Analysis of the Aedes albopictus C6/36 genome provides insight into cell line utility for viral propagation

BACKGROUND: The 50-year-old Aedes albopictus C6/36 cell line is a resource for the detection, amplification, and analysis of mosquito-borne viruses including Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. The cell line is derived from an unknown number of larvae from an unspecified strain of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Toward improved utility of the cell line for research in virus transmission, we present an annotated assembly of the C6/36 genome. RESULTS: The C6/36 genome assembly has the largest contig N50 (3.3 Mbp) of any mosquito assembly, presents the sequences of both haplotypes for most of the diploid genome, reveals independent null mutations in both alleles of the Dicer locus, and indicates a male-specific genome. Gene annotation was computed with publicly available mosquito transcript sequences. Gene expression data from cell line RNA sequence identified enrichment of growth-related pathways and conspicuous deficiency in aquaporins and inward rectifier K+ channels. As a test of utility, RNA sequence data from Zika-infected cells were mapped to the C6/36 genome and transcriptome assemblies. Host subtraction reduced the data set by 89%, enabling faster characterization of nonhost reads. CONCLUSIONS: The C6/36 genome sequence and annotation should enable additional uses of the cell line to study arbovirus vector interactions and interventions aimed at restricting the spread of human disease

New discrete and polymeric supramolecular architectures derived from dinuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of aryl-linked bis-beta-diketonato ligands and nitrogen bases: synthetic, structural and high pressure studies

New examples of nitrogen base adducts of dinuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of the doubly deprotonated forms of 1,3-aryl linked bis-β-diketones of type [RC([double bond, length as m-dash]O)CH2C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)C6H4C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)CH2C([double bond, length as m-dash]O)R] (L1H2) incorporating the mono- and difunctional amine bases pyridine (Py), 4-ethylpyridine (EtPy), piperidine (pipi), 1,4-piperazine (pip), N-methylmorpholine (mmorph), 1,4-dimethylpiperazine (dmpip) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmen) have been synthesised by reaction of the previously reported [Cu2(L1)2]·2.5THF (R = Me), [Cu2(L1)2(THF)2] (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(Py)4] (R = t-Bu) and [Co2(L1)2(Py)4] (R = t-Bu) complexes with individual bases of the above type. Comparative X-ray structural studies involving all ten base adduct derivatives have been obtained and reveal a range of interesting discrete and polymeric molecular architectures. The respective products have the following stoichiometries: [Cu2(L1)2(Py)2]·Py (R = Me), [Cu2(L1)2(EtPy)2]·2EtPy (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(pipi)2]·2pipi (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(mmorph)2] (R = t-Bu), [Cu2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu) and {[Cu2(L1)2(pip)]·pip·2THF}n, [Co2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(Py)4]·dmpip (R = t-Bu), [Ni2(L1)2(pipi)4]·pipi (R = t-Bu) and [Ni2(L1)2(tmen)2] (R = t-Bu). The effect of pressure on the X-ray structure of [Cu2(L1)2(mmorph)2] has been investigated. An increase in pressure from ambient to 9.1 kbar resulted in modest changes to the unit cell parameters as well as a corresponding decrease of 6.7 percent in the unit cell volume. While a small ‘shearing’ motion occurs between adjacent molecular units throughout the lattice, no existing bonds are broken or new bonds formed

Introduction to the Special Issue on Insect Epithelial Transport

It gives us great pleasure to introduce this special issue in honor of William (Bill) Harvey, based on the proceedings of a symposium that was held at the 2011 Society for Experimental Biology annual meeting in Glasgow, UK. The issue contains an amazing breadth of review and original research articles on a diverse set of insect experimental systems, which is a fitting tribute to Bill, who has touched virtually all aspects of insect transport physiology over the course of his long career. The fact that Bill is a co-author on two original papers and one perspective in this issue shows that his career is far from over, and we can look forward to many more discoveries and insights from his laboratory in the years to come. The issue begins with a very nice reflection on Bill’s career from Julian Dow, and a summary of the symposium by Klaus Beyenbach, who, together with Julian Dow and Helmut Wieczorek, organized the sessions in Bill’s honor in Glasgow. Following the preface are a set of timely reviews including two that cover areas near and dear to Bill’s heart: amino acid transport and the V-ATPase. Moreover, the reviews include new insights and paradigms for arthropod epithelia regarding the neural control of transport, previously underappreciated cells, and nitrogen handling. A final review on the role of the Malpighian tubules in Drosophila immune/stress responses demonstrates that these transport epithelia have functions far beyond the transport of solutes and water. Building upon the themes covered in the reviews, the original research articles start with a focus on the physiology of the whole insect or of an entire epithelial tissue and then proceed to studies that attempt to decipher the molecular mechanisms responsible for mediating and regulating epithelial transport. These papers use a wide variety of approaches that include molecular cloning and functional characterization in heterologous expression systems, functional genetics, transcriptomics, immunochemistry, and pharmacology. Taken as a whole, this special issue reinforces the notion that integrative approachesare necessary to fully elucidate the complex physiology taking place within insect epithelia, and that is a message with which, we are sure, Bill would wholeheartedly agree. We would like to thank David Denlinger for his guidance in putting this issue together, Marie Bontempo for her expert editorial assistance, and all of the ad hoc referees for delivering constructive and ‘on-time’ reviews of the manuscripts

A Blood Meal Enhances Innexin mRNA Expression in the Midgut, Malpighian Tubules, and Ovaries of the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti

Mosquitoes are vectors of pathogens that cause diseases of medical and veterinary importance. Female mosquitoes transmit these pathogens while taking a blood meal, which most species require to produce eggs. The period after a blood meal is a time of extreme physiological change that requires rapid coordination of specific tissues. Gap junctions (GJ) are intercellular channels that aid in the coordination of cells within tissues via the direct transfer of certain small molecules and ions between cells. Evolutionarily distinct groups of proteins form the gap junctions of vertebrate and invertebrate animals (connexins and innexins, respectively). Aedes aegypti mosquitoes possess six genes encoding innexins: inx1, inx2, inx3, inx4, inx7, and inx8. The goal of this study was to identify potential roles of innexins in the physiology of mosquitoes after a blood meal by using qPCR to quantify their mRNA expression in adult females at 3 h and 24 h post-blood meal (PBM) relative to non-blood-fed controls. We found that at 24 h PBM, expression levels of inx2, inx3, and inx4 mRNAs increased; inx2 was the most highly upregulated innexin in key tissues associated with blood-meal digestion and egg production (i.e., the midgut and ovaries, respectively). However, knocking down inx2 mRNA levels by over 75% via RNA interference had no significant effect on fecundity. Altogether, our results suggest that a blood meal influences the molecular expression of innexins in mosquitoes, but their specific physiological roles remain to be elucidated

Heterologous Expression of Aedes aegypti Cation Chloride Cotransporter 2 (aeCCC2) in Xenopus laevis Oocytes Induces an Enigmatic Na+/Li+ Conductance

The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti possesses three genes encoding putative Na+-coupled cation chloride cotransporters (CCCs): aeNKCC1, aeCCC2, and aeCCC3. To date, none of the aeCCCs have been functionally characterized. Here we expressed aeCCC2 heterologously in Xenopus oocytes and measured the uptake of Li+ (a tracer for Na+) and Rb+ (a tracer for K+). Compared to control (H2O-injected) oocytes, the aeCCC2-expressing oocytes exhibited significantly greater uptake of Li+, but not Rb+. However, the uptake of Li+ was neither Cl−-dependent nor inhibited by thiazide, loop diuretics, or amiloride, suggesting unconventional CCC activity. To determine if the Li+-uptake was mediated by a conductive pathway, we performed two-electrode voltage clamping (TEVC) on the oocytes. The aeCCC2 oocytes were characterized by an enhanced conductance for Li+ and Na+, but not K+, compared to control oocytes. It remains to be determined whether aeCCC2 directly mediates the Na+/Li+ conductance or whether heterologous expression of aeCCC2 stimulates an endogenous cation channel in the oocyte plasma membrane

Pharmacological and Genetic Evidence for Gap Junctions as Potential New Insecticide Targets in the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is an important vector of viral diseases that impact global health. Insecticides are typically used to manage mosquito populations, but the evolution of insecticide resistance is limiting their effectiveness. Thus, identifying new molecular and physiological targets in mosquitoes is needed to facilitate insecticide discovery and development. Here we test the hypothesis that gap junctions are valid molecular and physiological targets for new insecticides. Gap junctions are intercellular channels that mediate direct communication between neighboring cells and consist of evolutionarily distinct proteins in vertebrate (connexins) and invertebrate (innexins) animals. We show that the injection of pharmacological inhibitors of gap junctions (i.e., carbenoxolone, meclofenamic acid, or mefloquine) into the hemolymph of adult female mosquitoes elicits dose-dependent toxic effects, with mefloquine showing the greatest potency. In contrast, when applied topically to the cuticle, carbenoxolone was the only inhibitor to exhibit full efficacy. In vivo urine excretion assays demonstrate that both carbenoxolone and mefloquine inhibit the diuretic output of adult female mosquitoes, suggesting inhibition of excretory functions as part of their mechanism of action. When added to the rearing water of 1st instar larvae, carbenoxolone and meclofenamic acid both elicit dose-dependent toxic effects, with meclofenamic acid showing the greatest potency. Injecting a double-stranded RNA cocktail against innexins into the hemolymph of adult female mosquitoes knock down whole-animal innexin mRNA expression and decreases survival of the mosquitoes. Taken together these data indicate that gap junctions may provide novel molecular and physiological targets for the development of insecticides

Malpighian Tubules as Novel Targets for Mosquito Control

The Malpighian tubules and hindgut are the renal excretory tissues of mosquitoes; they are essential to maintaining hemolymph water and solute homeostasis. Moreover, they make important contributions to detoxifying metabolic wastes and xenobiotics in the hemolymph. We have focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of Malpighian tubule function in adult female mosquitoes and developing chemical tools as prototypes for next-generation mosquitocides that would act via a novel mechanism of action (i.e., renal failure). To date, we have targeted inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels expressed in the Malpighian tubules of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti and malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Inhibition of these channels with small molecules inhibits transepithelial K+ and fluid secretion in Malpighian tubules, leading to a disruption of hemolymph K+ and fluid homeostasis in adult female mosquitoes. In addition, we have used next-generation sequencing to characterize the transcriptome of Malpighian tubules in the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, before and after blood meals, to reveal new molecular targets for potentially disrupting Malpighian tubule function. Within 24 h after a blood meal, the Malpighian tubules enhance the mRNA expression of genes encoding mechanisms involved with the detoxification of metabolic wastes produced during blood digestion (e.g., heme, NH3, reactive oxygen species). The development of chemical tools targeting these molecular mechanisms in Malpighian tubules may offer a promising avenue for the development of mosquitocides that are highly-selective against hematophagous females, which are the only life stage that transmits pathogens

Relative innexin gene expression as normalized to RPS7 gene expression in eGFP dsRNA injected mosquitoes 3 days after injection.

<p>Values are means ± SEM. n = 4 replicates of 3 mosquitoes. Letters (A, B or C) indicate statistical differences as determined by a one-way ANOVA and Newman-Keuls post-test (P < 0.05).</p

Dose-response curves of gap junction inhibitors injected directly into the hemolymph of adult female <i>A</i>. <i>aegypti</i> mosquitoes (carbenoxolone R² = 0.873, meclofenamic acid R² = 0.957 and mefloquine R² = 0.906).

<p>Efficacy (dead and flightless mosquitoes) was assessed 24 h after injection. Taking into consideration the average mass of an adult female mosquito (1.97 mg), the ED₅₀ for carbenoxolone, meclofenamic acid and mefloquine are 127.3 ng/mg, 96.4 ng/mg and 15.47 ng/mg respectively. Values are means ± SEM. n = 5–10 replicates of ten mosquitoes per dose tested.</p

qPCR primer pairs.

<p>Each set of primers was selected for innexin specificity and determined specific through melt curve analysis and sequencing (MCIC, OARDC).</p