The development of biorational pesticides targeting lncRNAs in adult female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes - PROJECT SUMMARY
Aedes aegypti is the primary mosquito vector of viruses that cause Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and
dengue, the most widespread and significant arboviral disease in the world. Female mosquitoes differ from
males in morphological, physiological, and behavioral traits that facilitate reproduction and the transmission of
pathogens. Thousands of putative long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes were recently identified in the A.
aegypti genome, including a number that reside in the sex-determining M/m locus region. Few of these
lncRNA genes, once considered dark matter, have been functionally validated or characterized. This study
examines the hypothesis that M/m locus region lncRNA genes function in a sex-specific manner in adult
females. The aims of this study include: (1) completion of an RNAi-based large-scale screen to identify
lncRNAs that are required for adult female behavior or viability and (2) characterization of the function of these
genes through manipulation of gene expression in adult females. Pursuit of these aims will involve the
development of novel technology for sugar-baited delivery of yeast that enables manipulation of lncRNA
transcript levels. This research program, the first study to functionally characterize lncRNAs in adult
mosquitoes, will promote the elucidation of new gene targets for mosquito control and the development of new
methods to manipulate the expression of these genes. The strategies employed in this investigation, which
could be applied to the study of other lncRNAs, vector insect species, and biological processes of vector
importance, will help promote a paradigm shift that may result in the functional validation of many lncRNA
genes in insects of medical importance.
