The unique regulation of Aedes aegypti larval cell ferritin by iron.
Mosquitoes must blood feed in order to complete their life cycle. The blood meal provides a high level of iron that is required for egg development. We are interested in developing control strategies that interfere with this process. We report the temporal effects of iron exposure on iron metabolism of Aedes aegypti larval cells. These cells take up iron in linear relationship to exposure time and distribute the iron primarily to the membranes. Iron uptake increases cytoplasmic, membrane and secreted ferritin. Membrane ferritin is abundant in cells treated with iron, increases in cells in the absence of iron exposure and is associated with the secretory pathway. Our data suggest that in contrast to mammals, mosquitoes control intracellular iron levels by producing membrane ferritin in anticipation of an iron load such as that provided by a blood meal and support the hypothesis that secreted ferritin is a primary iron storage protein for these animals.
Geiser
Dawn L
DL
Department of Nutritional Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, 1177 East 4th Street, Shantz Building, Room 405, Tucson, AZ 85721-0038, USA. dlgeiser@email.arizona.edu
Mayo
Jonathan J
JJ
Winzerling
Joy J
JJ
D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001052:Apoferritins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005293:Ferritins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D019476:Insect Proteins; D005293:Ferritins; D001052:Apoferritins; D007501:Iron