Abstract

New Targets for Reproductive Control of Mosquito Vectors. In this project, we will investigate the male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) of two major disease vectors of dengue and Chikungunya viruses: the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Both dengue and Chikungunya are increasing in incidence globally and there is an immediate need to develop novel and effective vector control strategies for these two species. In this study we will conduct two specific aims to identify and functionally characterize SFPs, for the first time, in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Our goal is to directly identify new mosquito SFP targets that could be manipulated as a novel means of reproductive control, or to modify the blood feeding physiology of insects that transmit deadly pathogens, with the long-term goal to reduce or eliminate virus transmission to people.

Public Health Relevance

In this study, we will directly identify and determine the function of seminal fluid proteins produced in male mosquitoes and transferred to females during mating. We will identify targets that could be manipulated as a novel means of reproductive control or as a means of modifying the blood feeding physiology of insects that transmit deadly pathogens causing diseases such as dengue and Chikungunya, with the long-term goal to reduce or eliminate virus transmission to people.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI095491-05
Application #
8849819
Study Section
Vector Biology Study Section (VB)
Program Officer
Costero-Saint Denis, Adriana
Project Start
2011-06-01
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2015-06-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Cornell University
Department
Zoology
Type
Earth Sciences/Resources
DUNS #
872612445
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850

  Publications

Degner, Ethan C; Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H; Borziak, Kirill et al. (2018) Proteins, transcripts, and genetic architecture of seminal fluid and sperm in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Mol Cell Proteomics :
Hatala, A J; Harrington, L C; Degner, E C (2018) Age and Body Size Influence Sperm Quantity in Male Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes. J Med Entomol 55:1051-1054
Villarreal, Susan M; Pitcher, Sylvie; Helinski, Michelle E H et al. (2018) Male contributions during mating increase female survival in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Insect Physiol 108:1-9
Sánchez-Vargas, Irma; Harrington, Laura C; Doty, Jeffrey B et al. (2018) Demonstration of efficient vertical and venereal transmission of dengue virus type-2 in a genetically diverse laboratory strain of Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 12:e0006754
Degner, Ethan C; Harrington, Laura C (2016) Polyandry Depends on Postmating Time Interval in the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti. Am J Trop Med Hyg 94:780-5
Degner, Ethan C; Harrington, Laura C (2016) A mosquito sperm's journey from male ejaculate to egg: Mechanisms, molecules, and methods for exploration. Mol Reprod Dev 83:897-911
Alfonso-Parra, Catalina; Ahmed-Braimah, Yasir H; Degner, Ethan C et al. (2016) Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 10:e0004451
Sirot, Laura K; Wong, Alex; Chapman, Tracey et al. (2014) Sexual conflict and seminal fluid proteins: a dynamic landscape of sexual interactions. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 7:a017533
Alfonso-Parra, Catalina; Avila, Frank W; Deewatthanawong, Prasit et al. (2014) Synthesis, depletion and cell-type expression of a protein from the male accessory glands of the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Insect Physiol 70:117-24
Boes, Kathryn E; Ribeiro, José M C; Wong, Alex et al. (2014) Identification and characterization of seminal fluid proteins in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 8:e2946

Showing the most recent 10 out of 16 publications