How Do Mosquitoes Digest Food?
WouterCurrently, there is no general consensus on the biology of mosquito midgut. Unlike vertebrate guts, midguts in mosquitoes are highly variable, and pathway fluxes are not predictable from a biological perspective.
The midgut of female mosquitoes has two different sections. The anterior midgut (AMG) is responsible for the absorption of sugars and proteins, while the posterior midgut (PMG) is involved in the digestion of blood and nutrients. The PMG is also a major region of protein secretion.
The AMG is composed of nerve branches, which may contribute to the regulation of digestion. The PMG is also home to microorganisms that live and multiply in the insect gut. Some of these bacteria may contribute to the synthesis of digestive proteases.
Aedes aegypti produces trypsin-like enzymes during the digestion of blood. Trypsins are expressed during the early and late phases of digestion. The late phase is characterized by a large increase in trypsin activity. The protein content of the midguts of control mosquitoes was not significantly different from that of the mosquitoes treated with antibiotics.
The midgut of blood-feeding female mosquitoes is also a major gateway for the establishment of protozoa and human pathogens. These enzymes are released into the gut through the COPI (coatomer protein 1) envelope. This envelope is composed of different subunits that are secreted into the gut for internal transport and enzyme synthesis.
The PMG is also home to endocrine cells that secrete neuropeptides. These neuropeptides may regulate the digestion process by controlling gut motility.
