Biology subjects

Devilliers, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Devilliers, J..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Temporal synchrony between human odor rhythms and mosquito olfactory preference shapes host attraction

For anthropophilic mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti, aligning host-seeking with human availability enhances foraging efficiency and reproductive success. Although time of day modulates mosquito activity and olfactory sensitivity, it remains unknown whether human hosts display rhythmic changes in odor cues and whether mosquitoes adjust their sensory responses accordingly. Here, we combine chemical, behavioral, genetic, and transcriptomic approaches to reveal that both mosquitoes and their human hosts in this interaction are temporally synchronized. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed systematic daily shifts in human body odor composition between morning and evening. Correspondingly, mosquitoes prefer host odors that match their own active phase--a time-specific preference abolished in timeless mutants and under constant darkness. Silencing the timeless gene further induced an aversion for the host scent under light-dark conditions. Transcriptomic analysis of mosquito heads and antennae uncovered rhythmic expression of sensory and neuromodulatory genes, driven by both circadian and light-dark cycles and which peaks during mosquitoes active periods, with rhythmic co-expression networks collapsing in timeless knockouts. Together, these results show that mosquito attraction to humans is temporally tuned by the interplay of host odor rhythms and mosquito sensory rhythms, revealing a previously unrecognized form of interspecific temporal synchronization in vector-host interactions.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2025

Evolution of opsin genes in closely-related species of butterflies specialized in different microhabitats.

How do adaptive processes acting on the coevolution of opsin genes shape the evolution of colour vision in animals? At large phylogenetic scales, natural selection due to the contrasted light environments has been found to impact the evolution of photoreceptor genes. However, in closely-related species, species interactions due to sexual selection or competition may also influence opsin evolution. Here, we investigate the diversification of opsin sequences and their expression in closely-related blue Morpho butterfly species, living in different vertical strata within tropical forests, to shed light on the biotic and abiotic selective pressures shaping the coordinated evolution of opsin genes. We combined comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and immunochemistry to characterize the expression and the spatial distribution of the opsin proteins found in the eyes of Morpho helenor. We detected a double duplication of the LW opsin and found unique ommatidial types compared to other butterfly species. We then investigated the evolution of opsin genes among 21 Morpho species, found signatures of positive selection on two opsin genes (LW3Rh and BRh), and identified key co-evolving amino-acids within and among these two opsin genes. We showed that such opsin evolution was correlated with both light environment and wing coloration, highlighting the joint effect of several selective pressures in the coordinated evolution of proteins.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Hematophagy generates a convergent genomic signature in mosquitoes and sandflies

Blood-feeding (hematophagy) is widespread across Diptera (true flies), yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using phylogenomics, we show that four gene families associated with neuro-modulation, immune responses, embryonic development, and iron metabolism have undergone independent expansions within mosquitoes and sandflies. Our findings illuminate the underlying genetic basis for blood-feeding adaptations in these important disease vectors.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Molecular correlates of swarming behaviour in Aedes aegypti males.

Mosquitoes are the deadliest vectors of disease. They impose a huge health burden on human populations spreading parasites as disparate as protozoans (malaria), viruses (yellow fever and more), and nematodes (filariasis), which cause life-threatening conditions. In recent years, mating has been proposed as a putative target for population control. Mosquitoes mate mid-air in swarms initiated by males and triggered by a combination of internal and external stimuli. As the number of females in a swarm is limited, there is intense competition among males. Indeed, males retune their physiology for this demanding behaviour but the underlying genetic changes are largely unknown. Interestingly, recent evidence indicates that the upregulation of circadian clock genes may be involved in the swarming of malaria mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. Here, we use whole-head RNA-seq to identify gene expression changes in Aedes aegypti males who are engaged in swarming in a laboratory setting. Our results suggest that swarming males tend to lower some housekeeping functions while increasing the remodelling of the cytoskeleton and neuronal connectivity; the transcription of circadian clock genes is unaffected.

genetics↗