Circadian clock of Aedes aegypti: effects of blood-feeding, insemination and RNA interference.
Mosquitoes are the culprits of some of the most important vector borne diseases. A species' potential as a vector is directly dependent on their pattern of behaviour, which is known to change according to the female's physiological status such as whether the female is virgin/mated and unfed/blood-fed. However, the molecular mechanism triggered by and/or responsible for such modulations in behaviour is poorly understood. Clock genes are known to be responsible for the control of circadian behaviour in several species. Here we investigate the impact mating and blood-feeding have upon the expression of these genes in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. We show that blood intake, but not insemination, is responsible for the down-regulation of clock genes. Using RNA interference, we observe a slight reduction in the evening activity peak in the fourth day after dstim injection. These data suggest that, as in Drosophila, clock gene expression, circadian behaviour and environmental light regimens are interconnected in Ae. aegypti.
Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular.
Carla
C
Gentile
Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular.
Gustavo Bueno da S
GB
Rivas
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Brasil, Rio de JaneiroRJ, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
José B P
JB
Lima
Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular.
Rafaela Vieira
RV
Bruno
Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular.
Alexandre Afranio
AA
Peixoto
D000330:Aedes / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D056926:CLOCK Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000235:genetics*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D007314:Insemination / Q000235:genetics*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics; D017440:Photoperiod; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
D056926:CLOCK Proteins