Juvenile hormone biosynthesis in male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
Elizabeth LeBlanc, Crisalejandra Rivera-Perez and Fernando G. Noriega
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is an important disease vector and a major public health nuisance. This species is the main vector of dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Recent advances in vector control strategies have focused on male mosquitoes. While males do not bite, and therefore do not transmit disease, they are nevertheless an attractive target for control. A better understanding of the general physiology of male mosquitoes may help to elucidate new mosquito control strategies.
Juvenile hormone (JH) is an important regulator of metamorphosis and reproduction in A. aegypti. JH is a sesquiterpenoid hormone synthesized in female mosquitoes by the corpora allata (CA), a pair of endocrine glands with nervous connections to the brain. A complex interplay of stimulatory and inhibitory factors (allatoregulators) is responsible for controlling the rate of JH synthesis. The production and function of JH in male A. aegypti remains a neglected topic in the field of mosquito physiology. We have previously described the transfer of JH from the male accessory glands (MAGs) to the female during mating. This study aims to further understand the dynamics of JH biosynthesis by male CA and MAGs, as well as to explore the identities and roles of allatoregulatory factors involved in the control of JH biosynthesis in male mosquitoes.
