Journal article
The irritant receptor TRPA1 mediates the mosquito repellent effect of catnip
Current biology, v 31(9), pp 1988-1994.e5
10 May 2021
PMID: 33667373
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Catnip (
Nepeta cataria
) is a common garden herb well known for its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects on domestic cats,
1
–
3
for its medicinal properties,
4
,
5
as well as for its powerful repellent action on insects.
6
,
7
Catnip extracts have been proposed as a natural alternative to synthetic insect repellents, such as N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET),
8
,
9
but how catnip triggers aversion in insects is not known. Here, we show that, both in
Drosophila melanogaster
flies and
Aedes aegypti
mosquitoes, the major mediator of catnip repellency is the widely conserved chemical irritant receptor TRPA1.
In vitro
, both catnip extract and its active ingredient nepetalactone can directly activate fly and mosquito TRPA1.
In vivo
,
D. melanogaster
and
Ae. aegypti TRPA1
mutants are no longer repelled by catnip and nepetalactone. Interestingly, our data show that some, but not all, fly and mosquito TRPA1 variants are catnip targets. Moreover, unlike the broad TRPA1 agonist allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (an active ingredient of tear gas and wasabi), catnip does not activate human TRPA1. Our results support the use of catnip and nepetalactone as insect-selective irritants and suggest that, despite TRPA1’s broad conservation, insect TRPA1 can be targeted for the development of safe repellents.
Catnip has been used for millennia as an insect repellent. Melo et al. find that catnip and its major iridoid component nepetalactone activate insect isoforms of the irritant receptor TRPA1. Mosquitoes lacking TRPA1 are no longer repelled by catnip. Catnip does not activate human TRPA1, and this supports its use as a safe natural mosquito repellent.
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Details
- Title
- The irritant receptor TRPA1 mediates the mosquito repellent effect of catnip
- Creators
- Nadia Melo - Lund UniversityMatthew Capek - Northwestern UniversityOscar M. Arenas - Northwestern UniversityAli Afify - Johns Hopkins MedicineAyse Yilmaz - Lund UniversityChristopher J. Potter - Johns Hopkins MedicinePeter J. Laminette - Northwestern UniversityAlessia Para - Northwestern UniversityMarco Gallio - Northwestern UniversityMarcus C. Stensmyr - Lund University
- Publication Details
- Current biology, v 31(9), pp 1988-1994.e5
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000653077800011
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85103267217
- Other Identifier
- 991021229982104721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Biology
- Cell Biology