Understanding The Oxidative Stress Response System In The Host Anopheles Gambiae By Feeding Paraquat

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite Plasmodium; it needs a vector mosquito to transmit it from one host to another. Anopheles gambiae is one of those important vectors to transmit Plasmodium falciparum. There is a serious need to stop the parasite and its vector transmission. Many tools have failed to eradicate this disease due to its resistance to drug, vaccine, and vectors resistance against insecticides. A need of a new tool to intervene between transmissions is needed. Mosquito mid-gut bacteria have shown to provide an important base immunity against malaria. Bacteria play a major role in maintaining the redox balance in the midgut post blood feeding. In the present study we looked at the anti-oxidant system of the mosquito midgut in the presence of a component called paraquat. Paraquat generates superoxide anions which are harmful to the host cells. Inducing the oxidative stress through feeding paraquat will increase the oxidative stress response of the host and residing microbes. This will perturb the host bacterial community. The results from 16S qPCR suggest that bacterial community was affected after paraquat treatment. The expression patterns of anti oxidative genes were interestingly down regulated post blood meal in paraquat fed mosquitoes. Thus, looking at these gene expression patterns and bacterial load in oxidative capacity compromised gut would help us understand the mechanisms involved in maintaining redox homeostasis in the host. Furthermore, the study helps us to understand the role of oxidative system of the bacterial community in the Anopheles gambiae host.