Evolution of mosquito preference for humans linked to an odorant receptor
Autor(es): McBride Carolyn S, Baier Felix, Omondi Aman B, Spitzer Sarabeth A, Lutomiah Joel, Sang Rosemary, Ignell Rickard, Vosshall Leslie B
Resumo: Female mosquitoes are major vectors of human disease - the most dangerous are those that preferentially bite humans. A 'domestic' form of the mosquito Aedes aegypti has evolved to specialize in biting humans - is the main worldwide vector of dengue, yellow fever, - chikungunya viruses. The domestic form coexists with an ancestral, 'forest' form that prefers to bite non-human animals - is found along the coast of Kenya. We collected the two forms, established laboratory colonies, - document striking divergence in preference for human versus non-human animal odour. We further show that the evolution of preference for human odour in domestic mosquitoes is tightly linked to increases in the expression - lig--sensitivity of the odorant receptor AaegOr4, which we found recognizes a compound present at high levels in human odour. Our results provide a rare example of a gene contributing to behavioural evolution - provide insight into how disease-vectoring mosquitoes came to specialize on humans.
Imprenta: Nature, v. 515, n. 7526, p. 222-227, 2014
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1038/nature13964
Descritores: Chikungunya virus - Biosynthesis ; Chikungunya virus - Genome ; Chikungunya virus - Proteins ; Chikungunya Virus - Virus ; Chikungunya virus - Chikungunya fever ; Chikungunya virus - Dengue
Data de publicação: 2014
