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Receptors mediating host-seeking behaviour in mosquitoes and their regulation by endogenous hormones

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

E. E. Davis
Affiliation:
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
D. A. Haggart
Affiliation:
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
M. F. Bowen
Affiliation:
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
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Abstract

The behavioural process by which a mosquito finds a potential host organism is mediated by olfactory receptors on the insect's antennae. Lactic acid (LA) is a host-related odour common to all potential hosts. On the antennae of the female are two LA-sensitive neurons; one of these is excited by LA but the other is inhibited by LA. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the LA-excited neuron is correlated 1:1 with the presence of host-seeking behaviour such that when host-seeking behaviour is inhibited following a blood meal, the sensitivity of the LA-excited neuron is markedly decreased. The inhibition of host-seeking behaviour and the decrease in LA-sensitivity are induced by a hemolymph-borne factor released during oocyte maturation. The source of this factor is the fat body of blood-fed females, which requires a vitellogenic ovary for its production and/or release. The combined activity of the two types of LA-sensitive neurons together with the shift in sensitivity of the LA-excited neuron from a range where host levels of LA are present to a range exceeding LA levels expected from a host are sufficient to account for the inhibition of host-seeking behaviour following a blood meal.

Résumé

La conduite par laquelle le moustique se trouve an hote-organisme potentiel, est entremis par des recepteurs olfactif sur les antennes de l'insecte. Lactique-acide (LA) est un hote-rapport, une odeur commune de l'hote-rapport a tous les hotes potentiel. Sur l'antenne de la femelle, il y a deux neurons LA-sensitif; seulement un des deux est excite par le LA, mais l'autre est arrete par le LA. En outre, la sensitivitie due neuron LA-excite corresponds 1:1 avec la presence de l'hote-chercheur et sa conduite est tel, que lorsque la conduite de l'hote-chercheur est inhibite apres un repas sanguin, la sensitivite du neuron LA-excite est tres diminuee. L'inhibition de la conduite de l'hote-chercheur et le decroissement dans la sensitivitie sont introduit par un nouveau agent, hemolymph, qui est decharge pendant la maturite de l'oocyte. La source de cet agent est la graisse des femelles nourrie par le sang, qui demande une ovaire vitellogenique pour sa production et/ou replacement. Les activites combinees de ces deux types: neurons de LA-sensitif avec la difference dans la sensitivite des neurons LA-excite d'un rang depuis un niveau ou les niveaux de l'hote avec le LA sont present a un rang excedant le niveau LA expecte d'un hote sont suffisant pour expliquer l'inhibition de la conduite de l'hote-chercheur apres un repas sanguin.

Type
Symposium V: Host-seeking Mechanisms of Arthropods of Medical and Veterinary Importance
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1987

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