生物谷報(bào)道：科學(xué)家們測(cè)出了岡比亞按蚊這種瘧疾主要傳媒的一個(gè)感覺器官的結(jié)構(gòu),，按蚊使用這個(gè)器官來(lái)追蹤人類,。他們希望這項(xiàng)研究將有助于開發(fā)更好的蚊子引誘劑，把它們從人類身邊引開,，并減少瘧疾感染的威脅,。
他們的發(fā)現(xiàn)8月30日發(fā)表在了《當(dāng)代生物學(xué)》（Current Biology）雜志的網(wǎng)站上。
科學(xué)家研究的這種感覺器官——下顎須——是從蚊子的頭部伸出的三個(gè)結(jié)構(gòu)之一,，它們共同為蚊子提供嗅覺和味覺的信息,。
這組科學(xué)家相信蚊子使用下顎須探測(cè)遠(yuǎn)距離的獵物。它使用喙感知近距離的獵物,。
此前對(duì)埃及伊蚊的研究表明下顎須擁有對(duì)二氧化碳和八烯醇（人體釋放的一種化學(xué)信號(hào)）敏感的受體細(xì)胞,。埃及伊蚊是登革熱和黃熱病的傳播者。
這項(xiàng)新的研究表明岡比亞按蚊的下顎須也對(duì)這些化學(xué)物質(zhì)敏感,，但是它含有不同的受體細(xì)胞,，讓這種蚊子也對(duì)人類獨(dú)有的其它化合物敏感。
該論文的主要作者,、美國(guó)范德比爾特大學(xué)的生物學(xué)教授Laurence Zwiebel說(shuō),，他們目前正在針對(duì)岡比亞按蚊的感受系統(tǒng)設(shè)計(jì)新的蚊子引誘劑。這些引誘劑將把蚊子引入陷阱,，讓它們遠(yuǎn)離人類目標(biāo),。
贊比亞國(guó)立瘧疾控制中心的協(xié)調(diào)員Elizabeth Chizema說(shuō)：“任何可以用于消滅瘧疾的新方法都受到歡迎，因?yàn)榀懠踩匀皇琴澅葋喌鹊氐膰?yán)重疾病,。”
該項(xiàng)研究是全球衛(wèi)生重大挑戰(zhàn)項(xiàng)目子項(xiàng)目的組成部分,。該子項(xiàng)目旨在開發(fā)一種化學(xué)策略防止岡比亞按蚊傳播瘧疾。
來(lái)自坦桑尼亞Ifakara衛(wèi)生研發(fā)中心,、岡比亞醫(yī)學(xué)研究理事會(huì)實(shí)驗(yàn)室,、美國(guó)范德比爾特大學(xué)和耶魯大學(xué)、荷蘭瓦赫寧根大學(xué)的科學(xué)家共同參與了該研究,。
原始出處:
Current Biology, Vol , Issue
Odor Coding in the Maxillary Palp of the Malaria Vector Mosquito Anopheles gambiae
Tan Lu,1,4 Yu Tong Qiu,2,4 Guirong Wang,1,4 Jae Young Kwon,3,4 Michael Rutzler,1 Hyung-Wook Kwon,1 R. Jason Pitts,1 Joop J.A. van Loon,2 Willem Takken,2 John R. Carlson,3 and Laurence J. Zwiebel1,
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Chemical Biology and Global Health and Program in Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235
2 Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands
3 Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8103
Corresponding author
Laurence J. Zwiebel
[email protected]
Background
Many species of mosquitoes, including the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) and 1-octen-3-ol as olfactory cues in host-seeking behaviors that underlie their vectorial capacity. However, the molecular and cellular basis of such olfactory responses remains largely unknown.
Results
Here, we use molecular and physiological approaches coupled with systematic functional analyses to define the complete olfactory sensory map of the An. gambiae maxillary palp, an olfactory appendage that mediates the detection of these compounds. In doing so, we identify three olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) that are organized in stereotyped triads within the maxillary-palp capitate-peg-sensillum population. One ORN is CO2-responsive and characterized by the coexpression of three receptors that confer CO2 responses, whereas the other ORNs express characteristic odorant receptors (AgORs) that are responsible for their in vivo olfactory responses.
Conclusions
Our results describe a complete and highly concordant map of both the molecular and cellular olfactory components on the maxillary palp of the adult female An. gambiae mosquito. These results also facilitate the understanding of how An. gambiae mosquitoes sense olfactory cues that might be exploited to compromise their ability to transmit malaria.
