Syed Zainulabeuddin
Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2015 Aug;10:83-89. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.04.011. Epub 2015 Apr 27.
Hematophagous arthropods (ticks and insects, collectively hereafter referred to as vectors) transmit various life threatening diseases resulting in over one million human deaths annually. Exploiting vertebrates for blood demanded extensive sensory and behavioral adaptations that are apparent across the evolutionary range of vector species, from primitive ticks to advanced dipterans. Since animal senses are biological features that have been shaped by natural selection to promote adaptive behavior, a variety of exciting patterns are apparent in what they sense and how. Vectors display robust olfactory driven behaviors. A distinct yet limited range of volatile organic compounds are parsimoniously used as major cues for tracking in various contexts. These chemicals elicit behaviors such as attraction or repulsion/avoidance while vectors seek habitats, hosts, mates, or oviposition sites. Interestingly, there is a substantial consilience among olfactory structures and function in arthropod vectors, which is also reflected in the parsimonious use of chemical ligands. A detailed analysis of chemosensory signals and reception by these arthropod vectors can be exploited to identify natural ligands that can be used as baits to manipulate vector behaviors.
吸血节肢动物（蜱虫和昆虫，以下统称为病媒）传播各种危及生命的疾病，每年导致超过100万人死亡。以脊椎动物为食的血液需求促使其形成了广泛的感官和行为适应性，这在从原始蜱虫到高级双翅目等病媒物种的整个进化范围内都很明显。由于动物的感官是通过自然选择塑造的生物特征，以促进适应性行为，因此在它们所感知的内容和方式上出现了各种令人兴奋的模式。病媒表现出强烈的嗅觉驱动行为。在各种情况下，一系列独特但有限的挥发性有机化合物被简约地用作追踪的主要线索。当病媒寻找栖息地、宿主、配偶或产卵地点时，这些化学物质会引发吸引或排斥/回避等行为。有趣的是，节肢动物病媒的嗅觉结构和功能之间存在很大的一致性，这也反映在化学配体的简约使用上。对这些节肢动物病媒的化学感应信号和接收进行详细分析，可用于识别可作为诱饵来操纵病媒行为的天然配体。
