RNAi mediada por silenciamiento de los genes de los mosquitos requiere preparación previa y la purificación de dsRNAs específicas que se dirigen al gen de interés. Para la síntesis de dsRNA, se recomienda el kit Megascript Ambion que hace uso de un ARN polimerasa T7 mediada por reacción de transcripción in vitro. Para la purificación de dsRNA, se recomienda el kit Qiagen RNeasy. Las muestras de dsRNA deben cuantificarse y ajustado a 3 mg / l en el agua. Otros materiales que se necesitan son: de punta fina pinzas, portaobjetos de vidrio, agujas de vidrio microcapilar, microinyector (usamos Nanoject Drummond II), un microscopio de luz montado encima de un bloque frío, un plato de cristal cubierta de Petri, toallas de papel y un cubo de hielo . Usted también necesitará una manera de recoger los mosquitos y un contenedor adecuado para ellos, junto con una fuente de alimento, como algodón empapado en 10% de sacarosa. <ol><li> Recoja sus mosquitos. Con un aspirador a pilas, reunir a los mosquitos que desee inyectar. Conecte la boquilla con una toalla de papel o de algodón, por lo que no puede escapar de los mosquitos y retirar el depósito. Dado que las temperaturas frías anestesiar a los mosquitos, enterrar el depósito en un cubo de hielo y espere 5-10 minutos para que los mosquitos dejen de moverse. Anestesia también se puede lograr mediante la colocación de la reserva en una habitación fría o en el refrigerador o mediante el uso de CO 2. Durante esos 5-10 minutos, continúe con el siguiente paso. </li><li> Prepare su área de trabajo. Establecer un bloque de superficie plana frío a 2 ° C y colocar una placa de vidrio sobre ella. Aquí es donde los mosquitos se apoyará a medida que se inyectan. Coloque una aguja de vidrio en el microinyector y el uso de su pinza para romper la punta de la aguja a la anchura deseada. Es importante que la anchura es lo suficientemente grande como para permitir suficiente espacio para que el líquido fluya a través a una velocidad razonable, pero es lo suficientemente estrecha como para infligir una herida mínima durante la inyección. Una punta de la aguja bien será lo suficientemente estrecha como para doblar un poco, pero no romperse. Configurar su equipo de inyección para el volumen de salida deseado (por RNAi, usamos 69 nL). Sumerja la punta de la aguja en la muestra y extraer la muestra de líquido en la aguja siguiendo las instrucciones del fabricante. La muestra de líquido puede ser una solución de dsRNA, la suspensión bacteriana, o de otro tipo, el proceso de inyección es el mismo para todos. Insertar un plato Petri de vidrio en el cubo de hielo para que el fondo de la fuente es totalmente en contacto con el hielo. Aquí es donde se va a poner los mosquitos hasta que esté listo para inyectar. </li><li> Prepare su mosquitos. 50-100 mosquitos desde el depósito hasta el plato Petri de vidrio. Use pinzas para su fina a una sola capa, asegurándose de que la mayoría tiene contacto con el fondo del plato frío para mantenerlos anestesiados. Cubrir estos mosquitos con el plato de tapa cuando no esté en uso. Devolver el depósito hasta el cubo de hielo para mantener el resto de los mosquitos anestesiados. </li><li> Monte los mosquitos en el bloque frío. Utilizar su pinza de punta fina para la transferencia de los mosquitos de uno en uno desde la antena a la placa de vidrio montado en el bloque frío bajo el microscopio de luz. Maneje con cuidado los mosquitos, preferentemente por las piernas. Se alinean hasta 30 mosquitos de lado a lado en la diapositiva, por lo que se puede llegar a cada uno de ellos con la microinyector y asegurarse de que cada uno hace contacto con la tapa fría. Asegúrese de que el mosquito se alinean ordenadamente a fin de que a medida que avanza usted sabe que tiene y que no han sido inyectada. Deja mosquitos tratadas en el frío plato de Petri. </li><li> Inyecte el primer grupo de los mosquitos. Mantenga la punta fina pinza de punta en una mano y sostener la microinyector en la otra mano como un lápiz. Use las pinzas para mover el mosquito como sea necesario (manejar por las patas para evitar lesiones) y para mantener constante el mosquito al inyectarse. Esto funciona mejor si se utiliza el fórceps para apoyar a un lado del mosquito que se inyecta desde el otro lado. Introduzca con cuidado sólo la punta de la aguja en el tórax del mosquito. Es mejor que se inyecte en una parte tensa aún delgada de la cutícula para minimizar las lesiones. También, evitar la inyección demasiado profunda; desea sólo la punta para estar dentro del tórax, más inyecciones de causa mayor heridas que pondrá en peligro la supervivencia. Una vez que la punta de la aguja está en posición, presione y suelte el pedal del aparato microinyector que entregará su pre-establecer el volumen de dsRNA. Espera un segundo o dos y retirar la aguja del mosquito. Si una gota de líquido aparece fuera del sitio de la herida, espere unos segundos para que sea absorbido en la herida. Si no se absorbe en pocos segundos, se descarta que los mosquitos y vuelva a intentarlo. Continuar con el proceso de inyección para todos los mosquitos en el portaobjetos de vidrio. </li><li> Guarde sus mosquitos. Cuando haya terminado, coloque los mosquitos inyectan dentro de los contenedores etiquetados (preferimos un litro forrado de cera vasos de cartón cubiertos porred de malla y se fija con bandas de goma y una tapa de cartón). </li><li> Continuar las inyecciones hasta que termine. Siga colocando los mosquitos en la diapositiva, inyección y transferencia de copas hasta que tenga el tamaño de la muestra que usted desea. Responsables de algunas muertes, los principiantes tienen muchos mosquitos mueren por el trauma de la inyección. Esto mejorará con la práctica hasta casi el 100% de su mosquitos sobreviven de la inyección. </li><li> Cuando termine, coloque una toalla doblada, papel mojado encima de la taza con una fuente de alimento y la tapa de la taza con algo para retener la humedad, como una envoltura de plástico o una tapa de plástico Petri. Mosquitos inyectan son propensos a la desecación por lo que la humedad proporcionada por la toalla mojada y retenido por el plástico ayudará a evitar esto. </li><li> Coloca el mosquito en una cámara de ambiente controlado para la incubación. </li></ol> Nota: La eficiencia del silenciamiento génico es muy variable y depende de una serie de factores que incluyen la transcripción y las proteínas a su vez-sobre los tipos y la eficiencia dsRNA absorción por las células y órganos. Hemos encontrado que el silenciamiento se inicia tan pronto como un día después de la inyección y puede durar hasta 6 días después de la inyección. Utilizar métodos de transcripción y las proteínas de detección, como la PCR cuantitativa y Western Blot para validar el silenciamiento. Nota: Hay varias variaciones en varias etapas de la inyección de mosquitos y RNAi mediada por la técnica de silenciamiento génico. Algunas variaciones son descritas por: Boisson, et al (2006) y Blandin, et al (2002)...

<ol>
	<li>Boisson, ., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> , (2006).</li><li>Blandin, ., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> , (2002).</li></ol>

La eficiencia del silenciamiento génico es muy variable y depende de una serie de factores que incluyen la transcripción y las proteínas a su vez-sobre los tipos y la eficiencia dsRNA absorción por las células y órganos. Hemos encontrado que el silenciamiento se inicia tan pronto como un día después de la inyección y puede durar hasta 6 días después de la inyección. Utilizar métodos de transcripción y las proteínas de detección, como la PCR cuantitativa y Western Blot para validar el silenciamiento.

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		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Megascript</td>
<td>kit</td>
<td>Ambion</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>for dsRNA synthesis; T7 RNA polymerase-mediated in vitro transcription reaction</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RNeasy</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Qiagen</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>For dsRNA purification</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>dsRNA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>should be quantified and adjusted to 3 &#x03BC;g/ &#x03BC;L in water</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>fine-tipped forceps</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>glass slide</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>glass microcapillary needles</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>microinjector</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Drummond</td>
<td>Nanoject II</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>light microscope</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>mounted above a cold block</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Petri dish</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>covered, glass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>paper towels</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>10% sucrose</td>
<td>food</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>A. gambiae</td>
<td>Animal</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>mosquitos</td>
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protocol for rnai assays in adult mosquitoes (a. gambiae)

Invertir enfoques genéticos han demostrado ser extremadamente útil para determinar qué genes de resistencia a patógenos vector subyacente en los mosquitos. Este protocolo de vídeo ilustra un método usado por el laboratorio Dimopoulos para inyectar dsRNA en los mosquitos Anopheles gambiae, que albergan el parásito de la malaria. La técnica de la manipulación de la configuración de la inyección y la inyección de dsRNA en el tórax se ilustra.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Protocol for RNAi Assays in Adult Mosquitoes A. gambiae at JoVE.com

Protocol for RNAi Assays in Adult Mosquitoes A. gambiae

Protocolo para ensayos de RNAi en mosquitos adultos (A. gambiae)

Reverse genetic approaches have proven extremely useful for determining  which genes underly resistance to vector pathogens in mosquitoes.  This video ...

protocol-for-rnai-assays-in-adult-mosquitoes-a-gambiae

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Protocol for RNAi Assays in Adult Mosquitoes (A. gambiae)

12.5K vistas.  Johns Hopkins University. Invertir enfoques genéticos han demostrado ser extremadamente útil para determinar qué genes de resistencia a patógenos vector subyacente en los mosquitos. Este protocolo de vídeo ilustra un método usado por el laboratorio Dimopoulos para inyectar dsRNA en los mosquitos Anopheles gambiae, que albergan el parásito de la malaria. La técnica de la manipulación de la configuración de la inyección y la inyección de dsRNA en el tórax se ilustra.

Video: Protocol for RNAi Assays in Adult Mosquitoes A. gambiae

Protocol for Dengue Infections in Mosquitoes (A. aegypti) and Infection Phenotype Determination

The purpose of this procedure is to infect the Aedes mosquito with dengue virus in a laboratory condition and examine the infection level and dynamic of the virus in the mosquito tissues. This protocol is routinely used for studying mosquito-virus interactions, especially for identification of novel host factors that are able to determine vector competence. The entire experiment must be conducted in a BSL2 laboratory. Similar to Plasmodium falciparum infections, proper attire including gloves and lab coat must be worn at all times. After the experiment, all the materials that came in contact with the virus need to be treated with 75% ethanol and bleached before proceeding with normal washing. All other materials need to be autoclaved before discarding them.

Protocol for Dengue Infections in Mosquitoes A. aegypti and Infection Phenotype Determination

Once a gene is identified as potentially refractory for the dengue virus, it must be evaluated for it's role in preventing viral infections within the mosquito. This protocol illustrates how the extent of dengue infections of mosquitoes can be assayed. The techniques for growing up the virus in culture, membrane feeding mosquitoes human blood, and assaying viral titers in the mosquito midgut are demonstrated.

Protocolo para las infecciones de dengue en mosquitos (Aedes aegypti) y determinación de fenotipo infección

The purpose of this procedure is to infect the Aedes mosquito with dengue virus in a laboratory condition and examine the infection level and dynamic of ...

Investigación

Biología

Protocol for Mosquito Rearing (A. gambiae)

This protocol describes mosquito rearing in the insectary. The insectary rooms are maintained at 28&deg;C and ~80% humidity, with a 12 hr. day/night cycle. For this procedure, you'll need mosquito cages, 10% sterile sucrose solution, paper towels, beaker, whatman filter paper, glass feeders, human blood and serum, water bath, parafilm, distilled water, clean plastic trays, mosquito food (described below), mosquito net to cover the trays, vacuum, and a collection chamber to collect adults.

Protocol for Mosquito Rearing A. gambiae

This video illustrates the general techniques used to rear Anopheles gambiae in the laboratory. The methods for caring for laboratory mosquitoes are demonstrated through all stages of the organism's life cycle from larvae to pupae to blood-feeding adults.

Protocolo para la cría de los mosquitos (A. gambiae)

This protocol describes mosquito rearing in the insectary. The insectary rooms are maintained at 28&deg;C and ~80% humidity, with a 12 hr. day/night ...

Protocol for Plasmodium falciparum Infections in Mosquitoes and Infection Phenotype Determination

Once a gene is identified as potentially refractory for malaria, it must be evaluated for its role in preventing Plasmodium infections within the mosquito.    This protocol illustrates how the extent of plasmodium infections of mosquitoes can be assayed.  The techniques for preparing the gametocyte culture, membrane feeding mosquitoes human blood, and assaying viral titers in the mosquito midgut are demonstrated.

Once a gene is identified as potentially refractory for malaria, it must be evaluated for its role in preventing Plasmodium infections within the mosquito. This protocol illustrates how the extent of plasmodium infections of mosquitoes can be assayed. The techniques for preparing the gametocyte culture, membrane feeding mosquitoes human blood, and assaying viral titers in the mosquito midgut are demonstrated.

Protocolo de infecciones por Plasmodium falciparum en la determinación de fenotipo mosquitos y la infección

Once a gene is identified as potentially refractory for malaria, it must be evaluated for its role in preventing Plasmodium infections within the ...

Building a Better Mosquito: Identifying the Genes Enabling Malaria and Dengue Fever Resistance in A. gambiae and A. aegypti Mosquitoes

In this interview, George Dimopoulos focuses on the physiological mechanisms used by mosquitoes to combat Plasmodium falciparum and dengue virus infections.   Explanation is given for how key refractory genes, those genes conferring resistance to vector pathogens, are identified in the mosquito and how this knowledge can be used to generate transgenic mosquitoes that are unable to carry the malaria parasite or dengue virus.

In this interview, George Dimopoulos focuses on the physiological mechanisms used by mosquitoes to combat Plasmodium falciparum and dengue virus infections. Explanation is given for how key refractory genes, those genes conferring resistance to vector pathogens, are identified in the mosquito and how this knowledge can be used to generate transgenic mosquitoes that are unable to carry the malaria parasite or dengue virus.

La construcción de un mosquito mejor: La identificación de los genes que permiten resistencia a la malaria y el dengue en A. gambiae y A. aegypti

In this interview, George Dimopoulos focuses on the physiological mechanisms used by mosquitoes to combat Plasmodium falciparum and dengue virus ...

MISSION esiRNA for RNAi Screening in Mammalian Cells

RNA interference (RNAi) is a basic cellular mechanism for the control of gene expression. RNAi is induced by short double-stranded RNAs also known as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The short double-stranded RNAs originate from longer double stranded precursors by the activity of Dicer, a protein of the RNase III family of endonucleases. The resulting fragments are components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), directing it to the cognate target mRNA. RISC cleaves the target mRNA thereby reducing the expression of the encoded protein1,2,3. RNAi has become a powerful and widely used experimental method for loss of gene function studies in mammalian cells utilizing small interfering RNAs.
Currently two main methods are available for the production of small interfering RNAs. One method involves chemical synthesis, whereas an alternative method employs endonucleolytic cleavage of target specific long double-stranded RNAs by RNase III in vitro. Thereby, a diverse pool of siRNA-like oligonucleotides is produced which is also known as endoribonuclease-prepared siRNA or esiRNA. A comparison of efficacy of chemically derived siRNAs and esiRNAs shows that both triggers are potent in target-gene silencing. Differences can, however, be seen when comparing specificity. Many single chemically synthesized siRNAs produce prominent off-target effects, whereas the complex mixture inherent in esiRNAs leads to a more specific knockdown10.
In this study, we present the design of genome-scale MISSION esiRNA libraries and its utilization for RNAi screening exemplified by a DNA-content screen for the identification of genes involved in cell cycle progression. We show how to optimize the transfection protocol and the assay for screening in high throughput. We also demonstrate how large data-sets can be evaluated statistically and present methods to validate primary hits. Finally, we give potential starting points for further functional characterizations of validated hits.

Here we use a human esiRNA library in a high-throughput screen for genes involved in cell division. We demonstrate how to set up and conduct an esiRNA screens, as well as how to analyze and validate the results.

MISIÓN esiRNA sobre el cribado del ARNi en células de mamífero

RNA interference (RNAi) is a basic cellular mechanism for the control of gene expression. RNAi is induced by short double-stranded RNAs also known as ...

Bacterial Delivery of RNAi Effectors: Transkingdom RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) represents a high effective mechanism for specific inhibition of mRNA expression. Besides its potential as a powerful laboratory tool, the RNAi pathway appears to be promising for therapeutic utilization. For development of RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapies, delivery of RNAi-mediating agents to target cells is one of the major obstacles. A novel strategy to overcome this hurdle is transkingdom RNAi (tkRNAi). This technology uses non-pathogenic bacteria, e.g. Escherichia coli, to produce and deliver therapeutic short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into target cells to induce RNAi. A first-generation tkRNAi-mediating vector, TRIP, contains the bacteriophage T7 promoter for expression regulation of a therapeutic shRNA of interest. Furthermore, TRIP has the Inv locus from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis that encodes invasin, which permits natural noninvasive bacteria to enter &beta;1-integrin-positive mammalian cells and the HlyA gene from Listeria monocytogenes, which produces listeriolysin O. This enzyme allows the therapeutic shRNA to escape from entry vesicles within the cytoplasm of the target cell. TRIP constructs are introduced into a competent non-pathogenic Escherichia coli strain, which encodes T7 RNA polymerase necessary for the T7 promoter-driven synthesis of shRNAs. A well-characterized cancer-associated target molecule for different RNAi strategies is ABCB1 (MDR1/P-glycoprotein, MDR1/P-gp). This ABC-transporter acts as a drug extrusion pump and mediates the "classical" ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype of human cancer cells which is characterized by a specific cross resistance pattern. Different ABCB1-expressing MDR cancer cells were treated with anti-ABCB1 shRNA expression vector bearing E. coli. This procedure resulted in activation of the RNAi pathways within the cancer cells and a considerable down regulation of the ABCB1 encoding mRNA as well as the corresponding drug extrusion pump. Accordingly, drug accumulation was enhanced in the pristine drug-resistant cancer cells and the MDR phenotype was reversed. By means of this model the data provide the proof-of-concept that tkRNAi is suitable for modulation of cancer-associated factors, e.g. ABCB1, in human cancer cells.

For development of RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapies, a novel strategy was developed, transkingdom RNAi (tkRNAi). This technology uses non-pathogenic bacteria to produce and deliver therapeutic short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into target cells. Here, tkRNAi was successfully applied for reversal of classical ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) of cancer cells.

Entrega bacteriana de RNAi efectores: Transkingdom RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) represents a high effective mechanism for specific inhibition of mRNA expression. Besides its potential as a powerful laboratory ...

RNAi Screening to Identify Postembryonic Phenotypes in C. elegans

C. elegans has proven to be a valuable model system for the discovery and functional characterization of many genes and gene pathways1. More sophisticated tools and resources for studies in this system are facilitating continued discovery of genes with more subtle phenotypes or roles. 
Here we present a generalized protocol we adapted for identifying C. elegans genes with postembryonic phenotypes of interest using RNAi2. This procedure is easily modified to assay the phenotype of choice, whether by light or fluorescence optics on a dissecting or compound microscope. This screening protocol capitalizes on the physical assets of the organism and molecular tools the C. elegans research community has produced. As an example, we demonstrate the use of an integrated transgene that expresses a fluorescent product in an RNAi screen to identify genes required for the normal localization of this product in late stage larvae and adults. First, we used a commercially available genomic RNAi library with full-length cDNA inserts. This library facilitates the rapid identification of multiple candidates by RNAi reduction of the candidate gene product. Second, we generated an integrated transgene that expresses our fluorecently tagged protein of interest in an RNAi-sensitive background. Third, by exposing hatched animals to RNAi, this screen permits identification of gene products that have a vital embryonic role that would otherwise mask a post-embryonic role in regulating the protein of interest. Lastly, this screen uses a compound microscope equipped for single cell resolution.

RNAi Screening to Identify Postembryonic Phenotypes in C. elegans

We describe a sensitized method to identify postembryonic regulators of protein expression and localization in C. elegans using an RNAi-based genomic screen and an integrated transgene that expresses a functional, fluorescently tagged protein.

RNAi de detección para identificar fenotipos postembrionarios en C. elegans</em

C. elegans has proven to be a valuable model system for the discovery and functional characterization of many genes and gene pathways1. More sophisticated ...

RNAi-mediated Gene Knockdown and In Vivo Diuresis Assay in Adult Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes

This video protocol demonstrates an effective technique to knockdown a particular gene in an insect and conduct a novel bioassay to measure excretion rate. This method can be used to obtain a better understanding of the process of diuresis in insects and is especially useful in the study of diuresis in blood-feeding arthropods that are able to take up huge amounts of liquid in a single blood meal. 
This RNAi-mediated gene knockdown combined with an in vivo diuresis assay was developed by the Hansen lab to study the effects of RNAi-mediated knockdown of aquaporin genes on Aedes aegypti mosquito diuresis1. 
The protocol is setup in two parts: the first demonstration illustrates how to construct a simple mosquito injection device and how to prepare and inject dsRNA into the thorax of mosquitoes for RNAi-mediated gene knockdown. The second demonstration illustrates how to determine excretion rates in mosquitoes using an in vivo bioassay.

RNAi-mediated Gene Knockdown and In Vivo Diuresis Assay in Adult Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes

In this protocol we combine RNAi-mediated gene silencing with an in vivo diuresis assay to study the effects knockdown of genes of interest has on mosquito fluid excretion.

RNAi mediada por Gene y Derribo<em&gt; En Vivo</em&gt; Ensayo de diuresis en Mujeres Adultas<em&gt; Aedes aegypti</em&gt; Los mosquitos

This video protocol demonstrates an effective technique to knockdown a particular gene in an insect and conduct a novel bioassay to measure excretion ...

Endurance Training Protocol and Longitudinal Performance Assays for Drosophila melanogaster

One of the most pressing problems facing modern medical researchers is the surging levels of obesity, with the consequent increase in associated disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease 1-3. An important topic of research into these associated health problems involves the role of endurance exercise as a beneficial intervention.
Exercise training is an inexpensive, non-invasive intervention with several beneficial results, including reduction in excess body fat 4, increased insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle 5, increased anti-inflammatory and antioxidative responses 6, and improved contractile capacity in cardiomyocytes 7. Low intensity exercise is known to increase mitochondrial activity and biogenesis in humans 8 and mice, with the transcriptional coactivator PGC1-&alpha; as an important intermediate 9,10. 
Despite the importance of exercise as a tool for combating several important age-related diseases, extensive longitudinal genetic studies have been impeded by the lack of an endurance training protocol for a short-lived genetic model species. The variety of genetic tools available for use with Drosophila, together with its short lifespan and inexpensive maintenance, make it an appealing model for further study of these genetic mechanisms. With this in mind we have developed a novel apparatus, known as the Power Tower, for large scale exercise-training in Drosophila melanogaster 11. The Power Tower utilizes the flies' instinctive negative geotaxis behavior to repetitively induce rapid climbing. Each time the machine lifts, then drops, the platform of flies, the flies are induced to climb. Flies continue to respond as long as the machine is in operation or until they become too fatigued to respond. Thus, the researcher can use this machine to provide simultaneous training to large numbers of age-matched and genetically identical flies. Additionally, we describe associated assays useful to track longitudinal progress of fly cohorts during training.

Endurance Training Protocol and Longitudinal Performance Assays for Drosophila melanogaster

We describe the first endurance training protocol for an important genetic model species, Drosophila melanogaster, and outline several assays to chart improvements in mobility following training.

Protocolo de entrenamiento de resistencia y ensayos de funcionamiento de los longitudinales de Drosophila melanogaster

One of the most pressing problems facing modern medical researchers is the surging levels of obesity, with the consequent increase in associated disorders ...

A Multi-detection Assay for Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes

The Anopheles gambiae species complex includes the major malaria transmitting mosquitoes in Africa. Because these species are of such medical importance, several traits are typically characterized using molecular assays to aid in epidemiological studies. These traits include species identification, insecticide resistance, parasite infection status, and host preference. Since populations of the Anopheles gambiae complex are morphologically indistinguishable, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is traditionally used to identify species. Once the species is known, several downstream assays are routinely performed to elucidate further characteristics. For instance, mutations known as KDR in a para gene confer resistance against DDT and pyrethroid insecticides. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) or Plasmodium parasite DNA detection PCR assays are used to detect parasites present in mosquito tissues. Lastly, a combination of PCR and restriction enzyme digests can be used to elucidate host preference (e.g., human vs. animal blood) by screening the mosquito bloodmeal for host-specific DNA. We have developed a multi-detection assay (MDA) that combines all of the aforementioned assays into a single multiplex reaction genotyping 33SNPs for 96 or 384 samples at a time. Because the MDA includes multiple markers for species, Plasmodium detection, and host blood identification, the likelihood of generating false positives or negatives is greatly reduced from previous assays that include only one marker per trait. This robust and simple assay can detect these key mosquito traits cost-effectively and in a fraction of the time of existing assays.

Malaria transmitting mosquitoes have a number of epidemiologically important characteristics that can only be detected using molecular techniques. Utilizing a MALDI-TOF based SNP genotyping platform, we developed an assay for simultaneously detecting multiple key traits (species, insecticide resistance, parasite infection and host choice) of malaria vectors.

Un ensayo multi-detección para los mosquitos transmisores de la malaria

The Anopheles gambiae species complex includes the major malaria transmitting mosquitoes in Africa. Because these species are of such medical importance, ...