# Role of miRNAs on the regulation of juvenile hormone synthesis in mosquitoes

> **NIH NIH R21** · FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $147,500

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Recent dramatic increases in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases, like Malaria, Zika,
Chikungunya and Dengue Fever, and the wide-spread resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides
emphasizes the need for new approaches for insect control based on mosquito-specific agents.
The discovery of such mosquito-specific control agents depends on continued basic research on
the biology of mosquitoes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene
expression in organisms as diverse as plants, animals, insects and viruses. Sequence specific
binding of miRNAs to complementary regions on mRNAs can either down-regulate or up-
regulate expression of the encoded protein. A growing body of evidence indicates that miRNAs
contribute to the control of tissue- and stage-specific gene expression in mosquitoes; playing key
roles modulating sugar absorption, fluid excretion, blood intake and digestion, egg maturation
and survival in Ae. aegypti. On the other hand, little is known about the role of miRNAs on the
regulation of juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis in insects. In the female mosquito, JH signals
the completion of the ecdysis to the adult stage, and initiates reproductive processes. JH titer is
essentially determined by the rate at which the corpora allata (CA) synthesizes JH. High-
throughput small RNA sequencing of CA showed dramatic alterations of miRNA profiles among
the CA of pupa (low JH synthesis), sugar-fed (high JH synthesis) and blood fed (low JH
synthesis) adult females. We now intend to further study the role of CA-specific and differentially
expressed miRNAs in the regulation of JH biogenesis. Completing the proposed research could
lead to the identification of targets for designing new, specific and affordable strategies suitable
for mosquito control.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10176404
- **Project number:** 5R21AI153689-02
- **Recipient organization:** FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Marcela Nouzova
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $147,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10176404

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10176404, Role of miRNAs on the regulation of juvenile hormone synthesis in mosquitoes (5R21AI153689-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10176404. Licensed CC0.

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