Mosquitoes in the genus Culex are major vectors of human diseases throughout the world. In the U.S. Culex mosquitoes have been identified as the principal vectors of West Nile Virus (WNV). The research activities described in this proposal combine the expertise of medical entomologists, molecular biologists, chemical/behavioral ecologists and biochemists from the University of California, Davis and UC, Riverside campuses; operational specialists from the Coachella Valley, Greater Los Angeles, Merced County and Shasta County Mosquito and Vector Control Districts, and industry partners from the Bayer Environmental Science, Bedoukian Research and Syngenta corporations. The overall goal is to improve strategies to control Culex mosquitoes by modifying methods for the application of chemical insecticides, developing novel methods for monitoring metabolic resistance to these insecticides and the development of improved methods for trapping gravid Culex mosquitoes. This research is aimed at increasing our capacity to effectively manage Culex populations in the near term; not twenty years hence. Current emergency WNV control programs are focused largely on Culex and have had mixed results. They have failed to prevent virus transmission, and have brought into question the efficacy of current control strategies.
Under Aim #1 we will provide a rigorous evaluation of conventional insecticide application methodologies and of a novel strategy involving the application of focused barrier treatments of vegetation in which host seeking Culex mosquitoes are known to congregate.
Under Aim #2 we will develop methods to more accurately detect and qualitatively measure enzyme mediated pyrethroid insecticide resistance. We propose to achieve this by developing novel pyrethoid-like fluorescent substrates for detection of P450 mixed function oxidases and esterases in Culex mosquitoes. These new substrates are highly sensitive. They will be developed for microplate assays that are rapid and inexpensive, but produce highly quantitative and selective results for detecting pyrethroid P450 mixed function oxidase and esterase activity in individual mosquitoes. For the surveillance and integrated management of the vectors of WNV and other important viruses in urban and peri-urban environments, selective semiochemical-based mosquito traps are essential but current trapping technology demands much improvement.
Under Aim #3 we will work to optimize trap efficacy through the development of better lures. Candidate attractants including a homochiral """"""""oviposition attractant"""""""" will be evaluated and chemical prospecting for novel attractants will be conducted using state-of-the-art approaches. We will mount a multidisciplinary effort in which activity of potential lures will be assessed by sensory physiology (electrophysiology), flight observations (wind tunnel and videography) and a molecular approach based on affinity to a carrier protein (odorant binding protein).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01AI058267-04
Application #
7095285
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-GSM-M (S4))
Program Officer
Costero, Adriana
Project Start
2003-09-15
Project End
2008-02-29
Budget Start
2006-03-01
Budget End
2007-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$745,020
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Zoology
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
047120084
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Lee, Yoosook; Seifert, Stephanie N; Nieman, Catelyn C et al. (2012) High degree of single nucleotide polymorphisms in California Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) sensu lato. J Med Entomol 49:299-306
Barbosa, Rosangela M R; Regis, Leda; Vasconcelos, Roberto et al. (2010) Culex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) egg laying in traps loaded with Bacillus thuringiensis variety israelensis and baited with skatole. J Med Entomol 47:345-8
Xu, Xianzhong; Xu, Wei; Ishida, Yuko et al. (2009) (1)H, (15)N, and (13)C chemical shift assignments of the mosquito odorant binding protein-1 (CquiOBP1) bound to the mosquito oviposition pheromone. Biomol NMR Assign 3:195-7
Pelletier, Julien; Leal, Walter S (2009) Genome analysis and expression patterns of odorant-binding proteins from the Southern House mosquito Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. PLoS One 4:e6237
Lothrop, Hugh D; Lothrop, Branka B; Gomsi, Donald E et al. (2008) Intensive early season adulticide applications decrease arbovirus transmission throughout the Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 8:475-89
Lothrop, Hugh; Lothrop, Branka; Palmer, Mark et al. (2007) Evaluation of pyrethrin aerial ultra-low volume applications for adult Culex tarsalis control in the desert environments of the Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 23:405-19
Damberger, Fred F; Ishida, Yuko; Leal, Walter S et al. (2007) Structural basis of ligand binding and release in insect pheromone-binding proteins: NMR structure of Antheraea polyphemus PBP1 at pH 4.5. J Mol Biol 373:811-9
Lautenschlager, Catherine; Leal, Walter S; Clardy, Jon (2007) Bombyx mori pheromone-binding protein binding nonpheromone ligands: implications for pheromone recognition. Structure 15:1148-54
Lothrop, Hugh; Lothrop, Branka; Palmer, Mark et al. (2007) Evaluation of pyrethrin and permethrin ground ultra-low volume applications for adult Culex control in rural and urban environments of the Coachella Valley of California. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 23:190-207
Lothrop, H D; Huang, H Z; Lothrop, B B et al. (2007) Deposition of pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide following aerial ultra-low volume applications in the Coachella Valley, California. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 23:213-9

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