Stage-specific transcription during development of Aedes aegypti

Abstract

BackgroundAedes aegypti is the most important global vector of dengue virus infection in humans. Availability of the draft genome sequence of this mosquito provides unique opportunities to study different aspects of its biology, including identification of genes and pathways relevant to the developmental processes associated with transition across individual life stages. However, detailed knowledge of gene expression patterns pertaining to developmental stages of A. aegypti is largely lacking.ResultsWe performed custom cDNA microarray analyses to examine the expression patterns among six developmental stages: early larvae, late larvae, early pupae, late pupae, and adult male and female mosquitoes. Results revealed 1,551 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) showing significant differences in levels of expression between these life stages. The data suggests that most of the differential expression occurs in a stage specific manner in A. aegypti. Based on hierarchical clustering of expression levels, correlated expression patterns of DETs were also observed among developmental stages. Weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed modular patterns of expression among the DETs. We observed that hydrolase activity, membrane, integral to membrane, DNA binding, translation, ribosome, nucleoside-triphosphatase activity, structural constituent of ribosome, ribonucleoprotein complex and receptor activity were among the top ten ranked GO (Gene Ontology) terms associated with DETs. Significant associations of DETs were also observed with specific KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway modules. Finally, comparisons with the previously reported developmental transcriptome of the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, indicated that gene expression patterns during developmental processes reflect both species-specific as well as common components of the two mosquito species.ConclusionsOur study shows that genes involved in the developmental life cycle of A. aegypti are expressed in a highly stage-specific manner. This suggests that transcriptional events associated with transition through larval, pupal and adult stages are largely discrete.

The essential oil of Lippia alba Mill (Lamiales:Verbenaceae) as mosquitocidal and repellent agent against Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes aegypti Linn (Diptera: Culicidae)

“…In the current investigation, the essential oil of L. alba was employed against different developmental stages of C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti, and it was found that the same plant oil exhibited different activity showing higher efficacy against C. quinquefasciatus than Aedes aegypti. These differences might be due to diverse genetic constituency and differential rate of transcription of various genes responsible for the production of detoxifying enzymes like esterase, mixed-function oxidases and glutathione-S-transferases involved in these two targeted mosquito species (Harker et al 2013;Sarkar, Bhattacharyya, Borkotoki, Baruah, and Srivastava, 2009). The developmental stages of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus were not equally affected by the same essential oil while offering the same environmental conditions.…”

Dynamic expression of miRNAs across immature and adult stages of the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi

“…Such complete metamorphosis involves complex interplay of ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone activities and regulation of transcriptional events [ 1 , 2 ].…”

High functional conservation of takeout family members in a courtship model system

“…aegypti male RNA library kindly provided by Dr. David Severson, University of Notre Dame. The RNA had been isolated from the strain that was used for the Aedes aegypti genome sequences [ 23 ] in which we identified the homologue. We observed complete rescue when the Aedes takeout homologue was expressed in the fat body of to 1 /to 1 ; fru 4 /+ mutants ( Fig 2 ).…”