Effects of male nutrition on post-mating traits in Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito species responsible for worldwide dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus outbreaks. Among the multiple pathogens Ae. aegypti vector, dengue virus alone infects roughly 400 million people a year with deaths in up to 30,000 cases. Vector control research has focused primarily on female Ae. aegypti because they are responsible for transmitting pathogens through blood-feeding. However, males transfer sperm, proteins, and metabolites (e.g., hormones) in their ejaculate during mating. Substances transferred by males are critical for reproduction, and are known to impact egg production, female blood-feeding frequency, and female lifespan. These traits are essential for the maintenance of high vectoral capacity. In Culex pipiens, nutritional variation affects the components and size of the male accessory glands, which are responsible for creating multiple components of the seminal fluid. In Ae. aegypti, changes in nutrition in either larval or adult stages affect male longevity, developmental rate, survival, and temperature tolerance. Nutritional variation can also affect the amount of juvenile hormone III and male accessory gland proteins which are produced and transferred through mating. Male nutrition has been shown to directly affect post-mating traits in females, such as ovary lipid content, follicle resorption, and fecundity. However, how male nutrition affects female immunity and longevity is unknown. Here, I will uncover how the nutrition of male Ae. aegypti influences female longevity and defense against bacterial infection post-mating. Uncovering the effects of male contribution to vector borne disease spread may help create novel control methods targeted towards males, rather than females.