一项研究显示，不受广泛使用的驱虫剂避蚊胺影响的蚊子可能把这种性状传给它们的后代。Linda Field及其同事报告了一种可能的生物机制，它可能解释为什么一小部分蚊子不怕避蚊胺，并证明了这种性状可能是可遗传的。这组科学家通过观察被避蚊胺处理过的人类手臂所吸引的蚊子，从而发现了样本组中对避蚊胺不敏感的雌蚊。这组作者发现，当这些雌蚊与对避蚊胺敏感性未知的雄蚊繁殖后代的时候，对避蚊胺不敏感的蚊子的比例在一代中从13%上升到了超过50%。
为了寻找对避蚊胺具有特异性的感觉机制，这组科学家使用了一种测量蚊子触角上特定气味受体反应的技术。这组作者在埃及伊蚊的触角上发现了一种感觉神经元，它以取决于剂量的方式对避蚊胺做出反应，而且它的功能可能决定了蚊子个体对避蚊胺的敏感程度。这组作者说，这项发现可能用于研究适应了其他用于害虫控制的化学驱虫剂的昆虫。
生物谷推荐原文出处：
Behavioral insensitivity to DEET in Aedes aegypti is a genetically determined trait residing in changes in sensillum function
Nina M. Stanczyka,b, John F. Y. Brookfieldb, Rickard Ignellc, James G. Logana,1, and Linda M. Fielda
aCentre for Sustainable Pest and Disease Management, Biological Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom;
bSchool of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom; and
cDivision of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 102,230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) is one of the most effective and commonly used mosquito repellents. However, during laboratory trials a small proportion of mosquitoes are still attracted by human odors despite the presence of DEET. In this study behavioral assays identified Aedes aegypti females that were insensitive to DEET, and the selection of either sensitive or insensitive groups of females with males of unknown sensitivity over several generations resulted in two populations with different proportions of insensitive females. Crossing experiments showed the “insensitivity” trait to be dominant. Electroantennography showed a reduced response to DEET in the selected insensitive line compared with the selected sensitive line, and single sensillum recordings identified DEET-sensitive sensilla that were nonresponders in the insensitive line. This study suggests that behavioral insensitivity to DEET in A. aegypti is a genetically determined dominant trait and resides in changes in sensillum function.
