Plant-mediated effects on mosquito capacity to transmit human malaria

The ecological context in which mosquitoes and malaria parasites interact has received little attention, compared to the genetic and molecular aspects of malaria transmission. Plant nectar and fruits are important for the nutritional ecology of malaria vectors, but how the natural diversity of plant-derived sugar sources affects mosquito competence for malaria parasites is unclear. To test this, we infected Anopheles coluzzi, an important African malaria vector, with sympatric field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum, using direct membrane feeding assays. Through a series of experiments, we then examined the effects of sugar meals from Thevetia neriifolia and Barleria lupilina cuttings that included flowers, and fruit from Lannea microcarpa and Mangifera indica on parasite and mosquito traits that are key for determining the intensity of malaria transmission. We found that the source of plant sugar meal differentially affected infection prevalence and intensity, the development duration of the parasites, as well as the survival and fecundity of the vector. These effects are likely the result of complex interactions between toxic secondary metabolites and the nutritional quality of the plant sugar source, as well as of host resource availability and parasite growth. Using an epidemiological model, we show that plant sugar source can be a significant driver of malaria transmission dynamics, with some plant species exhibiting either transmission-reducing or -enhancing activities

Origin, transfer and distribution of cantharidin-related compounds in the blister beetle Hycleus scabiosae

Cantharidin provides chemical protection for the coleopteran families Meloidae and Oedemeridae. In the present study, it was observed that cantharidin concentration in Hycleus scabiosae was slightly decreased from mated females (mean = 0.011 mg/mg of dry weight) to males (mean = 0.010 mg/mg) and considerably diminished in relation to virgin females (mean = 0.005 mg/mg). Significant concentrations of palasonin (21.69 ng/mg among virgins and 17.49 ng/mg in mated females) and palasoninimide (14.62 ng/mg in virgins and 9.17 ng/mg in mated females) were found in H. scabiosae. Palasonin, palasoninimide and cantharidinimide content of eggs were measured as 5.61, 7.69 and 7.80 ng/mg respectively. Surprisingly, males showed no trace of cantharidin-related compounds (CRCs); therefore CRCs in H. scabiosae could not be transferred from males to females and based on experiments employing its deuterated form, cantharidin is probably independently synthesized in females from the male nuptial transfer. An inseminated female incorporates about 38.5 ng of cantharidin (0.34% of the maternal content), 196.35 ng of palasonin (91.82% of maternal content) and 269.15 ng of palasoninimide (96.70% maternal content) into each egg mass during oviposition. It seems that eggs of this meloid species exploit a different array of protective chemicals by increasing the ratio of CRCs versus cantharidin. CRCs are less toxic than cantharidin; therefore, such compounds might have been deposited in eggs as a safer substitute for cantharidin to provide effective protection, but does not simultaneously harm the susceptible embryo

A Novel Approach to the Quantitation of Coeluting Cantharidin and Deuterium Labelled Cantharidin in Blister Beetles (Coleop-tera: Meloidae)

Blister beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae) are the main natural source of cantharidin, but the compound titre is depended on several factors including, age, sex and mating status of the insects. In order to eliminate such uncertainty factors in physio¬logical and chemical studies deuterium labelled cantharidin (D2C) with no natural abundance is normally introduced into the beetles' body to use it as a model for studying the cantharidin behaviour in vivo. Experiments were achieved on Mylabris quadripunctata (Col.: Meloidae) from Southern France and the beetles were exposed to an artificial diet containing a de¬fined amount of D2C. On the other hand, because of the high similarity between the two compounds they cannot be well quantified by gas chromatography. In order to remove the burden, MRM technique was used for the first time which could successfully create well-defined cantharidin and D2C peaks and hence a precise measurement. MRM technique was exam¬ined using a GC-MS Varian Saturn which collected MS/MS data of more than one compound in the same time window of the chromatogram. It is especially useful when coeluting compounds have different parent ions, i.e. m/z 84 for D2C (coelut¬ing isotopically-labelled compound) and m/z 82 for cantharidin (beetle-originated compound). Using the routine GC-MS runs, measurement accuracy may be significantly reduced because the D2C peak is covered by the cantharidin huge peak while MRM could reveal the two coincided peaks of cantharidin and D2C. Therefore MRM is hereby introduced as the method of choice to separate cantharidin from D2C with high sensitivity and thus provide a precise base of quantitation