A dual-target molecular mechanism of pyrethrum repellency against mosquitoes

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2021-01-01
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Liu, Feng
Wang, Qiang
Xu, Peng
Andreazza, Felipe
Valbon, Wilson
Bandason, Elizabeth
Chen, Mengli
Yan, Ru
Feng, Bo
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Coats, Joel
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Entomology

The Department of Entomology seeks to teach the study of insects, their life-cycles, and the practicalities in dealing with them, for use in the fields of business, industry, education, and public health. The study of entomology can be applied towards evolution and ecological sciences, and insects’ relationships with other organisms & humans, or towards an agricultural or horticultural focus, focusing more on pest-control and management.

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The Department of Entomology was founded in 1975 as a result of the division of the Department of Zoology and Entomology.

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Abstract

Pyrethrum extracts from flower heads of Chrysanthemum spp. have been used worldwide in insecticides and repellents. While the molecular mechanisms of its insecticidal action are known, the molecular basis of pyrethrum repellency remains a mystery. In this study, we find that the principal components of pyrethrum, pyrethrins, and a minor component, (E)-β-farnesene (EBF), each activate a specific type of olfactory receptor neurons in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. We identify Ae. aegypti odorant receptor 31 (AaOr31) as a cognate Or for EBF and find that Or31-mediated repellency is significantly synergized by pyrethrin-induced activation of voltage-gated sodium channels. Thus, pyrethrum exerts spatial repellency through a novel, dual-target mechanism. Elucidation of this two-target mechanism may have potential implications in the design and development of a new generation of synthetic repellents against major mosquito vectors of infectious diseases.

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This article is published as Liu, F., Wang, Q., Xu, P. et al. A dual-target molecular mechanism of pyrethrum repellency against mosquitoes. Nat Commun 12, 2553 (2021). doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22847-0.

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Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2021
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