Taste perception of host cues in the invasive disease vector mosquito Aedes albopictus

About This Grant

PROJECT SUMMARY Aedes albopictus (Ae. albopictus), also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is a highly invasive and aggressive disease vector that has rapidly invaded every continent on earth except Antarctica. Ae. albopictus spreads diseases including Zika, Chikungunya, yellow fever, and dengue. Despite its immediate threat to human health, Ae. albopictus is highly understudied. Studies of other mosquitoes have focused on investigating how they integrate olfactory, visual, and thermal cues to guide their attraction to a blood-meal host. By contrast, there has been remarkably little study of mosquito taste systems, even though they may play a role in gating the final behavioral decision to bite a host. In particular, virtually nothing is known about taste in Ae. albopictus, a disease vector now in the US whose range is expanding rapidly because it outcompetes other species and because of climate change. Here we propose to use a systematic and multidisciplinary approach to test the hypothesis that Ae. albopictus uses its taste system to detect taste cues and guide biting behaviors. Because one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of vector-borne pathogens is through prevention of biting, more in-depth investigation of taste cues influencing biting behaviors may aid in development of improved vector control methods. Using novel tools, we will examine new aspects of chemical cues, neuronal taste coding, and receptors that affect biting behaviors. To investigate the cellular basis of taste detection, we will systematically test the physiological responses of taste neurons to a panel of taste compounds, including blends of host cues with varying compositions. We will examine the effect of host cues on biting behaviors. This may shed light on the age-old question of why some people get bitten more than others by mosquitoes. We will functionally test the genetic basis of host detection by generating transgenic CRISPR-Cas9 mutant mosquitoes. In summary, we aim to elucidate the mechanism of an understudied mosquito sensory system in a species that is highly invasive and dangerous yet has received relatively little attention. The mentoring team and Yale University provide ideal support for Dr. Baik’s path to independence. The research and career development objectives outlined in this proposal will provide the training needed for Dr. Baik to secure an Assistant Professor position by the end of the K99 phase, and to apply for R01 funding as an independent investigator.