Widespread divergence between incipient Anopheles gambiae species revealed by whole genome sequences.

The Afrotropical mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, a major vector of malaria, is currently undergoing speciation into the M and S molecular forms. These forms have diverged in larval ecology and reproductive behavior through unknown genetic mechanisms, despite considerable levels of hybridization. Previous genome-wide scans using gene-based microarrays uncovered divergence between M and S that was largely confined to gene-poor pericentromeric regions, prompting a speciation-with-ongoing-gene-flow model that implicated only about 3% of the genome near centromeres in the speciation process. Here, based on the complete M and S genome sequences, we report widespread and heterogeneous genomic divergence inconsistent with appreciable levels of interform gene flow, suggesting a more advanced speciation process and greater challenges to identify genes critical to initiating that process.

SNP genotyping defines complex gene-flow boundaries among African malaria vector mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes in the Anopheles gambiae complex show rapid ecological and behavioral diversification, traits that promote malaria transmission and complicate vector control efforts. A high-density, genome-wide mosquito SNP-genotyping array allowed mapping of genomic differentiation between populations and species that exhibit varying levels of reproductive isolation. Regions near centromeres or within polymorphic inversions exhibited the greatest genetic divergence, but divergence was also observed elsewhere in the genomes. Signals of natural selection within populations were overrepresented among genomic regions that are differentiated between populations, implying that differentiation is often driven by population-specific selective events. Complex genomic differentiation among speciating vector mosquito populations implies that tools for genome-wide monitoring of population structure will prove useful for the advancement of malaria eradication.

Anopheles gambiae P450 reductase is highly expressed in oenocytes and in vivo knockdown increases permethrin susceptibility.

We describe an in vivo model for investigation of detoxification mechanisms of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, important for the development of malaria control programmes. Cytochrome P450s are involved in metabolic insecticide resistance and require NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) to function. Here we demonstrate that the major sites of adult mosquito CPR expression are oenocytes, mid-gut epithelia and head appendages. High CPR expression was also evident in Drosophila oenocytes indicating a general functional role in these insect cells. RNAi mediated knockdown drastically reduced CPR expression in oenocytes, and to a lesser extent in mid-gut epithelia; the head was unaffected. These flies showed enhanced sensitivity to permethrin, demonstrating a key role for abdominal/mid-gut P450s in pyrethroid metabolism, aiding the development of insecticides.

Modulation of Anopheles gambiae gene expression in response to o'nyong-nyong virus infection.

To determine if gene expression of An. gambiae is modulated in response to o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) infection, we utilized cDNA microarrays including about 20 000 cDNAs. Gene expression levels of ONNV-infected female mosquitoes were compared to that of the uninfected control females harvested at 14 days postinfection. In response to ONNV infection, expression levels of 18 genes were significantly modulated, being at least two-fold up- or down-regulated. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) further substantiated the differential expression of six of these genes in response to ONNV infection. These genes have similarity to a putative heat shock protein 70, DAN4, agglutinin attachment subunit, elongation factor 1 alpha and ribosomal protein L35. One gene, with sequence similarity to mitochondrial ribosomal protein L7, was down-regulated in infected mosquitoes. The expression levels and annotation of the differentially expressed genes are discussed in the context of host/virus interaction including host translation/replication factors, and intracellular transport pathways.

Gene expression in insecticide resistant and susceptible Anopheles gambiae strains constitutively or after insecticide exposure.

A microarray containing approximately 20 000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs; 11 760 unique EST clusters) from the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, was used to monitor differences in global gene expression in two insecticide resistant and one susceptible strains. Statistical analysis identified 77 ESTs that were differentially transcribed among the three strains. These include the cytochrome P450 CYP314A1, over-transcribed in the DDT resistant ZAN/U strain, and many genes that belong to families not usually associated with insecticide resistance, such as peptidases, sodium/calcium exchangers and genes implicated in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Short-term (6 and 10 h) effects of exposure of the pyrethroid resistant RSP strain to permethrin were also detected. Several genes belonging to enzyme families already implicated in insecticide or xenobiotic detoxification were induced, including the carboxylesterase COEAE2F gene and members of the UDP-glucuronosyl transferase and nitrilase families.

Mosquito immunity against Plasmodium.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the innate immune responses of Anopheles gambiae against Plasmodium parasites is of great importance for current efforts to develop novel strategies for malaria disease control. The parasite undergoes substantial stage-specific losses during its development in the mosquito, which in some cases lead to complete refractoriness of the mosquito against the parasite. The underlying genetics of refractoriness are complex and multifactorial. Completion of the genome sequence of An. gambiae 2 years ago, together with the development of DNA microarrays in this species and the extension of the RNAi technique to adult mosquitoes, has allowed comparative and functional genomic approaches of the mosquito innate immune system. A variety of factors were shown to negatively affect the development of Plasmodium parasites in the mosquito, in some cases leading to complete transmission blockage. In addition, mosquito factors have been identified that play positive roles and are required for successful transmission of the parasite. These findings indicate a highly complex interplay between parasite and vector. Research is continuing to identify new factors involved in this interaction and to decipher the interplay of these molecules and their regulation.

Cloning and molecular characterization of two mosquito iron regulatory proteins.

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) control the synthesis of various proteins at the translational level by binding to iron responsive elements (IREs) in the mRNAs. Iron, infection, and stress can alter IRP/IRE binding activity. Insect messenger RNAs for ferritin and succinate dehydrogenase subunit b have IREs that are active translational control sites. We have cloned and sequenced cDNAs encoding proteins from the IRP1 family for the mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. Both deduced amino acid sequences show substantial similarity to human IRP1 and Drosophila IRP1A and IRP1B, and all of the residues thought to be involved in aconitase activity and iron-sulfur cluster formation are conserved. Recombinant A. aegypti IRP1 binds to transcripts of the IREs of mosquito or human ferritin subunit mRNAs. No significant change in A. gambiae IRP1 messenger RNA could be detected during the various developmental stages of the life cycle, following iron loading by blood feeding, or after bacterial or parasitic infections. These data suggest that there is no change in gene transcription. Furthermore, bacterial challenge of A. gambiae cells did not change IRP1 protein levels. In contrast, IRP1 binding activity for the IRE was elevated following immune induction. These data show that changes in IRP1/IRE binding activity occur as part of the insect immune response.

Visual arrestins in olfactory pathways of Drosophila and the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae.

Arrestins are important components for desensitization of G protein-coupled receptor cascades that mediate neurotransmission as well as olfactory and visual sensory reception. We have isolated AgArr1, an arrestin-encoding cDNA from the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, where olfaction is critical for vectorial capacity. Analysis of AgArr1 expression revealed an overlap between chemosensory and photoreceptor neurons. Furthermore, an examination of previously identified arrestins from Drosophila melanogaster exposed similar bimodal expression, and Drosophila arrestin mutants demonstrate impaired electrophysiological responses to olfactory stimuli. Thus, we show that arrestins in Drosophila are required for normal olfactory physiology in addition to their previously described role in visual signaling. These findings suggest that individual arrestins function in both olfactory and visual pathways in Dipteran insects; these genes may prove useful in the design of control strategies that target olfactory-dependent behaviors of insect disease vectors.

Gambicin: a novel immune responsive antimicrobial peptide from the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae.

A novel mosquito antimicrobial peptide, gambicin, and the corresponding gene were isolated in parallel through differential display-PCR, an expressed sequence tag (EST) project, and characterization of an antimicrobial activity in a mosquito cell line by reverse-phase chromatography. The 616-bp gambicin ORF encodes an 81-residue protein that is processed and secreted as a 61-aa mature peptide containing eight cysteines engaged in four disulfide bridges. Gambicin lacks sequence homology with other known proteins. Like other Anopheles gambiae antimicrobial peptide genes, gambicin is induced by natural or experimental infection in the midgut, fatbody, and hemocyte-like cell lines. Within the midgut, gambicin is predominantly expressed in the anterior part. Both local and systemic gambicin expression is induced during early and late stages of natural malaria infection. In vitro experiments showed that the 6.8-kDa mature peptide can kill both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, has a morphogenic effect on a filamentous fungus, and is marginally lethal to Plasmodium berghei ookinetes. An oxidized form of gambicin isolated from the cell line medium was more active against bacteria than the nonoxidized form from the same medium.

When genetic distance matters: measuring genetic differentiation at microsatellite loci in whole-genome scans of recent and incipient mosquito species.

Genetic distance measurements are an important tool to differentiate field populations of disease vectors such as the mosquito vectors of malaria. Here, we have measured the genetic differentiation between Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles gambiae, as well as between proposed emerging species of the latter taxon, in whole genome scans by using 23-25 microsatellite loci. In doing so, we have reviewed and evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of standard parameters of genetic distance, F(ST), R(ST), (delta mu)(2), and D. Further, we have introduced new parameters, D' and D(K), which have well defined statistical significance tests and complement the standard parameters to advantage. D' is a modification of D, whereas D(K) is a measure of covariance based on Pearson's correlation coefficient. We find that A. gambiae and A. arabiensis are closely related at most autosomal loci but appear to be distantly related on the basis of X-linked chromosomal loci within the chromosomal Xag inversion. The M and S molecular forms of A. gambiae are practically indistinguishable but differ significantly at two microsatellite loci from the proximal region of the X, outside the Xag inversion. At one of these loci, both M and S molecular forms differ significantly from A. arabiensis, but remarkably, at the other locus, A. arabiensis is indistinguishable from the M molecular form of A. gambiae. These data support the recent proposal of genetically differentiated M and S molecular forms of A. gambiae.

P25 and P28 proteins of the malaria ookinete surface have multiple and partially redundant functions.

The ookinete surface proteins (P25 and P28) are proven antimalarial transmission-blocking vaccine targets, yet their biological functions are unknown. By using single (Sko) and double gene knock-out (Dko) Plasmodium berghei parasites, we show that P25 and P28 share multiple functions during ookinete/oocyst development. In the midgut of mosquitoes, the formation of ookinetes lacking both proteins (Dko parasites) is significantly inhibited due to decreased protection against lethal factors, including protease attack. In addition, Dko ookinetes have a much reduced capacity to traverse the midgut epithelium and to transform into the oocyst stage. P25 and P28 are partially redundant in these functions, since the efficiency of ookinete/oocyst development is only mildly compromised in parasites lacking either P25 or P28 (Sko parasites) compared with that of Dko parasites. The fact that Sko parasites are efficiently transmitted by the mosquito is a compelling reason for including both target antigens in transmission-blocking vaccines.

From first base: the sequence of the tip of the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster, a comparison of two sequencing strategies.

We present the sequence of a contiguous 2.63 Mb of DNA extending from the tip of the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. Within this sequence, we predict 277 protein coding genes, of which 94 had been sequenced already in the course of studying the biology of their gene products, and examples of 12 different transposable elements. We show that an interval between bands 3A2 and 3C2, believed in the 1970s to show a correlation between the number of bands on the polytene chromosomes and the 20 genes identified by conventional genetics, is predicted to contain 45 genes from its DNA sequence. We have determined the insertion sites of P-elements from 111 mutant lines, about half of which are in a position likely to affect the expression of novel predicted genes, thus representing a resource for subsequent functional genomic analysis. We compare the European Drosophila Genome Project sequence with the corresponding part of the independently assembled and annotated Joint Sequence determined through "shotgun" sequencing. Discounting differences in the distribution of known transposable elements between the strains sequenced in the two projects, we detected three major sequence differences, two of which are probably explained by errors in assembly; the origin of the third major difference is unclear. In addition there are eight sequence gaps within the Joint Sequence. At least six of these eight gaps are likely to be sites of transposable elements; the other two are complex. Of the 275 genes in common to both projects, 60% are identical within 1% of their predicted amino-acid sequence and 31% show minor differences such as in choice of translation initiation or termination codons; the remaining 9% show major differences in interpretation.

Drosophila puckered regulates Fos/Jun levels during follicle cell morphogenesis.

puckered (puc) encodes a VH1-like phosphatase that down-regulates Jun kinase (JNK) activity during dorsal closure of the Drosophila embryo. We report a role for puc in follicle cell morphogenesis during oogenesis. puc mRNA accumulates preferentially in the centripetally migrating follicle cells and cells of the elongating dorsal appendages. Proper levels of Puc activity in the follicle cells are critical for the production of a normal egg: either reduced or increased Puc activity result in incomplete nurse cell dumping and aberrant dorsal appendages. Phenotypes associated with puc mutant follicle cells include altered DE-cadherin expression in the follicle cells and a failure of nurse cell dumping to coordinate with dorsal appendage elongation, leading to the formation of cup-shaped egg chambers. The JNK pathway target A251-lacZ showed cell-type-specific differences in its regulation by puc and by the small GTPase DRac1. puc mutant cells displayed region-specific ectopic expression of the A251-lacZ enhancer trap whereas overexpression of a transgene encoding Puc was sufficient to suppress lacZ expression in a cell autonomous fashion. Strikingly, decreased or increased puc function leads to a corresponding increase or decrease, respectively, of Fos and Jun protein levels. Taken together, these data indicate that puc modulates gene expression responses by antagonizing a Rho GTPase signal transduction pathway that stabilizes the AP-1 transcription factor. Consistent with this, overexpression of a dominant negative DRac1 resulted in lower levels of Fos/Jun.

Conserved role of a complement-like protein in phagocytosis revealed by dsRNA knockout in cultured cells of the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.

We characterize a novel hemocyte-specific acute phase glycoprotein from the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae. It shows substantial structural and functional similarities, including the highly conserved thioester motif, to both a central component of mammalian complement system, factor C3, and to a pan-protease inhibitor, alpha2-macroglobulin. Most importantly, this protein serves as a complement-like opsonin and promotes phagocytosis of some Gram-negative bacteria in a mosquito hemocyte-like cell line. Chemical inactivation by methylamine and depletion by double-stranded RNA knockout demonstrate that this function is dependent on the internal thioester bond. This evidence of a complement-like function in a protostome animal adds substantially to the accumulating evidence of a common ancestry of immune defenses in insects and vertebrates.

Genomic organization and characterization of the white locus of the Mediterranean fruitfly, Ceratitis capitata.

An approximately 14-kb region of genomic DNA encoding the wild-type white eye (w+) color gene from the medfly, Ceratitis capitata has been cloned and characterized at the molecular level. Comparison of the intron-exon organization of this locus among several dipteran insects reveals distinct organizational patterns that are consistent with the phylogenetic relationships of these flies and the dendrogram of the predicted primary amino acid sequence of the white loci. An examination of w+ expression during medfly development has been carried out, displaying overall similarity to corresponding studies for white gene homologues in Drosophila melanogaster and other insects. Interestingly, we have detected two phenotypically neutral allelic forms of the locus that have arisen as the result of an apparently novel insertion or deletion event located in the large first intron of the medfly white locus. Cloning and sequencing of two mutant white alleles, w1 and w2, from the we,wp and M245 strains, respectively, indicate that the mutant conditions in these strains are the result of independent events--a frameshift mutation in exon 6 for w1 and a deletion including a large part of exon 2 in the case of w2.

Spalt modifies EGFR-mediated induction of chordotonal precursors in the embryonic PNS of Drosophila promoting the development of oenocytes.

Genes of the spalt family encode nuclear zinc finger proteins. In Drosophila melanogaster, they are necessary for the establishment of head/trunk identity, correct tracheal migration and patterning of the wing imaginal disc. Spalt proteins display a predominant pattern of expression in the nervous system, not only in Drosophila but also in species of fish, mouse, frog and human, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved role for these proteins in nervous system development. Here we show that Spalt works as a cell fate switch between two EGFR-induced cell types, the oenocytes and the precursors of the pentascolopodial organ in the embryonic peripheral nervous system. We show that removal of spalt increases the number of scolopodia, as a result of extra secondary recruitment of precursor cells at the expense of the oenocytes. In addition, the absence of spalt causes defects in the normal migration of the pentascolopodial organ. The dual function of spalt in the development of this organ, recruitment of precursors and migration, is reminiscent of its role in tracheal formation and of the role of a spalt homologue, sem-4, in the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system.

Innate immune defense against malaria infection in the mosquito.

Anopheles gambiae, the most important vector of malaria, employs its innate immune system in the fight against Plasmodium. This can affect the propagative capacity of Plasmodium in the vector and, in some cases, leads to total refractoriness to the parasite. The components operating in the mosquito's innate immune system and their potential relevance to antimalarial responses are being systematically dissected.

Nuclear factors bind to a conserved DNA element that modulates transcription of Anopheles gambiae trypsin genes.

The Anopheles gambiae trypsin family consists of seven genes that are transcribed in the gut of female mosquitoes in a temporal coordinated and mutually exclusive manner, suggesting the involvement of a complex transcription regulatory mechanism. We identified a highly conserved 12-nucleotide motif present in all A. gambiae and Anopheles stephensi trypsin promoters. We investigated the role of this putative trypsin regulatory element (PTRE) in controlling the transcription of the trypsin genes. Gel shift experiments demonstrated that nuclear proteins of A. gambiae cell lines formed two distinct complexes with probes encompassing the PTRE sequence. Mapping of the binding sites revealed that one of the complex has the specificity of a GATA transcription factor. Promoter constructs containing mutations in the PTRE sequence that selectively abolished the binding of either one or both complexes exerted opposite effects on the transcriptional activity of trypsin promoters in A. gambiae and Aedes aegypti cell lines. In addition, the expression of a novel GATA gene was highly enriched in A. gambiae guts. Taken together our data prove that factors binding to the PTRE region are key regulatory elements possibly involved in the blood meal-induced repression and activation of transcription in early and late trypsin genes.