUSION
Anopheles is abundant with An. minimus being the dominant species and having a high human blood index along the China-Myanmar border. The sporozoites in An. minimus were determined to be Plasmodium vivax with a 0.07-0.7% infection rate.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Blood; Cattle; China; DNA Fingerprinting; Dogs; Endemic Diseases; Feeding Behavior; Female; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Malaria, Vivax; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; Myanmar; Plasmodium vivax; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Swine
PubMed: 24034528
DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-264 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2022Using high-depth whole genome sequencing of F0 mating pairs and multiple individual F1 offspring, we estimated the nuclear mutation rate per generation in the malaria...
Using high-depth whole genome sequencing of F0 mating pairs and multiple individual F1 offspring, we estimated the nuclear mutation rate per generation in the malaria vectors Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles stephensi by detecting de novo genetic mutations. A purpose-built computer program was employed to filter actual mutations from a deep background of superficially similar artifacts resulting from read misalignment. Performance of filtering parameters was determined using software-simulated mutations, and the resulting estimate of false negative rate was used to correct final mutation rate estimates. Spontaneous mutation rates by base substitution were estimated at 1.00 × 10 (95% confidence interval, 2.06 × 10-2.91 × 10) and 1.36 × 10 (95% confidence interval, 4.42 × 10-3.18 × 10) per site per generation in A. coluzzii and A. stephensi respectively. Although similar studies have been performed on other insect species including dipterans, this is the first study to empirically measure mutation rates in the important genus Anopheles, and thus provides an estimate of µ that will be of utility for comparative evolutionary genomics, as well as for population genetic analysis of malaria vector mosquito species.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Female; Humans; Insect Proteins; Malaria; Male; Mosquito Vectors; Mutation Rate; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 34996998
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03943-z