Initial studies of olfactory receptor neuron response profiles in the malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae)

Mosquitoes have a highly developed olfactory system that uses specialized receptors to detect the odors emanating from their hosts (Takken and Knols 1999). Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) respond to an immense variety of odors and are housed in hair-like structures called sensilla. The olfactory sensilla are located on the antennae, maxillary palps and proboscis. The number of ORN classes occupying each sensillum varies between species; each ORN responds to a narrow range of compounds (de Bruyne et al 2001). My research focuses on characterizing the ORN classes in a species of malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, and comparing them with those of other mosquito species in order to determine their response profile similarities. I used the single sensillum recording (SSR) technique to identify the different ORNs that respond to a panel of known odorants. The action potential frequencies of ORNs were analyzed and classified into different ORN response profile categories. My studies also compared the ORN profiles from different mosquito species with those of the ORNs of the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster.