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Molecular characterization of adult diapause in the northern house mosquito, Culex Pipiens

Robich, Rebecca M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116954781

Abstract Details

2005, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Entomology.
One of the primary avian vectors of West Nile virus in the northern United States, Culex pipiens (L.), enters an adult diapause in late summer and early fall in response to short daylength and low temperature. The mosquitoes first appear in overwintering sites such as caves, culverts, and unheated basements as early as August and remain there until spring when environmental conditions again become favorable for development. Only females enter diapause and most are inseminated prior to entering the hibernation site. In preparation for diapause, females increase their lipid reserves by feeding on sugar-rich sources such as nectar and rotting fruit. Although females programmed for diapause can be enticed to take a blood meal by being placed in close proximity to a host, it appears this rarely, if ever, happens in the field. Failure of diapausing females to take a blood meal is presumably the reason that so few of the overwintering females harbor West Nile virus. Many aspects of diapause in Cx. pipiens have been well documented. There is a good database that describes the physiological features of this diapause, its environmental regulators, and the hormonal control mechanism. What is currently lacking is an understanding of its molecular underpinning. In this study, suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) is used to identify genes that are differentially expressed during the adult diapause of Cx. pipiens. Expression patterns are confirmed by northern blot hybridization, and the regulated genes that have been identified are discussed in the context of their possible functional contributions to diapause.
David Denlinger (Advisor)
194 p.
Biology, Entomology
Culex pipiens; mosquito; adult diapause; overwintering; gene expression

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robich, R. M. (2005). Molecular characterization of adult diapause in the northern house mosquito, Culex Pipiens [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116954781

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robich, Rebecca. Molecular characterization of adult diapause in the northern house mosquito, Culex Pipiens. 2005. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116954781.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robich, Rebecca. "Molecular characterization of adult diapause in the northern house mosquito, Culex Pipiens." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1116954781

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1116954781
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© 2005, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.