Role of semaphorin‐1a in the developing visual system of the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Issue 11 (31st July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mysore, Keshava; Flannery, Ellen; Leming, Matthew T.; Tomchaney, Michael; Shi, Lucy; Sun, Longhua; O'Tousa, Joseph E.; Severson, David W.; Duman‐Scheel, Molly
• Is Part Of: Developmental dynamics. Volume 243:Issue 11(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1457
• Page End: 1469
• Publication Date: 2014-07-31
• Subjects: Morphogenesis -- Periodicals; Anatomy -- Periodicals; Anatomie -- Périodiques; Biologie du développement -- Périodiques; 571.833
• DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1058-8388

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="dvdy24168-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p> <bold> <underline>Background:</underline> </bold> Despite the devastating impact of mosquito‐borne illnesses on human health, very little is known about mosquito developmental biology, including development of the mosquito visual system. Mosquitoes possess functional adult compound eyes as larvae, a trait that makes them an interesting model in which to study comparative developmental genetics. Here, we functionally characterize visual system development in the dengue and yellow fever vector mosquito <italic>Aedes aegypti</italic>, in which we use chitosan/siRNA nanoparticles to target the axon guidance gene <italic>semaphorin‐1a</italic> (<italic>sema1a</italic>). <bold><underline>Results:</underline></bold> Immunohistochemical analyses revealed the progression of visual sensory neuron targeting that results in generation of the retinotopic map in the mosquito optic lobe. Loss of <italic>sema1a</italic> function led to optic lobe phenotypes, including defective targeting of visual sensory neurons and failed formation of the retinotopic map. These <italic>sema1a</italic> knockdown phenotypes correlated with behavioral defects in larval photoavoidance. <bold><underline>Conclusions:</underline></bold> The results of this investigation indicate that Sema1a is required for optic lobe development in <italic>A. aegypti</italic> and highlight the behavioral importance of a functioning visual system in preadult mosquitoes. <italic>Developmental Dynamics 243:1457–1469, 2014</italic>. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>