Abstract
Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti was recently transinfected with a life-shortening strain of the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis (wMelPop) as the first step in developing a biocontrol strategy for dengue virus transmission. In addition to life-shortening, the wMelPop-infected mosquitoes also exhibit increased daytime activity and metabolic rates. Here we sought to quantify the blood-feeding behaviour of Wolbachia-infected females as an indicator of any virulence or energetic drain associated with Wolbachia infection. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a series of blood-feeding trials in response to humans, we have shown that Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes do not differ in their response time to humans, but that as they age they obtain fewer and smaller blood meals than Wolbachia-uninfected controls. Lastly, we observed a behavioural characteristic in the Wolbachia infected mosquitoes best described as a "bendy" proboscis that may explain the decreased biting success. Conclusions/Significance: Taken together the evidence suggests that wMelPop infection may be causing tissue damage in a manner that intensifies with mosquito age and that leads to reduced blood-feeding success. These behavioural changes require further investigation with respect to a possible physiological mechanism and their role in vectorial capacity of the insect. The selective decrease of feeding success in older mosquitoes may act synergistically with other Wolbachiaassociated traits including life-shortening and viral protection in biocontrol strategies.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | e516 |
| Journal | PLoS neglected tropical diseases |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2009 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases
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Wolbachia infection reduces blood-feeding success in the dengue fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. / Turley, Andrew P.; Moreira, Luciano A.; O'Neill, Scott L.; Mcgraw, Elizabeth.
In: PLoS neglected tropical diseases, Vol. 3, No. 9, e516, 01.09.2009.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Wolbachia infection reduces blood-feeding success in the dengue fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti
AU - Turley, Andrew P.
AU - Moreira, Luciano A.
AU - O'Neill, Scott L.
AU - Mcgraw, Elizabeth
PY - 2009/9/1
Y1 - 2009/9/1
N2 - Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti was recently transinfected with a life-shortening strain of the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis (wMelPop) as the first step in developing a biocontrol strategy for dengue virus transmission. In addition to life-shortening, the wMelPop-infected mosquitoes also exhibit increased daytime activity and metabolic rates. Here we sought to quantify the blood-feeding behaviour of Wolbachia-infected females as an indicator of any virulence or energetic drain associated with Wolbachia infection. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a series of blood-feeding trials in response to humans, we have shown that Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes do not differ in their response time to humans, but that as they age they obtain fewer and smaller blood meals than Wolbachia-uninfected controls. Lastly, we observed a behavioural characteristic in the Wolbachia infected mosquitoes best described as a "bendy" proboscis that may explain the decreased biting success. Conclusions/Significance: Taken together the evidence suggests that wMelPop infection may be causing tissue damage in a manner that intensifies with mosquito age and that leads to reduced blood-feeding success. These behavioural changes require further investigation with respect to a possible physiological mechanism and their role in vectorial capacity of the insect. The selective decrease of feeding success in older mosquitoes may act synergistically with other Wolbachiaassociated traits including life-shortening and viral protection in biocontrol strategies.
AB - Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti was recently transinfected with a life-shortening strain of the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis (wMelPop) as the first step in developing a biocontrol strategy for dengue virus transmission. In addition to life-shortening, the wMelPop-infected mosquitoes also exhibit increased daytime activity and metabolic rates. Here we sought to quantify the blood-feeding behaviour of Wolbachia-infected females as an indicator of any virulence or energetic drain associated with Wolbachia infection. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a series of blood-feeding trials in response to humans, we have shown that Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes do not differ in their response time to humans, but that as they age they obtain fewer and smaller blood meals than Wolbachia-uninfected controls. Lastly, we observed a behavioural characteristic in the Wolbachia infected mosquitoes best described as a "bendy" proboscis that may explain the decreased biting success. Conclusions/Significance: Taken together the evidence suggests that wMelPop infection may be causing tissue damage in a manner that intensifies with mosquito age and that leads to reduced blood-feeding success. These behavioural changes require further investigation with respect to a possible physiological mechanism and their role in vectorial capacity of the insect. The selective decrease of feeding success in older mosquitoes may act synergistically with other Wolbachiaassociated traits including life-shortening and viral protection in biocontrol strategies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70449497794&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70449497794&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000516
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000516
M3 - Article
C2 - 19753103
AN - SCOPUS:70449497794
VL - 3
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
SN - 1935-2727
IS - 9
M1 - e516
ER -