Project

Anopheles mosquitoes are the vectors of Plasmodium parasites, the etiological agents of malaria in humans. In Anopheles gambiae, a major vector in Africa, parasite transmission is largely under genetic control. We have previously shown that a gene family is implicated in the immune control of the parasite in this vector. The response of the family members is pathogen-specific, with one controlling P. falciparum infection and the other controlling rodent parasites. Recently, the genome of Anopheles stephensi, the major Asian vector, has been sequenced and, in this species, there is only one gene. Knocking down this gene reduced lifespan of A. stephensi and antibiotic treatment restores a normal longevity, suggesting the implication of the gut microbiota. Therefore, we conducted a metagenomic analysis in order to identify the bacteria responsible for the shorten of the mosquito lifespan.