Meeting Abstract

23-5   14:30 - 14:45  Investigation of sleep-like condition and the influence of sleep deprivation on blood feeding and host landing in mosquitoes Ajayi, OM*; Marlman, JM; Gleitz, LA; Smith, ES; Piller, BD; Vinauger, C; Benoit, JB; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH ajayiom@mail.uc.edu

Sleep is a process universally conserved across the animal phyla with notable description in cnidarians, nematodes, molluscs, arthropods, and mammals. In this behavioral state, animals cannot feed, reproduce, and are exposed to increased predation risks. In arthropods, sleep has been characterized in insects such as cockroaches, bees, wasps, and fruit flies. However, little is known about sleep in blood-feeding arthropods which are vectors of pathogens responsible for diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, Lyme disease, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. Specifically, sleep studies are lacking in mosquitoes despite extensive focus on circadian processes which influence sleep/wake cycles, activity, and immune response. In this study, sleep was characterized in Aedes aegypti using behavioral correlates, with comparison in Culex pipiens and Anopheles stephensi. We also investigated the impact of sleep deprivation on blood feeding propensity and host landing in Ae aegypti. Results show that hind leg orientation provides a distinction between sleep-like and awake states for mosquitoes. Measurements of the basic rest-activity rhythm of mosquitoes using the Drosophila Activity Monitoring system matched the typical rhythms of feeding behavior and rest in the field. Nighttime and daytime sleep deprivation leads to sleep recovery in the subsequent phase in Ae aegypti and An. stephensi, respectively. Also, sleep deprivation suppressed blood feeding propensity and host landing in Ae. aegypti. These results provide an indication of the occurrence of sleep-like condition in mosquitoes and suggest the potential role of sleep in disease transmission.