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Evolution of mosquito preference for humans linked to an odorant receptor

Author

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  • Carolyn S. McBride

    (Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1230 York Avenue
    Present addresses: Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA (C.S.M.); Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (F.B.); Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa (A.B.O.); Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (S.A.S.).)

  • Felix Baier

    (Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
    Present addresses: Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA (C.S.M.); Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (F.B.); Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa (A.B.O.); Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (S.A.S.).)

  • Aman B. Omondi

    (Unit of Chemical Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
    Present addresses: Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA (C.S.M.); Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (F.B.); Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa (A.B.O.); Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (S.A.S.).)

  • Sarabeth A. Spitzer

    (Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
    Present addresses: Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA (C.S.M.); Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (F.B.); Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa (A.B.O.); Harvard College, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA (S.A.S.).)

  • Joel Lutomiah

    (Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, PO Box 54840 – 00200, Off Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya)

  • Rosemary Sang

    (Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, PO Box 54840 – 00200, Off Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya)

  • Rickard Ignell

    (Unit of Chemical Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102, Sundsvägen 14, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden)

  • Leslie B. Vosshall

    (Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1230 York Avenue)

Abstract

Female mosquitoes are major vectors of human disease and the most dangerous are those that preferentially bite humans. A ‘domestic’ form of the mosquito Aedes aegypti has evolved to specialize in biting humans and is the main worldwide vector of dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses. The domestic form coexists with an ancestral, ‘forest’ form that prefers to bite non-human animals and is found along the coast of Kenya. We collected the two forms, established laboratory colonies, and document striking divergence in preference for human versus non-human animal odour. We further show that the evolution of preference for human odour in domestic mosquitoes is tightly linked to increases in the expression and ligand-sensitivity of the odorant receptor AaegOr4, which we found recognizes a compound present at high levels in human odour. Our results provide a rare example of a gene contributing to behavioural evolution and provide insight into how disease-vectoring mosquitoes came to specialize on humans.

Suggested Citation

  • Carolyn S. McBride & Felix Baier & Aman B. Omondi & Sarabeth A. Spitzer & Joel Lutomiah & Rosemary Sang & Rickard Ignell & Leslie B. Vosshall, 2014. "Evolution of mosquito preference for humans linked to an odorant receptor," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7526), pages 222-227, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:515:y:2014:i:7526:d:10.1038_nature13964
    DOI: 10.1038/nature13964
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    Cited by:

    1. Gwénaëlle Bontonou & Bastien Saint-Leandre & Tane Kafle & Tess Baticle & Afrah Hassan & Juan Antonio Sánchez-Alcañiz & J. Roman Arguello, 2024. "Evolution of chemosensory tissues and cells across ecologically diverse Drosophilids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Pranjul Singh & Shefali Goyal & Smith Gupta & Sanket Garg & Abhinav Tiwari & Varad Rajput & Alexander Shakeel Bates & Arjit Kant Gupta & Nitin Gupta, 2023. "Combinatorial encoding of odors in the mosquito antennal lobe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.

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