Patterns of phenoloxidase activity in insecticide resistant and susceptible mosquitoes differ between laboratory-selected and wild-caught individuals.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Insecticide resistance has the potential to alter vector immune competence and consequently affect the transmission of diseases.

Methods

Using both laboratory isogenic strains and field-caught Culex pipiens mosquitoes, we investigated the effects of insecticide resistance on an important component of the mosquito immune system: the phenoloxidase (PO) activity. As infection risk varies dramatically with the age and sex of mosquitoes, allocation to PO immunity was quantified across different stages of the mosquito life cycle.

Results

Our results were consistent in showing that larvae have a higher PO activity than adults, females have a higher PO activity than males, and PO activity declines with adult age. We obtained, however, a marked discrepancy between l

SUBMITTER: Cornet S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3819646 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature