Temporal synchrony between human odor rhythms and mosquito olfactory preference shapes host attraction

For anthropophilic mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti, aligning host-seeking with human availability enhances foraging efficiency and reproductive success. Although time of day modulates mosquito activity and olfactory sensitivity, it remains unknown whether human hosts display rhythmic changes in odor cues and whether mosquitoes adjust their sensory responses accordingly. Here, we combine chemical, behavioral, genetic, and transcriptomic approaches to reveal that both mosquitoes and their human hosts in this interaction are temporally synchronized. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed systematic daily shifts in human body odor composition between morning and evening. Correspondingly, mosquitoes prefer host odors that match their own active phase, a time-specific preference abolished in timeless mutants and under constant darkness. Silencing the timeless gene further induced an aversion for the host scent under light-dark conditions. Transcriptomic analysis of mosquito heads and antennae uncovered rhythmic expression of sensory and neuromodulatory genes, driven by both circadian and light-dark cycles and which peaks during mosquitoes' active periods, with rhythmic co-expression networks collapsing in timeless knockouts. Together, these results show that mosquito attraction to humans is temporally tuned by the interplay of host odor rhythms and mosquito sensory rhythms, revealing a previously unrecognized form of interspecific temporal synchronization in vector-host interactions. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. National Institutes of Health, R01AI155785, R21AI166633, R01AI148551 National Institute of Food and Agriculture, VA-160212

biorxiv.org

Effect of landscape heterogeneity on mosquito abundance and sugar feeding behavior

Abstract. Mosquito-borne diseases pose a dire threat to humanity, claiming over 700,000 lives annually. At the local scale, the interplay between several e

academic.oup.com

Ancient origin of an urban underground mosquito

Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. In this work, we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipie...

science.org

Discovery and description of a novel mode of oviposition in the mosquito genus Culex

Scientific Reports - Discovery and description of a novel mode of oviposition in the mosquito genus Culex

rdcu.be

Dengue virus susceptibility in Aedes aegypti linked to natural cytochrome P450 promoter variants

Nature Communications - Genetic factors affecting Aedes aegypti susceptibility to dengue virus infection aren’t well studied. Here the authors show that a cytochrome P450 gene, typically...

rdcu.be

Recurrent connectivity supports carbon dioxide sensitivity in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

The mosquito Aedes aegypti′s human host-seeking behavior depends on the integration of multiple sensory cues. One of these cues, carbon dioxide (CO2), gates odorant and heat pathways and activates hos...

doi.org

NOT-OD-25-132: Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications NOT-OD-25-132. NIH

grants.nih.gov

Mosquito immune cells enhance dengue and Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti

Nature Communications - Infection of mosquito immune cells by dengue and Zika virus enhances the spread of virus infection to mosquito tissues, such as the salivary glands, to promote virus...

rdcu.be

biorxiv.org

biorxiv.org

PhD Contract Offer at INTERTRYP (Cirad) on the mathematical modeling of vector-borne diseases / 2025 - Intertryp Joint Research Unit

As a PhD student in mathematical modeling and epidemiology, you will contribute to an international, interdisciplinary project investigating how climate and environmental changes affect vector-borne d...

umr-intertryp.cirad.fr

Environmental heterogeneity across an urban gradient influences detritus and nutrients within artificial containers and their associated vector Aedes sp. larvae in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Abstract. Detrital inputs from the surrounding terrestrial environment provide essential nutrients that sustain mosquito populations in aquatic containers.

academic.oup.com

Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund

scim.ag

Understanding the Burden of Agriculturally Significant Vector-Borne and Parasitic Diseases in Kansas | Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Background: The state of Kansas (KS) has been called the “agricultural heartland” of the United States. Vector-borne and parasitic diseases (VBPD) have a major impact on the production of livestock, such as cattle, swine, goats and sheep, as well as crops, such as wheat, corn, and sorghum. The purpose of this review is to educate agricultural professionals in the state of KS about VBPD of current or potential concern and to inform the public about the challenges faced by the agricultural community. Methods: This review describes and discusses the endemic VBPD that currently impact agricultural production in KS and foreign VBPD of concern. In addition, we outline the major arthropod vectors of VBPD in KS, including ticks, mites, and various insects. In the context of this review, parasites are strictly limited to arthropod ectoparasites that negatively impact livestock production. Modern agricultural data for the state of KS were mostly sourced from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, and current KS VBPD data were mostly sourced from the KS State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Conclusion: These VBPD have a large economic impact on the state and country, and we have concluded there is a need for updated estimates regarding the economic burden of VBPD in KS and throughout the United States to make better animal and crop health investment decisions.

liebertpub.com

Evaluation of the 2022 West Nile virus forecasting challenge, USA - Parasites & Vectors

Background West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental USA, with an average of ~1200 severe, neuroinvasive cases reported annually from 2005 to 2021 (ra...

parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com

WCSU Tick Lab seeks properties for tick study

DANBURY, Connecticut — Researchers at the Western Connecticut State University Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory need the public’s help for Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?), […]

news.wcsu.edu

The potential of attractive insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in reducing malaria transmission: a modeling study

Introduction Recent studies suggest that insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) may actively attract malaria vectors, increasing their likelihood of coming into contact with the insecticide while…

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