A5077163712- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Plant and animal studies
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
Virginia Tech
2013-2025
Texas A&M University
2020
Significance Mosquitoes are vectors of both parasites and viruses responsible for high-impact diseases including malaria, dengue, chikungunya. Novel interventions based on genetic modification the mosquito genome currently being developed implemented. To comprehensively exploit such interventions, detailed knowledge physiology, genetics, engineering required. We validated a two-step process performing high-efficiency site-specific insertion material into by first evaluating candidate...
In addition to its role as the primary vector for dengue viruses, Aedes aegypti has a long history genetic model organism other bloodfeeding mosquitoes, due ease of colonization, maintenance and reproductive productivity. Though genome been sequenced, functional characterization many Ae. genes, pathways behaviors slow. TALE nucleases (TALENs) have used with great success in number organisms generate site-specific DNA lesions. We evaluated ability TALEN pair target kmo gene, whose protein...
A dominant male-determining locus (M-locus) establishes the male sex (M/m) in yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegyptiNix, a gene M-locus, was shown to be factor (M factor) as somatic knockout of Nix led feminized males while transient expression resulted partially masculinized females (m/m), with reproductive organs but retained female antennae. It not clear whether any other 29 genes 1.3-Mb M-locus are also needed for complete sex-conversion. Here, we report generation multiple transgenic...
Aedes (Ae.) aegypti is the primary vector for dengue viruses (serotypes1–4) and chikungunya virus. Homing endonucleases (HEs) are ancient selfish elements that catalyze double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) in a highly specific manner. In this report, we show HEs Y2-I-AniI, I-CreI I-SceI all capable of catalyzing excision genomic segments from Ae. genome heritable Y2-I-AniI demonstrated highest efficiency at two independent targets, with 20–40% Y2-I-AniI-treated individuals producing offspring...
Saliva from mosquitoes contains vasodilators that antagonize vasoconstrictors produced at the bite site. Sialokinin is a vasodilator present in saliva of Aedes aegypti. Here, we investigate its function and describe mechanism action during blood feeding. induces nitric oxide release similar to substance P. Sialokinin-KO produce lower perfusion than parental site probing have significantly longer times, which result feeding success. In contrast, there no difference between KO when using...
Abstract Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses that cause dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. Although recent success in reverse genetics has facilitated rapid progress basic applied research, integration forward with modern technologies remains challenging this important species, as up to 47% its chromosome refractory genetic mapping due extremely low rate recombination. Here, we report the development marker-assisted strategy readily screen for genotype only rare but...
Diverse genetic strategies are being pursued to control mosquito-borne infectious diseases. These often rely on the release of nonbiting males either reduce target mosquito population or render them resistant pathogens. Male-only releases important as any contaminating females can bite and potentially transmit Despite significant efforts, it remains a major bottleneck reliably efficiently separate from females, especially when nontransgenic preferred. In yellow fever Aedes aegypti , sex is...
Insects rely on the innate immune system for defense against pathogens, some aspects of which are under hormonal control. Here we provide direct experimental evidence showing that juvenile hormone-binding protein (mJHBP) Aedes aegypti is required regulation responses and development mosquito blood cells (hemocytes). Using an mJHBP-deficient line generated by means CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology uncovered a mutant phenotype characterized immunosuppression at humoral cellular levels,...
During blood feeding, mosquitoes inject saliva into the host skin, preventing hemostasis and inflammatory responses. D7 proteins are among most abundant components of blood-feeding arthropods.
Background Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology has rapidly emerged as a very effective tool for gene editing. Although great advances on editing in the medical entomology field have arisen, no attempts of been reported sand flies, vectors Leishmaniasis. Methodology/Principal findings Here, we described detailed protocol fly embryo microinjection taking into consideration life cycle, and manipulation oviposition requirements this non-model...
The mosquito family Culicidae is divided into 2 subfamilies named the Culicinae and Anophelinae. Nix, dominant male-determining factor, has only been found in culicines Aedes aegypti albopictus, important arboviral vectors that belong to subgenus Stegomyia. Here we performed sex-specific whole-genome sequencing RNAseq of divergent species explored additional male-inclusive datasets investigate distribution Nix. Except for Culex genus, Nix homologs were all surveyed from subfamily, including...
A dominant and hemizygous male-determining locus (M locus) establishes the male sex (M/m) in yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti . Nix is a factor factor) M its transient expression females (m/m) results partial masculinization. Here, we show that transgene alone was sufficient to convert into fertile males, which continued produce sex-converted progeny subsequent generations. However, assisted mating with wild-type necessary, as converted m/m males could not fly. Knockout of myo-sex ,...
Abstract Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses that cause dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. Although recent success in reverse genetics has facilitated rapid progress basic applied research, integration forward with modern technologies remains challenging this important species, as up-to-47% its chromosome refractory to genetic mapping due extremely low rate recombination. Here we report the development marker-assisted-mapping (MAM) strategy readily screen for genotype...
Abstract The mosquito family Culicidae is divided into two subfamilies named the Culicinae and Anophelinae. Nix , dominant male-determining factor, has only been found in culicines Aedes aegypti Ae. albopictus important arboviral vectors that belong to subgenus Stegomyia. Here we performed sex-specific whole-genome sequencing RNAseq of divergent species explored additional male-inclusive datasets investigate distribution . Except for Culex genus, homologs were all surveyed from subfamily,...