Anopheles gambiae males produce and transfer the vitellogenic steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone to females during mating.
In female insects, the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) plays a major role in activating vitellogenesis, a process required for egg development. By contrast with vertebrates, production of large amounts of hormonal steroids has not been reported in adult male insects. In the present study, we analyzed steroidogenesis in both male and female adult of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae and we found that A. gambiae male mosquitoes produce high amounts of the steroid hormone 20E. Importantly, we found that male accessory glands, but not testes, are the source of 20E. Moreover, this steroid hormone is stored in male accessory glands and delivered to females during mating. These findings suggest that male 20E may not act as a true male sex steroid, but more likely as an allohormone. Our results give new insights into species-specific physiological processes that govern the reproductive success of the malaria mosquito. This could thus lead to the identification of new target genes for manipulating male and/or female reproductive success, a promising way to reduce or eliminate mosquito population and therefore to control malaria transmission.
Pondeville
Emilie
E
FRE2852 Protéines, Biochimie structurale et fonctionnelle, Laboratoire Biogenèse des Stéroïdes, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France. emilie.pondeville@snv.jussieu.fr
Maria
Annick
A
Jacques
Jean-Claude
JC
Bourgouin
Catherine
C
Dauphin-Villemant
Chantal
C
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014818:Vitellogenesis
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D004441:Ecdysterone; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System