Arylalkalamine N-acetyltransferase-1 functions on cuticle pigmentation in the yellow fever mosquito,Aedes aegypti

Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase(aaNAT)catalyzes the acetylation of dopamine,5-hydroxy-tryptamine,tryptamine,octopamine,norepinephrine and other ary-lalkylamines to form respective N-acetyl-arylalkylamines.Depending on the products formed,aaNATs are involved in a variety of physiological functions.In the yellow fever mosquito,Aedes aegypti,a number of aaNATs and aaNAT-like proteins have been reported.However,the primary function of each individual aaNAT is yet to be identified.In this study we investigated the function of Ae.aegypti aaNAT 1(Ae-aaNATl)in cuticle pigmentation and development of morphology.Ae-aaNAT1 transcripts were detected at all stages of development with highest expressions after pupation and right before adult eclosion.Ae-aaNATl mutant mosquitoes generated using clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats(CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 had no obvious effect on larval and pupal development.However,the mutant mosquitoes exhibited a roughened ex-oskeletal surface,darker cuticles,and color pattern changes suggesting that Ae-aaNAT1 plays a role in development of the morphology and pigmentation of Ae.aegypti adult cuticles.The mutant also showed less blood feeding efficiency and lower fecundity when compared with the wild-type.The mutation of Ae-aaNAT1 influenced expression of genes involved in cuticle formation.In summary,Ae-aaNAT1 mainly functions on cuticular pigmentation and also affects blood feeding efficiency and fecundity.