Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40866335›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Dietary L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) augments cuticular melanization in Anopheles mosquitos reducing their lifespan and malaria burden.

Emma Camacho, Yuemei Dong, Christine Chrissian, Radames J B Cordero, Raúl G Saraiva, Yesseinia Anglero-Rodriguez, Daniel F Q Smith, Ella Jacobs, Isabella Hartshorn, J Alberto Patiño-Medina and 10 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Emma CamachoJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8591-8176
Yuemei DongJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7902-2899
Christine ChrissianCity College of New York, New York, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2858-4864
Radames J B CorderoJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3026-7094
Raúl G SaraivaJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9847-8277
Yesseinia Anglero-RodriguezJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6674-0595
Daniel F Q SmithJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7674-9988
Ella JacobsJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2427-6971
Isabella HartshornJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.
J Alberto Patiño-MedinaJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2569-7716
Michael DePasqualeJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.
Amanda DziedzicJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-2035
Anne JedlickaJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3826-2973
Barbara SmithJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.
Godfree MlamboJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.
Abhai TripathiJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9848-0142
Nichole A BroderickJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6830-9456
Ruth E StarkCity College of New York, New York, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3132-4580
George DimopoulosJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6755-8111
Arturo CasadevallJohns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. acasade1@jhu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9402-9167

Funding

Training: Molecular & Cellular Bases of Infectious DiseasesT32AI007417 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Arturo Casadevall · 1994 to 2026
$11.9M
The biology of Cryptococcus neoformans melanizationR01AI171093 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Arturo Casadevall, JOSHUA D NOSANCHUK · 2023 to 2026
$3.2M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI171093NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007417
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), a naturally occurring tyrosine derivative, is prevalent in environments that include mosquito habitats, potentially serving as part of their diet. Given its role as a precursor for melanin synthesis we investigate the effect of dietary L-DOPA on mosquito physiology and immunity to Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Dietary L-DOPA is incorporated into mosquito melanin via a non-canonical pathway and has a profound transcriptional effect associated with enhanced immunity, increased pigmentation, and reduced lifespan. Increased melanization results in an enhanced capacity to absorb electromagnetic radiation that affects mosquito temperatures. Bacteria in the mosquito microbiome act as sources of dopamine, a substrate for melanization. Our results illustrate how an environmentally abundant amino acid analogue can affect mosquito physiology and suggest its potential usefulness as an environmentally friendly vector control agent to reduce malaria transmission, warranting further research and field studies.

Indexed as

AnophelesLevodopaMalariaMelaninsAnimalsDopamineFemaleLongevityMosquito VectorsPlasmodium falciparumDopamineLevodopaMelanins

Identifiers

PMID40866335
PMCPMC12391390

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.