2023
A volatile sex attractant of tsetse flies
Ebrahim S, Dweck H, Weiss B, Carlson J. A volatile sex attractant of tsetse flies. Science 2023, 379: eade1877. PMID: 36795837, PMCID: PMC10204727, DOI: 10.1126/science.ade1877.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Heme-induced genes facilitate endosymbiont (Sodalis glossinidius) colonization of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans) midgut
Runyen-Janecky L, Scheutzow J, Farsin R, Cabo L, Wall K, Kuhn K, Amador R, D’Souza S, Vigneron A, Weiss B. Heme-induced genes facilitate endosymbiont (Sodalis glossinidius) colonization of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans) midgut. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2022, 16: e0010833. PMID: 36441823, PMCID: PMC9731421, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010833.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTsetse midgutHeme environmentDNA-binding proteinsGene Ontology termsBlood mealTsetse fly midgutVertebrate bloodBacterial genesHost midgutOntology termsDisease-causing pathogensBiological functionsGene expressionMutant strainFucose transporterInsertion mutationsMetabolic processesHost competencyEnvironmental stressorsFly midgutMidgutGenesSodalisTsetse fliesHemeMicrobe Profile: Wigglesworthia glossinidia: the tsetse fly’s significant other
Weiss BL, Rio RVM, Aksoy S. Microbe Profile: Wigglesworthia glossinidia: the tsetse fly’s significant other. Microbiology 2022, 168: 001242. PMID: 36129743, PMCID: PMC10723186, DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001242.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhysiological homeostasisNutritional roleEssential nutritional roleUnique physiological adaptationsTsetse fliesFly microbiotaWigglesworthia glossinidiaObligate mutualistsHost fitnessAncient associationParasitic trypanosomesLarval periodPhysiological adaptationsFitness outcomesTsetse's abilityAntimicrobial responsesImmune systemAmidasesFliesMicrobiotaMutualistsWigglesworthiaEndosymbiontsGenomeB vitaminsMetabolic interactions between disease-transmitting vectors and their microbiota
Song X, Zhong Z, Gao L, Weiss BL, Wang J. Metabolic interactions between disease-transmitting vectors and their microbiota. Trends In Parasitology 2022, 38: 697-708. PMID: 35643853, DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.05.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDisease-transmitting vectorsSymbiotic microbesPathogen defenseHost biologyHematophagous arthropodsBacterial metabolic activitySand fliesArthropod vectorsImportant vectorAnimals/humansMetabolic interactionsEndogenous microbiotaTsetse fliesFliesRecent discoveryVector-borne diseasesBiologyMetabolic activityMosquitoesMicrobiotaDifferent arthropod vectorsArthropodsMicrobesOrganismsTicks
2021
Infection with endosymbiotic Spiroplasma disrupts tsetse (Glossina fuscipes fuscipes) metabolic and reproductive homeostasis
Son JH, Weiss BL, Schneider DI, Dera KM, Gstöttenmayer F, Opiro R, Echodu R, Saarman NP, Attardo GM, Onyango M, Abdalla A, Aksoy S. Infection with endosymbiotic Spiroplasma disrupts tsetse (Glossina fuscipes fuscipes) metabolic and reproductive homeostasis. PLOS Pathogens 2021, 17: e1009539. PMID: 34529715, PMCID: PMC8478229, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009539.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsReproductive fitnessSpiroplasma infectionSex-biased gene expressionHigh-throughput RNA sequencingReproductive physiologyIntrauterine larval developmentMale reproductive fitnessPathogenic African trypanosomesEndosymbiotic bacteriaFly resistanceTsetse fecundityFemale spermathecaFemale fecundityRNA sequencingLarval developmentSpiroplasmaGene expressionAfrican trypanosomesReproductive tissuesReproductive homeostasisTsetse hostHuman diseasesPopulation sizeProtective phenotypeLab linesParatransgenic manipulation of a tsetse microRNA alters the physiological homeostasis of the fly’s midgut environment
Yang L, Weiss BL, Williams AE, Aksoy E, de Silva Orfano A, Son JH, Wu Y, Vigneron A, Karakus M, Aksoy S. Paratransgenic manipulation of a tsetse microRNA alters the physiological homeostasis of the fly’s midgut environment. PLOS Pathogens 2021, 17: e1009475. PMID: 34107000, PMCID: PMC8216540, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009475.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGut lumenCurrent disease control methodsTsetse's PMMidgut environmentTsetse's abilityAbundant secretory proteinsPeritrophic matrixInfection outcomesTrypanosome infection prevalenceChemotherapeutic treatmentParatransgenic manipulationInfected peopleEtiological agentInfection prevalenceInfectionInfection establishmentParasitic African trypanosomesCardiaSignificant increaseNon-coding RNAsPhysiological homeostasisMolecular cascadesBlood digestionSmall non-coding RNAsParatransgenic tsetse
2012
Enhancing tsetse fly refractoriness to trypanosome infection – A new IAEA coordinated research project
Van Den Abbeele J, Bourtzis K, Weiss B, Cordón-Rosales C, Miller W, Abd-alla AM, Parker A. Enhancing tsetse fly refractoriness to trypanosome infection – A new IAEA coordinated research project. Journal Of Invertebrate Pathology 2012, 112: s142-s147. PMID: 22841950, DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2012.07.020.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2008
Paratransgenesis Applied for Control of Tsetse Transmitted Sleeping Sickness
Aksoy S, Weiss B, Attardo G. Paratransgenesis Applied for Control of Tsetse Transmitted Sleeping Sickness. Advances In Experimental Medicine And Biology 2008, 627: 35-48. PMID: 18510012, DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-78225-6_3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenetic transformation systemForeign gene productsSodalis symbiontsSymbiotic microbesNew vector control strategiesTsetse symbiontsFunctional biologyTransmission biologyGene productsHost functionsSymbiontsTsetse vectorDisease cycleControl of trypanosomiasisTrypanosome transmissionImmunity effectorsTransformation systemTransformation technologyBiologyGenomicsCurrent knowledgeVector control strategiesAnimal healthTrypanocidal compoundsSleeping Sickness
2002
Identification and characterization of genes differentially expressed in the testis/vas deferens of the fed male tick, Amblyomma hebraeum
Weiss BL, Stepczynski JM, Wong P, Kaufman WR. Identification and characterization of genes differentially expressed in the testis/vas deferens of the fed male tick, Amblyomma hebraeum. Insect Biochemistry And Molecular Biology 2002, 32: 785-793. PMID: 12044495, DOI: 10.1016/s0965-1748(01)00161-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTestis/vas deferensMature male gonadsCharacterization of genesNorthern blot analysisSequence similarityCDNA libraryMale developmentGonad maturationGenomic DNAMale gonadsMolecular phenotypesMRNA transcriptsGenesBlot analysisTissues of fedUnfed malesClonesUnfed animalsFed ticksPhysiological changesAmblyomma hebraeumVas deferensTicksHomologyAcylphosphatase