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Student 10-Minute Paper

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Student Competition

Student

Grad Competition PBT: Biochemistry and Chemical Ecology

Aedes aegypti’s circadian clock mediates mosquitoes’ synchronization to daily variations in the host body odor

Monday, November 6, 2023
8:00 AM - 8:12 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Azalea 1
In-Person Student Competition
In response to daily rhythms in environmental conditions and resource availability, insects display biological rhythms that regulate their foraging behaviors to optimize their chances of survival and minimize energy expenditures. Among insects, mosquitoes synchronize their host-seeking behavior with the time when their hosts are available and least defensive. While the importance of olfaction in mediating mosquito-host interactions has been established, the chemical and molecular rhythms modulating these interactions are yet to be fully characterized. In this context, we investigated the daily variations in human odor and their effects on mosquito attraction. Specifically, we identified daily changes in human body odor composition and created artificial odor mixtures mimicking human odors at multiple times of the day. We used these mixtures to study the impact of human odor rhythms on the behavioral preference of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes to see whether significant differences exist in attraction between the morning and evening hosts. Analysis of rhythms in the mosquito antennal transcriptome identified sensory genes whose expression showed daily variations. Next, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a timeless knockout line that is arrhythmic when maintained under constant darkness conditions. This clock-deficient line allowed us to identify olfactory rhythms controlled by the mosquito’s circadian clock. Our findings have important implications for understanding the mechanisms governing mosquito-host interactions and provide a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of olfactory rhythms in mosquitoes. By identifying daily rhythms in human odors and understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms, we open new research avenues for developing control strategies against mosquito-borne diseases.