Dopamine levels in the mosquito Aedes aegypti during adult development, following blood feeding and in response to heat stress.
Dopamine, a catecholamine neurotransmitter, is important for insect development and is known to be involved in insect stress responses. In the current study, dopamine was analysed in Aedes aegypti heads by HPLC. We found that immediately after adult emergence, males have significantly higher concentrations of dopamine than females, and that dopamine concentrations decrease with age in both sexes. Dopamine levels increase in females following a blood meal suggesting that dopamine might be involved in ovarian- and/or egg-development. We also found that female mosquitoes have a higher tolerance to a short term thermal stress in a water bath than males up to 44 degrees C, however, both sexes die if exposed to short term temperatures between 44 and 45 degrees C. Finally, we did not find any indication that dopamine levels were associated with short time thermal stress response in female mosquitoes.
Andersen
Janne Pleidrup
JP
Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, Building 1535-40, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. janne.p.andersen@biology.au.dk
Schwartz
Alex
A
Gramsbergen
Jan Bert
JB
Loeschcke
Volker
V
D000330:Aedes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D004298:Dopamine