Anopheles dirus yellow-g mediates Plasmodium vivax infection.

OBJECTIVE

Our previous transcriptome analysis of Anopheles dirus revealed upregulation of the An. dirus yellow-g gene upon ingestion of Plasmodium vivax-infected blood. This gene belongs to the yellow gene family, but its role regarding P. vivax infection is not known and remains to be validated. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the An. dirus yellow-g gene in P. vivax infection.

METHODS

The qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of the yellow-g gene in many organs of both male and female mosquitos. The yellow-g gene silencing was performed by dsRNA membrane feeding to An. dirus. These mosquitoes were later challenged by P. vivax-infected blood. The oocyst numbers were determined.

RESULTS

The yellow-g transcript was detected in several organs of both male and female An. dirus mosquitoes. Successful knockdown of yellow-g was achieved and resulted in reduced P. vivax infection in the mosquitoes. The decrease in yellow-g expression had no effect on the life span of the mosquitoes.

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the yellow-g gene as having an important function in Plasmodium development in Anopheles mosquitoes.