Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42526434›Full record

ArticleCurrent biology : CB2026

Gustatory function of Aedes aegypti opsins and TRPA1 in avoiding a natural insect repellent.

Avinash Chandel, Pratik Dhavan, Anindya Ganguly, Ramandeep Singh, David Aguilar, Zixin Lu, Qitong Chen, Craig Montell

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Current biology : CB, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Avinash ChandelDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Pratik DhavanDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Anindya GangulyDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Ramandeep SinghDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
David AguilarDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Zixin LuDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Qitong ChenDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Craig MontellDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA. Electronic address: cmontell@ucsb.edu.

Funding

Molecular Genetics of Taste TransductionR01DC007864 · NIDCD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI CRAIG MONTELL · 2006 to 2026
$7.5M
Opsins as a new class of evolutionarily conserved taste receptors: Diversity Supplement for Pre-Doctoral TrainingR01DC016278 · NIDCD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI CRAIG MONTELL · 2017 to 2026
$4.7M
Opsins and TRP channels controlling sensation and behavior in Aedes aeygptiR01AI165575 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI MONTELL, CRAIG · 2021 to 2025
$2.7M
Mechanisms of visual transduction and light-driven behaviors in Aedes aegyptiR01AI169386 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI CRAIG MONTELL · 2022 to 2026
$2.4M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI165575NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI169386NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC007864NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC016278
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, spreads viruses that cause dengue, yellow fever, and other devastating diseases. To identify candidate repellents that suppress blood feeding by Aedes aegypti, we conducted an in vitro screen of natural chemicals for activators of two visual opsins, Op1 and Op2, which we found are expressed at very high levels in gustatory organs. We found that Op1 and Op2 are chemical sensors since they are activated by flavonoids, including catechin. We devised an artificial membrane that mimics multiple properties of skin (VectaDerm), which we used on blood feeders, leading to the demonstration that catechin suppresses blood feeding. This behavior was disrupted in op1,op2 double mutants and in trpA1 mutants. High catechin concentrations directly activated TRPA1 and suppressed blood feeding independent of the opsins, while suppression by lower catechin levels depended on the opsins and TRPA1. Roles for opsins and TRPA1 in avoiding catechin are conserved in Drosophila. TRPA1 expressed in the tick vector for Lyme disease, Ixodes scapularis, is also activated by catechin, and I. scapularis is repelled by catechin. Since catechin is safe to humans, we propose that it could be added to repellent formulations to more effectively suppress biting by mosquitoes.

Indexed as

AedesInsect ProteinsInsect RepellentsTRPA1 Cation ChannelAnimalsCatechinFeeding BehaviorTasteCatechinInsect ProteinsInsect RepellentsTRPA1 Cation ChannelAedes aegypticatechinDrosophila melanogasterflavonoidsgustationIxodes scapularisopsinsrepellenttasteTRPA1

Identifiers

PMID42526434
PMCPMC13501904

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.