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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #245830
Title: Expression of AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 in Aedes aegypti Larvae and Pupae in Response to Heat Shock Stress.

Author
item Zhao, Liming
item Becnel, James
item Clark, Gary
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/12/2009
Publication Date: 5/14/2010
Citation: Zhao, L., Becnel, J.J., Clark, G.G., Linthicum, K.J. 2010. Expression of AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae and pupae in response to heat shock stress. Journal of Medical Entomology. 47(3):367-375.

Interpretive Summary: Temperature is critical for mosquito development and can alter genes expression during mosquito development. To understand how heat shock proteins (HSPs) are developmentally expressed in mosquitoes, we carried out heat shock treatment of 1st instar larvae, 16 hr-old pupae and female adults of Aedes aegypti for 0, 15, 30, 60 and 180 min at 23 ºC and 42 ºC. The heat shock protein genes AeaHsp26, AeaHsp83 and AeaHsc70 were examined by comparing relative transcript expression levels at 42 ºC compared to 23 ºC (control). Up-regulated transcripts from heat shock treatment at 42 ºC and control were further confirmed and quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Data showed that 1st instar larvae were more sensitive to heat shock treatment than pupae and adults. The relative AeaHsp26 expression levels in larvae were 10 folds greater than in the female adults. AeaHsp83 expression levels in larvae, pupae and adults are upregulated 2-50 times by heat shock treatment at 42 ºC compared to 23 ºC. AeaHsc70 expression levels in larvae, pupae and adults, however, are upregulated less than AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83. The current study has shown that AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 are important markers of stress and may function as key proteins to protect and enhance survival of Ae. aegypti larvae and pupae.

Technical Abstract: Immature mosquito development and survival of adults is highly sensitive to environmental temperature and temperature can alter gene expression during the mosquito life-cycle. To further understand how heat shock proteins (HSPs) are developmentally expressed in mosquitoes, we subjected of 1st instar larvae, 16 hr-old pupae and female of Aedes aegypti to heat shock treatment for 0, 15, 30, 60 and 180 min at 23 ºC and 42 ºC. The heat shock protein genes AeaHsp26, AeaHsp83 and AeaHsc70 were examined by comparing relative transcript expression levels at 42 ºC compared to 23 ºC. Up-regulated transcripts from heat shock treatment at 42 ºC and control were further confirmed and quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Data revealed that 1st instar larvae were more sensitive to heat shock treatment than pupae and adults ( i.e. relative AeaHsp26 expression levels in larvae were 10-fold greater than in the females. AeaHsp83 expression levels in larvae, pupae and adults were upregulated 2-50 fold greater by heat shock treatment at 42 ºC compared to 23 ºC. AeaHsc70 expression levels in larvae, pupae and adults, however, are upregulated less than AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 at the higher temperature. Statistical analysis indicated that AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 genes were significantly upregulated in Ae. aegypti larvae and pupae after 15, 30, 60 and 180 min exposure to high temperature (42 ºC). The present study has shown that AeaHsp26 and AeaHsp83 are important markers of stress and may function as critical proteins to protect and enhance survival of Ae. aegypti larvae and pupae.