Mosquito host-seeking diel rhythm and chemosensory gene expression is affected by age and Plasmodium stages

Hajkazemian, M., Hill, S. R., Mozūraitis, R., Ranford-Cartwright, L. , Emami, S. N. and Ignell, R. (2022) Mosquito host-seeking diel rhythm and chemosensory gene expression is affected by age and Plasmodium stages. Scientific Reports, 12, 18814. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23529-7) (PMID:36335172) (PMCID:PMC9637142)

Abstract

Malaria parasites can affect vector-related behaviours, increasing transmission success. Using Anopheles gambiae and Plasmodium falciparum, we consider the effect of interaction between infection stage and vector age on diel locomotion in response to human odour and the expression of antennal chemosensory genes. We identified age-dependent behavioural diel compartmentalisation by uninfected females post-blood meal. Infection disrupts overall and diel activity patterns compared with age-matched controls. In this study, mosquitoes carrying transmissible sporozoites were more active, shifting activity periods which corresponded with human host availability, in response to human odour. Older, uninfected, blood-fed females displayed reduced activity during their peak host-seeking period in response to human odour. Age- and infection stage-specific changes in odour-mediated locomotion coincide with altered transcript abundance of select chemosensory genes suggesting a possible molecular mechanism regulating the behaviour. We hypothesize that vector-related behaviours of female mosquitoes are altered by infection stage and further modulated by the age post-blood meal of the vector. Findings may have important implications for malaria transmission and disease dynamics.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ranford-Cartwright, Dr Lisa
• Authors: Hajkazemian, M., Hill, S. R., Mozūraitis, R., Ranford-Cartwright, L., Emami, S. N., and Ignell, R.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN (Online): 2045-2322
• Published Online: 05 November 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © Crown 2022
• First Published: First published in Scientific Reports 12: 18814
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License