The possibility that the mosquito chose the target to be stabbed at the gene level emerged

ByCalafellvalo

There are a lot of people who have experienced being given a mosquito only to a specific person while spending outdoors with friends and family in the summer. So why some people are stabbed well by mosquitoes, to elucidate its mechanismLondon School of Heisei and Tropical MedicineOur research team is working on it.

PLOS ONE: Heritability of Attractiveness to Mosquitoes
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0122716

Mosquitoes may just like some people better | The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/22/8463839/mosquito-body-odor-genes-bite

It is thought that mosquitoes are sensing various elements such as carbon dioxide concentration, humidity, body temperature, etc. when searching for a mosquito sucking blood, but the research team focused attention on human body odor. One of the factors involved in human body odor is genes, and the research team conducted experiments assuming that mosquitoes are not sensing the body odor itself, but sensing genetic components.

ByM

Experiments were carried out with twin of identical twins and twins of dizygotic twins using a Y-shaped special device as shown in the figure below. Put twin arms on the bifurcated person of the Y-shaped device, release 20 mosquitoes from one end and investigate the number of times mosquito bites were stabbed. Experimental results showed that in twins with identical twins, there was little difference in the number of times that they were stabbed by mosquitoes, but in twins with dizygotic twins, there was a bias in the number of times both were stabbed. In other words, mosquitoes tend to perceive either one strongly if there are two targets with different genes while sensing both at the same level when there are two targets with the same gene It has become.


James Logan, who led the research, said, "In this experiment it was found that twins of identical twins attract mosquitoes at the same level, whereas twin of twin eggy twins have significant differences in the level of attracting mosquitoes It is thought that this refers to the occurrence of elements at the genetic level that attract mosquitoes in humans. "

ByNicolas Valentin

However, it is also true that Mr. Logan's dissenting opinion exists. Because the data obtained from the experiment is that of 18 subjects of identical twins and 19 pairs of twin of twin egg twins, it is said that "the mosquito is sensing the gene There is also pointed out that it can not be said unequivocally. Also, experiments have not revealed the relationship between genes and other elements such as carbon dioxide, humidity, body temperature and body odor sensed by mosquitoes.

In the course of such criticism, the research team led by Mr. Logan thinks that this result is a big step to elucidate the mechanism of what humans attract mosquitoes and will work on further research .