Meeting Abstract
Bouts of dehydration are common for mosquitoes, but previous studies on mosquito dehydration have examined very specific responses and have not studied multiple facets underlying mosquito biology during dehydration. Here, we utilized an integrative approach to assess the response of the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens, to periods of dehydration. We show that dry periods increased mosquito blood feeding, which was due to increased activity and a higher tendency to land on a host. Mosquitoes exposed to dry conditions with access to water remain hydrated and failed to display behavioral changes. Combined RNA-seq and metabolome analyses of dehydrated mosquitoes revealed that carbohydrate metabolism is altered, specifically the breakdown of trehalose to glucose. Suppression of trehalose breakdown by RNA interference of trehalase reduced phenotypes associated with lower hydration levels. Lastly, mesocosm studies for C. pipiens revealed that dehydrated mosquitoes were more likely to blood feed, even when sugar and water sources are available. These results suggest that dehydration may prompt mosquitoes to utilize blood feeding as a mechanism to obtain water. Dehydration-induced increases in blood feeding are therefore likely to occur at any time and will intensify during periods when availability of water is low.
