Publications

olive fly transcriptomics analysis implicates energy metabolism genes in spinosad resistance.	the olive fly, bactrocera oleae, is the most devastating pest of cultivated olives. its control has been traditionally based on insecticides, mainly organophosphates and pyrethroids. in recent years, the naturalyte spinosad is used against the olive fly. as with other insecticides, spinosad is subject to selection pressures that have led to resistance development. mutations in the α6 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nachr) have been implicated in spinosad resistance in several sp ...	2014	25156405
ribosomal protein s29 regulates metabolic insecticide resistance through binding and degradation of cyp6n3.	many diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes, including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, filariasis, and west nile fever. chemical control plays a major role in managing mosquito-borne diseases. however, excessive and continuous application of insecticides has caused the development of insecticide resistance in many species including mosquito, and this has become the major obstacle to controlling mosquito-borne diseases. insecticide resistance is the result of complex polygenic inheritance, a ...	2014	24728095
integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of the aedes aegypti eggshell.	mosquito eggshells show remarkable diversity in physical properties and structure consistent with adaptations to the wide variety of environments exploited by these insects. we applied proteomic, transcriptomic, and hybridization in situ techniques to identify gene products and pathways that participate in the assembly of the aedes aegypti eggshell. aedes aegypti population density is low during cold and dry seasons and increases immediately after rainfall. the survival of embryos through unfavo ...	2014	24707823
the natural insect peptide neb-colloostatin induces ovarian atresia and apoptosis in the mealworm tenebrio molitor.	the injection of neb-colloostatin into t. molitor females causes gonadoinhibitory effects on ovarian development. this peptide inhibits intercellular space formation (patency) in follicular epithelium and results in slowed vitellogenesis, delayed ovulation, reduced number of eggs laid and presumably cell death in the terminal follicles. however, as does the form of cell death in the terminal follicle, the mode of action of neb-colloostatin remains unknown.	2014	24479487
insecticidal activity of leptodactylus knudseni and phyllomedusa vaillantii crude skin secretions against the mosquitoes anopheles darlingi and aedes aegypti.	mosquitoes are important vectors of several diseases, including malaria and dengue, and control measures are mostly performed using chemical insecticides. unfortunately, mosquito resistance to commonly applied insecticides is widespread. therefore, a prospection for new molecules with insecticidal activity based on amazon biodiversity using the anurans leptodactylus knudseni and phyllomedusa vaillantii was performed against the mosquito species anopheles darlingi and aedes aegypti.	2014	25165469
brain proteomics of anopheles gambiae.	anopheles gambiae has a well-adapted system for host localization, feeding, and mating behavior, which are all governed by neuronal processes in the brain. however, there are no published reports characterizing the brain proteome to elucidate neuronal signaling mechanisms in the vector. to this end, a large-scale mapping of the brain proteome of an. gambiae was carried out using high resolution tandem mass spectrometry, revealing a repertoire of >1800 proteins, of which 15% could not be assigned ...	2014	24937107
anopheles darlingi (diptera: culicidae) displays increased attractiveness to infected individuals with plasmodium vivax gametocytes.	most hematophagous insects use host odours as chemical cues. the odour components, some physiological parameters and host attractiveness are affected by several conditions, including infection by parasites, e.g., plasmodia and, therefore, change the epidemiological scenario. this study evaluated the attractiveness of individuals with vivax malaria before, during (7 days) and after treatment (14 days) with specific antimalarial drugs.	2014	24885914
absence/presence calling in microarray-based cgh experiments with non-model organisms.	structural variations in genomes are commonly studied by (micro)array-based comparative genomic hybridization. the data analysis methods to infer copy number variation in model organisms (human, mouse) are established. in principle, the procedures are based on signal ratios between test and reference samples and the order of the probe targets in the genome. these procedures are less applicable to experiments with non-model organisms, which frequently comprise non-sequenced genomes with an unknow ...	2014	24771343
diffusible gas transmitter signaling in the copepod crustacean calanus finmarchicus: identification of the biosynthetic enzymes of nitric oxide (no), carbon monoxide (co) and hydrogen sulfide (h2s) using a de novo assembled transcriptome.	neurochemical signaling is a major component of physiological/behavioral control throughout the animal kingdom. gas transmitters are perhaps the most ancient class of molecules used by nervous systems for chemical communication. three gases are generally recognized as being produced by neurons: nitric oxide (no), carbon monoxide (co) and hydrogen sulfide (h2s). as part of an ongoing effort to identify and characterize the neurochemical signaling systems of the copepod calanus finmarchicus, the b ...	2014	24747481
nematode and arthropod genomes provide new insights into the evolution of class 2 b1 gpcrs.	nematodes and arthropods are the most speciose animal groups and possess class 2 b1 g-protein coupled receptors (gpcrs). existing models of invertebrate class 2 b1 gpcr evolution are mainly centered on caenorhabditis elegans and drosophila melanogaster and a few other nematode and arthropod representatives. the present study reevaluates the evolution of metazoan class 2 b1 gpcrs and orthologues by exploring the receptors in several nematode and arthropod genomes and comparing them to the human r ...	2014	24651821
bioinformatic analysis of beta carbonic anhydrase sequences from protozoans and metazoans.	despite the high prevalence of parasitic infections, and their impact on global health and economy, the number of drugs available to treat them is extremely limited. as a result, the potential consequences of large-scale resistance to any existing drugs are a major concern. a number of recent investigations have focused on the effects of potential chemical inhibitors on bacterial and fungal carbonic anhydrases. among the five classes of carbonic anhydrases (alpha, beta, gamma, delta and zeta), b ...	2014	24447594
transcriptome sequencing and developmental regulation of gene expression in anopheles aquasalis.	anopheles aquasalis is a major malaria vector in coastal areas of south and central america where it breeds preferentially in brackish water. this species is very susceptible to plasmodium vivax and it has been already incriminated as responsible vector in malaria outbreaks. there has been no high-throughput investigation into the sequencing of an. aquasalis genes, transcripts and proteins despite its epidemiological relevance. here we describe the sequencing, assembly and annotation of the an. ...	2014	25033462
wolbachia detection in insects through lamp: loop mediated isothermal amplification.	the bacterium wolbachia is a promising agent for the biological control of vector-borne diseases as some strains have the ability to block the transmission of key human disease-causing pathogens. fast, accurate and inexpensive methods of differentiating between infected and uninfected insects will be of critical importance as field-based trials of wolbachia-based bio-control become increasingly common.	2014	24885509
the genome of the nucleopolyhedrosis-causing virus from tipula oleracea sheds new light on the nudiviridae family.	a large double-stranded dna (dsdna) virus that produces occlusion bodies, typical of baculoviruses, has been described to infect crane fly larvae of the genus tipula (diptera, tipulidae). because of a lack of genomic data, this virus has remained unclassified. electron microscopy of an archival virus isolated from tipula oleracea, t. oleracea nudivirus (tonv), showed irregularly shaped occlusion bodies measuring from 2 to 5 μm in length and 2 μm in middiameter, filled with rod-shape virions cont ...	2014	25540386
burchellin: study of bioactivity against aedes aegypti.	the dengue mosquito aedes aegypti linnaeus, 1762 is a widespread insect pest of serious medical importance. since no effective vaccine is available for treating dengue, the eradication or control of the main mosquito vector is regarded as essential. since conventional insecticides have limited success, plants may be an alternative source of larvicidal agents, since they contain a rich source of bioactive chemicals. the aim of this study was to evaluate the larvicidal activity of the neolignan bu ...	2014	24713267
mosquito genomics. highly evolvable malaria vectors: the genomes of 16 anopheles mosquitoes.	variation in vectorial capacity for human malaria among anopheles mosquito species is determined by many factors, including behavior, immunity, and life history. to investigate the genomic basis of vectorial capacity and explore new avenues for vector control, we sequenced the genomes of 16 anopheline mosquito species from diverse locations spanning ~100 million years of evolution. comparative analyses show faster rates of gene gain and loss, elevated gene shuffling on the x chromosome, and more ...	2014	25554792
using a near-infrared spectrometer to estimate the age of anopheles mosquitoes exposed to pyrethroids.	we report on the accuracy of using near-infrared spectroscopy (nirs) to predict the age of anopheles mosquitoes reared from wild larvae and a mixed age-wild adult population collected from pit traps after exposure to pyrethroids. the mosquitoes reared from wild larvae were estimated as <7 or ≥7 d old with an overall accuracy of 79%. the age categories of anopheles mosquitoes that were not exposed to the insecticide papers were predicted with 78% accuracy whereas the age categories of resistant, ...	2014	24594705
simplagrin, a platelet aggregation inhibitor from simulium nigrimanum salivary glands specifically binds to the von willebrand factor receptor in collagen and inhibits carotid thrombus formation in vivo.	among the several challenges faced by bloodsucking arthropods, the vertebrate hemostatic response against blood loss represents an important barrier to efficient blood feeding. here we report the first inhibitor of collagen-induced platelet aggregation derived from the salivary glands of a black fly (simulium nigrimanum), named simplagrin.	2014	24921659
blood feeding and plasmodium infection alters the mirnome of anopheles stephensi.	blood feeding is an integral process required for physiological functions and propagation of the malaria vector anopheles. during blood feeding, presence of the malaria parasite, plasmodium in the blood induces several host effector molecules including micrornas which play important roles in the development and maturation of the parasite within the mosquito. the present study was undertaken to elucidate the dynamic expression of mirnas during gonotrophic cycle and parasite development in anophel ...	2014	24866389
first steps towards underdominant genetic transformation of insect populations.	the idea of introducing genetic modifications into wild populations of insects to stop them from spreading diseases is more than 40 years old. synthetic disease refractory genes have been successfully generated for mosquito vectors of dengue fever and human malaria. equally important is the development of population transformation systems to drive and maintain disease refractory genes at high frequency in populations. we demonstrate an underdominant population transformation system in drosophila ...	2014	24844466
draft genome sequences of two bacillus thuringiensis strains and characterization of a putative 41.9-kda insecticidal toxin.	in this work, we report the genome sequencing of two bacillus thuringiensis strains using illumina next-generation sequencing technology (ngs). strain hu4-2, toxic to many lepidopteran pest species and to some mosquitoes, encoded genes for two insecticidal crystal (cry) proteins, cry1ia and cry9ea, and a vegetative insecticidal protein (vip) gene, vip3ca2. strain leapi01 contained genes coding for seven cry proteins (cry1aa, cry1ca, cry1da, cry2ab, cry9ea and two cry1ia gene variants) and a vip3 ...	2014	24784323
collagen-binding protein, aegyptin, regulates probing time and blood feeding success in the dengue vector mosquito, aedes aegypti.	mosquito salivary glands have important roles in blood feeding and pathogen transmission. however, the biological relevance of many salivary components has yet to be determined. aegyptin, a secreted salivary protein from aedes aegypti, binds collagen and inhibits platelet aggregation and adhesion. we used a transgenic approach to study the relevance of aegyptin in mosquito blood feeding. aedes aegypti manipulated genetically to express gene-specific inverted-repeat rna sequences exhibited signif ...	2014	24778255
olyset duo® (a pyriproxyfen and permethrin mixture net): an experimental hut trial against pyrethroid resistant anopheles gambiae and culex quinquefasciatus in southern benin.	alternative compounds which can complement pyrethroids on long-lasting insecticidal nets (ln) in the control of pyrethroid resistant malaria vectors are urgently needed. pyriproxyfen (ppf), an insect growth regulator, reduces the fecundity and fertility of adult female mosquitoes. lns containing a mixture of pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid could provide personal protection through the pyrethroid component and reduce vector abundance in the next generation through the sterilizing effect of pyriproxyf ...	2014	24699827
identification and characterization of the expression profile of micrornas in anopheles anthropophagus.	anopheles anthropophagus, one of the most important mosquito-borne disease vectors in asia, mainly takes blood meals from humans and transmits both malaria and filariae. micrornas (mirnas) are small non-coding rnas, and play a critical role in many cellular processes, including development, differentiation, apoptosis and innate immunity.	2014	24690438
criteria for identifying and evaluating candidate sites for open-field trials of genetically engineered mosquitoes.	recent laboratory successes in the development of genetically engineered mosquitoes for controlling pathogen transmission have fostered the need for standardized procedures for advancing the technical achievements to practical tools. it is incumbent in many cases for the same scientists doing the in-laboratory discovery research to also take on the initial challenges of developing the pathway that will move the technologies to the field. one of these challenges is having a set of criteria for se ...	2014	24689963
wolbachia increases susceptibility to plasmodium infection in a natural system.	current views about the impact of wolbachia on plasmodium infections are almost entirely based on data regarding artificially transfected mosquitoes. this work has shown that wolbachia reduces the intensity of plasmodium infections in mosquitoes, raising the exciting possibility of using wolbachia to control or limit the spread of malaria. whether natural wolbachia infections have the same parasite-inhibiting properties is not yet clear. wolbachia-mosquito combinations with a long evolutionary h ...	2014	24500167
male aedes aegypti mosquitoes use jh iii transferred during copulation to influence previtellogenic ovary physiology and affect the reproductive output of female mosquitoes.	the effect of male accessory gland substances on female reproductive physiology has been previously described as "activating" egg development. however, no mechanism has been described that can explain how male mosquitoes are able to influence egg development in female mosquitoes. to investigate how male mosquitoes are able to influence ovarian physiology and reproductive output we explored three main questions: (1) do mating and male accessory gland substances affect ovarian physiology and alter ...	2014	24657670
characterizing heat shock protein 90 gene of apolygus lucorum (meyer-dür) and its expression in response to different temperature and pesticide stresses.	in this study, we cloned a full-length cdna of heat shock protein (hsp) gene of apolygus lucorum (meyer-dür) [alhsp90, kc109781] and investigated its expression in response to temperature and pesticide stresses. the open reading frame (orf) of alhsp90 is 2,169 bp in length, encoding a 722 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular weight of 82.99 kda. transcriptional and translational expression profiles of alhsp90 under extreme temperature or pesticide stresses were examined by fluoresce ...	2014	24623316
five things to know about genetically modified (gm) insects for vector control.		2014	24603810
modulation of anopheles stephensi gene expression by nitroquine, an antimalarial drug against plasmodium yoelii infection in the mosquito.	antimalarial drugs may impact mosquito's defense against plasmodium parasites. our previous study showed nitroquine significantly reduced infection of anopheles stephensi by plasmodium yoelii, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. in order to understand how transmission capacity of an. stephensi was affected by nitroquine, we explored the transcriptome of adult females after different treatments, examined changes in gene expression profiles, and identified transcripts affected by the dru ...	2014	24586804
transgenic anopheles gambiae expressing an antimalarial peptide suffer no significant fitness cost.	mosquito-borne diseases present some of the greatest health challenges faced by the world today. in many cases, existing control measures are compromised by insecticide resistance, pathogen tolerance to drugs and the lack of effective vaccines. in light of these difficulties, new genetic tools for disease control programmes, based on the deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes, are seen as having great promise. transgenic strains may be used to control disease transmission either by suppre ...	2014	24516671
temperature alters plasmodium blocking by wolbachia.	very recently, the asian malaria vector (anopheles stephensi) was stably transinfected with the walbb strain of wolbachia, inducing refractoriness to the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum. however, conditions in the field can differ substantially from those in the laboratory. we use the rodent malaria p. yoelii, and somatically transinfected an. stephensi as a model system to investigate whether the transmission blocking potential of walbb is likely to be robust across different therm ...	2014	24488176
heritable strategies for controlling insect vectors of disease.	mosquito-borne diseases are causing a substantial burden of mortality, morbidity and economic loss in many parts of the world, despite current control efforts, and new complementary approaches to controlling these diseases are needed. one promising class of new interventions under development involves the heritable modification of the mosquito by insertion of novel genes into the nucleus or of wolbachia endosymbionts into the cytoplasm. once released into a target population, these modifications ...	2014	24821918
human to mosquito transmission of dengue viruses.	the successful transmission of dengue virus from a human host to a mosquito vector requires a complex set of factors to align. it is becoming increasingly important to improve our understanding of the parameters that shape the human to mosquito component of the transmission cycle so that vaccines and therapeutic antivirals can be fully evaluated and epidemiological models refined. here we describe these factors, and discuss the biological and environmental impacts and demographic changes that ar ...	2014	24987394
de novo transcriptome of the hemimetabolous german cockroach (blattella germanica).	the german cockroach, blattella germanica, is an important insect pest that transmits various pathogens mechanically and causes severe allergic diseases. this insect has long served as a model system for studies of insect biology, physiology and ecology. however, the lack of genome or transcriptome information heavily hinder our further understanding about the german cockroach in every aspect at a molecular level and on a genome-wide scale. to explore the transcriptome and identify unique sequen ...	2014	25265537
a laboratory evaluation of alcohols as attractants for the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera:psychodidae).	the potential attraction from 1-octen-3-ol for sandflies has been documented; however, studies using other primary alcohols are limited.	2014	24502386
bacillus thuringiensis toxins: an overview of their biocidal activity.	bacillus thuringiensis (bt) is a gram positive, spore-forming bacterium that synthesizes parasporal crystalline inclusions containing cry and cyt proteins, some of which are toxic against a wide range of insect orders, nematodes and human-cancer cells. these toxins have been successfully used as bioinsecticides against caterpillars, beetles, and flies, including mosquitoes and blackflies. bt also synthesizes insecticidal proteins during the vegetative growth phase, which are subsequently secrete ...	2014	25514092
evidence for a lectin specific for sulfated glycans in the salivary gland of the malaria vector, anopheles gambiae.	salivary gland homogenate (sgh) from the female mosquitoes anopheles gambiae, an. stephensi, an. freeborni, an. dirus and an. albimanus were found to exhibit hemagglutinating (lectin) activity. lectin activity was not found for male an. gambiae, or female ae aegypti, culex quinquefasciatus, phlebotomus duboscqi, and lutzomyia longipalpis. with respect to species-specificity, an. gambiae sgh agglutinates red blood cells (rbc) from humans, horse, sheep, goat, pig, and cow; it is less active for ra ...	2014	25207644
present and future potential of plant-derived products to control arthropods of veterinary and medical significance.	the use of synthetic pesticides and repellents to target pests of veterinary and medical significance is becoming increasingly problematic. one alternative approach employs the bioactive attributes of plant-derived products (pdps). these are particularly attractive on the grounds of low mammalian toxicity, short environmental persistence and complex chemistries that should limit development of pest resistance against them.several pesticides and repellents based on pdps are already available, and ...	2014	24428899
spatial distribution of the sibling species of anopheles gambiae sensu lato (diptera: culicidae) and malaria prevalence in bayelsa state, nigeria.	much of the confusing ecophenotypic plasticity of anopheles gambiae sensu lato is attributable to the differential biological traits of the sibling species, with their heterogeneous geographical distribution, behavioral dissimilarities and divergent population dynamics. these differences are critical to their roles in malaria transmission. studies were, therefore, undertaken on the spatial distribution of these species and malaria prevalence rates in bayelsa state, september, 2008-august 2010.	2014	24438675
the contribution of the genomes of a termite and a locust to our understanding of insect neuropeptides and neurohormones.	the genomes of the migratory locust locusta migratoria and the termite zootermopsis nevadensis were mined for the presence of genes encoding neuropeptides, neurohormones, and their g-protein coupled receptors (gpcrs). both species have retained a larger number of neuropeptide and neuropeptide gpcrs than the better known holometabolous insect species, while other genes that in holometabolous species appear to have a single transcript produce two different precursors in the locust, the termite or ...	2014	25477824
ipathcons and ipathdb: an improved insect pathway construction tool and the database.	insects are one of the most successful animal groups on earth. some insects, such as the silkworm and honeybee, are beneficial to humans, whereas others are notorious pests of crops. at present, the genomes of 38 insects have been sequenced and made publically available. in addition, the transcriptomes of dozens of insects have been sequenced. as gene data rapidly accumulate, constructing the pathway of molecular interactions becomes increasingly important for entomological research. here, we de ...	2014	25388589
endosymbiotic bacteria associated with the mealy bug, rhizoecus amorphophalli (hemiptera: pseudococcidae).	the mealy bug, rhizoecus amorphophalli, is a menace to the aroid farmers due to the intensive infestation on stored tubers. spraying of pesticides was able to control this pest but it always left a chance for fungal growth. bacterial endosymbionts associated with the insects provide several benefits to their host. since such endosymbionts play a vital role even in the physiology of their host, revealing the types of bacteria associated with mealy bug will give basic information, which may throw ...	2014	27355014
host modulation by a parasite: how leishmania infantum modifies the intestinal environment of lutzomyia longipalpis to favor its development.	some reports have described the interference of leishmania on sand flies physiology, and such behavior most likely evolved to favor the development and transmission of the parasite. most of these studies showed that leishmania could modulate the level of proteases in the midgut after an infective blood meal, and decreased proteolytic activity is indeed beneficial for the development of promastigotes in the gut of sand flies. in the present study, we performed a detailed investigation of the inte ...	2014	25365351
de novo transcriptome sequencing and sequence analysis of the malaria vector anopheles sinensis (diptera: culicidae).	anopheles sinensis is the major malaria vector in china and southeast asia. vector control is one of the most effective measures to prevent malaria transmission. however, there is little transcriptome information available for the malaria vector. to better understand the biological basis of malaria transmission and to develop novel and effective means of vector control, there is a need to build a transcriptome dataset for functional genomics analysis by large-scale rna sequencing (rna-seq).	2014	25000941
an investigation into the protein composition of the teneral glossina morsitans morsitans peritrophic matrix.	tsetse flies serve as biological vectors for several species of african trypanosomes. in order to survive, proliferate and establish a midgut infection, trypanosomes must cross the tsetse fly peritrophic matrix (pm), which is an acellular gut lining surrounding the blood meal. crossing of this multi-layered structure occurs at least twice during parasite migration and development, but the mechanism of how trypanosomes do so is not understood. in order to better comprehend the molecular events su ...	2014	24763256
identification and expression of capa gene in the fire ant, solenopsis invicta.	recent genome analyses suggested the absence of a number of neuropeptide genes in ants. one of the apparently missing genes was the capa gene. capa gene expression in insects is typically associated with the neuroendocrine system of abdominal ganglia; mature capa peptides are known to regulate diuresis and visceral muscle contraction. the apparent absence of the capa gene raised questions about possible compensation of these functions. in this study, we re-examined this controversial issue and s ...	2014	24718032
characterization of bactrocera dorsalis serine proteases and evidence for their indirect role in insecticide tolerance.	the oriental fruit fly bactrocera dorsalis (hendel) causes devastating losses to agricultural crops world-wide and is considered to be an economically important pest. little is known about the digestive enzymes such as serine proteases (sps) in b. dorsalis, which are important both for energy supply and mitigation of fitness cost associated with insecticide tolerance. in this study, we identified five sp genes in the midgut of b. dorsalis, and the alignments of their deduced amino acid sequences ...	2014	24566149
an insight into the transcriptome of the digestive tract of the bloodsucking bug, rhodnius prolixus.	the bloodsucking hemipteran rhodnius prolixus is a vector of chagas' disease, which affects 7-8 million people today in latin america. in contrast to other hematophagous insects, the triatomine gut is compartmentalized into three segments that perform different functions during blood digestion. here we report analysis of transcriptomes for each of the segments using pyrosequencing technology. comparison of transcript frequency in digestive libraries with a whole-body library was used to evaluate ...	2014	24416461
mosquitoes rely on their gut microbiota for development.	field studies indicate adult mosquitoes (culicidae) host low diversity communities of bacteria that vary greatly among individuals and species. in contrast, it remains unclear how adult mosquitoes acquire their microbiome, what influences community structure, and whether the microbiome is important for survival. here, we used pyrosequencing of 16s rrna to characterize the bacterial communities of three mosquito species reared under identical conditions. two of these species, aedes aegypti and an ...	2014	24766707
four-way regulation of mosquito yolk protein precursor genes by juvenile hormone-, ecdysone-, nutrient-, and insulin-like peptide signaling pathways.	anautogenous mosquito females require a meal of vertebrate blood in order to initiate the production of yolk protein precursors by the fat body. yolk protein precursor gene expression is tightly repressed in a state-of-arrest before blood meal-related signals activate it and expression levels rise rapidly. the best understood example of yolk protein precursor gene regulation is the vitellogenin-a gene (vg) of the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti. vg-a is regulated by (1) juvenile hormone sign ...	2014	24688471
vectorbase: an updated bioinformatics resource for invertebrate vectors and other organisms related with human diseases.	vectorbase is a national institute of allergy and infectious diseases supported bioinformatics resource center (brc) for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens. now in its 11th year, vectorbase currently hosts the genomes of 35 organisms including a number of non-vectors for comparative analysis. hosted data range from genome assemblies with annotated gene features, transcript and protein expression data to population genetics including variation and insecticide-resistance phenotypes. here we d ...	2014	25510499
acetylcholinesterase of the sand fly, phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli): construction, expression and biochemical properties of the g119s orthologous mutant.	phlebotomus papatasi vectors zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. previous expression of recombinant p. papatasi acetylcholinesterase (ppache1) revealed 85% amino acid sequence identity to mosquito ache and identified synthetic carbamates that effectively inhibited ppache1 with improved specificity for arthropod aches compared to mammalian aches. we hypothesized that the g119s mutation causing high level resistance to organophosphate insecticides in mosquitoes may occur in ppache1 and may reduce se ...	2014	25491113
sex and rhythms in sandflies and mosquitoes: an appreciation of the work of alexandre afranio peixoto (1963-2013).	i will briefly discuss the work of alexandre a. peixoto on sandflies and mosquitoes, focusing initially on his contributions to the population biology and phylogenetics of brazilian populations of these important hematophagous insects. i shall also review some of his work on the underlying molecular clocks that mediate rhythmic behaviour and physiology in these species.	2014	25046172
seasonal abundance of anopheles mosquitoes and their association with meteorological factors and malaria incidence in bangladesh.	the relationship between climatic factors and mosquito abundance is very important to determine parasite activity levels and, therefore, disease risk. therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the seasonal abundance of anophelines and their association with meteorological variables and disease transmission in two malaria endemic areas of bangladesh.	2014	25233890
inducing rna interference in the arbovirus vector, culicoides sonorensis.	biting midges in the genus culicoides are important vectors of arboviral diseases, including epizootic haemorrhagic disease, bluetongue and most likely schmallenberg, which cause significant economic burdens worldwide. research on these vectors has been hindered by the lack of a sequenced genome, the difficulty of consistent culturing of certain species and the absence of molecular techniques such as rna interference (rnai). here, we report the establishment of rnai as a research tool for the ad ...	2014	25293805
gene discovery and differential expression analysis of humoral immune response elements in female culicoides sonorensis (diptera: ceratopogonidae).	female culicoides sonorensis midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae) are vectors of pathogens that impact livestock and wildlife in the united states. little is known about their biology on a molecular-genetic level, including components of their immune system. because the insect immune response is involved with important processes such as gut microbial homeostasis and vector competence, our aims were to identify components of the midge innate immune system and examine their expression profiles in res ...	2014	25145345
differential roles of an anopheline midgut gpi-anchored protein in mediating plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax ookinete invasion.	novel strategies to directly thwart malaria transmission are needed to maintain the gains achieved by current control measures. transmission-blocking interventions (tbis), namely vaccines and drugs targeting parasite or mosquito molecules required for vector-stage parasite development, have been recognized as promising approaches for preventing malaria transmission. however, the number of tbi targets is limited and their degree of conservation among the major vector-parasite systems causing huma ...	2014	24929123
the reference transcriptome of the adult female biting midge (culicoides sonorensis) and differential gene expression profiling during teneral, blood, and sucrose feeding conditions.	unlike other important vectors such as mosquitoes and sandflies, genetic and genomic tools for culicoides biting midges are lacking, despite the fact that they vector a large number of arboviruses and other pathogens impacting humans and domestic animals world-wide. in north america, female culicoides sonorensis midges are important vectors of bluetongue virus (btv) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (ehdv), orbiviruses that cause significant disease in livestock and wildlife. libraries of ...	2014	24866149
preparation and identification of per a 5 as a novel american cockroach allergen.	glutathione s-transferase (gst) from various arthropods can elicit allergic reactions. in the present study, per a 5, a gst, was cloned from american cockroach (cr) and expressed in both baculovirus-infected insect cell (iper a 5) and e. coli expression (bper a 5) systems. the secondary structures were predicted to be 45.93 and 8.69% of α-helix β-sheets in iper a 5 and 42.54 and 8.49% of α-helix and β-sheets in bper a 5, respectively. it is found that 4 out of 16 (25%) sera from american cr alle ...	2014	24707117
full-genome characterisation of orungo, lebombo and changuinola viruses provides evidence for co-evolution of orbiviruses with their arthropod vectors.	the complete genomes of orungo virus (oruv), lebombo virus (lebv) and changuinola virus (cglv) were sequenced, confirming that they each encode 11 distinct proteins (vp1-vp7 and ns1-ns4). phylogenetic analyses of cell-attachment protein 'outer-capsid protein 1' (oc1), show that orbiviruses fall into three large groups, identified as: vp2(oc1), in which oc1 is the 2nd largest protein, including the culicoides transmitted orbiviruses; vp3(oc1), which includes the mosquito transmitted orbiviruses; ...	2014	24475112
coexistence mechanisms at multiple scales in mosquito assemblages.	species coexistence in mosquito assemblages may depend on mechanisms related to interspecific resource partitioning occurring at multiple scales. in the present work we investigated co-occurrence or spatial segregation in mosquito assemblages sharing resources at micro-habitat, habitat and landscape scales. environmental characteristics, mosquito fauna as adults and larvae were assessed along vegetation gradient in a natural landscape of tropical rainforest. huisman-olff-fresco (hof) and general ...	2014	25384802
field evaluation of natural human odours and the biogent-synthetic lure in trapping aedes aegypti, vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses in kenya.	methods currently used in sampling adult aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses are limited for effective surveillance of the vector and accurate determination of the extent of virus transmission during outbreaks and inter - epidemic periods. here, we document the use of natural human skin odours in baited traps to improve sampling of adult ae. aegypti in two different endemic areas of chikungunya and dengue in kenya - kilifi and busia counties. the chemistry of the vol ...	2014	25246030
survey of the mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) of mayotte.	a transversal survey of immature mosquitoes was conducted on mayotte island (france) in the comoros archipelago, western indian ocean, with the aim to inventory the culicidae and to document inter-species relationships in different habitats. in total 420 habitats were sampled for larvae and/or pupae mosquitoes, resulting in more than 6,000 specimens. forty species belonging to 15 genera were collected, with eight taxa integrated for the first time to the mayotte mosquito list. the most frequentl ...	2014	25004163
population genetics of anopheles coluzzii immune pathways and genes.	natural selection is expected to drive adaptive evolution in genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. in this study, we use molecular population genetic analyses to understand how natural selection operates on the immune system of anopheles coluzzii (formerly a. gambiae "m form"). we analyzed patterns of intraspecific and interspecific genetic variation in 20 immune-related genes and 17 nonimmune genes from a wild population of a. coluzzii and asked if patterns of genetic variation in the i ...	2014	25552603
a heavy legacy: offspring of malaria-infected mosquitoes show reduced disease resistance.	trans-generational effects of immune stimulation may have either adaptive (trans-generational immune priming) or non-adaptive (fitness costs) effects on offspring ability to fight pathogens.	2014	25412797
an agent-based model of the population dynamics of anopheles gambiae.	agent-based models (abms) have been used to model the behaviour of individual mosquitoes and other aspects of malaria. in this paper, a conceptual entomological model of the population dynamics of anopheles gambiae and the agent-based implementations derived from it are described. hypothetical vector control interventions (hvcis) are implemented to target specific activities in the mosquito life cycle, and their impacts are evaluated.	2014	25373418
differential effects of inbreeding and selection on male reproductive phenotype associated with the colonization and laboratory maintenance of anopheles gambiae.	effective mating between laboratory-reared males and wild females is paramount to the success of vector control strategies aiming to decrease disease transmission via the release of sterile or genetically modified male mosquitoes. however mosquito colonization and laboratory maintenance have the potential to negatively affect male genotypic and phenotypic quality through inbreeding and selection, which in turn can decrease male mating competitiveness in the field. to date, very little is known a ...	2014	24418094
comparative analysis of salivary gland transcriptomes of phlebotomus orientalis sand flies from endemic and non-endemic foci of visceral leishmaniasis.	in east africa, phlebotomus orientalis serves as the main vector of leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (vl). phlebotomus orientalis is present at two distant localities in ethiopia; addis zemen where vl is endemic and melka werer where transmission of vl does not occur. to find out whether the difference in epidemiology of vl is due to distant compositions of p. orientalis saliva we established colonies from addis zemen and melka werer, analyzed and compared the t ...	2014	24587463
multigene phylogenetics reveals temporal diversification of major african malaria vectors.	the major vectors of malaria in sub-saharan africa belong to subgenus cellia. yet, phylogenetic relationships and temporal diversification among african mosquito species have not been unambiguously determined. knowledge about vector evolutionary history is crucial for correct interpretation of genetic changes identified through comparative genomics analyses. in this study, we estimated a molecular phylogeny using 49 gene sequences for the african malaria vectors an. gambiae, an. funestus, an. ni ...	2014	24705448
transmission patterns of plasmodium falciparum by anopheles gambiae in benin.	to better control malaria, the clear and urgent need is for improved data to inform decision makers, but in several african countries, there is a lack of baseline data on vectors and variation in the intensity of malaria transmission. this has resulted in the implementation of vector control efforts that ignore variation in vector behaviour and intensity of transmission, an approach that is most often not cost-effective. this study presents a detailed entomological description of mosquito distri ...	2014	25412948
generation of an infectious negev virus cdna clone.	the genus negevirus consists of insect-only viruses isolated from mosquitoes and sandflies. here, we report the successful construction of a full-length infectious cdna clone of negev virus (negv) strain m30957. viral rna was transcribed in vitro and virus was readily rescued with or without the use of a cap analogue. these results strongly suggest that negv, and likely other members within the genus, is a non-segmented, single-stranded, positive-sense rna virus.	2014	24878640
insecticide resistance and its underlying mechanisms in field populations of aedes aegypti adults (diptera: culicidae) in singapore.	in singapore, dose-response bioassays of aedes aegypti (l.) adults have been conducted, but the mechanisms underlying resistance to insecticides remain unclear. in this study, we evaluated insecticide resistance and its underlying mechanism in field populations of ae. aegypti adults.	2014	25301032
population genetics of neotropical culex quinquefasciatus (diptera: culicidae).	culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes can be found in almost every major city of brazil and are vectors of filariasis and several arboviruses. microsatellite markers have been widely used to uncover the genetic structure of various groups of insect populations. the aim of this study was to glimpse the genetic structure of cx. quinquefasciatus in brazil.	2014	25280576
molecular biology of insect sodium channels and pyrethroid resistance.	voltage-gated sodium channels are essential for the initiation and propagation of the action potential in neurons and other excitable cells. because of their critical roles in electrical signaling, sodium channels are targets of a variety of naturally occurring and synthetic neurotoxins, including several classes of insecticides. this review is intended to provide an update on the molecular biology of insect sodium channels and the molecular mechanism of pyrethroid resistance. although mammalian ...	2014	24704279
efficacy and non-target impact of spinosad, bti and temephos larvicides for control of anopheles spp. in an endemic malaria region of southern mexico.	the larvicidal efficacy of the naturally derived insecticide spinosad, for control of immature stages of anopheles albimanus and associated culicids, was compared to that of synthetic and biological larvicides. effects on non-target insects were also determined.	2014	24479683
expression pattern of glycoside hydrolase genes in lutzomyia longipalpis reveals key enzymes involved in larval digestion.	the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of american visceral leishmaniasis. adults are phytophagous (males and females) or blood feeders (females only), and larvae feed on solid detritus. digestion in sand fly larvae has scarcely been studied, but some glycosidase activities putatively involved in microorganism digestion were already described. nevertheless, the molecular nature of these enzymes, as the corresponding genes and transcripts, were not explored yet. catabolis ...	2014	25140153
insect prophenoloxidase: the view beyond immunity.	insect prophenoloxidase (ppo) is an important innate immunity protein due to its involvement in cellular and humoral defense. it belongs to a group of type-3 copper-containing proteins that occurs in almost all organisms. insect ppo has been studied for over a century, and the ppo activation cascade is becoming clearer. the insect ppo activation pathway incorporates several important proteins, including pattern-recognition receptors (pgrp, β grp, and c-type lectins), serine proteases, and serine ...	2014	25071597
phenylalanine metabolism regulates reproduction and parasite melanization in the malaria mosquito.	the blood meal of the female malaria mosquito is a pre-requisite to egg production and also represents the transmission route for the malaria parasite. the proper and rapid assimilation of proteins and nutrients in the blood meal creates a significant metabolic challenge for the mosquito. to better understand this process we generated a global profile of metabolite changes in response to blood meal of anopheles gambiae, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (gc-ms). to disrupt a key pathway ...	2014	24409310
inducible expression of mu-class glutathione s-transferases is associated with fenpropathrin resistance in tetranychus cinnabarinus.	the carmine spider mite, tetranychus cinnabarinus (boisduval), is a serious pest on a variety of economically important crops widely distributed in china, and its resistance to acaricides has quickly developed. in this study, we fully sequenced 13 gst genes of t. cinnabarinus (tcgsts). the phylogenetic tree showed that five of them belonged to the delta class and the other eight belonged to the mu class. the alignment of gene sequences and comparison of gene expressions between a fenpropathrin-r ...	2014	25493473
emerging phleboviruses.	the bunyavidae family is the largest grouping of rna viruses and arguably the most diverse. bunyaviruses have a truly global distribution and can infect vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. the majority of bunyaviruses are vectored by arthropods and thus have the remarkable capability to replicate in hosts of disparate phylogeny. the family has provided many examples of emerging viruses including sin nombre and related viruses responsible for hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in the americas ...	2014	24607799
altitudinal population structure and microevolution of the malaria vector anopheles cruzii (diptera: culicidae).	in brazil, the autochthonous transmission of extra-amazonian malaria occurs mainly in areas of the southeastern coastal atlantic forest, where anopheles cruzii is the primary vector. in these locations, the population density of the mosquito varies with altitude (5-263 m above sea level), prompting us to hypothesise that gene flow is also unevenly distributed. describing the micro-geographical and temporal biological variability of this species may be a key to understanding the dispersion of mal ...	2014	25511160
the odorant receptor co-receptor from the bed bug, cimex lectularius l.	recently, the bed bug, cimex lectularius l. has re-emerged as a serious and growing problem in many parts of the world. presence of resistant bed bugs and the difficulty to eliminate them has renewed interest in alternative control tactics. similar to other haematophagous arthropods, bed bugs rely on their olfactory system to detect semiochemicals in the environment. previous studies have morphologically characterized olfactory organs of bed bugs' antenna and have physiologically evaluated the r ...	2014	25411789
bidirectional promoters of insects: genome-wide comparison, evolutionary implication and influence on gene expression.	bidirectional promoters are widespread in insect genomes. by analyzing 23 insect genomes we show that the frequency of bidirectional gene pairs varies according to genome compactness and density of genes among the species. the density of bidirectional genes expected based on number of genes per megabase of genome explains the observed density suggesting that bidirectional pairing of genes may be due to random event. we identified specific transcription factor binding motifs that are enriched in ...	2014	25463441
comparative assessment of the bacterial communities associated with aedes aegypti larvae and water from domestic water storage containers.	domestic water storage containers constitute major aedes aegypti breeding sites. we present for the first time a comparative analysis of the bacterial communities associated with ae. aegypti larvae and water from domestic water containers.	2014	25151134
attracted to the enemy: aedes aegypti prefers oviposition sites with predator-killed conspecifics.	oviposition habitat choices of species with aquatic larvae are expected to be influenced by both offspring risk of mortality due to predation, and offspring growth potential. aquatic predators may indirectly influence growth potential for prey by reducing prey density and, for filter-feeding prey, by increasing bacterial food for prey via added organic matter (feces, partially eaten victims), creating the potential for interactive effects on oviposition choices. we tested the hypothesis that the ...	2014	24590205
the development of a murine model for forcipomyia taiwana (biting midge) allergy.	forcipomyia taiwana (biting midge) allergy is the most prevalent biting insect allergy in taiwan. an animal model corresponding to the human immuno-pathologic features of midge allergy is needed for investigating the mechanisms and therapies. this study successfully developed a murine model of forcipomyia taiwana allergy.	2014	24651257
population genetics of two key mosquito vectors of rift valley fever virus reveals new insights into the changing disease outbreak patterns in kenya.	rift valley fever (rvf) outbreaks in kenya have increased in frequency and range to include northeastern kenya where viruses are increasingly being isolated from known (aedes mcintoshi) and newly-associated (ae. ochraceus) vectors. the factors contributing to these changing outbreak patterns are unclear and the population genetic structure of key vectors and/or specific virus-vector associations, in particular, are under-studied. by conducting mitochondrial and nuclear dna analyses on >220 kenya ...	2014	25474018
the modulation of the symbiont/host interaction between wolbachia pipientis and aedes fluviatilis embryos by glycogen metabolism.	wolbachia pipientis, a maternally transmitted bacterium that colonizes arthropods, may affect the general aspects of insect physiology, particularly reproduction. wolbachia is a natural endosymbiont of aedes fluviatilis, whose effects in embryogenesis and reproduction have not been addressed so far. in this context, we investigated the correlation between glucose metabolism and morphological alterations during a. fluviatilis embryo development in wolbachia-positive (w+) and wolbachia-negative (w ...	2014	24926801
comparative analysis of response to selection with three insecticides in the dengue mosquito aedes aegypti using mrna sequencing.	mosquito control programmes using chemical insecticides are increasingly threatened by the development of resistance. such resistance can be the consequence of changes in proteins targeted by insecticides (target site mediated resistance), increased insecticide biodegradation (metabolic resistance), altered transport, sequestration or other mechanisms. as opposed to target site resistance, other mechanisms are far from being fully understood. indeed, insecticide selection often affects a large n ...	2014	24593293
a single mutation in the gste2 gene allows tracking of metabolically based insecticide resistance in a major malaria vector.	metabolic resistance to insecticides is the biggest threat to the continued effectiveness of malaria vector control. however, its underlying molecular basis, crucial for successful resistance management, remains poorly characterized.	2014	24565444
insecticide resistance mechanisms associated with different environments in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae: a case study in tanzania.	resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides is a growing concern in africa. since only a few insecticides are used for public health and limited development of new molecules is expected in the next decade, maintaining the efficacy of control programmes mostly relies on resistance management strategies. developing such strategies requires a deep understanding of factors influencing resistance together with characterizing the mechanisms involved. among factors likely to influence insecticide resistan ...	2014	24460952
rapid protein profiling facilitates surveillance of invasive mosquito species.	invasive aedine mosquito species have become a major issue in many parts of the world as most of them are recognised vectors or potentially involved in transmission of pathogens. surveillance of these mosquitoes (e.g. ae. aegypti, yellow fever mosquito, aedes albopictus, asian tiger mosquito) is mainly done by collecting eggs using ovitraps and by identification of the larvae hatched in the laboratory. in order to replace this challenging and laborious procedure, we have evaluated matrix-assiste ...	2014	24685094
wolbachia can enhance plasmodium infection in mosquitoes: implications for malaria control?		2014	25187984
limited dengue virus replication in field-collected aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with wolbachia.	dengue is one of the most widespread mosquito-borne diseases in the world. the causative agent, dengue virus (denv), is primarily transmitted by the mosquito aedes aegypti, a species that has proved difficult to control using conventional methods. the discovery that a. aegypti transinfected with the wmel strain of wolbachia showed limited denv replication led to trial field releases of these mosquitoes in cairns, australia as a biocontrol strategy for the virus.	2014	24587459
comparative structural and functional analysis of the larval and adult dorsal vessel and its role in hemolymph circulation in the mosquito anopheles gambiae.	hemolymph circulation in insects is driven primarily by the contractile action of a dorsal vessel, which is divided into an abdominal heart and a thoracic aorta. as holometabolous insects, mosquitoes undergo striking morphological and physiological changes during metamorphosis. this study presents a comprehensive structural and functional analysis of the larval and adult dorsal vessel in the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae. using intravital video imaging we show that, unlike the adult heart, ...	2014	25524976
a multicopper oxidase-related protein is essential for insect viability, longevity and ovary development.	typical multicopper oxidases (mcos) have ten conserved histidines and one conserved cysteine that coordinate four copper atoms. these copper ions are required for oxidase activity. during our studies of insect mcos, we discovered a gene that we named multicopper oxidase-related protein (mcorp). mcorps share sequence similarity with mcos, but lack many of the copper-coordinating residues. we identified mcorp orthologs in many insect species, but not in other invertebrates or vertebrates. we predi ...	2014	25330116
widespread pyrethroid and ddt resistance in the major malaria vector anopheles funestus in east africa is driven by metabolic resistance mechanisms.	establishing the extent, geographical distribution and mechanisms of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors is a prerequisite for resistance management. here, we report a widespread distribution of insecticide resistance in the major malaria vector an. funestus across uganda and western kenya under the control of metabolic resistance mechanisms.	2014	25333491
the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren) kept y not f: predicted snpy endogenous ligands deorphanize the short npf (snpf) receptor.	neuropeptides and their receptors play vital roles in controlling the physiology and behavior of animals. short neuropeptide f (snpf) signaling regulates several physiological processes in insects such as feeding, locomotion, circadian rhythm and reproduction, among others. previously, the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) snpf receptor (s. invicta snpfr), a g protein-coupled receptor, was immunolocalized in queen and worker brain and queen ovaries. differential distribution patterns of ...	2014	25310341
the highly polymorphic cyp6m7 cytochrome p450 gene partners with the directionally selected cyp6p9a and cyp6p9b genes to expand the pyrethroid resistance front in the malaria vector anopheles funestus in africa.	pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector anopheles funestus is rapidly expanding across southern africa. it remains unknown whether this resistance has a unique origin with the same molecular basis or is multifactorial. knowledge of the origin, mechanisms and evolution of resistance are crucial to designing successful resistance management strategies.	2014	25261072