Hill, Sharon
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Malaria infection renders humans more attractive to Anopheles gambiae sensu lato mosquitoes than uninfected people. The mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that an isoprenoid precursor produced by Plasmodium falciparum, (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), affects A. gambiae s.l. blood meal seeking and feeding behaviors, as well as susceptibility to infection. HMBPP acts indirectly by triggering human red blood cells to increase the release of CO2, aldehydes, and monoterpenes, which together enhance vector attraction, and stimulate vector feeding. When offered in a blood meal, HMBPP modulates neural, antimalarial, and oogenic gene transcription without affecting mosquito survival or fecundity, while in a P. falciparum infected blood meal, sporogony is increased.
Published in
Science
2017, volume: 355, number: 6329, pages: 1076 - 1080
SLU Authors
Birgersson, Göran
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Ignell, Rickard
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Global goals (SDG)
SDG3 Good health and well-being
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Behavioral Sciences Biology
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aah4563
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79954