The search for sex pheromones in malaria mosquitoes

AbstractCues involved in mate seeking and recognition prevent hybridization and can be involved in speciation processes. In malaria mosquitoes, females of the two sibling species Anopheles gambiae s.s. and An. coluzzii mate in monospecific male swarms and hybrids are rare. Long-range sex pheromones driving this behavior have been debated in literature but to date, no study has proven their existence or their absence. Here, we attempted to bring to light their existence. To put all the odds in our favor, we used different chemical ecology methods such as behavioral and electrophysiological assays as well chemical analyses, and we worked with mosquitoes at their optimal physiological mating state i.e. with swarming males during their natural swarming windows. Despite all our efforts, our results support the absence of long-range sex pheromones involved in swarm detection and recognition by females. We briefly discuss the implications of this finding in ecology, evolution and for control strategies.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of A mutation with major effects on Drosophila melanogaster sex pheromones.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1031274.365559 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Artyom Kopp

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Sex Pheromones

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Behavioural and genetic analyses of Nasonia shed light on the evolution of sex pheromones.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.718016770.793477928 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Joseph Heitman ◽

Sujal Phadke

Keyword(s):

Sex Pheromones ◽

Evolution Of Sex ◽

Genetic Analyses ◽

Shed Light

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Chromosome inversions and ecological plasticity in the main African malaria mosquitoes

Evolution ◽

10.1111/evo.13176 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 71 (3) ◽

pp. 686-701 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Diego Ayala ◽

Pelayo Acevedo ◽

Marco Pombi ◽

Ibrahima Dia ◽

Daniela Boccolini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecological Plasticity ◽

Chromosome Inversions ◽

Malaria Mosquitoes

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The production of excretory-secretory molecules from Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri fourth stage larvae varies between mixed and single sex cultures

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-021-04613-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marta Maruszewska-Cheruiyot ◽

Ludmiła Szewczak ◽

Katarzyna Krawczak-Wójcik ◽

Magdalena Głaczyńska ◽

Katarzyna Donskow-Łysoniewska

Keyword(s):

Sex Pheromones ◽

Pheromone Communication ◽

Larval Culture ◽

Heligmosomoides Polygyrus ◽

Single Sex ◽

Opposite Sex ◽

Potential Vaccine ◽

Immunomodulatory Properties ◽

Therapeutic Compounds ◽

Immunomodulatory Potential

Abstract Background Excretory-secretory (ES) products are crucial in maintaining helminths in the host. Consequently, the proteins of ES are potential vaccine molecules and potential therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases. Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri, a gastrointestinal parasite of mice, is a model of hookworm infection in humans. ES produced by both sexes of H. polygyrus bakeri L4 stage cultured separately shows different immunomodulatory properties than ES obtained when both sexes are cultured together. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to identify and compare the excretory-secretory molecules from single-sex and mixed cultures. Methods The composition of ES of male and female L4 stage nematodes in the presence (cultured together) or absence (cultured alone) of the opposite sex was examined. Proteins were identified using mass spectrometry. The functions of identified proteins were explored with Blast2GO. Results A total of 258 proteins derived from mixed larval culture in the presence of sex pheromones were identified, 160 proteins from pure female cultures and 172 from pure male cultures. Exposure of nematodes to the sex pheromones results in abundant production of proteins with immunomodulatory properties such as Val proteins, acetylcholinesterases, TGF-β mimic 9 and HpARI. Proteins found only in ES from mixed larval cultures were TGF-β mimics 6 and 7 as well as galectin. Conclusions The presence of the opposite sex strongly influences the composition of ES products, probably by chemical (pheromone) communication between individuals. However, examination of the composition of ES from various conditions gives an opportunity for searching for new potentially therapeutic compounds and anthelminthics as well as components of vaccines. Manipulation of the nematode environment might be important for the studies on the immunomodulatory potential of nematodes.

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