Date of Award
2025-08-01
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biological Sciences
Advisor(s)
Sourav Roy
Abstract
The mosquito species Aedes aegypti has a significant impact on public health as a vector for multiple pathogens. Its ability to transmit deadly diseases, including Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, and Zika, emphasizes the urgency of understanding its reproductive biology. In female mosquitoes, reproductive success hinges on obtaining a vertebrate blood meal, which triggers vitellogenesis - the synthesis of yolk protein precursors (YPPs) necessary for egg development. Without a blood meal, female Ae. aegypti remain in a state of previtellogenic arrest, where the YPP gene vitellogenin (Vg) is repressed by a type of transcriptional factor, GATAr (AaGATAr) (Attardo et al., 2003). In the post-blood meal (PBM) period, mosquitoes exhibit differential gene expression. The steroid hormone 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) is a key regulator of PBM events, with its signaling being mediated by the ecdysone receptor (EcR). The 20E-EcR complex activates several "early genes", including E74, which subsequently acts as a transcription factor for late genes, like vitellogenin (Vg). To investigate the role of E74 in regulating AaGATAr gene expression, the knockdown of E74 isoforms can be achieved by RNA interference-mediated techniques. By analyzing the expression of GATAr following E74 isoform knockdowns, we can assess whether the AaGATAr gene is directly regulated by E74A/B in this pathway. The findings of this study can shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying mosquito reproductive processes, as well as provide potential targets for controlling mosquito populations and mitigating disease transmission. By exploring the interaction between E74 isoforms and the GATAr factor, we can contribute insight into the scope of vector biology and public health.
Language
en
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Copyright Date
2025-08
File Size
47 p.
File Format
application/pdf
Rights Holder
Jacklyn Marie Estrada
Recommended Citation
Estrada, Jacklyn Marie, "Investigating the E74-mediated regulation of a GATA factor in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes" (2025). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 4363.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/4363