Circadian Regulation of Light-Evoked Attraction and Avoidance Behaviors in Daytime- versus Nighttime-Biting Mosquitoes.

ABSTRACT: Mosquitoes pose widespread threats to humans and other animals as disease vectors [1]. Day- versus night-biting mosquitoes occupy distinct time-of-day niches [2, 3]. Here, we explore day- versus night-biting female and male mosquitoes' innate temporal attraction/avoidance behavioral responses to light and their regulation by circadian circuit and molecular mechanisms. Day-biting mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, particularly females, are attracted to light during the day regardless of spectra. In contrast, night-biting mosquitoes, Anopheles coluzzii, specifically avoid ultraviolet (UV) and blue light during the day. Behavioral attraction to/avoidance of light in both species change with time of day and show distinct sex and circadian neural circuit differences. Males of both diurnal and nocturnal

SUBMITTER: Baik LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7438308 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature