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Characterization of Mosquito Iron Regulatory Protein 1 in Aedes aegypti mosquito
Author(s) -
Borrego Stacey L.,
Mayo Jonathan J.,
Geiser Dawn L.,
Winzerling Joy J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1048.2
Subject(s) - aedes aegypti , biology , phosphorylation , population , anopheles gambiae , protein kinase c , aedes , blood meal , mosquito control , malaria , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , larva , immunology , dengue fever , ecology , medicine , environmental health
The spread of insect‐transmitted diseases is prevalent due to the female blood‐feeding mosquitos’ ability to carry pathogens. The iron component of the blood meal is critical for mosquito oogenesis, and thus, the manipulation of iron metabolism is a potential option to develop mosquito control strategies and decrease the transmission of these diseases. A major protein in iron metabolism is iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1). IRP1 controls translation of several proteins involved in iron metabolism. In mammals, phosphorylation occurs at two sites by protein kinase C (PKC) and alters IRP1 interaction with mRNA. Mosquito IRP1 contains one site homologous to the mammalian IRP1 as well as a second unique site. Phosphorylation at the unique site may explain the different behavior of mosquito IRP1. This study attempts to determine if mosquito IRP1 is phosphorylated. Aedes aegypti ( yellow fever mosquito) CCL‐125 cells or Anopheles gambiae 4a3b cells were treated with phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate (PMA) to stimulate PKC. We report our efforts to detect IRP1 phosphorylation in these cells using SDS‐PAGE, fluorescent staining and treatment of the cells in the presence of 32 P‐orthophosphate followed by immuno‐precipitation. Experiments using mammalian cells served as controls. In the long term, this investigation will contribute to the solution of mosquito population control and reduction of infectious disease.