Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water
The detection of water sources is crucial for insects such as mosquitoes to avoid desiccation and survive. In addition, mosquitoes use humidity cues to successfully navigate the environment to find a suitable oviposition site. Previous studies have implicated some members of the ionotropic receptor...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Communicative & Integrative Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2019.1681063 |
| _version_ | 1818612568787255296 |
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| author | Joshua I. Raji Sheyla Gonzalez Matthew DeGennaro |
| author_facet | Joshua I. Raji Sheyla Gonzalez Matthew DeGennaro |
| author_sort | Joshua I. Raji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The detection of water sources is crucial for insects such as mosquitoes to avoid desiccation and survive. In addition, mosquitoes use humidity cues to successfully navigate the environment to find a suitable oviposition site. Previous studies have implicated some members of the ionotropic receptor family in humidity sensing by Drosophila. Here, we investigate if IR8a co-receptor mediates water detection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Using a simple behavioral assay, we examined the attraction of Ir8a mutant mosquitoes to standing water. Ir8a mutant mosquitoes were able to discriminate between traps containing water and those without as well as wild-type and heterozygous control females. Surprisingly, the female mutants were more robustly drawn to standing water than control mosquitoes. Further investigation revealed that the increased behavioral attraction to water is likely not mediated by a metabolic need or an activity defect. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:48:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ffdba1ad12ad48e3a312ca822796e196 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1942-0889 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:48:18Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communicative & Integrative Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ffdba1ad12ad48e3a312ca822796e1962022-12-21T22:25:45ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCommunicative & Integrative Biology1942-08892019-01-0112118118610.1080/19420889.2019.16810631681063Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing waterJoshua I. Raji0Sheyla Gonzalez1Matthew DeGennaro2Florida International UniversityFlorida International UniversityFlorida International UniversityThe detection of water sources is crucial for insects such as mosquitoes to avoid desiccation and survive. In addition, mosquitoes use humidity cues to successfully navigate the environment to find a suitable oviposition site. Previous studies have implicated some members of the ionotropic receptor family in humidity sensing by Drosophila. Here, we investigate if IR8a co-receptor mediates water detection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Using a simple behavioral assay, we examined the attraction of Ir8a mutant mosquitoes to standing water. Ir8a mutant mosquitoes were able to discriminate between traps containing water and those without as well as wild-type and heterozygous control females. Surprisingly, the female mutants were more robustly drawn to standing water than control mosquitoes. Further investigation revealed that the increased behavioral attraction to water is likely not mediated by a metabolic need or an activity defect.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2019.1681063ir8awaterhygrosensationmutantmosquitoaedes aegypti |
| spellingShingle | Joshua I. Raji Sheyla Gonzalez Matthew DeGennaro Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water Communicative & Integrative Biology ir8a water hygrosensation mutant mosquito aedes aegypti |
| title | Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| title_full | Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| title_fullStr | Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| title_short | Aedes aegypti Ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| title_sort | aedes aegypti ir8a mutant female mosquitoes show increased attraction to standing water |
| topic | ir8a water hygrosensation mutant mosquito aedes aegypti |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2019.1681063 |
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