Programmed autophagy in the fat body of Aedes aegypti is required to maintain egg maturation cycles.

ABSTRACT: Autophagy plays a pivotal role by allowing cells to recycle cellular components under conditions of stress, starvation, development and cancer. In this work, we have demonstrated that programmed autophagy in the mosquito fat body plays a critical role in maintaining of developmental switches required for normal progression of gonadotrophic cycles. Mosquitoes must feed on vertebrate blood for their egg development, with each gonadotrophic cycle being tightly coupled to a separate blood meal. As a consequence, some mosquito species are vectors of pathogens that cause devastating diseases in humans and domestic animals, most importantly malaria and Dengue fever. Hence, deciphering mechanisms to control egg developmental cycles is of paramount importance for devising novel approaches for mosqu

SUBMITTER: Bryant B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3219638 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature