IBBEA   24401
INSTITUTO DE BIODIVERSIDAD Y BIOLOGIA EXPERIMENTAL Y APLICADA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Deciphering the feeding behavior of Rhodnius prolixus
Autor/es:
ESNAULT, J; ORTEGA INSAURRALDE, I; SALAS MORALES, H; BARROZO, RB
Reunión:
Congreso; VI Congress of the Latin American Association of Chemical Ecology; 2021
Resumen:
In presence of a foodsource, insects make a decision: to eat or not. Tasteis the ultimate sensory modality involved in resource quality assessment,resulting in acceptance or rejection. Biting and feeding decisions dependstrongly on the assessment of the chemical qualities of the food source. Rhodnius prolixus is a blood-suckinginsect, vector of Chagas Disease. Here, we characterized the feedingperformance of R. prolixus to molecules that favor or prevent ingestion. To do this, we used electromyogramrecordings to examine the pumping activity of the sucking muscles and thebiting behavior while the insect fed on different solutions in an artificialfeeder. We developed algorithms and used machine learning to automatically quantifythe different steps of the feeding process. Two sequential phases were evident:1- food sampling or probing and 2- ingestion. Probing is designated as the time insectssip and taste the solution performing irregular pumpings without engorgement.Next, true ingestion begins if insects decide to feed producing regularpumpings. We showed that glucose or leucine or phenylalaninetriggered ingestion whereas caffeine, quinine, garlic extract, methylsalicylate prevented feeding. Differences in the feeding performances betweenthese two categories (i.e. appetitivevs. aversive) of gustatory stimuli wereevident. Probingtime (39.6 %) and number of bites (60 %) to aversive compounds increased incompared to appetitive compounds. The number of pumpings, time spent pumpingand pumping frequencies were significantly reduced for aversive compounds(95.5%, 93% and 24.8%, respectively). In addition, thevolume taken in each pump[11]  (41%),[12]  and the total time spent in the feeder significantlydecreased to aversive solutions (69.7%).[13]  Knowing what and how molecules drive feeding or avoidance acquiresparticular interest if novel tools can be developed to reduce the biting ratesof blood-feeding insects of medical relevance.  [