Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing
Abstract In holometabolous insects, critical weight (CW) attainment triggers pupation and metamorphosis, but its mechanism remains unclear in non-model organisms like mosquitoes. Here, we investigate the role of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in CW assessment and pupation timing in Aedes albopictus and Ae...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56224-y |
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| author | Meichun Zhang Han Wen Qiang Sun Dongjing Zhang Yongjun Li Andrew Xi Xiaoying Zheng Yu Wu Jun Cao Jeremy Bouyer Zhiyong Xi |
| author_facet | Meichun Zhang Han Wen Qiang Sun Dongjing Zhang Yongjun Li Andrew Xi Xiaoying Zheng Yu Wu Jun Cao Jeremy Bouyer Zhiyong Xi |
| author_sort | Meichun Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In holometabolous insects, critical weight (CW) attainment triggers pupation and metamorphosis, but its mechanism remains unclear in non-model organisms like mosquitoes. Here, we investigate the role of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in CW assessment and pupation timing in Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti, vectors of arboviruses including dengue and Zika. Our results show that the attainment of CW is contingent upon surpassing a critical 20E threshold, which results in entrance into a constant 22 h interval and the subsequent 20E pulse responsible for larval-pupal ecdysis. Sexual dimorphism in pupation time arises from higher basal 20E levels in males, enabling earlier CW attainment. Administering 20E at 50% of L3/L4 molt, when most of males but not females pass the pulse, results in female-specific lethality. These findings highlight the pivotal role of 20E thresholds in CW, pupation timing, and sexual dimorphism, suggesting that manipulating 20E levels can skew populations male, offering a potential mosquito sex separation strategy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5df3e0def7a8474fade45e600a29ada9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-5df3e0def7a8474fade45e600a29ada92025-01-19T12:31:37ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111710.1038/s41467-025-56224-yEarly attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timingMeichun Zhang0Han Wen1Qiang Sun2Dongjing Zhang3Yongjun Li4Andrew Xi5Xiaoying Zheng6Yu Wu7Jun Cao8Jeremy Bouyer9Zhiyong Xi10Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, Michigan State UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, Michigan State UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, Michigan State UniversityChinese Atomic Energy Agency Center of Excellence on Nuclear Technology Applications for Insect Control, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen UniversityDepartment of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, Michigan State UniversityChinese Atomic Energy Agency Center of Excellence on Nuclear Technology Applications for Insect Control, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen UniversityChinese Atomic Energy Agency Center of Excellence on Nuclear Technology Applications for Insect Control, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen UniversityNational Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic DiseasesInsect Pest Control Sub-programme, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and AgricultureDepartment of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology, Michigan State UniversityAbstract In holometabolous insects, critical weight (CW) attainment triggers pupation and metamorphosis, but its mechanism remains unclear in non-model organisms like mosquitoes. Here, we investigate the role of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in CW assessment and pupation timing in Aedes albopictus and Ae. aegypti, vectors of arboviruses including dengue and Zika. Our results show that the attainment of CW is contingent upon surpassing a critical 20E threshold, which results in entrance into a constant 22 h interval and the subsequent 20E pulse responsible for larval-pupal ecdysis. Sexual dimorphism in pupation time arises from higher basal 20E levels in males, enabling earlier CW attainment. Administering 20E at 50% of L3/L4 molt, when most of males but not females pass the pulse, results in female-specific lethality. These findings highlight the pivotal role of 20E thresholds in CW, pupation timing, and sexual dimorphism, suggesting that manipulating 20E levels can skew populations male, offering a potential mosquito sex separation strategy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56224-y |
| spellingShingle | Meichun Zhang Han Wen Qiang Sun Dongjing Zhang Yongjun Li Andrew Xi Xiaoying Zheng Yu Wu Jun Cao Jeremy Bouyer Zhiyong Xi Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing Nature Communications |
| title | Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| title_full | Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| title_fullStr | Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| title_short | Early attainment of 20-hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| title_sort | early attainment of 20 hydroxyecdysone threshold shapes mosquito sexual dimorphism in developmental timing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56224-y |
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