BIOCHEMISTRY OF EGG CHORION TANNING IN MOSQUITOES

醌介导的蛋白质交联反应极其重要 昆虫纲中的生物化学事件。 这些反应有助于 皮肤晒黑机制，黑色素包裹防御机制 反应，伤口愈合和蛋壳的硬化，在许多 昆虫的群体。所有这些过程都是至关重要的生存和 昆虫的繁殖成功 有一个明显的生化 这些生理事件之间的关系，并增加我们的 了解控制蚊子这些反应的机制 病媒可能会对今后的努力产生重大影响， 通过新的和创新的控制措施干扰病媒的生存 战略布局本文提出的研究目的是澄清 成功形成所需的生物化学过程， 埃及伊蚊卵绒毛膜的硬化。各种 生物化学和分子技术将用于（l）评估 特定酶在绒毛膜的形成和硬化中起作用， (2)确定酪氨酸和儿茶酚胺在醌中可能发挥的作用 蚊卵绒毛膜的交联和黑化，（3）澄清 过氧化物酶介导的蛋白质交联机制 在发育中的A.埃及，和（4）评估的网站， 多巴脱羧酶和过氧化物酶的合成 绒毛膜的形成，并评估这些基因调控 内切酶进一步了解绒毛膜的生理生化 蚊子的形成对于彻底了解 这一重要疾病媒介群体的繁殖过程。 卵长时间暴露于不利环境中的存活率 条件，如洪水蚊子所需，是至关重要的 依赖于这个生化过程。因此，建议的研究 将提供必要的信息，以便更全面地了解 绒毛膜形成和硬化的生物学事件和后果。 因为黑化和醌鞣的生物化学需要 卵子绒毛膜的硬化可能与 皮肤晒黑和寄生虫所必需的生化事件 封装，更好地了解蚊子卵绒毛膜鞣制 也可能提供对这些重要生理事件的深入了解。

Quinone-mediated protein cross-linking reactions are extremely important biochemical events within the Class Insecta. These reactions contribute to mechanisms of cuticular tanning, melanotic encapsulation defense reactions, wound healing, and the hardening of the egg shell in numerous groups of insects. All of these processes are critical to the survival and reproductive success of insects. There is an obvious biochemical relationship between these physiological events, and increasing our understanding of the mechanisms controlling these reactions in mosquito vectors could have a significant impact on future efforts to negatively interfere with vector survival through new and innovative control strategies. The objective of the research proposed herein is to clarify the biochemical processes required for the successful formation and hardening of the egg chorion in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Various biochemical as well as molecular techniques will be used to (l) assess the roles specific enzymes play in the formation and hardening of the chorion, (2) determine the role tyrosine and catecholamines might play in quinone cross-linking and melanization of the mosquito egg chorion, (3) clarify the mechanisms involved in the peroxidase-mediated protein crosslinking reactions within developing eggs of A. aegypti, and (4) assess the site of synthesis of dopa decarboxylase and peroxidase as these relate to the formation of the chorion and to evaluate the genetic regulation of these enzymes. A better knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of chorion formation in mosquitoes is critical to a thorough understanding of reproductive processes in this important group of disease vectors. Survival of eggs for extended periods of exposure to adverse environmental conditions, as is required for floodwater mosquitoes, is critically dependent on this biochemical process. Therefore, the proposed studies will provide essential information for a more thorough understanding of the biological events and consequences of chorion formation and hardening. Because the biochemistry of melanization and quinone tanning required for the hardening of the egg chorion likely shares similarities with the biochemical events necessary for cuticular tanning and parasite encapsulation, a better understanding of egg chorion tanning in mosquitoes also might provide insight into these important physiological events.