Ionotropic Receptor Function in Anopheles gambiae

项目摘要/摘要 蚊子是传播人类疾病的重要媒介，从疟疾到登革热，寨卡病毒和 基孔肯雅热，温度和湿度检测是支持蚊子生存的关键， 繁殖和寻找宿主。准确地感知环境温度对于维护 最佳的体温，同时感知湿度对于避免干燥很重要。温度和 湿度也是寻找寄主和觅血的重要线索，而湿度对产卵也很重要 因为蚊子幼虫是水生的。但是，尽管它们很重要，但背后的分子机制热- 蚊子对水分的感知能力在很大程度上仍不为人所知。 加里提实验室最近的工作已经确定了调节寒冷感觉的受体家族的关键成员 以及果蝇黑腹果蝇的水分感应。这些受体在载体中是保守的 蚊子和蚊子的触角高度表达，这与它们具有相似感官的概念一致 角色。冈比亚按蚊是疟疾的主要媒介，造成超过2亿人感染。 2015年的感染人数。了解温度和湿度敏感的分子机制 冈比亚按蚊可以为控制这一重要病媒的战略提供关键见解，并已 对其他媒介蚊子的类似机制有潜在的影响。 在我的初步研究中，我使用CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑在冈比亚按蚊中创建了 在这些受体中含有假定功能丧失突变的突变体。我建议结合使用 电生理学、免疫组织化学和行为学研究以确定这些受体在脑内的作用(S) 冈比亚按蚊的温湿度感受器。我的工作将解决感官功能 蚊子体内的这些受体，并探索它们在寻找宿主行为中的潜在作用。

Project Summary/ Abstract Mosquitoes are important vectors for widespread human diseases from malaria to dengue, zika virus and chikungunya, and temperature and moisture detection are critical for supporting mosquito survival, reproduction and host-seeking. Accurately sensing environmental temperature is important for maintaining optimal body temperature, while sensing humidity is important for avoiding desiccation. Temperature and humidity are also important cues for host-seeking and blood-feeding, and moisture is important for oviposition as mosquito larvae are aquatic. But despite their importance, the molecular mechanisms underlying thermo- and hygro-sensing in mosquitoes remain largely unknown. Recent work in the Garrity lab has identified key members of a receptor family that modulate cold sensing and moisture sensing in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. These receptors are conserved in vector mosquitoes and highly expressed in their antennae, consistent with the notion that they serve similar sensory roles. Anopheles gambiae is the major vector for malaria and was responsible for over two hundred million infections in 2015. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying temperature and humidity sensing in Anopheles gambiae could provide key insights for strategies to control this important disease vector and has potential implications for similar mechanisms in other vector mosquitoes. In my preliminary studies, I have used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in Anopheles gambiae to create mutants containing putative loss-of-function mutations in these receptors. I propose to use a combination of electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry and behavioral studies to establish the role(s) of these receptors in thermo- and hygro-sensing in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae. My work will address the sensory function of these receptors in mosquitoes and probe their potential roles in host-seeking behavior.