Cooler Temperatures Destabilize RNA Interference and Increase Susceptibility of Disease Vector Mosquitoes to Viral Infection
Figure 3
Low-temperature activation of RNAi sensor mosquitoes is reversible and can be induced in adults.
Photographs taken at 7 or 14 days post emergence (7 d or 14 d) of typical individuals from Ae. aegypti RNAi sensor strain #2 following rearing at 18°C (A) or 28°C (B). Adult females were transferred to the indicated temperature at 1 day post-emergence; photographs are EGFP (top panel) or DsRED (bottom panel). Real-time qPCR of EGFP mRNA levels in 3×P3-sensor mosquito heads following rearing at 18°C (C) or 28°C (D), with newly emerged adults held at the alternate temperature for the indicated number of days. Error bars indicate one standard deviation corresponding to technical variation for a representative biological replicate. (E) Real-time qPCR of EGFP mRNA levels in transgenic RNAi sensor heads following rearing at 18°C or 28°C, with mosquitoes remaining at the same temperature as adults. Error bars indicate the standard deviation among three biological replicates; *** indicates significance at the p<0.001 level as determined by two-tailed Student's t-test.