A new path toward mosquito control<\/p>\n
Diseases spread by mosquitoes, including dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year, with dengue alone causing an estimated 100 million to 400 million infections annually.<\/p>\n
Most insecticides kill mosquitoes by targeting their nervous systems. But over time, mosquitoes can develop resistance to these chemicals, making them less effective and driving the need for new approaches.<\/p>\n
This study points to a different strategy \u2014 targeting the biological processes that allow mosquitoes to reproduce.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, most commercial insecticides that target this pathway focus on a single receptor,\u201d Zhu said. \u201cIf insects become resistant, those tools lose effectiveness. Identifying additional targets within the same pathway could help address that challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
By showing that one protein carries out two distinct functions, the study identifies new regulatory nodes in the reproductive process that could be targeted to disrupt mosquito reproduction.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is not just to control mosquitoes, but to find targets that are specific to mosquitoes and reduce impact on beneficial insects,\u201d Zhu said.<\/p>\n
A discovery that may extend beyond mosquitoes<\/p>\n
Juvenile hormone is found across many insect species, and early interest from other research groups suggests the same mechanism could be more widespread. If confirmed, that could open new avenues for studying \u2014 and potentially managing \u2014 other insect species, including agricultural pests.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to see other labs beginning to test whether this mechanism exists in other insect species,\u201d Zhu said. \u201cThat tells us the discovery may have broader significance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zhu\u2019s team members are now working to understand how the MET protein moves to the cell\u2019s surface and what other molecules help control its activity. They are also testing whether blocking the protein\u2019s action on the cell membrane alone could stop mosquitoes from reproducing without affecting other important processes.<\/p>\n
The work builds on long-term research in Zhu\u2019s lab focused on understanding how hormonal signaling controls mosquito reproduction. By mapping these pathways, his team aims to identify new molecular targets that could be used to suppress mosquito populations or limit disease transmission.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding mosquito biology at the molecular level is essential if we want to develop more effective and environmentally responsible control strategies,\u201d Zhu said.<\/p>\n
The research was supported by a 10-year $3.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and through the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Hatch program.<\/p>\n
Co-authors include Wenhao Zhao, a research associate, and Katara Griffith, Jiangtao Liang, Maria Dorodnitsyna, Pengcheng Liu, and Thomas R. Saunders, all in the Department of Biochemistry at Virginia Tech. Liang was also affiliated with the Department of Entomology<\/a>.<\/p>\n