A small cDNA library was constructed from antennae of 100 adult male Aedes aegypti
yellow fever mosquitoes. Sequencing of 80 clones identified 49 unique gene products, including a member of the
Odorant Binding Protein family (Aaeg-OBP10), a homologue of Takeout (Aaeg-TO), and
transposable elements of the LINE, SINE and MITE classes. Aaeg-OBP10 encodes a 140
amino acid protein including a predicted 25
amino acid signal peptide. Aaeg-OBP10 expression was adult male enriched, increased with adult age, and greatest in antennae and wings but also present in maxillary palps, proboscis and leg. Aaeg-OBP10 is a likely orthologue of Agam-OBP10 of the
malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae and shares significant similarity with members of the OBP56 gene cluster of Drosophila melanogaster. These OBP genes may represent a unified class of OBPs with unique roles in chemodetection; the expression pattern of Aaeg-OBP10 suggests it may play a role in adult male chemosensory behavior. Aaeg-TO encodes a 248
amino acid protein including a predicted 22
amino acid signal peptide. Aaeg-TO is homologous with the circadian/feeding regulated D. melanogaster Takeout
protein (Dmel-TO) and a subclass of
Juvenile Hormone Binding Proteins (JHBP) characterized by Moling from Manduca sexta; both Dmel-TO and Moling are sensitive to feeding, suggesting Aaeg-TO might regulate the antennal response to food, host or pheromonal odors in a JH sensitive manner. Aaeg-TO was used to identify 25 D. melanogaster and 13 A. gambiae homologues by Blast analysis suggesting these may comprise a relatively large class of
protein involved in the hormonal regulation of behavior.