Vitellogenin genes are transcribed in Culex quinquefasciatus ovary

Abstract

Culex quinquefasciatus, a cosmopolitan, domestic, and highly anthropophilic mosquito is a vector of pathogenic arboviruses such as West Nile virus and Rift Valley virus, as well as lymphatic filariasis. Nevertheless, knowledge on its reproductive physiology is rather limited. In this study we analysed the transcriptional profiles of vitellogenin genes in the fat body and ovaries of Culex quinquefasciatus females during the first gonotrophic cycle using Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, Quantitative Real Time-PCR and in situ hybridisation. Likely the classical descriptions of vitellogenic process in mosquitoes, we verify that vitellogenin genes are transcribed in the fat bodies of Culex quinquefasciatus females. In addition, we also demonstrate that vitellogenin genes are also transcribed in developing ovaries, specifically by the follicle cells as demonstrated by in situ hybridisation reaction. This is the first time that Vitellogenin transcripts are observed in mosquito ovaries. Studies to determine if Vg transcripts are translated into proteins and the contribution of these to the reproductive success of the mosquito need to be further investigated.