Mosquito--malaria interactions: a reappraisal of the concepts of susceptibility and refractoriness

Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Robert E SindenJ D Raine

Abstract

This paper considers the available literature on the transmission of malaria by insects and concludes that, in contrast to the commonly held view (that implies mosquitoes are naturally vectors of malaria), it is more useful to consider that mosquitoes, like plants, normally express a variety of gene products, which together render the host resistant to infection. The consequences of this hypothesis upon current research are that when studying the passage of the malarial parasite through a competent vector it is relevant to ask either 'How have the natural innate defences of the insect failed?' or 'What mechanisms has the parasite used to overcome these defences?' At the population level, the hypothesis is consistent with the conclusions of Koella et al. that the evolutionary cost of maintaining defence mechanisms that can render the mosquito refractory (e.g. melanization) has prevented fixation of the necessary gene(s) in the insect population. We simply extend that concept by stating the innate and genetic defences that confer the natural (and sometimes incomplete) resistance to infection are of sustainable cost, with the consequence that the encoding genes may become highly prevalent or fixed in a population.

References

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Citations

May 24, 2012·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Diego Santiago-AlarconHinrich Martin Schaefer
Jul 7, 2009·Annual Review of Microbiology·Ahmed S I AlyStefan H I Kappe
Dec 24, 2013·Malaria Journal·Claudia M Rios-VelásquezPaulo F P Pimenta
Jun 23, 2006·PLoS Pathogens·Yuemei DongGeorge Dimopoulos
Jan 5, 2012·PLoS Pathogens·Yuemei DongGeorge Dimopoulos
Mar 11, 2006·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·H HurdP Eggleston
Mar 18, 2006·Parasite Immunology·M M A WhittenE A Levashina
Jan 17, 2014·Environmental Microbiology·Ana C BahiaGeorge Dimopoulos
Jul 6, 2005·Current Opinion in Microbiology·Dina Vlachou, Fotis C Kafatos
May 17, 2005·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·K Michel, F C Kafatos
Jan 18, 2011·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·Anwar A Khan, John G Quigley
Apr 22, 2008·Trends in Parasitology·Frédéric TripetHilary Hurd
Jan 9, 2010·Trends in Parasitology·Anna CohuetDidier Fontenille
Oct 1, 2016·Parasites & Vectors·Mohammad Behram KhanYee-Ling Lau
Jun 15, 2007·Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz·Carlos Eduardo Tosta
Aug 5, 2017·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Daniel A LevitisAnne Pringle
Jan 30, 2020·Frontiers in Immunology·Fabiola Claudio-PiedrasHumberto Lanz-Mendoza

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