Disruption of Aedes aegypti Olfactory System Development through Chitosan/siRNA Nanoparticle Targeting of semaphorin-1a
Figure 5
A decreased response to yeast odorant attractant is observed in sema1a knockdown animals.
Control-fed and sema1a knockdown animals were assessed for their response to a yeast odorant attractant. In this assay, individual animals that were attracted to the yeast were awarded a score of 1, while animals that were not attracted to the yeast received a score of 0. Average scores for control (n = 86) vs. knockdown (n = 87) animals are plotted in A. The mean score for sema1a individuals (0.5) was significantly lower than that of control-fed (mean = 1) animals (p<0.001). Levels of sema1a were severely reduced in the antennae (D) and brains (G) of sema1a knockdown animals that failed to respond to the yeast; compare to sema1a transcript levels in control-fed antennae (C) and brains (F), which were similar to sema1a transcript levels found in wildtype animals (B,E). The proximal ends of antennae are oriented upward in B–D. Dorsal is oriented upward, and yellow arrowheads mark the antennal lobes in E–G.