Date of Award
Spring 5-25-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts in Biology
Department
Biology
Advisor
Dr. Marjorie Patrick
Abstract
The salt tolerant mosquito species Aedes taeniorhynchus has been observed in high salinity and ammonia conditions. Previous studies indicate Na+/K+ ATPase (NKA), the proton pump vacuolar-type H+ ATPase (VHA) and sodium-dependent cation-chloride cotransporters (NKCC’s) in sodium secretion in larval Aedes taeniorhynchus. However ammonia transporter such as Rh-protein, Amt1, and Amt2 have only been characterized in Aedes taeniorhynchus’s fresh water relative Aedes aegypti. Our research exhibits the expression of these transporters in A.taeniorhynchus using immunohistochemistry techniques. Evidence of VHA and NKA function in ammonia transport was characterized in vivo using drug antagonists in varying saline and ammonia concentrations. Ammonia flux rates and hemolymph concentrations showed lower concentrations of salinity corresponding to higher ammonia flux rates. Drug antagonist experiments revealed ammonia flux was more dependent on the inhibition of NKA rather than VHA. Immunohistochemistry and in vivo results exhibit possible novel mechanisms of ammonia secretion needed to be explored further.
Digital USD Citation
Edmonds, Joseph, "Ammonia Regulation in Aedes taeniorhynchus, a Salt-Water Mosquito" (2025). Undergraduate Honors Theses. 135.
https://digital.sandiego.edu/honors_theses/135
Copyright
Copyright held by the author
Included in
Animal Experimentation and Research Commons, Biology Commons, Cellular and Molecular Physiology Commons, Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Commons, Entomology Commons
