A whole-brain connectome of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito

The mosquito Aedes aegypti transmits arboviruses including yellow fever, dengue, and Zika. Females integrate chemosensory, thermal, and other sensory cues when seeking their preferred hosts for a blood meal. Understanding how these cues are processed to regulate host-seeking is an active area of research with major implications for global health. Although the sensory periphery is accessible via genetic tools and physiological techniques, characterising the central brain in light-level studies has been more difficult. We will comprehensively map the brain of an adult Ae. aegypti female by proofreading, annotating, and analysing an imaged, synapse-resolution electron microscopy (EM) volume. This dataset will be made publicly available on a dedicated online platform with user-friendly navigation tools and data visualisation modules, ensuring accessibility for researchers and the interested public worldwide. With this connectome, we will produce detailed atlases of the chemosensory system and define sensory circuits involved in host-seeking. We will leverage Drosophila melanogaster connectomes for cell typing and to kickstart comparative connectomics, benefiting from related species with broadly similar brains but dramatically distinct feeding strategies. This connectome will provide a platform for mosquito researchers to explore exciting areas including thermosensation, feeding specialisations, descending control of behaviour, auditory circuits, circadian rhythm, and navigational circuits.