Publications

dual lipolytic control of body fat storage and mobilization in drosophila.	energy homeostasis is a fundamental property of animal life, providing a genetically fixed balance between fat storage and mobilization. the importance of body fat regulation is emphasized by dysfunctions resulting in obesity and lipodystrophy in humans. packaging of storage fat in intracellular lipid droplets, and the various molecules and mechanisms guiding storage-fat mobilization, are conserved between mammals and insects. we generated a drosophila mutant lacking the receptor (akhr) of the a ...	17488184
definition of the minimal fragments of sti1 required for dimerization, interaction with hsp70 and hsp90 and in vivo functions.	the molecular chaperone hsp (heat-shock protein) 90 is critical for the activity of diverse cellular client proteins. in a current model, client proteins are transferred from hsp70 to hsp90 in a process mediated by the co-chaperone sti1/hop, which may simultaneously interact with hsp70 and hsp90 via separate tpr (tetratricopeptide repeat) domains, but the mechanism and in vivo importance of this function is unclear. in the present study, we used truncated forms of sti1 to determine the minimal r ...	17300223
silencing of molt-regulating transcription factor gene, cihr3, affects growth and development of sugarcane stem borer, chilo infuscatellus.	rna interference (rnai) is a technology for conducting functional genomic studies and a potential tool for crop protection against insect pests. development of reliable methods for production and delivery of double-stranded rna (dsrna) is the major challenge for efficient pest control. in this study, chilo infuscatellus snellen (crambidae: lepidoptera) was fed with cihr3 dsrna expressed in bacteria or synthesized in vitro. the dsrna ingested by c. infuscatellus successfully triggered silencing o ...	23427912
two drosophila deg/enac channel subunits have distinct functions in gustatory neurons that activate male courtship.	trimeric sodium channels of the deg/enac family have important roles in neurons, but the specific functions of different subunits present in heteromeric channels are poorly understood. we previously reported that the drosophila deg/enac subunit ppk25 is essential in a small subset of gustatory neurons for activation of male courtship behavior, likely through detection of female pheromones. here we show that, like mutations in ppk25, mutations in another drosophila deg/enac subunit gene, nope, sp ...	22915128
biochemical identification and crystal structure of kynurenine formamidase from drosophila melanogaster.	kfase (kynurenine formamidase), also known as arylformamidase and formylkynurenine formamidase, efficiently catalyses the hydrolysis of nfk (n-formyl-l-kynurenine) to kynurenine. kfase is the second enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism. a number of intermediates formed in the kynurenine pathway are biologically active and implicated in an assortment of medical conditions, including cancer, schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases. consequently, enzymes involved in the ky ...	22690733
dengue fever in south korea, 2006-2010.		22931747
quantification of ortholog losses in insects and vertebrates.	the increasing number of sequenced insect and vertebrate genomes of variable divergence enables refined comparative analyses to quantify the major modes of animal genome evolution and allows tracing of gene genealogy (orthology) and pinpointing of gene extinctions (losses), which can reveal lineage-specific traits.	18021399
inferring genome-scale rearrangement phylogeny and ancestral gene order: a drosophila case study.	a simple, fast, and biologically inspired computational approach for inferring genome-scale rearrangement phylogeny and ancestral gene order has been developed. this has been applied to eight drosophila genomes. existing techniques are either limited to a few hundred markers or a small number of taxa. this analysis uses over 14,000 genomic loci and employs discrete elements consisting of pairs of homologous genetic elements. the results provide insight into evolutionary chromosomal dynamics and ...	17996033
the significance of ratios of detritus types and micro-organism productivity to competitive interactions between aquatic insect detritivores.	investigations of competitive interactions emphasize non-detrital resources, even though detritus is a major component of most food webs. studies of competing species focus usually on single resource types, although consumers in nature are likely to encounter mixtures of resource types that may affect whether competition results in exclusion or coexistence. the invasive mosquito aedes albopictus is capable of excluding the native mosquito ochlerotatus triseriatus in competition for single detrit ...	17922707
surprising complexity of the ancestral apoptosis network.	apoptosis, one of the main types of programmed cell death, is regulated and performed by a complex protein network. studies in model organisms, mostly in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans, identified a relatively simple apoptotic network consisting of only a few proteins. however, analysis of several recently sequenced invertebrate genomes, ranging from the cnidarian sea anemone nematostella vectensis, representing one of the morphologically simplest metazoans, to the deuterostomes sea urchin ...	17958905
chikungunya outbreak in atmakur village, medak district, telangana state, india.		26905235
spatial distribution & physicochemical characterization of the breeding habitats of aedes aegypti in & around kolkata, west bengal, india.	dengue infection is endemic in several areas and the dengue virus is transmitted by aedes mosquitoes. thus, it becomes important to understand the breeding ecology of dengue vector and characterize the physicochemical parameters of its breeding habitat. the objective of this study was to analyze the physicochemical parameters of the breeding habitat of the dengue vector and to find out the nutrient composition of the habitat in and around kolkata, west bengal. in addition, a geographic informati ...	26905247
pupal productivity & nutrient reserves of aedes mosquitoes breeding in sewage drains & other habitats of kolkata, india: implications for habitat expansion & vector management.	the quality of breeding sites is reflected through the pupal productivity and the life history traits of aedes mosquitoes. using nutrient reserves and pupal productivity of aedes as indicators, the larval habitats including sewage drains were characterized to highlight the habitat expansion and vector management.	26905248
primary dengue haemorrhagic fever in patients from northeast of brazil is associated with high levels of interferon-β during acute phase.	dengue is an acute febrile disease caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (denv) that according to clinical manifestations can be classified as asymptomatic, mild or severe dengue. severe dengue cases have been associated with an unbalanced immune response characterised by an over secretion of inflammatory cytokines. in the present study we measured type i interferon (ifn-i) transcript and circulating levels in primary and secondary denv infected patients. we observed that dengue fever (df) a ...	27223651
global distribution and environmental suitability for chikungunya virus, 1952 to 2015.	chikungunya fever is an acute febrile illness caused by the chikungunya virus (chikv), which is transmitted to humans by aedes mosquitoes. although chikungunya fever is rarely fatal, patients can experience debilitating symptoms that last from months to years. here we comprehensively assess the global distribution of chikungunya and produce high-resolution maps, using an established modelling framework that combines a comprehensive occurrence database with bespoke environmental correlates, inclu ...	27239817
within-host viral dynamics of dengue serotype 1 infection.	dengue, the most common mosquito-borne viral infection of humans, is endemic across much of the world, including much of tropical asia and is increasing in its geographical range. here, we present a mathematical model of dengue virus dynamics within infected individuals, detailing the interaction between virus and a simple immune response. we fit this model to measurements of plasma viral titre from cases of primary and secondary denv 1 infection in vietnam. we show that variation in model param ...	24829280
biological and molecular properties of dengue 2 strains isolated during the dhf/dss cuban epidemic, 1981.	to study some biological and molecular properties of nine denv-2 strains isolated during the 1981 cuban epidemic, temperature sensitivity, viral plaque size, the kinetic of virus replication in newborn mice inoculated by intracerebral route, the influence of ph medium on virus-cell attachment phase and the restriction enzyme pattern were studied. strains were classified in two patterns according to temperature sensitivity, plaque size, and virus replication in mouse brain and cell culture and re ...	23675036
using fluorescently labelled m13-tailed primers to isolate 45 novel microsatellite loci from the arboviral vector culex tarsalis.	culex tarsalis coquillett (diptera: culicidae) is a highly efficient arbovirus vector. spatial and temporal heterogeneity have been observed in cx tarsalis for phenotypic traits including autogeny, virus susceptibility and host preference. genetic differences between populations may in part explain these observations. using the m13-tailed primer method, we identified 45 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers from microsatellite-enriched cx tarsalis genomic libraries. the m13-tailed primer meth ...	17550440
the genome of mesobuthus martensii reveals a unique adaptation model of arthropods.	representing a basal branch of arachnids, scorpions are known as 'living fossils' that maintain an ancient anatomy and are adapted to have survived extreme climate changes. here we report the genome sequence of mesobuthus martensii, containing 32,016 protein-coding genes, the most among sequenced arthropods. although m. martensii appears to evolve conservatively, it has a greater gene family turnover than the insects that have undergone diverse morphological and physiological changes, suggesting ...	24129506
biocomputational characterization and evolutionary analysis of bubaline dicer1 enzyme.	dicer, an ribonuclease type iii type endonuclease, is the key enzyme involved in biogenesis of micrornas (mirnas) and small interfering rnas (sirnas), and thus plays a critical role in rna interference through post transcriptional regulation of gene expression. this enzyme has not been well studied in the indian water buffalo, an important species known for disease resistance and high milk production. in this study, the primary coding sequence (5,778 bp) of bubaline dicer (genbank: ab969677.1) w ...	25925065
erratum. topically applied aaeiap1 double-stranded rna kills female adults of aedes aegypti. journal of medical entomology 45(3):414–420.		26957585
sexually dimorphic body size and development time plasticity in aedes mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae).	sexual size dimorphism (ssd) in insects often accompanies a sexual difference in development time, sexual bimaturism (sbm).	25663826
countermeasure development for rift valley fever: deletion, modification or targeting of major virulence factor nss.	rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease characterized by a high rate of abortion in ruminants, and febrile illness, hemorrhagic fever, retinitis and encephalitis in humans. rvf is caused by the rvf virus (rvfv), belonging to the genus phlebovirus of the family bunyaviridae. rvfv encodes a major virulence factor, nss, which is dispensable for viral replication, yet required for evasion of host innate immune responses. rvfv nss inhibits host gene upregulation at the transcript ...	24910709
the basic rules and methods of mosquito rearing (aedes aegypti).	the rearing of aedes mosquitoes is complex and demanding for several reasons. aedes larvae are affected by temperature, density and available nutrition, mating is not necessarily accomplished naturally and females need a blood meal to develop eggs. the climate chambers where the mosquitoes are kept are warm and sweaty. due to these tropical conditions the larvae develop fast and need to be cared for daily. the laboratory of entomology in national institute of malaria research bangalore has cultu ...	24754030
insights into the preservation of the homomorphic sex-determining chromosome of aedes aegypti from the discovery of a male-biased gene tightly linked to the m-locus.	the preservation of a homomorphic sex-determining chromosome in some organisms without transformation into a heteromorphic sex chromosome is a long-standing enigma in evolutionary biology. a dominant sex-determining locus (or m-locus) in an undifferentiated homomorphic chromosome confers the male phenotype in the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti. genetic evidence suggests that the m-locus is in a nonrecombining region. however, the molecular nature of the m-locus has not been characterized. u ...	24398378
close encounters: contributions of carbon dioxide and human skin odour to finding and landing on a host in aedes aegypti.	in a wind-tunnel study, the upwind flight and source location of female aedes aegypti to plumes of carbon dioxide (co2) gas and odour from human feet is tested. both odour sources are presented singly and in combination. flight upwind along the plumes is evident for both co2 and odour from human feet when the odours are presented alone. likewise, both odour sources are located by more than 70% of mosquitoes in less than 3 min. when both co2 and odour from human feet are presented simultaneously ...	24839345
innovative dengue vector control interventions in latin america: what do they cost?	five studies were conducted in fortaleza (brazil), girardot (colombia), machala (ecuador), acapulco (mexico), and salto (uruguay) to assess dengue vector control interventions tailored to the context. the studies involved the community explicitly in the implementation, and focused on the most productive breeding places for aedes aegypti. this article reports the cost analysis of these interventions.	26924235
research on climate and dengue in malaysia: a systematic review.	dengue is a climate-sensitive infectious disease. climate-based dengue early warning may be a simple, low-cost, and effective tool for enhancing surveillance and control. scientific studies on climate and dengue in local context form the basis for advancing the development of a climate-based early warning system. this study aims to review the current status of scientific studies in climate and dengue and the prospect or challenges of such research on a climate-based dengue early warning system i ...	26931438
longevity of animals under reactive oxygen species stress and disease susceptibility due to global warming.	the world is projected to experience an approximate doubling of atmospheric co2 concentration in the next decades. rise in atmospheric co2 level as one of the most important reasons is expected to contribute to raise the mean global temperature 1.4 °c-5.8 °c by that time. a survey from 128 countries speculates that global warming is primarily due to increase in atmospheric co2 level that is produced mainly by anthropogenic activities. exposure of animals to high environmental temperatures is mos ...	26981200
targeting a dual detector of skin and co2 to modify mosquito host seeking.	female mosquitoes that transmit deadly diseases locate human hosts by detecting exhaled co2 and skin odor. the identities of olfactory neurons and receptors required for attraction to skin odor remain a mystery. here, we show that the co2-sensitive olfactory neuron is also a sensitive detector of human skin odorants in both aedes aegypti and anopheles gambiae. we demonstrate that activity of this neuron is important for attraction to skin odor, establishing it as a key target for intervention. w ...	24315103
co-infection and super-infection models in evolutionary epidemiology.	multiple infections are intensively studied because of their consequences for the health of the host but also because they can radically alter the selective pressures acting on parasites. i discuss how multiple infections have been modelled in evolutionary epidemiology. first, i briefly mention within-host models, which are at the root of these epidemiological models. then, i present the super-infection framework, with an original focus on how the definition of the super-infection function can l ...	24516718
circadian clock of aedes aegypti: effects of blood-feeding, insemination and rna interference.	mosquitoes are the culprits of some of the most important vector borne diseases. a species' potential as a vector is directly dependent on their pattern of behaviour, which is known to change according to the female's physiological status such as whether the female is virgin/mated and unfed/blood-fed. however, the molecular mechanism triggered by and/or responsible for such modulations in behaviour is poorly understood. clock genes are known to be responsible for the control of circadian behavio ...	24473806
genetic basis of triatomine behavior: lessons from available insect genomes.	triatomines have been important model organisms for behavioural research. diverse reports about triatomine host search, pheromone communication in the sexual, shelter and alarm contexts, daily cycles of activity, refuge choice and behavioural plasticity have been published in the last two decades. in recent times, a variety of molecular genetics techniques has allowed researchers to investigate elaborate and complex questions about the genetic bases of the physiology of insects. this, together w ...	24473804
circadian rhythms in insect disease vectors.	organisms from bacteria to humans have evolved under predictable daily environmental cycles owing to the earth's rotation. this strong selection pressure has generated endogenous circadian clocks that regulate many aspects of behaviour, physiology and metabolism, anticipating and synchronising internal time-keeping to changes in the cyclical environment. in haematophagous insect vectors the circadian clock coordinates feeding activity, which is important for the dynamics of pathogen transmission ...	24473802
aedes aegypti on madeira island (portugal): genetic variation of a recently introduced dengue vector.	the increasing population of aedes aegypti mosquitoes on madeira island (portugal) resulted in the first autochthonous dengue outbreak, which occurred in october 2012. our study establishes the first genetic evaluation based on the mitochondrial dna (mtdna) genes [cytochrome oxidase subunit i (coi) and nadh dehydrogenase subunit 4 (nd4)] and knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations exploring the colonisation history and the genetic diversity of this insular vector population. we included mosquito po ...	24473797
cell biological analysis of mosquito midgut invasion: the defensive role of the actin-based ookinete hood.	successful completion of the plasmodium lifecycle in the mosquito vector is critical for malaria transmission. it has been documented that the fate of plasmodium in the mosquito ultimately depends on a fine interplay of molecular mosquito factors that act as parasite agonists and antagonists. here we investigate whether the cellular responses of the invaded midgut epithelium can also determine the parasite fate and development. we show that the parasite hood, an actin-rich structure formed aroun ...	24428832
vector and vector-borne disease research: need for coherence, vision and strategic planning.		24428825
climate change & infectious diseases in india: implications for health care providers.	climate change has the potential to influence the earth's biological systems, however, its effects on human health are not well defined. developing nations with limited resources are expected to face a host of health effects due to climate change, including vector-borne and water-borne diseases such as malaria, cholera, and dengue. this article reviews common and prevalent infectious diseases in india, their links to climate change, and how health care providers might discuss preventive health c ...	24521625
accuracy of dengue reporting by national surveillance system, brazil.		26812472
genomic evolution of the pathogenic wolbachia strain, wmelpop.	most strains of the widespread endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia pipientis are benign or behave as reproductive parasites. the pathogenic strain wmelpop is a striking exception, however: it overreplicates in its insect hosts and causes severe life shortening. the mechanism of this pathogenesis is currently unknown. we have sequenced the genomes of three variants of wmelpop and of the closely related nonpathogenic strain wmelcs. we show that the genomes of wmelcs and wmelpop appear to be identica ...	24190075
a phylogenetic study of drosophila splicing assembly chaperone rnp-4f associated u4-/u6-snrna secondary structure.	the rnp-4f gene in drosophila melanogaster encodes nuclear protein rnp-4f. this encoded protein is represented by homologs in other eukaryotic species, where it has been shown to function as an intron splicing assembly factor. here, rnp-4f is believed to initially bind to a recognition sequence on u6-snrna, serving as a chaperone to facilitate its association with u4-snrna by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. rna conformations are a key factor in spliceosome function, so that elucidation of chang ...	25419488
interaction of lipophorin with rhodnius prolixus oocytes: biochemical properties and the importance of blood feeding.	lipophorin (lp) is the main haemolymphatic lipoprotein in insects and transports lipids between different organs. in adult females, lipophorin delivers lipids to growing oocytes. in this study, the interaction of this lipoprotein with the ovaries of rhodnius prolixus was characterised using an oocyte membrane preparation and purified radiolabelled lp (125i-lp). lp-specific binding to the oocyte membrane reached equilibrium after 40-60 min and when 125i-lp was incubated with increasing amounts of ...	24037104
the origin and evolution of six miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements in bombyx mori and rhodnius prolixus.	miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (mites) are a specific group of nonautonomous dna transposons, and they are distributed in a wide range of hosts. however, the origin and evolutionary history of mites in eukaryotic genomes remain unclear. in this study, six mites were identified in the silkworm (bombyx mori). five elements are grouped into four known superfamilies of dna transposons, and one represents a novel class of mites. unexpectedly, six similar mites are also present in the ...	24115603
larvicidal efficacies and chemical composition of essential oils of pinus sylvestris and syzygium aromaticum against mosquitoes.	to assess the chemical composition and mosquito larvicidal potentials of essential oils of locally sourced pinus sylvestris (p. sylvestris) and syzygium aromaticum (s. aromaticum) against aedes aegypti (a. aegypti) and culex quinquefasciatus (c. quinquefasciatus).	24144127
risk factors associated with death in brazilian children with severe dengue: a case-control study.	the purpose of this case-control study was to evaluate risk factors associated with death in children with severe dengue.	24473560
phytopharmacological overview of tribulus terrestris.	tribulus terrestris (family zygophyllaceae), commonly known as gokshur or gokharu or puncture vine, has been used for a long time in both the indian and chinese systems of medicine for treatment of various kinds of diseases. its various parts contain a variety of chemical constituents which are medicinally important, such as flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, steroidal saponins, and alkaloids. it has diuretic, aphrodisiac, antiurolithic, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, absorption enhancing, hypoli ...	24600195
origin of ecdysosteroid udp-glycosyltransferases of baculoviruses through horizontal gene transfer from lepidoptera.	baculoviruses infecting lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) encodes an enzyme known as ecdysosteroid udp-glycosyltransferase (egt), which inactivates insect host ecdysosteroid hormones, thereby preventing molt and pupation and permitting a build-up of the viral population within the host. baculovirus egt shows evidence of homology to insect udp-glycosyltransferases, and a phylogenetic analysis supported the closest relative of baculovirus egt are the ugt33 and ugt34 families of lepidopteran udp- ...	24834437
a comparison of larval, ovitrap and mosquitrap surveillance for aedes (stegomyia) aegypti.	in brazil, the entomological surveillance of aedes (stegomyia) aegypti is performed by government-mandated larval surveys. in this study, the sensitivities of an adult sticky trap and traditional surveillance methodologies were compared. the study was performed over a 12-week period in a residential neighbourhood of the municipality of pedro leopoldo, state of minas gerais, brazil. an ovitrap and a mosquitrap were placed at opposite ends of each neighbourhood block (60 traps in total) and inspec ...	24402144
assessment of blood collection from the lateral saphenous vein for microfilaria counts in mongolian gerbils (meriones unguiculatus) infected with brugia pahangi.	the nih guidelines for survival bleeding of mice and rats note that using the retroorbital plexus has a greater potential for complications than do other methods of blood collection and that this procedure should be performed on anesthetized animals. lateral saphenous vein puncture has a low potential for complications and can be performed without anesthesia. mongolian gerbils (meriones unguiculatus) are the preferred rodent model for filarial parasite research. to monitor microfilaria counts in ...	26678366
methods for talen evaluation, use, and mutation detection in the mosquito aedes aegypti.	the generation and study of transgenic aedes aegypti mosquitoes provides an essential tool for elucidating the complex molecular biology of this important vector. within the field, genetic manipulation has surpassed the proof of principle stage and is now utilized in both applied and theoretical vector control strategies. the application of new instruments, technologies and techniques allows ever more controlled experiments to be conducted. in this text we describe microinjection of ae. aegypti ...	26443221
the fielding h. garrison lecture: "break-bone" fever in philadelphia, 1780: reflections on the history of disease.	in the autumn of 1780 an epidemic hit the city of philadelphia. the symptoms of the disease resembled those of present day dengue fever, and subsequent observers argued that the disease was in fact dengue. but was it? the question forces us to confront the challenges of retrospective epidemiology and how we examine the history of a disease. this paper examines the 1780 epidemic from two perspectives. first, it looks at evidence that the disease was dengue and examines what this tells us about th ...	27374846
evaluation of mosquito repellent activity of isolated oleic acid, eicosyl ester from thalictrum javanicum.	to evaluate the traditional use, the mosquito repellent property of thalictrum javanicum and to confirm the predicted larvicidal activity of the isolated compound, oleic acid, eicosyl ester from its aerial parts by pass software, the present study was carried out using 4th instar stage larvae of the mosquitoes, aedes aegypti (dengue vector) and culex quinquefasciatus (filarial vector). insecticidal susceptibility tests were conducted and the mortality rate was observed after 24 h exposure. the c ...	27168688
genetic manipulation of vectors: a potential novel approach for control of vector-borne diseases.		10984525
phytochemical investigation and evaluation of antinociceptive activity of ethanolic extract of dalbergia sissoo (roxb.) bark.	the antinociceptive activity of ethanolic extract of the plant bark of dalbergia sissoo (roxb.) was investigated using tail flick method on wistar rats. three different dose levels (300, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) in 0.5% carboxyl methyl cellulose (cmc) were administered by p.o. route. the antinociceptive activities of the all doses were compared with that of the standard drug asprin (300 mg/kg) administered by p.o. route and the results were found to be significant (p < 0.01). at the above doses, the ...	22470239
dsred2 transient expression in culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.	culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes have been successfully genetically modified only once, despite the efforts of several laboratories to transform and establish a stable strain. we have developed a transient gene expression method, in culex, that delivers plasmid dna directly to the mosquito haemolymph and additional tissues. we were able to express dsred2 fluorescent protein in adult cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes by injecting plasmids directly into their thorax. the expression of dsred2 in adu ...	23828005
colour cues: effects of ipomoea plant extract on culex quinquefasciatus say gravid females in choosing oviposition site.	the interaction between plants and insects is dynamic, and may favour either the plant or the insect. plant chemicals are deeply implicated in this relationship and influence insect behaviour. here, we investigated the oviposition behaviour response of culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes based on the colour cues produced by ipomoea cairica leaves extract. in this study, two sets of oviposition choice experiments were conducted: (1) single solution in a cage; and (2) multiple concentration solution ...	27688853
advances and perspectives in the application of crispr/cas9 in insects.	insects compose more than half of all living organisms on earth, playing essential roles in global ecosystems and forming complex relationships with humans. insect research has significant biological and practical importance. however, the application of genetic manipulation technology has long been restricted to several model insects only, such as gene knockout in drosophila, which has severely restrained the development of insect biology research. recently, with the increase in the release of i ...	27469253
plagues and peoples revisited. basic and strategic research for ingectious disease control at the intergace in the life, health and social sciences.		12789403
high frequencies of minos transposon mobilization are obtained in insects by using in vitro synthesized mrna as a source of transposase.	one of the most frequently encountered problems in transposon-mediated transgenesis is low transformation frequency, often resulting from difficulty in expressing from injected plasmid dna constructs adequate levels of transposase in embryos. capped rna corresponding to the spliced transcript of the minos transposable element has been synthesized in vitro and shown to be an effective source of transposase protein for minos transposon mobilization. transposase produced by this mrna is shown to ca ...	12140317
evaluation of compounds for insecticidal activity on adult mosquitos. 3. properties of some n-methylthiolcarbamates.	n-methylcarbamates derived from thiophenols possess negligible insecticidal activity against the mosquitos anopheles stephensi and aedes aegypti. the probable basic reason for the inactivity is that these compounds are much less efficient inhibitors of cholinesterase than the oxygen analogues.	4392937
evaluation of compounds for insecticidal activity on adult mosquitos. 5. toxicity to adult mosquitos and residual properties of some pyrethroids.	new pyrethrin-like compounds are compared with earlier synthetic pyrethroids and natural pyrethrins for intrinsic toxicity to adult mosquitos and for residual contact activity. two of the compounds are at least as toxic as pyrethrin i to female anopheles stephensi and aedes aegypti. residues of these compounds are very persistent in the dark or in very subdued lighting but they decompose on exposure to normal intensities of daylight and rapidly lose their insecticidal activity.	4392939
development of the bg-malaria trap as an alternative to human-landing catches for the capture of anopheles darlingi.	although the human-landing catch (hlc) method is the most effective for collecting anthropophilic anophelines, it has been increasingly abandoned, primarily for ethical considerations. the objective of the present study was to develop a new trap for the collection of anopheles darlingi . the initial trials were conducted using the bg-sentinel trap as a standard for further trap development based on colour, airflow direction and illumination. the performance of the trap was then compared with tho ...	24037199
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 ...	19725772
molecular characterization and expression of a heat shock protein gene (hsp90) from the carmine spider mite, tetranychus cinnabarinus (boisduval).	in this study, the cdna of tetranychus cinnabarinus (boisduval) (acarina: tetranychidae) hsp90 (designated tchsp90) was cloned using a combination of the homology cloning and rapid amplification of cdna ends (race) approaches. the full-length cdna of tchsp90 is 2595 bp, including a 5′-untranslated region (utr) of 177 bp, 3′-utr of 249 bp, and an open reading frame (orf) of 2169 bp. the orf encodes a polypeptide of 722 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 83.45 kda and a theoretical i ...	20874569
molecular cloning and characterization of an acetylcholinesterase cdna in the brown planthopper, nilaparvata lugens.	a full cdna encoding an acetylcholinesterase (ache, ec 3.1.1.7) was cloned and characterized from the brown planthopper, nilaparvata lugens stål (hemiptera: delphacidae). the complete cdna (2467 bp) contains a 1938-bp open reading frame encoding 646 amino acid residues. the amino acid sequence of the ache deduced from the cdna consists of 30 residues for a putative signal peptide and 616 residues for the mature protein with a predicted molecular weight of 69,418. the three residues (ser242, glu3 ...	20874389
bioefficacy of mentha piperita essential oil against dengue fever mosquito aedes aegypti l.	to assess the larvicidal and repellent potential of the essential oil extracted from the leaves of peppermint plant, mentha piperita (m. piperita) against the larval and adult stages of aedes aegypti (ae. aegypti).	23569733
larvicidal and repellent potential of moringa oleifera against malarial vector, anopheles stephensi liston (insecta: diptera: culicidae).	to evaluate the larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the methanolic extracts from moringa oleifera (m. oleifera) plant seeds against malarial vector anopheles stephensi (a. stephensi) mosquitoes at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm).	23569741
male accessory gland substances from aedes albopictus affect the locomotor activity of aedes aegypti females.	dengue is one of the world's most important mosquito-borne diseases and is usually transmitted by one of two vector species: aedes aegypti or aedes albopictus . these two diurnal mosquitoes are frequently found coexisting in similar habitats, enabling interactions between adults, such as cross-mating. the objective of this study was to assess cross-mating between ae. aegypti females and ae. albopictus males under artificial conditions and evaluate the locomotor activity of ae. aegypti virgin fem ...	24473799
infravec: research capacity for the implementation of genetic control of mosquitoes.	mosquitoes represent a major and global cause of human suffering due to the diseases they transmit. these include parasitic diseases, i.e. malaria and filariasis, and viral infections such as dengue, encephalitis, and yellow fever. the threat of mosquito-borne diseases is not limited to tropical and subtropical regions of the world. trade and climate changes have opened new niches to tropical vectors in temperate areas of the world, thus putting previously unaffected regions at risk of disease t ...	24428829
changing clinical scenario in chandipura virus infection.	chandipura virus (chpv) (vesiculovirus: rhabdoviridae) garnered global attention as an emerging neurotropic pathogen inflicting high mortality in children within 24 h of commencement of symptoms. the 2003-2004 outbreaks in central india witnessed case fatality rates ranging from 56-75 per cent in andhra pradesh and gujarat with typical encephalitic symptoms. due to the acute sickness and rapid deterioration, the precise mechanism of action of the virus is still unknown. recent studies have shown ...	27748295
monitoring temporal abundance and spatial distribution of aedes polynesiensis using bg-sentinel traps in neighboring habitats on raiatea, society archipelago, french polynesia.	adult numbers and sizes of mosquitoes were monitored for 2 yr in neighboring habitats on the western coast of raiatea (society archipelago) in anticipation of testing new vector control technologies. aedes polynesiensis marks females comprised the overwhelming majority (approximately 99%) of the three species of mosquitoes captured in biogent sentinel traps placed at fixed sites on three small satellite islands (motus) of the western lagoon and on the shoreline of raiatea. aedes polynesiensis ma ...	22308771
ontology patterns for tabular representations of biomedical knowledge on neglected tropical diseases.	ontology-like domain knowledge is frequently published in a tabular format embedded in scientific publications. we explore the re-use of such tabular content in the process of building ntdo, an ontology of neglected tropical diseases (ntds), where the representation of the interdependencies between hosts, pathogens and vectors plays a crucial role.	21685092
salivary apyrases of triatoma infestans are assembled into homo-oligomers.	apyrase activity is present in the saliva of haematophagous arthropods. it is related to blood-feeding because of the apyrase ability to hydrolyse adp, a key component of platelet aggregation. five apyrases with apparent molecular masses of 88, 82, 79, 68 and 67 kda were identified in the saliva of the vector of chagas disease, triatoma infestans. the large size observed during purification of these enzymes suggested oligomerization. in the present study, we confirmed, using gel-filtration and a ...	16542158
dry season production of filariasis and dengue vectors in american samoa and comparison with wet season production.	aedes polynesiensis and ae. aegypti breeding site productivity in two american samoa villages were analyzed during a dry season survey and compared with a wet season survey. both surveys identified similar container types producing greater numbers of pupae, with buckets, drums, and tires responsible for > 50% of aedes pupae during the dry season. the prevalence of containers with ae. polynesiensis and the density of ae. polynesiensis in discarded appliances, drums, and discarded plastic ice crea ...	19996430
a review of chemosensation and related behavior in aquatic insects.	insects that are secondarily adapted to aquatic environments are able to sense odors from a diverse array of sources. the antenna of these insects, as in all insects, is the main chemosensory structure and its input to the brain allows for integration of sensory information that ultimately ends in behavioral responses. only a fraction of the aquatic insect orders have been studied with respect to their sensory biology and most of the work has centered either on the description of the different t ...	21864156
kazal-type serine proteinase inhibitors in the midgut of phlebotomus papatasi.	sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) are important disease vectors of parasites of the genus leishmania, as well as bacteria and viruses. following studies of the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus papatasi, the principal vector of leishmania major, two non-classical kazal-type serine proteinase inhibitors were identified (ppkzl1 and ppkzl2). analyses of expression profiles indicated that ppkzl1 and ppkzl2 transcripts are both regulated by blood-feeding in the midgut of p. papatasi and are also exp ...	24037187
genomic, rnaseq, and molecular modeling evidence suggests that the major allergen domain in insects evolved from a homodimeric origin.	the major allergen domain (ma) is widely distributed in insects. the crystal structure of a single bla g 1 ma revealed a novel protein fold in which the fundamental structure was a duplex of two subsequences (monomers), which had diverged over time. this suggested that the evolutionary origin of the ma structure may have been a homodimer of this smaller subsequence. using publicly available genomic data, the distribution of the basic unit of this class of proteins was determined to better unders ...	24253356
genome sequence of the tsetse fly (glossina morsitans): vector of african trypanosomiasis.	tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human african trypanosomiasis throughout sub-saharan africa. both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase glossina morsitans morsitans genome. analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein-encoding ge ...	24763584
effect of mouse antisera targeting the phlebotomus papatasi midgut chitinase ppchit1 on sandfly physiology and fitness.	in sandflies, the absence of the peritrophic matrix (pm) affects the rate of blood digestion. also, the kinetics of pm secretion varies according to species. we previously characterised ppchit1, a midgut-specific chitinase secreted in phlebotomus papatasi (ppis) that is involved in the maturation of the pm and showed that antibodies against ppchit1 reduce the chitinolytic activity in the midgut of several sandfly species. here, sandflies were fed on red blood cells reconstituted with naïve or an ...	25591111
vertebrate hosts of aedes aegypti and aedes mediovittatus (diptera: culicidae) in rural puerto rico.	the distribution of aedes (stegomyia) aegypti (l.), the main vector of dengue viruses (denv) worldwide, overlaps with aedes (gymnometopa) mediovittatus (coquillett), the caribbean treehole mosquito, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. ae. mediovittatus is a competent vector of denv with high rates of vertical denv transmission in the laboratory. this study determined whether ae. mediovittatus feeds on humans and compared its feeding patterns with co-occurring ae. aegypti in two rural communitie ...	22897052
history of domestication and spread of aedes aegypti--a review.	the adaptation of insect vectors of human diseases to breed in human habitats (domestication) is one of the most important phenomena in medical entomology. considerable data are available on the vector mosquito aedes aegypti in this regard and here we integrate the available information including genetics, behaviour, morphology, ecology and biogeography of the mosquito, with human history. we emphasise the tremendous amount of variation possessed by ae. aegypti for virtually all traits considere ...	24473798
genes and odors underlying the recent evolution of mosquito preference for humans.	mosquito species that specialize in biting humans are few but dangerous. they include the african malaria vectors anopheles gambiae and anopheles coluzzii, as well as aedes aegypti, the cosmopolitan vector of dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. these mosquitoes have evolved a remarkable innate preference for human odor that helps them find and bite us. here i review what is known about this important evolutionary adaptation, from its historical documentation to its chemical and molecular basi ...	26766234
design and testing of a novel, protective human-baited tent trap for the collection of anthropophilic disease vectors.	currently, there exists a deficit of safe, active trapping methods for the collection of host-seeking anopheles and other disease-causing arthropod vectors. the gold-standard approach for mosquito collection is that of human landing catch (hlc), in which an individual exposes bare skin to possibly infected vectors. here, we present the development of a new method for mosquito collection, the infoscitex tent, which uses modern tent materials coupled with a novel trap design. this provides an effi ...	24605476
mosquito hemocyte-mediated immune responses.	hemocytes are a key component of the mosquito immune system that kill pathogens via phagocytic, lytic and melanization pathways. individual mosquitoes contain between 500 and 4,000 hemocytes, which are divided into three populations named granulocytes, oenocytoids and prohemocytes. hemocytes can also be divided by their anatomical location with 75% of hemocytes circulating in the hemocoel (circulating hemocytes) and 25% of hemocytes attaching themselves to tissues (sessile hemocytes). greater th ...	25309850
delayed egg hatching of anopheles gambiae (diptera: culicidae) pending water agitation.	mosquito eggs laid on water surfaces typically hatch spontaneously soon after the embryos within them become fully formed first-instar larvae. however, we have found that anopheles gambiae giles, an important vector of malaria in africa, exhibits delayed hatching until the water surface is agitated, a feature overlooked in most laboratory colonies. agitation within 24 h postoviposition, before embryonation was complete, failed to stimulate delayed postembryonic hatching of isolated eggs on the f ...	24897850
use of the cdc autocidal gravid ovitrap to control and prevent outbreaks of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).	populations ofaedes aegypti (l.) can be managed through reductions in adult mosquito survival, number of offspring produced, or both. direct adult mortality can be caused by the use of space sprays or residual insecticides to mosquito resting sites, and with a variety of residual insecticide-impregnated surfaces that are being tested, such as curtains, covers for water-storage vessels, bednets, and ovitraps. the fertility ofae. aegypti populations can be reduced by the use of autocidal ovipositi ...	24605464
description of the transcriptomes of immune response-activated hemocytes from the mosquito vectors aedes aegypti and armigeres subalbatus.	mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, malaria, and lymphatic filariasis, exact a devastating toll on global health and economics, killing or debilitating millions every year (54). mosquito innate immune responses are at the forefront of concerted research efforts aimed at defining potential target genes that could be manipulated to engineer pathogen resistance in vector populations. we aimed to describe the pivotal role that circulating blood cells (called hemocytes) play in immunity by gen ...	15213157
larval competition between aedes japonicus and aedes atropalpus (diptera: culicidae) in simulated rock pools.	the success of an invasive species becoming established in a new region often depends on its interactions with ecologically similar resident species. the propensity of the newly-established mosquito aedes japonicus to inhabit rock pools throughout the eastern united states provides a natural setting for interspecific larval competition with the native aedes atropalpus. a laboratory experiment conducted in simulated rock pools to evaluate larval interactions between and within these two species s ...	19263842
filariasis of uncommon nature in india.		23509678
diversity and convergence of sodium channel mutations involved in resistance to pyrethroids.	pyrethroid insecticides target voltage-gated sodium channels, which are critical for electrical signaling in the nervous system. the intensive use of pyrethroids in controlling arthropod pests and disease vectors has led to many instances of pyrethroid resistance around the globe. in the past two decades, studies have identified a large number of sodium channel mutations that are associated with resistance to pyrethroids. the purpose of this review is to summarize both common and unique sodium c ...	24019556
an insight into the sialotranscriptome of simulium nigrimanum, a black fly associated with fogo selvagem in south america.	pemphigus foliaceus is a life threatening skin disease that is associated with autoimmunity to desmoglein, a skin protein involved in the adhesion of keratinocytes. this disease is endemic in certain areas of south america, suggesting the mediation of environmental factors triggering autoimmunity. among the possible environmental factors, exposure to bites of black flies, in particular simulium nigrimanum has been suggested. in this work, we describe the sialotranscriptome of adult female s. nig ...	20519601
differential survivorship of invasive mosquito species in south florida cemeteries: do site-specific microclimates explain patterns of coexistence and exclusion?	within 2 yr of the arrival of the invasive container mosquito aedes albopictus (skuse), the previously dominant invasive mosquito aedes aegypti (l.) disappeared from many florida cemeteries. at some cemeteries, however, ae. aegypti populations seem stable despite ae. albopictus invasion. we sought to understand this variation in the outcome (exclusion, coexistence) of this invasion, given that previous experiments show that ae. albopictus is the superior larval competitor. we tested experimental ...	20852732
is there an efficient trap or collection method for sampling anopheles darlingi and other malaria vectors that can describe the essential parameters affecting transmission dynamics as effectively as human landing catches? - a review.	distribution, abundance, feeding behaviour, host preference, parity status and human-biting and infection rates are among the medical entomological parameters evaluated when determining the vector capacity of mosquito species. to evaluate these parameters, mosquitoes must be collected using an appropriate method. malaria is primarily transmitted by anthropophilic and synanthropic anophelines. thus, collection methods must result in the identification of the anthropophilic species and efficiently ...	25185008
competitive reduction by satyrization? evidence for interspecific mating in nature and asymmetric reproductive competition between invasive mosquito vectors.	abstract. upon mating, male mosquitoes transfer accessory gland proteins (acps) that induce refractoriness to further mating in females. this can also occur because of cross-insemination by males of related species, a process known as mating interference (satyrization). this mechanism could explain the competitive displacement of resident aedes aegypti by the invasive aedes albopictus where they co-occur. we tested this hypothesis in mosquito populations in florida. a new polymerase chain reacti ...	21813845
heterochromatin, histone modifications, and nuclear architecture in disease vectors.	interactions between a pathogen and a vector are plastic and dynamic. such interactions can be more rapidly accommodated by epigenetic changes than by genetic mutations. gene expression can be affected by the proximity to the heterochromatin, by local histone modifications, and by the three-dimensional position within the nucleus. recent studies of disease vectors indicate that gene regulation by these factors can be important for susceptibility to pathogens, reproduction, immunity, development, ...	26097808
mosquito vitellogenin genes: comparative sequence analysis, gene duplication, and the role of rare synonymous codon usage in regulating expression.	comparative sequence analysis of mosquito vitellogenin (vg) genes was carried out to gain a better understanding of their evolution. the genomic clones of vitellogenin genes were isolated and sequenced from all three subfamilies of the family culicidae including culicinae (aedes aegypti, ochlerotatus atropalpus, ae. polynesiensis, ae. albopictus, ochlerotatus triseriatus and culex quinquefasciatus), toxorhynchitinae (toxorhynchites amboinensis), and anophelinae (anopheles albimanus). genomic clo ...	20337554
dose-dependent behavioral response of the mosquito aedes albopictus to floral odorous compounds.	the value of using plant volatiles as attractants for trapping and spatial repellents to protect hosts against mosquitoes has been widely recognized. the current study characterized behavioral responses of aedes albopictus (skuse) (diptera: culicidae) to different concentrations, ranging from 6 to 96%, of several common floral odorous compounds, including linalool, geraniol, citronellal, eugenol, anisaldehyde, and citral, using a wind tunnel olfactometer system. the results indicated that female ...	24779928
oviposition habitat selection of dengue vectors, aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus in response to fish predator.	to understand the effects of fish predator's kairomones on aedes mosquitoes' oviposition, we established an experiment using gravid aedes females. kairomones concentrations were established using hampala macrolepidota. one individual fish was placed inside containers with varying water levels (1 l, 5 l, and 10 l of water). the fish were kept in the containers for 24 hours and were removed immediately at the start of each trial in order to have the kairomones remnants. twenty gravid adult females ...	27965749
laboratory tests on mosquito tolerance to insecticides and the development of resistance by aedes aegypti.	three strains of aëdes aegypti and a strain of culex molestus were used in tests to determine the relative susceptibility levels of the larvae to various insecticides and to investigate the development of resistance in the laboratory through selection by larval treatment only. the procedures and test methods used are described and the results discussed and set out in tabular and graphic form.it was found, inter alia, that selection of fourth-stage larvae of a laboratory strain of aëdes and culex ...	13500157
invertebrate carcasses as a resource for competing aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).	terrestrial invertebrate carcasses are an important resource for insects developing in pitcher plants. however, little is known of the role of these carcasses in other containers, which also receive leaf fall and stemflow inputs. this experiment investigated effects of accumulated invertebrate carcasses as a resource for two competing mosquitoes, aedes albopictus (skuse) and aedes aegypti (l.), whether either species differentially benefited from accumulated carcasses, and if such a benefit affe ...	15535579