Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
|---|
| malaria parasites can develop stable resistance to artemisinin but lack mutations in candidate genes atp6 (encoding the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum ca2+ atpase), tctp, mdr1, and cg10. | resistance of plasmodium falciparum to drugs such as chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is a major problem in malaria control. artemisinin (art) derivatives, particularly in combination with other drugs, are thus increasingly used to treat malaria, reducing the probability that parasites resistant to the components will emerge. although stable resistance to artemisinin has yet to be reported from laboratory or field studies, its emergence would be disastrous because of the lack of alterna ... | 2006 | 16436700 |
| use of carbon-13 as a population marker for anopheles arabiensis in a sterile insect technique (sit) context. | monitoring of sterile to wild insect ratios in field populations can be useful to follow the progress in genetic control programmes such as the sterile insect technique (sit). of the numerous methods for marking insects most are not suitable for use in mass rearing and mass release. suitable ones include dye marking, genetic marking and chemical marking. | 2006 | 16445865 |
| the effects of blood feeding and exogenous supply of tryptophan on the quantities of xanthurenic acid in the salivary glands of anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae). | xanthurenic acid (xa), produced as a byproduct during the biosynthesis of insect eye pigment (ommochromes), is a strong inducer of plasmodium gametogenesis at very low concentrations. in previous studies, it was shown that xa is present in anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae) mosquito salivary glands and that during blood feeding the mosquitoes ingested their own saliva into the midgut. considering these two facts together, it is therefore likely that xa is discharged with saliva during bloo ... | 2006 | 16469295 |
| toxin-binding proteins from midgut epithelium membranes of anopheles stephensi larvae. | proteins of 65 and 57 kd were isolated from the apical membranes of midgut epithelium of anopheles stephensi larvae by affinity chromatography. these proteins can specifically bind endotoxin cry11a and activate toxin cry4b (cry4b-tox) under conditions of ligand blotting, and both cry proteins compete for this binding. at least in the case of cry4b-tox, the binding with 65 and 57 kd proteins is reversible. the ability of the products of limited proteolysis of cry11a and cry4b to bind the 65 and 5 ... | 2006 | 16489916 |
| bionomics of anopheles stephensi liston in the malarious area of hormozgan province, southern iran, 2002. | anopheles stephensi liston is an important malaria vector in hormozgan province, where it is the most prevalent anopheline mosquito. it shows two annual activity peaks, one in spring and another in the autumn. in mountainous areas the second peak starts earlier than in coastal regions. adults are endophilic and endophagic, but in the hot season when people sleep outside buildings they frequently bite outdoors. larvae are found in a wide-range of habitats, both natural and man-made. all three bio ... | 2006 | 16329986 |
| using green fluorescent malaria parasites to screen for permissive vector mosquitoes. | the plasmodium species that infect rodents, particularly plasmodium berghei and plasmodium yoelii, are useful to investigate host-parasite interactions. the mosquito species that act as vectors of human plasmodia in south east asia, africa and south america show different susceptibilities to infection by rodent plasmodium species. p. berghei and p. yoelii infect both anopheles gambiae and anopheles stephensi, which are found mainly in africa and asia, respectively. however, it was reported that ... | 2006 | 16569221 |
| anopheles gambiae genome reannotation through synthesis of ab initio and comparative gene prediction algorithms. | complete genome annotation is a necessary tool as anopheles gambiae researchers probe the biology of this potent malaria vector. | 2006 | 16569258 |
| new approach for high-throughput screening of drug activity on plasmodium liver stages. | plasmodium liver stages represent potential targets for antimalarial prophylactic drugs. nevertheless, there is a lack of molecules active on these stages. we have now developed a new approach for the high-throughput screening of drug activity on plasmodium liver stages in vitro, based on an infrared fluorescence scanning system. this method allowed us to count automatically and rapidly plasmodium-infected hepatocytes, using different hepatic cells and different plasmodium species, including pla ... | 2006 | 16569892 |
| antennal sensilla of two female anopheline sibling species with differing host ranges. | volatile odors are important sensory inputs that shape the behaviour of insects, including agricultural pests and disease vectors. anopheles gambiae s.s. is a highly anthropophilic mosquito and is the major vector for human malaria in sub-sahara africa, while anopheles quadriannulatus, largely due to its zoophilic behaviour, is considered a non-vector species in the same region. careful studies of olfaction in these sibling species may lead to insights about the mechanisms that drive host prefer ... | 2006 | 16573828 |
| relationship between anopheles fluviatilis & a. stephensi (diptera: culicidae) catches & the prevalence of malaria cases at kalsi area in dehradun district (uttaranchal). | though the relationship between mosquito density and transmission of malaria in different regions of the country is known, no studies are available on the relationship between mosquito catches and malaria cases in kalsi area of dehradun district in uttaranchal. hence, the present study was done to evaluate the role of anopheline mosquitoes catches and prevalence of malaria cases in this area. | 2006 | 16575114 |
| breakpoint structure reveals the unique origin of an interspecific chromosomal inversion (2la) in the anopheles gambiae complex. | paracentric chromosomal inversions are major architects of organismal evolution and have been associated with adaptations relevant to malaria transmission in anopheline mosquitoes. the processes responsible for their origin and maintenance, still poorly understood, can be illuminated by analysis of inversion breakpoint sequences. here, we report the breakpoint structure of chromosomal inversion 2la from the principal malaria vector anopheles gambiae and its relatives in the a. gambiae complex. t ... | 2006 | 16606844 |
| comparative salivary gland transcriptomics of sandfly vectors of visceral leishmaniasis. | immune responses to sandfly saliva have been shown to protect animals against leishmania infection. yet very little is known about the molecular characteristics of salivary proteins from different sandflies, particularly from vectors transmitting visceral leishmaniasis, the fatal form of the disease. further knowledge of the repertoire of these salivary proteins will give us insights into the molecular evolution of these proteins and will help us select relevant antigens for the development of a ... | 2006 | 16539713 |
| a mosquito 2-cys peroxiredoxin protects against nitrosative and oxidative stresses associated with malaria parasite infection. | malaria parasite infection in anopheline mosquitoes induces nitrosative and oxidative stresses that limit parasite development, but also damage mosquito tissues in proximity to the response. based on these observations, we proposed that cellular defenses in the mosquito may be induced to minimize self-damage. specifically, we hypothesized that peroxiredoxins (prxs), enzymes known to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ros) and reactive nitrogen oxide species (rnos), protect mosquito cells. we iden ... | 2006 | 16540402 |
| comparative genomics of insect juvenile hormone biosynthesis. | the biosynthesis of insect juvenile hormone (jh) and its neuroendocrine control are attractive targets for chemical control of insect pests and vectors of disease. to facilitate the molecular study of jh biosynthesis, we analyzed ests from the glands producing jh, the corpora allata (ca) in the cockroach diploptera punctata, an insect long used as a physiological model species and compared them with ests from the ca of the mosquitoes aedes aegypti and anopheles albimanus. the predicted genes wer ... | 2006 | 16551550 |
| immunization with a circumsporozoite epitope fused to bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase in conjunction with cytotoxic t-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 blockade confers protection against plasmodium berghei liver-stage malaria. | the adenylate cyclase toxoid (act) of bordetella pertussis is capable of delivering its n-terminal catalytic domain into the cytosol of cd11b-expressing professional antigen-presenting cells such as myeloid dendritic cells. this allows delivery of cd8+ t-cell epitopes to the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class i presentation pathway. recombinant detoxified act containing an epitope of the plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite protein (csp), indeed, induced a specific cd8+ t-cell response ... | 2006 | 16552058 |
| spatial variability in the density, distribution and vectorial capacity of anopheline species in a high transmission village (equatorial guinea). | malaria transmission varies from one country to another and there are also local differences in time and space. an important variable when explaining the variability in transmission is the breeding behaviour of the different vector species and the availability of breeding sites. the aim of this study was to determine the geographical variability of certain entomological parameters: human biting rate (hbr), sporozoitic index (si) for plasmodium falciparum and entomological inoculation rate (eir). | 2006 | 16556321 |
| conjugal transfer of a toxin-coding megaplasmid from bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis to mosquitocidal strains of bacillus sphaericus. | both bacillus sphaericus and bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis produce mosquitocidal toxins during sporulation and are extensively used in the field for control of mosquito populations. all the known toxins of the latter organism are known to be encoded on a large plasmid, pbtoxis. in an attempt to combine the best properties of the two bacteria, an erythromycin resistance-marked pbtoxis plasmid was transferred to b. sphaericus by a mating technique. the resulting transconjugant bacteria ... | 2006 | 16517620 |
| are insecticide-treated bednets more protective against plasmodium falciparum than plasmodium vivax-infected mosquitoes? | the outcomes of insecticide-treated bednet (itn) interventions for malaria control in papua new guinea tend to suggest a differential protective effect against plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax. little is known about the impact of itns on the relative abundance of mosquitoes infected with either p. falciparum or p. vivax. this paper describes the biting cycle of p. falciparum and p. vivax-infected mosquitoes and the impact of an itn intervention on the proportion of mosquitoes infected ... | 2006 | 16504027 |
| repellent and deterrent effects of ss220, picaridin, and deet suppress human blood feeding by aedes aegypti, anopheles stephensi, and phlebotomus papatasi. | a series of behavioral tests with aedes aegypti (l.), anopheles stephensi liston, mosquitoes, and the sand fly phlebotomus papatasi scopoli in the presence of deet, ss220, and picaridin topically applied to the skin of human volunteers showed that the insects were deterred from feeding on and repelled from surfaces emanating the compounds. when offered a 12- or 24-cm2 area of skin, one-half treated with compound and one-half untreated, the insects fed almost exclusively on untreated skin. the sa ... | 2006 | 16506445 |
| phytoextract-induced developmental deformities in malaria vector. | larvicidal potential of petroleum ether (pee), carbon tetrachloride (cte) and methanol extract (mee) of artemisia annua, chenopodium album and sonchus oleraceus was observed against malaria vector, anopheles stephensi liston. the pee of a. annua with lc50 16.85 ppm after 24 h and 11.45 ppm after 48 h of treatment was found most effective, followed by cte of a. annua and ch. album, pee of ch. album and mee of a. annua. however, no significant larvicidal activity was observed in mee of ch. album a ... | 2006 | 16356712 |
| laboratory efficacy of metabolites of lagenidium giganteum (couch) on anopheles stephensi (liston) after filterations by column chromatography. | this study was conducted in laboratory to evaluate the efficacy of filtered extracellular metabolites of lagenidium giganteum against all the four instars of an. stephensi larvae. fungal colonies have been cultured in pyg broth and after 15 days of culturing the fungus, metabolites have been filtered twice by whatman filter paper. these metabolites were again filtered by column chromatography and by rang syringe filters. filtered metabolites were then used against all instars of an. stephensi la ... | 2006 | 17370682 |
| effects of a neem extract on blood feeding, oviposition and oocyte ultrastructure in anopheles stephensi liston (diptera: culicidae). | secondary metabolites of the neem tree (azadirachta indica a. juss., meliaceae) exhibit a wide range of biological activities in insects. however, few studies have addressed the effects of neem extracts or compounds in arthropods of medical importance. in this study, a laboratory strain of anopheles stephensi was used to assess the effects of a commercial formulation (neem azal) (na)), containing azadirachtin a at 34%, on blood feeding, oviposition and oocyte ultrastructure. oral administration ... | 2006 | 17097701 |
| biocontrol efficacy of cestrum diurnum l. (solanaceae: solanales) against the larval forms of anopheles stephensi. | cestrum diurnum l. (solanaceae: solanales) is a multistemmed shrub that is also known as 'day jasmine'. the efficacy of the plant as a strong biocontrol agent of the larval anopheline mosquito was evaluated in the laboratory and bioactive ingredients were characterized by thin layer chromatography (tlc) and infrared (ir) analysis. thin layer chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of steroidal compound as a bioactive ingredient and ir analysis reported the presence of o-h group, c-s bond ... | 2006 | 16644532 |
| efficacy of melia azedarach l. extract on the malarial vector anopheles stephensi liston (diptera: culicidae). | methanolic extracts of leaves and seeds from the chinaberry tree, melia azedarach l. (meliaceae) was tested against mature and immature mosquito vector anopheles stephensi liston (diptera) under laboratory condition. the extract showed strong larvicidal, pupicidal, adulticidal, antiovipositional activity, repellency and biting deterency. the m. azedarach seed and leaf extracts were used to determine their effect on a. stephensi adults and their corresponding oviposition and consequent adult emer ... | 2006 | 16054356 |
| brown larva: an allele of the green larva mutation in the malaria mosquito, anopheles stephensi. | we isolated a new larval color mutant, brown larva (b), from the bangalore, india strain of anopheles stephensi liston. the gene b is an autosomal recessive with uniform expression and complete penetrance. we conducted extensive crosses to establish allelism between brown larva (b) and green larva (g) reported previously in an. stephensi from our laboratory. the wild-type is dominant to green larva, which, in turn, is dominant to brown larva. these larval color mutants belong to an allelic serie ... | 2006 | 7657999 |
| pattern of mitochondrial dna variation between and within anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae) biological forms suggests extensive gene flow. | anopheles stephensi liston is the most prevalent anopheline species and plays an important role in malaria transmission in indian subcontinent and middle east including southern parts of iran. it exists as three biological forms; "type", "intermediate", and variety mysorensis. the type form is reported to be an efficient vector of urban malaria, whereas mysorensis and intermediate are considered to be rural species and poor vectors. moreover, differences in cuticular hydrocarbon and chromosomal ... | 2006 | 16989757 |
| identification and characterization of a new putative c-type lysozyme from malaria vector anopheles stephensi. | lysozyme (e.c. 3.2.1.17) activity is reported from the malaria vector anopheles stephensi. the activity was detected in the salivary gland and midgut using bacteriolytic radial diffusion assay. spectrophotometric analysis indicated that higher level of lysozyme activity was maintained in both midgut and salivary gland tissues. the activity reached the highest level in 4-8 days old mosquitoes. genomic pcr amplification revealed the presence of at least two putative lysozyme genes in the mosquito ... | 2006 | 16955746 |
| functional characterization of the promoter of the vitellogenin gene, asvg1, of the malaria vector, anopheles stephensi. | some genetic strategies for controlling transmission of mosquito-borne diseases call for the introgression of antipathogen effector genes into vector populations. endogenous mosquito promoter and other cis-acting dna sequences are needed to direct the expression of the effector molecules to maximize their efficacy. vitellogenin (vg)-encoding gene control sequences are candidates for driving tissue-, stage- and sex-specific expression of exogenous genes. one of the anopheles stephensi vg genes, a ... | 2006 | 16935218 |
| effective method for extraction of larvicidal component from leaves of azadirachta indica and artemisia annua linn. | leaves of artemisia annua linn. and azadirachta indica were extracted in petroleum ether and hexane respectively by different methods of extraction i.e. cold extraction, reflux extraction and soxhlet extraction. the crude extract obtained was tested against third instar larvae of anopheles stephensi. on comparison of larval mortality of crude extract obtained by these three methods, both soxhlet and reflux extraction method showed 100% mortality at 200 ppm after 48 hr in case of a. annua. howeve ... | 2006 | 16850885 |
| larvicidal efficacy of capsicum annum against anopheles stephensi and culex quinquefasciatus. | 2007 | 17896626 | |
| entomological evaluation of three brands of manufactured insecticidal nets and of nets conventionally treated with deltamethrin, after repeated washing. | the present study evaluated the efficacy and wash resistance of three types of commercial, deltamethrin-treated nets (permanet, yorkool and a-z nets) - that their manufacturers claimed to be long-lasting insecticidal nets (llin) - and those of nets conventionally treated with deltamethrin, at either 23-27 mg/m(2) (using one k-o tab tablet/net) or 46-54 mg/m(2) (using two k-o tab tablets/net). the nets were tested unwashed or after being washed, by hand or machine, five or 15 times. after each wa ... | 2007 | 17550651 |
| comparative efficacy of solanum xanthocarpum extracts alone and in combination with a synthetic pyrethroid, cypermethrin, against malaria vector, anopheles stephensi. | with a goal of minimal application of environmentally hazardous chemical insecticides, the larvicidal activity of cypermethrin was studied alone and in combination with the root extract of solanum xanthocarpum against anopheline larvae. petroleum ether extract was observed to be the most toxic, with lc,, of 1.41 and 0.93 ppm and lc90 of 16.94 and 8.48 ppm at 24 and 48 hours after application, respectively, followed by carbon tetrachloride and methanol extracts. the values for cypermethrin were a ... | 2007 | 17539274 |
| dark larva a new autosomal larval colour mutant in the malaria mosquito, anopheles stephensi liston. | anopheles stephensi is an important urban malaria vector, which is widely distributed throughout the indian subcontinent. the said vector species has developed resistance to various insecticides and therefore, it is desirable to develop alternative strategies including genetic methods for its control. one of the requirements for such strategy is to establish morphological mutants and to establish the genetic basis of the same. such mutant markers could be used in the construction of genetically ... | 2007 | 18697577 |
| repellent activity of selected plant essential oils against the malarial fever mosquito anopheles stephensi. | in recent years, use of environment friendly and biodegradable natural insecticides of plant origin have received renewed attention as agents for vector control. in this study, essential oils extracted by steam distillation from leaves of five plant species centella asiatica l., ipomoea cairica l., momordica charantia l., psidium guajava l. and tridax procumbens l. were evaluated for their topical repellency effects against malarial vector anopheles stephensi in mosquito cages. all essential oil ... | 2007 | 18209711 |
| the use of eucalyptus tereticornis sm. (myrtaceae) oil (leaf extract) as a natural larvicidal agent against the malaria vector anopheles stephensi liston (diptera: culicidae). | secondary metabolites obtained from the indigenous plants with proven mosquito control potential can be used as an alternative to synthetic insecticides under the integrated vector control. the essential oil extract from the forest redgum, eucalyptus tereticornis sm. (myrtaceae) was tested against mature and immature mosquito vector anopheles stephensi liston (diptera) under laboratory condition. the extract showed strong larvicidal, pupicidal and adulticidal activity. the leaf oil extracts show ... | 2007 | 16997545 |
| comparison of plants used for skin and stomach problems in trinidad and tobago with asian ethnomedicine. | this paper provides a preliminary evaluation of fifty-eight ethnomedicinal plants used in trinidad and tobago for skin problems, stomach problems, pain and internal parasites for safety and possible efficacy. thirty respondents, ten of whom were male were interviewed from september 1996 to september 2000 on medicinal plant use for health problems. the respondents were obtained by snowball sampling, and were found in thirteen different sites, 12 in trinidad and one in tobago. the uses are compare ... | 2007 | 17207273 |
| an insight into the sialome of the blood-sucking bug triatoma infestans, a vector of chagas' disease. | triatoma infestans is a hemiptera, vector of chagas' disease that feeds exclusively on vertebrate blood in all life stages. hematophagous insects' salivary glands (sg) produce potent pharmacological compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. to obtain a further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacological complexity of this insect, a cdna library from its sg was randomly sequenced. also, salivary proteins were submitt ... | 2007 | 18207082 |
| mosquito species associated within some western himalayas phytogeographic zones in the garhwal region of india. | thirty four species of mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) were collected across three phytogeographic zones; tropical (300 to 1000 m), sub tropical (1000 to 2000 m) and temperate (2000 to 3000 m) in the garhwal region of india. they included 5 genera: aedes, anopheles, armigeres, culex and uranotaenia. of these, the immature forms of 23 species were recovered from different breeding habitats. the larval habitats were seepage pools, river beds, rice fields, tanks, forest pools, ditches, streams, roc ... | 2007 | 20233101 |
| plasmodium berghei: plasmodium perforin-like protein 5 is required for mosquito midgut invasion in anopheles stephensi. | during its life cycle the malarial parasite plasmodium forms three invasive stages which have to invade different and specific cells for replication to ensue. invasion is vital to parasite survival and consequently proteins responsible for invasion are considered to be candidate vaccine/drug targets. plasmodium perforin-like proteins (pplps) have been implicated in invasion because they contain a predicted pore-forming domain. ookinetes express three pplps, and one of them (pplp3) has previously ... | 2007 | 17367780 |
| transgenic malaria-resistant mosquitoes have a fitness advantage when feeding on plasmodium-infected blood. | the introduction of genes that impair plasmodium development into mosquito populations is a strategy being considered for malaria control. the effect of the transgene on mosquito fitness is a crucial parameter influencing the success of this approach. we have previously shown that anopheline mosquitoes expressing the sm1 peptide in the midgut lumen are impaired for transmission of plasmodium berghei. moreover, the transgenic mosquitoes had no noticeable fitness load compared with nontransgenic m ... | 2007 | 17372227 |
| effect of the antimicrobial peptide gomesin against different life stages of plasmodium spp. | while seeking strategies for interfering with plasmodium development in vertebrate/invertebrate hosts, we tested the activity of gomesin, an antimicrobial peptide isolated from the hemocytes of the spider acanthoscurria gomesiana. gomesin was tested against asexual, sexual and pre-sporogonic forms of plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium berghei parasites. the peptide inhibited the in vitro growth of intraerythrocytic forms of p. falciparum. when gomesin was added to in vitro culture of p. berghe ... | 2007 | 17376436 |
| binding of cyt1aa and cry11aa toxins of bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis to brush border membrane vesicles of tipula paludosa (diptera: nematocera) and subsequent pore formation. | bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis (b. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis) produces four insecticidal crystal proteins (icps) (cry4a, cry4b, cry11a, and cyt1a). toxicity of recombinant b. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis strains expressing only one of the toxins was determined with first instars of tipula paludosa (diptera: nematocera). cyt1a was the most toxic protein, whereas cry4a, cry4b, and cry11a were virtually nontoxic. synergistic effects were recorded when cry4a and/or cry4b was c ... | 2007 | 17416690 |
| transcriptional analysis of insecticide resistance in anopheles stephensi using cross-species microarray hybridization. | a large scale microarray (20k mmc1) from the african malaria vector anopheles gambiae was used to monitor gene expression in insecticide resistant and susceptible strains of the asian mosquito anopheles stephensi. heterologous hybridization at slightly reduced stringency yielded approximately 7000 significant signals. thirty-six putative genes were differentially transcribed between the pyrethroid-resistant (dub-r) and the susceptible (beech) strains. the expression profiles of selected transcri ... | 2007 | 17433071 |
| an insight into the sialome of the oriental rat flea, xenopsylla cheopis (rots). | the salivary glands of hematophagous animals contain a complex cocktail that interferes with the host hemostasis and inflammation pathways, thus increasing feeding success. fleas represent a relatively recent group of insects that evolved hematophagy independently of other insect orders. | 2007 | 17437641 |
| identification and characterization of a new kallikrein-kinin system inhibitor from the salivary glands of the malaria vector mosquito anopheles stephensi. | a new kallikrein-kinin system inhibitor, designated anophensin, was identified in the salivary glands of the malaria vector mosquito, anopheles stephensi. in vitro reconstitution experiments showed that anophensin inhibits activation of the kallikrein-kinin system by inhibiting the reciprocal activation of factor xii (fxii) and prekallikrein (pk), and subsequent release of bradykinin. additionally, anophensin inhibits activation of the kallikrein-kinin system on cultured human umbilical vein end ... | 2007 | 17456441 |
| minimum requirements for ookinete to oocyst transformation in plasmodium. | during their passage through a mosquito vector, malaria parasites undergo several developmental transformations including that from a motile zygote, the ookinete, to a sessile oocyst that develops beneath the basal lamina of the midgut epithelium. this transformation process is poorly understood and the oocyst is the least studied of all the stages in the malaria life cycle. we have used an in vitro culture system to monitor morphological features associated with transformation of plasmodium ber ... | 2007 | 17482621 |
| bacteria of the genus asaia stably associate with anopheles stephensi, an asian malarial mosquito vector. | here, we show that an alpha-proteobacterium of the genus asaia is stably associated with larvae and adults of anopheles stephensi, an important mosquito vector of plasmodium vivax, a main malaria agent in asia. asaia bacteria dominate mosquito-associated microbiota, as shown by 16s rrna gene abundance, quantitative pcr, transmission electron microscopy and in situ-hybridization of 16s rrna genes. in adult mosquitoes, asaia sp. is present in high population density in the female gut and in the ma ... | 2007 | 17502606 |
| genomic and evolutionary analyses of tango transposons in aedes aegypti, anopheles gambiae and other mosquito species. | tango is a transposon of the tc1 family and was originally discovered in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. here we report a systematic analysis of the genome sequence of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, which uncovered three distinct tango transposons. we name the only an. gambiae tango transposon agtango1 and the three ae. aegypti tango elements aetango1-3. like agtango1, aetango1 and aetango2 elements both have members that retain characteristics of autonomous elements ... | 2007 | 17506852 |
| a long and winding road: the plasmodium sporozoite's journey in the mammalian host. | the plasmodium sporozoite, the infectious stage of the malaria parasite, makes a remarkable journey in its mammalian host. here we review our current knowledge of the molecular and cellular basis of this journey, which begins in the skin and ends in the hepatocyte. | 2007 | 17513164 |
| plasmodium yoelii sporozoites with simultaneous deletion of p52 and p36 are completely attenuated and confer sterile immunity against infection. | malaria infection starts when sporozoites are transmitted to the mammalian host during a mosquito bite. sporozoites enter the blood circulation, reach the liver, and infect hepatocytes. the formation of a parasitophorous vacuole (pv) establishes their intracellular niche. recently, two members of the 6-cys domain protein family, p52 and p36, were each shown to play an important albeit nonessential role in plasmodium berghei sporozoite infectivity for the rodent host. here, we generated p52/p36-d ... | 2007 | 17517871 |
| larvicidal effects of a neem (azadirachta indica) oil formulation on the malaria vector anopheles gambiae. | larviciding is a key strategy used in many vector control programmes around the world. costs could be reduced if larvicides could be manufactured locally. the potential of natural products as larvicides against the main african malaria vector, anopheles gambiae s.s was evaluated. | 2007 | 17519000 |
| induction of nitric oxide synthase and activation of signaling proteins in anopheles mosquitoes by the malaria pigment, hemozoin. | anopheles stephensi, a major vector for malaria parasite transmission, responds to plasmodium infection by synthesis of inflammatory levels of nitric oxide (no), which can limit parasite development in the midgut. we have previously shown that plasmodium falciparum glycosylphosphatidylinositols (pfgpis) can induce a. stephensi no synthase (asnos) expression in the midgut epithelium in vivo in a manner similar to the manner in which cytokines and no are induced by pfgpis in mammalian cells. in mo ... | 2007 | 17526741 |
| rubidium marking of anopheles mosquitoes detectable by field-capable x-ray spectrometry. | we present a mosquito marking technique suitable for mark-release-recapture that can be used with a hand-held, portable x-ray fluorescence (xrf) spectrometer, which is practical for field measurements. third instar anopheles gambiae giles sensu stricto (diptera: culicidae) and anopheles stephensi liston larvae were cultured to pupation in water containing rubidium (rb) cl at concentrations up to 1000 p.p.m. rb. anopheles gambiae larvae survived to adulthood at concentrations as high as 1000 p.p. ... | 2007 | 17550439 |
| an insight into immunogenic salivary proteins of anopheles gambiae in african children. | during blood feeding, the mosquito injects saliva into the vertebrate host. this saliva contains bioactive components which may play a role in pathogen transmission and in host-vector relationships by inducing an immune response in the vertebrate host. the evaluation of human immune responses to arthropod bites might also represent a research direction for assessing individual exposure to the bite of a malaria vector. | 2007 | 17550586 |
| cytokine responses of cd4+ t cells during a plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi (er) blood-stage infection in mice initiated by the natural route of infection. | investigation of host responses to blood stages of plasmodium spp, and the immunopathology associated with this phase of the life cycle are often performed on mice infected directly with infected red blood cells. thus, the effects of mosquito bites and the pre-erythrocytic stages of the parasite, which would be present in natural infection, are ignored in this paper, plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi infections of mice injected directly with infected red blood cells were compared with those of mice i ... | 2007 | 17555592 |
| enhanced malaria parasite transmission from helminth co-infected mice. | helminth infections are prevalent in malaria-endemic areas, yet the potential for helminths to alter malaria transmission has not been closely examined. we used the echinostoma caproni-plasmodium yoelii murine model of co-infection to assess the impact of helminth co-infection on malaria transmission. in four replicate experiments, anopheles stephensi mosquitoes exposed to co-infected mice five days post-malaria infection had a higher rate of infectivity (80.1%, n = 241) than those exposed to ma ... | 2007 | 17556610 |
| the anopheles gambiae vitellogenin gene (vgt2) promoter directs persistent accumulation of a reporter gene product in transgenic anopheles stephensi following multiple bloodmeals. | mosquitoes made resistant to pathogens through genetic engineering are proposed as a basis for developing a strategy to control disease transmission. transgenic approaches that introduce exogenous antipathogen effector genes into mosquito genomes require cis-acting regulatory dna to control tissue-, stage-, and sex-specific transgene expression. we show that control sequences derived from a vitellogenin-encoding gene of anopheles gambiae, a major vector in sub-saharan africa, can direct expressi ... | 2007 | 17556621 |
| morphological evidence for proliferative regeneration of the anopheles stephensi midgut epithelium following plasmodium falciparum ookinete invasion. | ookinetes are motile invasive stages of the malaria parasite that enter the midgut epithelium of the mosquito vector via an intracellular route. ookinetes often migrate through multiple adjacent midgut epithelial cells, which subsequently undergo apoptosis/necrosis and are extruded from the midgut epithelium into the midgut lumen. hundreds of ookinetes may simultaneously invade the midgut epithelium, causing destruction of an appreciable proportion of the total number of midgut epithelial cells. ... | 2007 | 17575986 |
| gene encoding a deubiquitinating enzyme is mutated in artesunate- and chloroquine-resistant rodent malaria parasites. | artemisinin- and artesunate-resistant plasmodium chabaudi mutants, as-art and as-atn, were previously selected from chloroquine-resistant clones as-30cq and as-15cq respectively. now, a genetic cross between as-art and the artemisinin-sensitive clone aj has been analysed by linkage group selection. a genetic linkage group on chromosome 2 was selected under artemisinin treatment. within this locus, we identified two different mutations in a gene encoding a deubiquitinating enzyme. a distinct muta ... | 2007 | 17581118 |
| the role of dna mismatch repair in generating genetic diversity and drug resistance in malaria parasites. | although the mechanisms by which malaria parasites develop resistance to drugs are unclear, current knowledge suggests a main mechanism of resistance is the alteration of target enzymes by point mutation. in other organisms, defects in dna mismatch repair have been linked to increased mutation rates and drug resistance. we have identified an unusual complement of mismatch repair genes in the plasmodium genome. an initial functional test of two of these genes (pfmsh2-1 and pfmsh2-2) using a domin ... | 2007 | 17583362 |
| functional conservation between structurally diverse ribosomal proteins from drosophila melanogaster and saccharomyces cerevisiae: fly l23a can substitute for yeast l25 in ribosome assembly and function. | the proposed drosophila melanogaster l23a ribosomal protein features a conserved c-terminal amino acid signature characteristic of other l23a family members and a unique n-terminal extension [koyama et al. (poly(adp-ribose) polymerase interacts with novel drosophila ribosomal proteins, l22 and l23a, with unique histone-like amino-terminal extensions. gene 1999; 226: 339-345)], absent from saccharomyces cerevisiae l25 that nearly doubles the size of fly l23a. the ability of fly l23a to replace th ... | 2007 | 17584789 |
| genetically attenuated plasmodium berghei liver stages persist and elicit sterile protection primarily via cd8 t cells. | live-attenuated plasmodium liver stages remain the only experimental model that confers complete sterile protection against malaria. irradiation-attenuated plasmodium parasites mediate protection primarily by cd8 t cells. in contrast, it is unknown how genetically attenuated liver stage parasites provide protection. here, we show that immunization with uis3(-) sporozoites does not cause breakthrough infection in t and b-cell-deficient rag1(-/-) and ifn-gamma(-/-) mice. however, protection was ab ... | 2007 | 17591958 |
| mosquito heparan sulfate and its potential role in malaria infection and transmission. | heparan sulfate has been isolated for the first time from the mosquito anopheles stephensi, a known vector for plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria. chondroitin sulfate, but not dermatan sulfate or hyaluronan, was also present in the mosquito. the glycosaminoglycans were isolated, from salivary glands and midguts of the mosquito in quantities sufficient for disaccharide microanalysis. both of these organs are invaded at different stages of the plasmodium life cycle. mosquito hep ... | 2007 | 17597060 |
| leishmania manipulation of sand fly feeding behavior results in enhanced transmission. | in nature the prevalence of leishmania infection in whole sand fly populations can be very low (<0.1%), even in areas of endemicity and high transmission. it has long since been assumed that the protozoan parasite leishmania can manipulate the feeding behavior of its sand fly vector, thus enhancing transmission efficiency, but neither the way in which it does so nor the mechanisms behind such manipulation have been described. a key feature of parasite development in the sand fly gut is the secre ... | 2007 | 17604451 |
| effect of chloroquine on gene expression of plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis during its sporogonic development in the mosquito vector. | the anti-malarial chloroquine can modulate the outcome of infection during the plasmodium sporogonic development, interfering with plasmodium gene expression and subsequently, with transmission. the present study sets to identify plasmodium genes that might be regulated by chloroquine in the mosquito vector. | 2007 | 17605769 |
| genetically attenuated plasmodium berghei liver stages induce sterile protracted protection that is mediated by major histocompatibility complex class i-dependent interferon-gamma-producing cd8+ t cells. | at present, radiation-attenuated plasmodia sporozoites ( gamma -spz) is the only vaccine that induces sterile and lasting protection in malaria-naive humans and laboratory rodents. however, gamma -spz are not without risks. for example, the heterogeneity of the gamma -spz could explain occasional breakthrough infections. to avoid this possibility, we constructed a double-knockout p. berghei parasite by removing 2 genes, uis3 and uis4, that are up-regulated in infective spz. we evaluated the doub ... | 2007 | 17624847 |
| "sexual" population structure and genetics of the malaria agent p. falciparum. | the population genetics and structure of p. falciparum determine the rate at which malaria evolves in response to interventions such as drugs and vaccines. this has been the source of considerable recent controversy, but here we demonstrate the organism to be essentially sexual, in an area of moderately high transmission in the lower shire valley, malawi. seven thousand mosquitoes were collected and dissected, and genetic data were obtained on 190 oocysts from 56 infected midguts. the oocysts we ... | 2007 | 17637829 |
| post-integration behavior of a minos transposon in the malaria mosquito anopheles stephensi. | transposable elements represent important tools to perform functional studies in insects. in drosophila melanogaster, the remobilization properties of transposable elements have been utilized for enhancer-trapping and insertional mutagenesis experiments, which have considerably helped in the functional characterization of the fruitfly genome. in anopheles mosquitoes, the sole vectors of human malaria, as well as in other mosquito vectors of disease, the use of transposons has also been advocated ... | 2007 | 17638017 |
| imaging malaria sporozoites in the dermis of the mammalian host. | the initial phase of malaria infection is the pre-erythrocytic phase, which begins when parasites are injected by the mosquito into the dermis and ends when parasites are released from hepatocytes into the blood. we present here a protocol for the in vivo imaging of gfp-expressing sporozoites in the dermis of rodents, using the combination of a high-speed spinning-disk confocal microscope and a high-speed charge-coupled device (ccd) camera permitting rapid in vivo acquisitions. the steps of this ... | 2007 | 17641635 |
| role of heat-labile serum factor or host complement in the inhibition of plasmodium falciparum sporogonic stages in anopheles stephensi by gametocyte carriers' serological factors. | this study investigated the significance of serum complement on transmission-reducing activity (tra) of field sera from 24 infected plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriers (from cameroon) against cultured nf54 p. falciparum. laboratory-reared anopheles stephensi were given infectious blood meals prepared either with sera from naïve dutch donor (ab type) or pair-matched field serum samples, both with and without active complement. tra of serum factors and host complement on mosquito infection r ... | 2007 | 17645813 |
| genetic variation of male reproductive success in a laboratory population of anopheles gambiae. | for anopheline mosquitoes, the vectors of human malaria, genetic variation in male reproductive success can have important consequences for any control strategy based on the release of transgenic or sterile males. | 2007 | 17663767 |
| disruption of plasmodium falciparum development by antibodies against a conserved mosquito midgut antigen. | malaria parasites must undergo development within mosquitoes to be transmitted to a new host. antivector transmission-blocking vaccines inhibit parasite development by preventing ookinete interaction with mosquito midgut ligands. therefore, the discovery of novel midgut antigen targets is paramount. jacalin (a lectin) inhibits ookinete attachment by masking glycan ligands on midgut epithelial surface glycoproteins. however, the identities of these midgut glycoproteins have remained unknown. here ... | 2007 | 17673553 |
| transmission-blocking activity induced by malaria vaccine candidates pfs25/pvs25 is a direct and predictable function of antibody titer. | mosquito stage malaria vaccines are designed to induce an immune response in the human host that will block the parasite's growth in the mosquito and consequently block transmission of the parasite. a mosquito membrane-feeding assay (mfa) is used to test transmission-blocking activity (tba), but in this technique cannot accommodate many samples. a clear understanding of the relationship between antibody levels and tba may allow elisa determinations to be used to predict tba and assist in plannin ... | 2007 | 17686163 |
| effect of discriminative plant-sugar feeding on the survival and fecundity of anopheles gambiae. | a previous study showed for anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western kenya. the present follow-up study determines whether there is a relationship between the mosquito's preferences and its survival and fecundity. | 2007 | 17711580 |
| a randomized and controlled comparison of the wash-resistances and insecticidal efficacies of four types of deltamethrin-treated nets, over a 6-month period of domestic use with washing every 2 weeks, in a rural area of iran. | in a randomized, prospective, 6-month-long field study in a rural area of iran, the wash resistances of 200 nets (40 permanet, 40 yorkool and 40 a-z nets), that their manufacturers claimed be long-lasting insecticidal nets (llin), were compared with those of 40 nets conventionally treated with deltamethrin (using k-o tab tablets). all the nets were kept in routine domestic use and subjected to standardized hand-washing at 2-week intervals. wild-caught or laboratory-reared anopheles stephensi wer ... | 2007 | 17716435 |
| exploring the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus papatasi: comparative analysis of expression profiles of sugar-fed, blood-fed and leishmania-major-infected sandflies. | in sandflies, the blood meal is responsible for the induction of several physiologic processes that culminate in egg development and maturation. during blood feeding, infected sandflies are also able to transmit the parasite leishmania to a suitable host. many blood-induced molecules play significant roles during leishmania development in the sandfly midgut, including parasite killing within the endoperitrophic space. in this work, we randomly sequenced transcripts from three distinct high quali ... | 2007 | 17760985 |
| direct microscopic quantification of dynamics of plasmodium berghei sporozoite transmission from mosquitoes to mice. | the number of malaria sporozoites delivered to a host by mosquitoes is thought to have a significant influence on the subsequent course of the infection in the mammalian host. we did studies with anopheles stephensi mosquitoes with salivary gland infections of plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing a red fluorescent protein. after individual mosquitoes fed on an ear pinna or the ventral abdomen of a mouse, fluorescence microscopy was used to count numbers of sporozoites. mosquitoes allowed to ... | 2007 | 17785479 |
| efficacy of permanet 2.0 against anopheles culicifacies and anopheles stephensi, malaria vectors in india. | bioefficacy of permanet was evaluated in both the laboratory and field against anopheles culicifacies and an. stephensi, major malaria vectors in india. contact bioassays were carried out after repeated washings and ring net bioassays to determine the median knockdown time of mosquitoes. three villages were selected for the field trial: in the 1st village permanets were distributed, in the 2nd village untreated nets were distributed, and the 3rd village was a control. entomological data were col ... | 2007 | 17847857 |
| linkage group selection: towards identifying genes controlling strain specific protective immunity in malaria. | protective immunity against blood infections of malaria is partly specific to the genotype, or strain, of the parasites. the target antigens of strain specific protective immunity are expected, therefore, to be antigenically and genetically distinct in different lines of parasite. here we describe the use of a genetic approach, linkage group selection, to locate the target(s) of strain specific protective immunity in the rodent malaria parasite plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi. in a previous such an ... | 2007 | 17848988 |
| analysis of the immune-inducible transcriptome from microbial stress resistant, rat-tailed maggots of the drone fly eristalis tenax. | the saprophagous and coprophagous maggots of the drone fly eristalis tenax (insecta, diptera) have evolved the unique ability to survive in aquatic habitats with extreme microbial stress such as drains, sewage pools, and farmyard liquid manure storage pits. therefore, they represent suitable models for the investigation of trade-offs between the benefits resulting from colonization of habitats lacking predators, parasitoids, or competitors and the investment in immunity against microbial stress. ... | 2007 | 17875201 |
| molecular genetic studies of anopheles stephensi in pakistan. | anopheles stephensi liston s.l. (diptera: culicidae) is one of the major vectors of malaria in pakistan, india, iran and afghanistan. in parts of its range this species has shown increases in both relative and absolute abundance in what is hypothesized to be a response to human-mediated environmental change resulting from extensive irrigation. we attempted to detect the molecular genetic signatures of this population instability based on three samples obtained from two villages (149/6r and 111/6 ... | 2007 | 17897367 |
| plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17xnl constitutively expressing gfp throughout the life cycle. | plasmodium yoelii is a rodent parasite commonly used as a model to study malaria infection. it is the preferred model parasite for liver-stage immunological studies and is also widely used to study hepatocyte, erythrocyte and mosquito infection. we have generated a p. yoelii yoelii 17xnl line that is stably transfected with the green fluorescent protein (gfp) gene. this parasite line constitutively expresses high levels of gfp during the complete parasite life cycle including liver, blood and mo ... | 2007 | 17049517 |
| histone h1-like, lysine-rich low complexity amino acid extensions in mosquito ribosomal proteins rpl23a and rps6 have evolved independently. | histone h1-like amino acid extensions have been described at the amino terminus of drosophila rpl22 and rpl23a, and at the carboxyl terminus of mosquito ribosomal protein rps6. an in silico search suggested that rpl23a, but not rpl22, in anopheles gambiae has an amino-terminal extension. because low complexity amino acid extensions are not common on eukaryotic ribosomal proteins, and their functions are unknown, we cloned cdnas encoding rpl23a from aedes albopictus and anopheles stephensi mosqui ... | 2007 | 17212354 |
| plasmodium sporozoites trickle out of the injection site. | plasmodium sporozoites make a remarkable journey from the skin, where they are deposited by an infected anopheline mosquito, to the liver, where they invade hepatocytes and develop into exoerythrocytic stages. although much work has been done to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which sporozoites invade hepatocytes, little is known about the interactions between host and parasite before the sporozoite enters the blood circulation. it has always been assumed that sporozoites rapidly exit the ... | 2007 | 17223931 |
| molecular identification of palearctic members of anopheles maculipennis in northern iran. | members of anopheles maculipennis complex are effective malaria vectors in europe and the caspian sea region in northern iran, where malaria has been re-introduced since 1994. the current study has been designed in order to provide further evidence on the status of species composition and to identify more accurately the members of the maculipennis complex in northern iran. | 2007 | 17233887 |
| an insight into the sialome of anopheles funestus reveals an emerging pattern in anopheline salivary protein families. | anopheles funestus, together with anopheles gambiae, is responsible for most malaria transmission in sub-saharan africa, but little is known about molecular aspects of its biology. to investigate the salivary repertoire of this mosquito, we randomly sequenced 916 clones from a salivary-gland cdna library from adult female f1 offspring of field-caught an. funestus. thirty-three protein sequences, mostly full-length transcripts, are predicted to be secreted salivary proteins. we additionally descr ... | 2007 | 17244545 |
| spatial and sex-specific dissection of the anopheles gambiae midgut transcriptome. | the midgut of hematophagous insects, such as disease transmitting mosquitoes, carries out a variety of essential functions that mostly relate to blood feeding. the midgut of the female malaria vector mosquito anopheles gambiae is a major site of interactions between the parasite and the vector. distinct compartments and cell types of the midgut tissue carry out specific functions and vector borne pathogens interact and infect different parts of the midgut. | 2007 | 17261194 |
| nature or nurture in mosquito resistance to malaria? | the genetic basis of mosquito resistance to malaria parasites is well established and currently receives a lot of attention. however this is not the sole determinant of the success or failure of an infection. in a recent article, lambrechts and colleagues report the influence of the quality of the external environment of a mosquito on infection. they indicate that external variations could substantially reduce the importance of resistance genes in determining infection by malaria parasites. furt ... | 2007 | 17276733 |
| inhibition of plasmodium falciparum oocyst production by membrane-permeant cysteine protease inhibitor e64d. | during asexual intraerythrocytic growth, plasmodium falciparum utilizes hemoglobin obtained from the host red blood cell (rbc) as a nutrient source. papain-like cysteine proteases, falcipains 2 and 3, have been reported to be involved in hemoglobin digestion and are targets of current antimalarial drug development efforts. however, their expression during gametocytogenesis, which is required for malaria parasite transmission, has not been studied. many of the available antimalarials do not inhib ... | 2007 | 17178799 |
| high levels of human chitotriosidase hinder the formation of peritrophic membrane in anopheline vectors. | in the anopheles midgut, plasmodium falciparum produces a specific chitinase able to penetrate the blood meal surrounding the chitin-containing peritrophic membrane (pm). high levels of an analogous chitinase, chitotriosidase (chit), may be found in human blood, being the markers of macrophage activation. to verify the hypothesis that chit present in malaria patient blood could help parasite to overcome pm, we carried out a bioassay by feeding anopheles stephensi females on an artificial apparat ... | 2007 | 17136386 |
| plasmodium yoelii: the effect of second blood meal and anti-sporozoite antibodies on development and gene expression in the mosquito vector, anopheles stephensi. | the sporogonic development of the malaria parasite takes place in the mosquito and a wide range of factors modulates it. among those, the contents of the blood meal can influence the parasite development directly or indirectly through the mosquito response to the infection. we have studied the effect of a second blood meal in previously infected mosquitoes and the effect of anti-sporozoite immune serum on parasite development and mosquito response to the infection. the prevalence and intensity o ... | 2007 | 17083935 |
| primary infection of c57bl/6 mice with plasmodium yoelii induces a heterogeneous response of nkt cells. | nkt cells are a population of innate-like lymphocytes that display effector functions and immunoregulatory properties. we characterized the nkt cell response induced in c57bl/6 mice during a primary infection with plasmodium yoelii sporozoites. we observed a heterogeneous nkt cell response that differed between liver and spleen. hepatic nkt cells found in infected livers consisted mainly of cd1d-dependent cd4+ and double-negative (dn) nkt cells, whereas cd1d-independent nkt cells exhibiting a tc ... | 2007 | 17307938 |
| ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in british columbia, canada. | the use of medicinal plants is an option for livestock farmers who are not allowed to use allopathic drugs under certified organic programs or cannot afford to use allopathic drugs for minor health problems of livestock. | 2007 | 17324258 |
| female inheritance of malarial lap genes is essential for mosquito transmission. | members of the lccl/lectin adhesive-like protein (lap) family, a family of six putative secreted proteins with predicted adhesive extracellular domains, have all been detected in the sexual and sporogonic stages of plasmodium and have previously been predicted to play a role in parasite-mosquito interactions and/or immunomodulation. in this study we have investigated the function of pblap1, 2, 4, and 6. through phenotypic analysis of plasmodium berghei loss-of-function mutants, we have demonstra ... | 2007 | 17335349 |
| the role of metacaspase 1 in plasmodium berghei development and apoptosis. | the malaria parasite encodes a wide range of proteases necessary to facilitate its many developmental transitions in vertebrate and insect hosts. amongst these is a predicted cysteine protease structurally related to caspases, named plasmodium metacaspase 1 (pxmc1). we have generated plasmodium berghei parasites in which the pbmc1coding sequence is removed and replaced with a green fluorescent reporter gene to investigate the expression of pbmc1, its contribution to parasite development, and its ... | 2007 | 17335919 |
| uninfected mosquito bites confer protection against infection with malaria parasites. | despite decades of research and multiple initiatives, malaria continues to be one of the world's most debilitating infectious diseases. new insights for malaria control and vaccine development will be essential to thwart the staggering worldwide impact of this disease (a. bjorkman and a. bhattarai, acta trop. 94:163-169, 2005); ultimately successful vaccine strategies will undoubtedly be multifactorial, incorporating multiple antigens and targeting diverse aspects of the malaria parasites' biolo ... | 2007 | 17339356 |
| outer surface protein b is critical for borrelia burgdorferi adherence and survival within ixodes ticks. | survival of borrelia burgdorferi in ticks and mammals is facilitated, at least in part, by the selective expression of lipoproteins. outer surface protein (osp) a participates in spirochete adherence to the tick gut. as ospb is expressed on a bicistronic operon with ospa, we have now investigated the role of ospb by generating an ospb-deficient b. burgdorferi and examining its phenotype throughout the spirochete life cycle. similar to wild-type isolates, the ospb-deficient b. burgdorferi were ab ... | 2007 | 17352535 |
| long-lasting and transmission-blocking activity of antibodies to plasmodium falciparum elicited in mice by protein conjugates of pfs25. | malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, estimated to cause >1 million childhood deaths annually. plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of the disease. there is as yet no licensed vaccine for this disease, despite over a half century of research. in this study, we investigated a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate, the ookinete surface protein pfs25. antibodies against pfs25, drawn in during a bite, can block parasite development in the mosquito midgut, preventing t ... | 2007 | 17190797 |
| nitric oxide metabolites induced in anopheles stephensi control malaria parasite infection. | malaria parasite infection in anopheline mosquitoes is limited by inflammatory levels of nitric oxide metabolites. to assess the mechanisms of parasite stasis or toxicity, we investigated the biochemistry of these metabolites within the blood-filled mosquito midgut. our data indicate that nitrates, but not nitrites, are elevated in the plasmodium-infected midgut. although levels of s-nitrosothiols do not change with infection, blood proteins are s-nitrosylated after ingestion by the mosquito. in ... | 2007 | 17157200 |
| the insulin signaling cascade from nematodes to mammals: insights into innate immunity of anopheles mosquitoes to malaria parasite infection. | as revealed over the past 20 years, the insulin signaling cascade plays a central role in regulating immune and oxidative stress responses that affect the life spans of mammals and two model invertebrates, the nematode caenorhabitis elegans and the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster. in mosquitoes, insulin signaling regulates key steps in egg maturation and immunity and likely affects aging, although the latter has yet to be examined in detail. reproduction, immunity and aging critically influenc ... | 2007 | 17161866 |