Publications

larvicidal activity of oak quercus infectoria oliv. (fagaceae) gall extracts against anopheles stephensi liston.	there is a growing interest in the use of botanical insecticides to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides in order to avoid environmental side effects. anopheles stephensi is the primary vector of urban malaria, an endemic disease in india. so, an effort to assay an. stephensi larvae with gall extracts of quercus infectoria was made under laboratory conditions at mysore. ethyl-acetate extract was found to be the most effective of all the five extracts tested for larvicidal activity against the ...	2009	19148681
recombinant viral vaccines expressing merozoite surface protein-1 induce antibody- and t cell-mediated multistage protection against malaria.	protecting against both liver and blood stages of infection is a long-sought goal of malaria vaccine design. recently, we described the use of replication-defective viral vaccine vectors expressing the malaria antigen merozoite surface protein-1 (msp-1) as an antimalarial vaccine strategy that elicits potent and protective antibody responses against blood-stage parasites. here, we show that vaccine-induced msp-1-specific cd4(+) t cells provide essential help for protective b cell responses, and ...	2009	19154991
gene expression studies in mosquitoes.	research on gene expression in mosquitoes is motivated by both basic and applied interests. studies of genes involved in hematophagy, reproduction, olfaction, and immune responses reveal an exquisite confluence of biological adaptations that result in these highly-successful life forms. the requirement of female mosquitoes for a bloodmeal for propagation has been exploited by a wide diversity of viral, protozoan and metazoan pathogens as part of their life cycles. identifying genes involved in h ...	2008	19161831
insight into the sialome of the black fly, simulium vittatum.	adaptation to vertebrate blood feeding includes development of a salivary "magic potion" that can disarm host hemostasis and inflammatory reactions. within the lower diptera, a vertebrate blood-sucking mode evolved in the psychodidae (sand flies), culicidae (mosquitoes), ceratopogonidae (biting midges), simuliidae (black flies), and the frog-feeding corethrellidae. sialotranscriptome analyses from several species of mosquitoes and sand flies and from one biting midge indicate divergence in the e ...	2009	19166301
molecular characterization of antifolates resistance-associated genes, (dhfr and dhps) in plasmodium vivax isolates from the middle east.	in iran, co-infections of plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum are common and p. vivax infections are often exposed to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp). in the present study, the frequency distribution of mutations associated to sp resistance was investigated in pvdhfr and pvdhps genes from field isolates.	2009	19175936
the salivary gland transcriptome of the neotropical malaria vector anopheles darlingi reveals accelerated evolution of genes relevant to hematophagy.	mosquito saliva, consisting of a mixture of dozens of proteins affecting vertebrate hemostasis and having sugar digestive and antimicrobial properties, helps both blood and sugar meal feeding. culicine and anopheline mosquitoes diverged ~150 mya, and within the anophelines, the new world species diverged from those of the old world ~95 mya. while the sialotranscriptome (from the greek sialo, saliva) of several species of the cellia subgenus of anopheles has been described thoroughly, no detailed ...	2009	19178717
a quantitative in vitro assay for chemical mosquito-deterrent activity without human blood cells.	we report that an aqueous solution containing 10(-3) m adenosine triphosphate (atp) and citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine (cpda-1) can effectively replace transfusable human red blood cells in an in vitro klun and debboun bioassay system for evaluating chemicals for mosquito feeding-deterrent activity, using either aedes aegypti or anopheles stephensi. these species fed with similar avidity through collagen membrane covering aqueous 10(-3) m atp plus cpda-1 or red blood cells in cpda-1 suppleme ...	2008	19181057
sampling of adult mosquito vectors with mosquito magnet pro in panaji, goa, india.	for mosquito vector population monitoring, a new commercial trap, mosquito magnet pro (mm-pro), was tested for its usefulness in goa, india. anopheles stephensi was tested for the presence of plasmodium sporozoite infection in the salivary glands. using the mm-pro 24 h a day for 34 days, 2,329 mosquitoes belonging to 16 species were collected. these included 6 species each of the genera anopheles and culex, 2 species of aedes, and 1 each of mansonia and armigeres. most (91%) of the mosquitoes ca ...	2008	19181075
disruption of plasmodium sporozoite transmission by depletion of sporozoite invasion-associated protein 1.	accumulation of infectious plasmodium sporozoites in anopheles spp. salivary glands marks the final step of the complex development of the malaria parasite in the insect vector. sporozoites are formed inside midgut-associated oocysts and actively egress into the mosquito hemocoel. traversal of the salivary gland acinar cells correlates with the sporozoite's capacity to perform continuous gliding motility. here, we characterized the cellular role of the plasmodium berghei sporozoite invasion-asso ...	2009	19181869
dermatologic changes induced by repeated ixodes scapularis bites and implications for prevention of tick-borne infection.	previous studies in rodents and people have demonstrated that repeated tick exposure is associated with reduced borrelia burgdorferi transmission but the mechanism of prevention remains unclear. we examined the acute histopathologic reactions to initial and repeated ixodes scapularis bites in balb/c mice and in people. skin biopsies of balb/c mice infested for the first time by i. scapularis nymphs revealed vascular dilatation and an accumulation of inflammatory cells adjacent to the bite site b ...	2009	19196014
isolongifolenone: a novel sesquiterpene repellent of ticks and mosquitoes.	a naturally occurring sesquiterpene, isolongifolenone, derivatives of which have been used extensively as ingredients in the cosmetics industry, was discovered to effectively repel blood-feeding arthropods that are important disease vectors. we show that (-)-isolongifolenone deters the biting of the mosquitoes, aedes aegypti (l.) and anopheles stephensi liston, more effectively than the widely used synthetic chemical repellent, n,n-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide (deet), in laboratory bioassays. the ...	2009	19198523
characterisation of plasmodium invasive organelles; an ookinete microneme proteome.	secretion of microneme proteins is essential to plasmodium invasion but the molecular composition of these secretory organelles remains poorly defined. here, we describe the first plasmodium microneme proteome. purification of micronemes by subcellular fractionation from cultured ookinetes was confirmed by enrichment of known micronemal proteins and electron microscopy. quantitation of electron micrographs showed >14-fold microneme enrichment compared to the intact ookinete, such that micronemes ...	2009	19206106
density-dependent effects on the weight of female ascaris lumbricoides infections of humans and its impact on patterns of egg production.	abstract:	2009	19208229
a baculovirus dual expression system-based malaria vaccine induces strong protection against plasmodium berghei sporozoite challenge in mice.	we have previously shown that a recombinant baculovirus that displays plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite protein (pbcsp), a homolog of the leading human malaria vaccine candidate, on the viral envelope protected 60% of mice against p. berghei infection. here, we describe a second-generation baculovirus vaccine based on the "baculovirus dual expression system," which drives pbcsp expression by a dual promoter that consists of tandemly arranged baculovirus-derived polyhedrin and mammal-derived cy ...	2009	19223476
wash resistance and efficacy of three long-lasting insecticidal nets assessed from bioassays on anopheles culicifacies and anopheles stephensi.	to test the wash resistance and efficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins), namely olyset net and permanet 2.0; and a long-lasting treatment kit, k-o tab 1-2-3, on anopheles culicifacies and an. stephensi, major malaria vectors in india, by bioassays. conventionally treated deltamethrin net (ctdn with k-o tab) was used for comparison.	2009	19228347
the glutathione biosynthetic pathway of plasmodium is essential for mosquito transmission.	infection of red blood cells (rbc) subjects the malaria parasite to oxidative stress. therefore, efficient antioxidant and redox systems are required to prevent damage by reactive oxygen species. plasmodium spp. have thioredoxin and glutathione (gsh) systems that are thought to play a major role as antioxidants during blood stage infection. in this report, we analyzed a critical component of the gsh biosynthesis pathway using reverse genetics. plasmodium berghei parasites lacking expression of g ...	2009	19229315
primaquine dipeptide derivatives bearing an imidazolidin-4-one moiety at the n-terminus as potential antimalarial prodrugs.	primaquine dipeptide derivatives bearing an imidazolidin-4-one moiety at the n-terminus were synthesized and evaluated as potential transmission-blocking antimalarial prodrugs. all compounds were hydrolyzed to the parent dipeptide derivative of primaquine in neutral and basic solutions, with half lives ranging from 0.7 to 31 h at 37 degrees c, depending on the nature of the substituents present in the imidazolidin-4-one moiety and in the c-terminal amino acid directly coupled to primaquine. the ...	2009	19232784
gc-based analysis of insecticidal constituents of the flowers of azadirachta indica a. juss.	the present article describes the analysis of an n-hexane soluble fraction of fresh flowers of azadirachta indica a. juss (neem), possessing larvicidal activity against anopheles stephensi liston, a vector of malarial parasite. forty-one compounds were identified in non-polar to less-polar fraction as well as in essential oil. these identifications were basically made through gc-eims. thus 5 sesquiterpenes, 3 aromatics, 17 fatty acids, 5 fatty acid esters, three steroids and 8 hydrocarbons were ...	2009	19235028
polymeric linear peptide chimeric vaccine-induced antimalaria immunity is associated with enhanced in vitro antigen loading.	immunization of mice with plasmodium berghei or plasmodium yoelii synthetic linear peptide chimeras (lpcs) based on the circumsporozoite protein protects against experimental challenge with viable sporozoites. the immunogenicity of lpcs is significantly enhanced by spontaneous polymerization. to better understand the antigenic properties of polymeric antimalarial peptides, we studied the immune responses elicited in mice immunized with a polymer or a monomer of a linear peptide construct specifi ...	2009	19237530
comparative performance of imagicides on anopheles stephensi, main malaria vector in a malarious area, southern iran.	jiroft district has subtropical climate and prone to seasonal malaria transmission with annual parasite index (api) 4.2 per 1000 in 2006. anopheles stephensi liston is a dominant malaria vector. the monitoring of insecticide susceptibility and irritability was conducted using discriminative dose as described by who.	2008	19248658
two distinct triatoma dimidiata (latreille, 1811) taxa are found in sympatry in guatemala and mexico.	approximately 10 million people are infected with trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease, which remains the most serious parasitic disease in the americas. most people are infected via triatomine vectors. transmission has been largely halted in south america in areas with predominantly domestic vectors. however, one of the main chagas vectors in mesoamerica, triatoma dimidiata, poses special challenges to control due to its diversity across its large geographic range (from mexi ...	2009	19274073
challenges and approaches for mosquito targeted malaria control.	malaria is one of today's most serious diseases with an enormous socioeconomic impact. while anti-malarial drugs have existed for some time and vaccines development may be underway, the most successful malaria eradication programs have thus far relied on attacking the mosquito vector that spreads the disease causing agent plasmodium. here we will review past, current and future perspectives of malaria vector control strategies and how these approaches have taken a promising turn thanks recent ad ...	2009	19275622
a possible mechanism for the suppression of plasmodium berghei development in the mosquito anopheles gambiae by the microsporidian vavraia culicis.	microsporidian parasites of mosquitoes offer a possible way of controlling malaria, as they impede the development of plasmodium parasites within the mosquito. the mechanism involved in this interference process is unknown.	2009	19277119
caspar controls resistance to plasmodium falciparum in diverse anopheline species.	immune responses mounted by the malaria vector anopheles gambiae are largely regulated by the toll and imd (immune deficiency) pathways via the nf-kappab transcription factors rel1 and rel2, which are controlled by the negative regulators cactus and caspar, respectively. rel1- and rel2-dependent transcription in a. gambiae has been shown to be particularly critical to the mosquito's ability to manage infection with the rodent malaria parasite plasmodium berghei. using rna interference to deplete ...	2009	19282971
analysis of apyrase 5' upstream region validates improved anopheles gambiae transformation technique.	genetic transformation of the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae has been successfully achieved in recent years, and represents a potentially powerful tool for researchers. tissue-, stage- and sex-specific promoters are essential requirements to support the development of new applications for the transformation technique and potential malaria control strategies. during the plasmodium lifecycle in the invertebrate host, four major mosquito cell types are involved in interactions with the parasite ...	2009	19284522
larvicidal activity of an indigenous plant, centratherum anthelminticum.	crude extracts of fruits and leaves of centratherum anthelminticum in different solvents were tested for larvicidal activity against anopheles stephensi, the vector of malaria. the petroleum ether crude extract of both fruits and leaves exhibited significant larvicidal activity against iii instar larvae with lc50 values of 162.60 ppm and 522.94 ppm, respectively after 24 hr. the petroleum ether extract of fruit was 11.66, 2.15 and 1.32 times more toxic than that of leaf extract after 24, 48 and ...	2008	19295062
acetobacter tropicalis is a major symbiont of the olive fruit fly (bactrocera oleae).	following cultivation-dependent and -independent techniques, we investigated the microbiota associated with bactrocera oleae, one of the major agricultural pests in olive-producing countries. bacterial 16s rrna gene libraries and ultrastructural analyses revealed the presence of several bacterial taxa associated with this insect, among which acetobacter tropicalis was predominant. the recent increased detection of acetic acid bacteria as symbionts of other insect model organisms, such as anophel ...	2009	19304818
real-time quantitative pcr for analysis of candidate fungal biopesticides against malaria: technique validation and first applications.	recent research has indicated that fungal biopesticides could augment existing malaria vector control tools. here we present a set of methodologies to monitor the in vivo kinetics of entomopathogenic fungi in anopheles in the presence or absence of malaria parasites using quantitative real-time pcr. three qpcr assays were successfully developed for counting fungal genomes: "specific" assays capable of distinguishing two well characterized fungal entomopathogens beauveria bassiana isolate imi3915 ...	2009	19320043
does environmental stress affect insect-vectored parasite transmission?		0	19330047
from tucson to genomics and transgenics: the vector biology network and the emergence of modern vector biology.		2009	19333394
microbial larvicide application by a large-scale, community-based program reduces malaria infection prevalence in urban dar es salaam, tanzania.	malaria control in africa is most tractable in urban settlements yet most research has focused on rural settings. elimination of malaria transmission from urban areas may require larval control strategies that complement adult mosquito control using insecticide-treated nets or houses, particularly where vectors feed outdoors.	2009	19333402
a small molecule inhibitor of signal peptide peptidase inhibits plasmodium development in the liver and decreases malaria severity.	the liver stage of plasmodium's life cycle is the first, obligatory step in malaria infection. decreasing the hepatic burden of plasmodium infection decreases the severity of disease and constitutes a promising strategy for malaria prophylaxis. the efficacy of the gamma-secretase and signal peptide peptidase inhibitor ly411,575 in targeting plasmodium liver stages was evaluated both in human hepatoma cell lines and in mouse primary hepatocytes. ly411,575 was found to prevent plasmodium's normal ...	2009	19337374
mapk erk signaling regulates the tgf-beta1-dependent mosquito response to plasmodium falciparum.	malaria is caused by infection with intraerythrocytic protozoa of the genus plasmodium that are transmitted by anopheles mosquitoes. although a variety of anti-parasite effector genes have been identified in anopheline mosquitoes, little is known about the signaling pathways that regulate these responses during parasite development. here we demonstrate that the mek-erk signaling pathway in anopheles is controlled by ingested human tgf-beta1 and finely tunes mosquito innate immunity to parasite i ...	2009	19343212
insecticidal and repellent activities of thymol from the essential oil of trachyspermum ammi (linn) sprague seeds against anopheles stephensi.	essential oil of seeds of trachyspermum ammi (linn.) sprauge and its pure constituent thymol showed promising results when evaluated for larvicidal, oviposition-deterrent, vapor toxicity, and repellent activity against malarial vector, anopheles stephensi. thymol was 1.6-fold more toxic than the oil toward fourth-instar larvae of a. stephensi with ld(50) values of 48.88 and 80.77 microg/ml, respectively. egg laying by female adults of a. stephensi was much significantly reduced when exposed to v ...	2009	19343365
structure-activity relationship studies on the mosquito toxicity and biting deterrency of callicarpenal derivatives.	callicarpenal (=13,14,15,16-tetranorclerod-3-en-12-al=[(1s,2r,4ar,8ar)-1,2,3,4,4a,7,8,8a-octahydro-1,2,4a,5-tetramethylnaphthalen-1-yl]acetaldehyde; 1) has previously demonstrated significant mosquito bite-deterring activity against aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi in addition to repellent activity against host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis. in the present study, structural modifications were performed on callicarpenal (1) in an effort to understand the functiona ...	2009	19353538
dietary-dependent trans-generational immune priming in an insect herbivore.	trans-generational effects on immunity are well known in vertebrates and are considered in many evolutionary and ecological theories of species interaction. maternal effects have been identified to be of special importance, and are now recognized as a mechanism for adaptive phenotypic response to environmental heterogeneity. we have previously shown that exposure to dietary non-pathogenic bacteria can induce several aspects of immune response in an insect herbivore, the cabbage semilooper (trich ...	2009	19369263
rodent malaria-resistant strains of the mosquito, anopheles gambiae, have slower population growth than -susceptible strains.	trade-offs between anti-parasite defence mechanisms and other life history traits limit the evolution of host resistance to parasites and have important implications for understanding diseases such as malaria. mosquitoes have not evolved complete resistance to malaria parasites and one hypothesis is that anti-malaria defence mechanisms are costly.	2009	19379508
thermal behaviour of anopheles stephensi in response to infection with malaria and fungal entomopathogens.	temperature is a critical determinant of the development of malaria parasites in mosquitoes, and hence the geographic distribution of malaria risk, but little is known about the thermal preferences of anopheles. a number of other insects modify their thermal behaviour in response to infection. these alterations can be beneficial for the insect or for the infectious agent. given current interest in developing fungal biopesticides for control of mosquitoes, anopheles stephensi were examined to tes ...	2009	19379519
acclimatory responses of the daphnia pulex proteome to environmental changes. ii. chronic exposure to different temperatures (10 and 20 degrees c) mainly affects protein metabolism.	temperature affects essentially every aspect of the biology of poikilothermic animals including the energy and mass budgets, activity, growth, and reproduction. while thermal effects in ecologically important groups such as daphnids have been intensively studied at the ecosystem level and at least partly at the organismic level, much less is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the acclimation to different temperatures. by using 2d gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, the presen ...	2009	19383147
the components of the daphnia pulex immune system as revealed by complete genome sequencing.	branchiopod crustaceans in the genus daphnia are key model organisms for investigating interactions between genes and the environment. one major theme of research on daphnia species has been the evolution of resistance to pathogens and parasites, but lack of knowledge of the daphnia immune system has limited the study of immune responses. here we provide a survey of the immune-related genome of d. pulex, derived from the newly completed genome sequence. genes likely to be involved in innate immu ...	2009	19386092
effect of sugar on male anopheles gambiae mating performance, as modified by temperature, space, and body size.	abstract:	2009	19386114
kinetics of mosquito-injected plasmodium sporozoites in mice: fewer sporozoites are injected into sporozoite-immunized mice.	malaria is initiated when the mosquito introduces sporozoites into the skin of a mammalian host. to successfully continue the infection, sporozoites must invade blood vessels in the dermis and be transported to the liver. a significant number of sporozoites, however, may enter lymphatic vessels in the skin or remain in the skin long after the mosquito bite. we have used fluorescence microscopy of plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing a fluorescent protein to evaluate the kinetics of sporozoi ...	2009	19390607
the serpin gene family in anopheles gambiae.	serpins (serine protease inhibitors) regulate some innate immune responses of insects by inhibiting endogenous proteases. in this study, we characterized the serpin (srpn) gene family in the mosquito anopheles gambiae, the major malaria vector in sub-saharan africa. we identified 18 a. gambiae srpn genes, all on chromosomes 2 and 3, through searches of genomic dna and est databases. in addition to srpn10, previously documented to exhibit alternative splicing, we found three splicing isoforms of ...	2009	19394412
absence of knockdown resistance suggests metabolic resistance in the main malaria vectors of the mekong region.	as insecticide resistance may jeopardize the successful malaria control programmes in the mekong region, a large investigation was previously conducted in the mekong countries to assess the susceptibility of the main malaria vectors against ddt and pyrethroid insecticides. it showed that the main vector, anopheles epiroticus, was highly pyrethroid-resistant in the mekong delta, whereas anopheles minimus sensu lato was pyrethroid-resistant in northern vietnam. anopheles dirus sensu stricto showed ...	2009	19400943
efficacy of aquatain, a monomolecular surface film, against the malaria vectors anopheles stephensi and an. gambiae s.s. in the laboratory.	monomolecular films are used for mosquito control because of their asphyxiating effect on larvae and pupae. compared with other films, aquatain mosquito formulation (amf) has an improved spreading ability and flexibility on a water surface. in the laboratory, amf showed larvicidal, pupicidal, and oviposition deterrent effects against the malaria vectors anopheles stephensi and an. gambiae. at a dose of 1 ml/m(2), the median lethal time to death for late larval instars was 3.02 (95% confidence in ...	2009	19407120
an ancient immunity gene duplication in daphnia magna: rna expression and sequence analysis of two nitric oxide synthase genes.	no (nitric oxide) is a highly reactive free radical gas thought to play a major role in the invertebrate immune response by harming pathogens and limiting their growth. here we report on studies of nitric oxide synthase (nos) genes in the crustacean daphnia, one of the few non-insect arthropod models used to study host-pathogen interactions. while the nos gene is found as a single copy in other invertebrates, we found two copies (nos1 and nos2), which a phylogenetic reconstruction showed to be t ...	2009	19416737
implication of the mosquito midgut microbiota in the defense against malaria parasites.	malaria-transmitting mosquitoes are continuously exposed to microbes, including their midgut microbiota. this naturally acquired microbial flora can modulate the mosquito's vectorial capacity by inhibiting the development of plasmodium and other human pathogens through an unknown mechanism. we have undertaken a comprehensive functional genomic approach to elucidate the molecular interplay between the bacterial co-infection and the development of the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum i ...	2009	19424427
control of pyrethroid-resistant chagas disease vectors with entomopathogenic fungi.	triatoma infestans-mediated transmission of tripanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of chagas disease, remains as a major health issue in southern south america. key factors of t. infestans prevalence in specific areas of the geographic gran chaco region-which extends through northern argentina, bolivia, and paraguay-are both recurrent reinfestations after insecticide spraying and emerging pyrethroid-resistance over the past ten years. among alternative control tools, the pathogenicity of entomop ...	2009	19434231
lisp1 is important for the egress of plasmodium berghei parasites from liver cells.	most apicomplexa are obligatory intracellular parasites that multiply inside a so-called parasitophorous vacuole (pv) formed upon parasite entry into the host cell. plasmodium, the agent of malaria and the apicomplexa most deadly to humans, multiplies in both hepatocytes and erythrocytes in the mammalian host. although much has been learned on how apicomplexa parasites invade host cells inside a pv, little is known of how they rupture the pv membrane and egress host cells. here, we characterize ...	2009	19438514
the anopheles gambiae salivary protein gsg6: an anopheline-specific protein with a blood-feeding role.	the anopheles gambiae salivary gland protein 6 (gsg6) is a small protein specifically found in the salivary glands of adult female mosquitoes. we report here the expression of a recombinant form of the protein and we show that in vivo gsg6 is expressed in distal-lateral lobes and is secreted with the saliva while the female mosquito probes for feeding. injection of gsg6 dsrna into adult a. gambiae females results in decreased gsg6 protein levels, increased probing time and reduced blood feeding ...	2009	19442731
evaluation of the wash resistance of three types of manufactured insecticidal nets in comparison to conventionally treated nets.	the present study evaluated the efficacy and wash resistance of several commercial deltamethrin-treated nets (permanet, from factory (pn-f) and market (pn-m), yorkool (y) and az net) that were claimed by the manufacturers to be long-lasting insecticide treated nets (llitns), compared to itns conventionally treated with deltamethrin (23-27 mg/m(2), using one k-o tab tablet (ko) per net). montpellier washing technique was used for washing the pieces of the nets. insecticidal activity was assessed ...	2009	19442959
chloroquine resistance before and after its withdrawal in kenya.	the spread of resistance to chloroquine (cq) led to its withdrawal from use in most countries in sub-saharan africa in the 1990s. in malawi, this withdrawal was followed by a rapid reduction in the frequency of resistance to the point where the drug is now considered to be effective once again, just nine years after its withdrawal. in this report, the polymorphisms of markers associated with cq-resistance against plasmodium falciparum isolates from coastal kenya (kilifi) were investigated, from ...	2009	19450282
bacterial diversity analysis of larvae and adult midgut microflora using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods in lab-reared and field-collected anopheles stephensi-an asian malarial vector.	mosquitoes are intermediate hosts for numerous disease causing organisms. vector control is one of the most investigated strategy for the suppression of mosquito-borne diseases. anopheles stephensi is one of the vectors of malaria parasite plasmodium vivax. the parasite undergoes major developmental and maturation steps within the mosquito midgut and little is known about anopheles-associated midgut microbiota. identification and characterization of the mosquito midgut flora is likely to contrib ...	2009	19450290
malaria: prevention in travellers.	malaria transmission occurs most frequently in environments with humidity over 60% and ambient temperature of 25-30 degrees c. risks increase with longer visits and depend on activity. infection can follow a single mosquito bite. incubation is usually 10-14 days but can be up to 18 months depending on the strain of parasite.	2007	19450348
differential gene expression during compensatory sprouting of dendrites in the auditory system of the cricket gryllus bimaculatus.	neurones that lose their presynaptic partners because of injury usually retract or die. however, when the auditory interneurones of the cricket gryllus bimaculatus are denervated, dendrites respond by growing across the midline and forming novel synapses with the opposite auditory afferents. suppression subtractive hybridization was used to detect transcriptional changes 3 days after denervation. this is a stage at which we demonstrate robust compensatory dendritic sprouting. whereas 49 unique c ...	2009	19453768
the stat pathway mediates late-phase immunity against plasmodium in the mosquito anopheles gambiae.	the stat family of transcription factors activates expression of immune system genes in vertebrates. the ancestral stat gene (agstat-a) appears to have duplicated in the mosquito anopheles gambiae, giving rise to a second intronless stat gene (agstat-b), which we show regulates agstat-a expression in adult females. agstat-a participates in the transcriptional activation of nitric oxide synthase (nos) in response to bacterial and plasmodial infection. activation of this pathway, however, is not e ...	2009	19454353
mutagenic analysis of putative domain ii and surface residues in mosquitocidal bacillus thuringiensis cry19aa toxin.	the mosquitocidal crystal protein, cry19aa, from bacillus thuringiensis ssp. jegathesan, has high toxicity to anopheles stephensi and culex pipiens but is less toxic to aedes aegypti. to study the functional role of putative domain ii and surface residues in mosquito toxicity, 16 alanine substitution mutations were introduced into cry19aa. all mutant constructs were expressed as 65-kda protoxins and subsequently digested by trypsin to produce further fragmented polypeptides of 40 and 25 kda. wit ...	2009	19456870
predators indirectly control vector-borne disease: linking predator-prey and host-pathogen models.	pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors are common in human populations, agricultural systems and natural communities. transmission of these vector-borne pathogens depends on the population dynamics of the vector species as well as its interactions with other species within the community. in particular, predation may be sufficient to control pathogen prevalence indirectly via the vector. to examine the indirect effect of predators on vectored-pathogen dynamics, we developed a theoretical mode ...	2010	19474078
an essential role for the plasmodium nek-2 nima-related protein kinase in the sexual development of malaria parasites.	the molecular control of cell division and development in malaria parasites is far from understood. we previously showed that a plasmodium gametocyte-specific nima-related protein kinase, nek-4, is required for completion of meiosis in the ookinete, the motile form that develops from the zygote in the mosquito vector. here, we show that another nima-related kinase, pfnek-2, is also predominantly expressed in gametocytes, and that pfnek-2 is an active enzyme displaying an in vitro substrate prefe ...	2009	19491095
role of fish as predators of mosquito larvae on the floodplain of the gambia river.	we examined the potential of using native fish species in regulating mosquitoes in the floodplain of the gambia river, the major source of mosquitoes in rural parts of the gambia. fishes and mosquito larvae were sampled along two 2.3-km-long transects, from the landward edge of the floodplain to the river from may to november 2005 to 2007. a semifield trial was used to test the predatory capacity of fish on mosquito larvae and the influence of fish chemical cues on oviposition. in the field, the ...	2009	19496426
plasmodium berghei-infection induces volume-regulated anion channel-like activity in human hepatoma cells.	parasite infection can lead to alterations in the permeability of host plasma membranes. presented here is the first demonstration that this phenomenon occurs in plasmodium-infected liver cells. using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, volume-regulated anion channel (vrac) activity was characterized in huh-7 cells (a human hepatoma cell line) before and after infection with plasmodium berghei. consistent with the presence of vracs, hypotonic bath solution induced large ion currents in huh-7 c ...	2009	19496788
inferring selection in the anopheles gambiae species complex: an example from immune-related serine protease inhibitors.	mosquitoes of the anopheles gambiae species complex are the primary vectors of human malaria in sub-saharan africa. many host genes have been shown to affect plasmodium development in the mosquito, and so are expected to engage in an evolutionary arms race with the pathogen. however, there is little conclusive evidence that any of these mosquito genes evolve rapidly, or show other signatures of adaptive evolution.	2009	19497100
larvicidal activity of neem oil (azadirachta indica) formulation against mosquitoes.	mosquitoes transmit serious human diseases, causing millions of deaths every year. use of synthetic insecticides to control vector mosquitoes has caused physiological resistance and adverse environmental effects in addition to high operational cost. insecticides of botanical origin have been reported as useful for control of mosquitoes. azadirachta indica (meliaceae) and its derived products have shown a variety of insecticidal properties. the present paper discusses the larvicidal activity of n ...	2009	19500429
the genetics of green thorax, a new larval colour mutant, non-linked with ruby - eye locus in the malaria mosquito, anopheles stephensi.	anopheles stephensi, an important vector of malaria continues to be distributed widely in the indian subcontinent. the natural vigour of the species combined with its new tolerance, indeed resistance to insecticides has made it obligatory that we look for control methods involving genetic manipulation. hence, there is an immediate need for greater understanding of the genetics of this vector species. one of the requirements for such genetic studies is the establishment of naturally occurring mut ...	2009	19502691
an early burst of ifn-gamma induced by the pre-erythrocytic stage favours plasmodium yoelii parasitaemia in b6 mice.	in murine models of malaria, an early proinflammatory response has been associated with the resolution of blood-stage infection. to dissect the protective immune mechanism that allow the control of parasitaemia, the early immune response of c57bl/6 mice induced during a non-lethal plasmodial infection was analysed.	2009	19508725
anti-thrombosis repertoire of blood-feeding horsefly salivary glands.	blood-feeding arthropods rely heavily on the pharmacological properties of their saliva to get a blood meal and suppress immune reactions of hosts. little information is available on antihemostatic substances in horsefly salivary glands although their saliva has been thought to contain wide range of physiologically active molecules. in traditional eastern medicine, horseflies are used as anti-thrombosis material for hundreds of years. by proteomics coupling transcriptome analysis with pharmacolo ...	2009	19531497
host cell transcriptional profiling during malaria liver stage infection reveals a coordinated and sequential set of biological events.	plasmodium sporozoites migrate to the liver where they traverse several hepatocytes before invading the one inside which they will develop and multiply into thousands of merozoites. although this constitutes an essential step of malaria infection, the requirements of plasmodium parasites in liver cells and how they use the host cell for their own survival and development are poorly understood.	2009	19534804
analysis of von willebrand factor a domain-related protein (warp) polymorphism in temperate and tropical plasmodium vivax field isolates.	the identification of key molecules is crucial for designing transmission-blocking vaccines (tbvs), among those ookinete micronemal proteins are candidate as a general class of malaria transmission-blocking targets. here, the sequence analysis of an extra-cellular malaria protein expressed in ookinetes, named von willebrand factor a domain-related protein (warp), is reported in 91 plasmodium vivax isolates circulating in different regions of iran.	2009	19549316
the role of nf-kappab factor rel2 in the aedes aegypti immune response.	mosquitoes transmit numerous diseases that continue to be an enormous burden on public health worldwide. transgenic mosquitoes impervious to vector-borne pathogens, in concert with vector control and drug and vaccine development, comprise an arsenal of means anticipated to defeat mosquito-spread diseases in the future. mosquito transgenesis allows tissue-specific manipulation of their major immune pathways and enhances the ability to study mosquito-pathogen interactions. here, we report the gene ...	2009	19552893
analysis of salivary transcripts and antigens of the sand fly phlebotomus arabicus.	sand fly saliva plays an important role in blood feeding and leishmania transmission as it was shown to increase parasite virulence. on the other hand, immunity to salivary components impedes the establishment of infection. therefore, it is most desirable to gain a deeper insight into the composition of saliva in sand fly species which serve as vectors of various forms of leishmaniases. in the present work, we focused on phlebotomus (adlerius) arabicus, which was recently shown to transmit leish ...	2009	19555500
transcriptome analysis of the venom gland of the scorpion scorpiops jendeki: implication for the evolution of the scorpion venom arsenal.	the family euscorpiidae, which covers europe, asia, africa, and america, is one of the most widely distributed scorpion groups. however, no studies have been conducted on the venom of a euscorpiidae species yet. in this work, we performed a transcriptomic approach for characterizing the venom components from a euscorpiidae scorpion, scorpiops jendeki.	2009	19570192
the vasa regulatory region mediates germline expression and maternal transmission of proteins in the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae: a versatile tool for genetic control strategies.	germline specific promoters are an essential component of potential vector control strategies which function by genetic drive, however suitable promoters are not currently available for the main human malaria vector anopheles gambiae.	2009	19573226
malaria parasite development in the mosquito and infection of the mammalian host.	plasmodium sporozoites are the product of a complex developmental process in the mosquito vector and are destined to infect the mammalian liver. attention has been drawn to the mosquito stages and pre-erythrocytic stages owing to recognition that these are bottlenecks in the parasite life cycle and that intervention at these stages can block transmission and prevent infection. parasite progression in the anopheles mosquito, sporozoite transmission to the mammalian host by mosquito bite, and subs ...	2009	19575563
an insight into the transcriptome and proteome of the salivary gland of the stable fly, stomoxys calcitrans.	adult stable flies are blood feeders, a nuisance, and mechanical vectors of veterinary diseases. to enable efficient feeding, blood sucking insects have evolved a sophisticated array of salivary compounds to disarm their host's hemostasis and inflammatory reaction. while the sialomes of several blood sucking nematocera flies have been described, no thorough description has been made so far of any brachycera, except for a detailed proteome analysis of a tabanid (xu et al., 2008). in this work we ...	2009	19576987
evaluation of tribulus terrestris linn (zygophyllaceae) acetone extract for larvicidal and repellence activity against mosquito vectors.	acetone extracts of leaves and seeds from the tribulus terrestris (zygophyllaceae) were tested against mature and immature different mosquito vectors under laboratory condition. the extract showed strong larvicidal, properties 100 per cent mortality in the 3rd-instar larvae was observed in the bioassays with an. culicifacies giles species a, an. stephensi liston, culex quinquefasciatus say and aedes aegypti linn, against 200 ppm of the leaf acetone extract and 100 ppm seed acetone extract. the l ...	2008	19579717
effect of synergist piperonyl butoxide (pbo) on the toxicity of some essential oils against mosquito larvae.	effect of a known synergist piperonyl butoxide on the toxicity of steam distillate essential oils of jamarosa (cymbopogan nardus), pacholli (pogostemon pacholli), basil (ocimum basilicum), and peppermint (mentha pipreta) plant species against anopheles stephensi larvae were evaluated. the purpose of the present study was to identify the insecticidal potential of these oils against mosquito larvae. the piperonyl butoxide (pbo) was used to enhance the activity of these oils with the aim of develop ...	2008	19579718
analysis of expression in the anopheles gambiae developing testes reveals rapidly evolving lineage-specific genes in mosquitoes.	male mosquitoes do not feed on blood and are not involved in delivery of pathogens to humans. consequently, they are seldom the subjects of research, which results in a very poor understanding of their biology. to gain insights into male developmental processes we sought to identify genes transcribed exclusively in the reproductive tissues of male anopheles gambiae pupae.	2009	19580678
limitation of using synthetic human odours to test mosquito repellents.	gold-standard tests of mosquito repellents involve exposing human volunteers to host-seeking mosquitoes, to assess the protective efficacy of the repellents. these techniques are not exposure-free and cannot be performed prior to toxicological evaluation. it is postulated that synthetic lures could provide a useful assay that mimics in-vivo conditions for use in high-throughput screening for mosquito repellents.	2009	19583848
genetic specificity and potential for local adaptation between dengue viruses and mosquito vectors.	several observations support the hypothesis that vector-driven selection plays an important role in shaping dengue virus (denv) genetic diversity. clustering of denv genetic diversity at a particular location may reflect underlying genetic structure of vector populations, which combined with specific vector genotype x virus genotype (g x g) interactions may promote adaptation of viral lineages to local mosquito vector genotypes. although spatial structure of vector polymorphism at neutral geneti ...	2009	19589156
pcr-based methods for the detection of l1014 kdr mutation in anopheles culicifacies sensu lato.	anopheles culicifacies s.l., a major malaria vector in india, has developed widespread resistance to ddt and is becoming resistant to pyrethroids-the only insecticide class recommended for the impregnation of bed nets. knock-down resistance due to a point mutation in the voltage gated sodium channel at l1014 residue (kdr) is a common mechanism of resistance to ddt and pyrethroids. the selection of this resistance may pose a serious threat to the success of the pyrethroid-impregnated bed net prog ...	2009	19594947
plasmodium sporozoite invasion of the mosquito salivary gland.	about one to two million people die of malaria every year. anopheline mosquitoes are the obligatory vectors of plasmodium spp., the causative agent of malaria. for transmission to occur, the parasite has to undergo a complex developmental programme in the mosquito, culminating with sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands. strong circumstantial evidence suggests that sporozoite invasion requires specific interactions and recognition between sporozoite and salivary gland proteins. here we revie ...	2009	19608457
trypanosoma rangeli: a new perspective for studying the modulation of immune reactions of rhodnius prolixus.	abstract: insects are exposed to a wide range of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses) and have interconnected powerful immune reactions. although insects lack an acquired immune system they have well-developed innate immune defences that allow a general and rapid response to infectious agents.over the last few decades we have observed a dramatic increase in the knowledge of insect innate immunity, which relies on both humoral and cellular responses. however, innate reactions t ...	2009	19615044
structure of the plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein, a leading malaria vaccine candidate.	the plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (csp) is critical for sporozoite function and invasion of hepatocytes. given its critical nature, a phase iii human csp malaria vaccine trial is ongoing. the csp is composed of three regions as follows: an n terminus that binds heparin sulfate proteoglycans, a four amino acid repeat region (nanp), and a c terminus that contains a thrombospondin-like type i repeat (tsr) domain. despite the importance of csp, little is known about its structure. t ...	2009	19633296
persistent wolbachia and cultivable bacteria infection in the reproductive and somatic tissues of the mosquito vector aedes albopictus.	commensal and symbiotic microbes have a considerable impact on the behavior of many arthropod hosts, including hematophagous species that transmit pathogens causing infectious diseases to human and animals. little is known about the bacteria associated with mosquitoes other than the vectorized pathogens. this study investigated wolbachia and cultivable bacteria that persist through generations in ae. albopictus organs known to host transmitted arboviruses, such as dengue and chikungunya.	2009	19633721
mosquito immune responses and compatibility between plasmodium parasites and anopheline mosquitoes.	functional screens based on dsrna-mediated gene silencing identified several anopheles gambiae genes that limit plasmodium berghei infection. however, some of the genes identified in these screens have no effect on the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum; raising the question of whether different mosquito effector genes mediate anti-parasitic responses to different plasmodium species.	2009	19643026
ecological meta-analysis of density-dependent processes in the transmission of lymphatic filariasis: survival of infected vectors.	the survival rate of infected vectors represents one of the fundamental components that influence the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne diseases. despite the occurrence of a number of studies investigating mosquito survival after infection with filarial worms, there remains conflicting evidence from both laboratory and field experiments as to the existence and mechanism for parasite-induced mortality among filarial mosquitoes. here, we used a mixed effects meta-analytical framework to comb ...	2009	19645292
functional characterization of a salivary apyrase from the sand fly, phlebotomus duboscqi, a vector of leishmania major.	two transcripts coding for proteins homologous to apyrases were identified by massive sequencing of a phlebotomus (p.) duboscqi salivary gland cdna library. the sequence analysis revealed that the amino acids important for enzymatic activity including nucleotidase activity and the binding of calcium and nucleotides were well conserved in these molecules. a recombinant p. duboscqi salivary apyrase was expressed in escherichia coli and purified. the resulting protein efficiently hydrolyzed adp and ...	2009	19651132
the proteasome inhibitor epoxomicin has potent plasmodium falciparum gametocytocidal activity.	malaria continues to be a major global health problem, but only a limited arsenal of effective drugs is available. none of the antimalarial compounds commonly used clinically kill mature gametocytes, which is the form of the parasite that is responsible for malaria transmission. the parasite that causes the most virulent human malaria, plasmodium falciparum, has a 48-h asexual cycle, while complete sexual differentiation takes 10 to 12 days. once mature, stage v gametocytes circulate in the peri ...	2009	19651911
malarial hemozoin is a nalp3 inflammasome activating danger signal.	background: characteristic symptoms of malaria include recurrent fever attacks and neurodegeneration, signs that are also found in patients with a hyperactive nalp3 inflammasome. plasmodium species produce a crystal called hemozoin that is generated by detoxification of heme after hemoglobin degradation in infected red blood cells. thus, we hypothesized that hemozoin could activate the nalp3 inflammasome, due to its particulate nature reminiscent of other inflammasome-activating agents. methodol ...	2009	19652710
initiation of plasmodium sporozoite motility by albumin is associated with induction of intracellular signalling.	malaria infection is initiated when a mosquito injects plasmodium sporozoites into a mammalian host. sporozoites exhibit gliding motility both in vitro and in vivo. this motility is associated with the secretion of at least two proteins, circumsporozoite protein (csp) and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (trap). both derive from micronemes, which are organelles that empty out of the apical end of the sporozoite. sporozoite motility can be initiated in vitro by albumin added to the medium ...	2010	19654011
antimosquito activity of aqueous kernel extract of soapnut sapindus emarginatus: impact on various developmental stages of three vector mosquito species and nontarget aquatic insects.	aqueous (physiological saline) extracts of seed kernel from seven indigenous plants were initially screened for their antimosquito activity against eggs, larvae of all instars, and pupae of aedes aegypti. among various seed kernels tested, the soapnut sapindus emarginatus (sapindaceae) extract was found to exhibit, for the first time, a strong antimosquito activity as evident from its ability to inflict 100% mortality of all the developmental stages of a. aegypti. furthermore, the kernel extract ...	2009	19655173
human igg response to a salivary peptide, gsg6-p1, as a new immuno-epidemiological tool for evaluating low-level exposure to anopheles bites.	human populations exposed to low malaria transmission present particular severe risks of malaria morbidity and mortality. in addition, in a context of low-level exposure to anopheles vector, conventional entomological methods used for sampling anopheles populations are insufficiently sensitive and probably under-estimate the real risk of malaria transmission. the evaluation of antibody (ab) responses to arthropod salivary proteins constitutes a novel tool for estimating exposure level to insect ...	2009	19674487
vital role for the plasmodium actin capping protein (cp) beta-subunit in motility of malaria sporozoites.	summary successful malaria transmission from the mosquito vector to the mammalian host depends crucially on active sporozoite motility. sporozoite locomotion and host cell invasion are driven by the parasite's own actin/myosin motor. a unique feature of this motor machinery is the presence of very short subpellicular actin filaments. therefore, f-actin stabilizing proteins likely play a central role in parasite locomotion. here, we investigated the role of the plasmodium berghei actin capping pr ...	2009	19682250
integration of irradiation with cytoplasmic incompatibility to facilitate a lymphatic filariasis vector elimination approach.	abstract:	2009	19682363
generation, annotation, and analysis of ests from midgut tissue of adult female anopheles stephensi mosquitoes.	malaria is a tropical disease caused by protozoan parasite, plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans by various species of female anopheline mosquitoes. anopheles stephensi is one such major malaria vector in urban parts of the indian subcontinent. unlike anopheles gambiae, an african malaria vector, transcriptome of a. stephensi midgut tissue is less explored. we have therefore carried out generation, annotation, and analysis of expressed sequence tags from sugar-fed and plasmodium yoelii inf ...	2009	19695102
manipulating insulin signaling to enhance mosquito reproduction.	in the mosquito aedes aegypti the insulin/insulin growth factor i signaling (iis) cascade is a key regulator of many physiological processes, including reproduction. two important reproductive events, steroidogenesis in the ovary and yolk synthesis in the fat body, are regulated by the iis cascade in mosquitoes. the signaling molecule phosphatase and tensin homolog (pten) is a key inhibitor of the iis cascade that helps modulate the activity of the iis cascade. in ae. aegypti, six unique splice ...	2009	19695103
imported malaria in united arab emirates: evaluation of a new dna extraction technique using nested pcr.	local malaria transmission in the united arab emirates (uae) came to an end in 1997. nevertheless, uae has been subjected to substantial importation of malaria cases from abroad, concerning both uae nationals and immigrants from malarious countries with a total number of 2,119 cases in 2007. to evaluate a new dna extraction technique using nested pcr, blood samples were collected from 132 individuals who presented to infectious diseases department in rashid hospital, dubai, and central departmen ...	2009	19724695
insect fat body: energy, metabolism, and regulation.	the fat body plays major roles in the life of insects. it is a dynamic tissue involved in multiple metabolic functions. one of these functions is to store and release energy in response to the energy demands of the insect. insects store energy reserves in the form of glycogen and triglycerides in the adipocytes, the main fat body cell. insect adipocytes can store a great amount of lipid reserves as cytoplasmic lipid droplets. lipid metabolism is essential for growth and reproduction and provides ...	0	19725772
asaia, a versatile acetic acid bacterial symbiont, capable of cross-colonizing insects of phylogenetically distant genera and orders.	bacterial symbionts of insects have been proposed for blocking transmission of vector-borne pathogens. however, in many vector models the ecology of symbionts and their capability of cross-colonizing different hosts, an important feature in the symbiotic control approach, is poorly known. here we show that the acetic acid bacterium asaia, previously found in the malaria mosquito vector anopheles stephensi, is also present in, and capable of cross-colonizing other sugar-feeding insects of phyloge ...	2009	19735280
malaria ookinete surface protein-based vaccination via the intranasal route completely blocks parasite transmission in both passive and active vaccination regimens in a rodent model of malaria infection.	malaria vaccines based on ookinete surface proteins (osps) of the malaria parasites block oocyst development in feeding mosquitoes and hence disrupt the parasite life cycle and prevent the disease from being transmitted to other individuals. to investigate whether a noninvasive mucosal vaccination regimen effectively blocks parasite transmission in vivo, plasmodium yoelii pys25, a homolog of the pfs25 and pvs25 osps of plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax, respectively, was intranasally (i ...	2009	19752035