Publications

2026

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

   Lan Lou, Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran, Julien Devilliers, Austin Compton, Abdulhadi Kobiowu, Emilie Applebach, Adaline Bisese, Richard Rust, Shajaesza Diggs, Sydney Luff, Sneha Sapkota, Nicole E Wynne, Diane F Eilerts, Joshua B Benoit, Zhijian Jake Tu, Chloé Lahondère, and Clément Vinauger

   bioRxiv, Jan 2026

   Abs DOI

   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 underconstantdarkness. Silencing the timeless gene further induced an aversion for the host scent under light-dark conditions. Transcriptomic analysis of mosquito heads andantennaeuncoveredrhythmicexpression 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.

2. Glucocorticoid Treatment Dampens Kynurenine Pathway Activation and Cytokine Release in Immune Stimulated Human Microglia

   Martina Esposito Soccoio, Robert P. Mason, Julien Devilliers, Roberto Feuda, Mary E. W. Collier, and Flaviano Giorgini

   International Journal of Tryptophan Research, Jan 2026

   Abs DOI

   As a first line of defence for the central nervous system (CNS), microglia play a critical role in maintaining homeostasis within the brain. Upon detection of damage or threats, activated cells release factors to communicate and potentiate immune responses. This activation also increases activity of the kynurenine pathway (KP) and alters expression of key KP enzymes such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1) and kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO), both major contributors in the pathology of several neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. This study investigated the impact of pro-inflammatory stimuli on the C20 human microglial cell line, focussing on the regulation of KMO and IDO-1 expression, and the production of cytokines. Additionally, we explored whether the anti-inflammatory effects of dexamethasone (DEXA) influenced these outcomes. This additional characterisation of a physiologically relevant human microglial cell line offers a novel and reliable platform for investigating human-specific microglial biology and function. C20 were challenged for 24 hours with cytokines or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Gene expression was measured by RTqPCR and excreted cytokines were quantified using a multiplex array. Our results showed up-regulation of IDO-1 and KMO transcripts, and increased release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Notably, these effects were significantly dampened by pre-incubation with DEXA. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses supported these data by highlighting TNF-α-activated enriched pathways, as well as those down-regulated in samples co-treated with DEXA. This study contributes to the understanding of key mechanisms regulated in human microglia by immune challenges and supports the crucial role of synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) in moderating the microglial immune response induced by proinflammatory signals. These data support the use of GCs as possible therapeutic interventions for diseases associated with neuroinflammation, particularly those with altered KP metabolism.

2025

1. A single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of the adult Aedes aegypti mosquito

   Olivia V. Goldman, Alexandra E. DeFoe, Yanyan Qi, Yaoyu Jiao, Shih-Che Weng, Brittney Wick, Leah Houri-Zeevi, Priyanka Lakhiani, Takeshi Morita, Jacopo Razzauti, Adriana Rosas-Villegas, Yael N. Tsitohay, Madison M. Walker, Ben R. Hopkins, Joshua X.D. Ang, Igor Antoshechkin, Yu Cai, Fangying Chen, Yen-Chung Chen, Julien Devilliers, Linhan Dong, Roberto Feuda, Paolo Gabrieli, Artyom Kopp, Hyeogsun Kwon, Hsing-Han Li, Tzu-Chiao Lu, Thalita Lucio, João T. Marques, Marcus F. Oliveira, Roenick P. Olmo, Umberto Palatini, Zeaan M. Pithawala, Julien Pompon, Yan Reis, João Rodrigues, Ryan C. Smith, Maximilian Haeussler, Omar S. Akbari, Laura B. Duvall, Helen White-Cooper, Trevor R. Sorrells, Roshan Sharma, Hongjie Li, Leslie B. Vosshall, and Nadav Shai

   Cell, Oct 2025

   Abs DOI

   The female Aedes aegypti mosquito’s remarkable ability to hunt humans and transmit pathogens relies on her unique biology. Here, we present the Aedes aegypti Mosquito Cell Atlas, a comprehensive single-nucleus RNA sequencing dataset of more than 367,000 nuclei from 19 dissected tissues of adult female and male Aedes aegypti, providing cellular-level resolution of mosquito biology. We identify novel cell types and expand our understanding of sensory neuron organization of chemoreceptors across all sensory tissues. Our analysis uncovers male-specific cells and sexually dimorphic gene expression in the antenna and brain. In female mosquitoes, we find that glial cells, rather than neurons, undergo the most extensive transcriptional changes in the brain following blood feeding. Our findings provide insights into the cellular basis of mosquito behavior and sexual dimorphism. The Aedes aegypti Mosquito Cell Atlas resource enables systematic investigation of cell-type-specific expression across all mosquito tissues.

2. Hematophagy Generates a Convergent Genomic Signature in Mosquitoes and Sandflies

   Julien Devilliers, Ben Warren, Ezio Rosato, Charalambos P Kyriacou, and Roberto Feuda

   Genome Biology and Evolution, Mar 2025

   Abs DOI

   Blood feeding (hematophagy) is widespread across Diptera (true flies), yet the underlying genetic basis remains poorly understood. Using phylogenomics, we show that four gene families associated with neuromodulation, 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.

3. An Optimized SPLiT-Seq Protocol for Insects

   Julien Devilliers, Elena Emili, Virginia Vanni, Jordi Solana, and Roberto Feuda

   Aug 2025

   Abs DOI

   Single-cell RNA-sequencing revolutionized our approach of transcriptomic studies, enabling to analyze gene expression across cell type in a tissue. Here we introduce an optimized cell dissociation and a Split Pool Ligation-based Transcriptome sequencing (SPLiT-seq) protocol to perform single-cell RNA-seq in insects. Up to 400,000 cells can be used as starting material within a single experiment.

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

   Joséphine Ledamoisel, Andrew Dang, Julien Devilliers, Tiphaine Marvillet, Sophie Lemoine, Manuela Lopez-Villavicencio, Adriana Briscoe, Vincent Debat, and Violaine Llaurens

   bioRxiv, Jun 2025

   Abs DOI

   Multiple selective pressures can shape the evolution of color vision in animals, by acting on the co- evolution of the opsin genes. How do adaptive processes shape the duplications of opsins, the evolution of their amino acids and the modification of their patterns of expression? At large phylogenetic scales, natural selection due to the contrasted light environments has been found to have a profound impact on the evolution of the opsin gene family. 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 microhabitats, to shed light on the effect of biotic and abiotic selective pressures shaping the evolution of their opsin gene family. First, we combined genomics, transcriptomics and immunochemistry to precisely characterize the expression and the spatial distribution of the opsin proteins found in the eyes of Morpho helenor. We found unique ommatidial types compared to other butterfly species. We then investigated the evolution of opsin genes among 18 Morpho species, found signature of positive selection on two opsin genes, and identified key co-evolving amino-acids shaping the diversification of the Morpho visual system. We showed that such opsin evolution was correlated to both light environment and wing coloration, highlighting the joint effect of several selective pressures in the evolution of those proteins. Overall, our study underlines the peculiar evolution of visual systems in closely-related species specialized in divergent microhabitats.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.European Union (ERC-2022-COG - OUTOFTHEBLUE - 101088089)Human Frontier Science Program

2024

1. Molecular correlates of swarming behaviour in Aedes aegypti males

   Julien Devilliers, Hollie Marshall, Ben Warren, Charalambos P. Kyriacou, Luciana O. Araripe, Rafaela V. Bruno, Ezio Rosato, and Roberto Feuda

   Biology Letters, Jun 2024

   Abs DOI

   Mosquitoes are the deadliest vectors of diseases. They impose a huge health burden on human populations spreading parasites as disparate as protozoans (malaria), viruses (yellow fever and more) and nematodes (filariasis) that 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, and they ‘retune’ their physiology for this demanding behaviour. There is limited knowledge on the ‘genetic reprogramming’ required to enable swarming. 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 that are engaged in swarming in a laboratory setting. Our results suggest that in preparation to swarming, males tend to lower some housekeeping functions while increasing remodelling of the cytoskeleton and neuronal connectivity; the transcription of circadian clock genes is unaffected.

2023

1. Shallow Whole-Genome Sequencing of Aedes japonicus and Aedes koreicus from Italy and an Updated Picture of Their Evolution Based on Mitogenomics and Barcoding

   Nicola Zadra, Alessia Tatti, Andrea Silverj, Riccardo Piccinno, Julien Devilliers, Clifton Lewis, Daniele Arnoldi, Fabrizio Montarsi, Paula Escuer, Giuseppe Fusco, Veronica De Sanctis, Roberto Feuda, Alejandro Sánchez-Gracia, Annapaola Rizzoli, and Omar Rota-Stabelli

   Insects, Jun 2023

   Abs DOI

   Aedes japonicus and Aedes koreicus are two invasive mosquitoes native to East Asia that are quickly establishing in temperate regions of Europe. Both species are vectors of arboviruses, but we currently lack a clear understanding of their evolution. Here, we present new short-read, shallow genome sequencing of A. japonicus and A. koreicus individuals from northern Italy, which we used for downstream phylogenetic and barcode analyses. We explored associated microbial DNA and found high occurrences of Delftia bacteria in both samples, but neither Asaia nor Wolbachia. We then assembled complete mitogenomes and used these data to infer divergence times estimating the split of A. japonicus from A. koreicus in the Oligocene, which was more recent than that previously reported using mitochondrial markers. We recover a younger age for most other nodes within Aedini and other Culicidae. COI barcoding and phylogenetic analyses indicate that A. japonicus yaeyamensis, A. japonicus amamiensis, and the two A. koreicus sampled from Europe should be considered as separate species within a monophyletic species complex. Our studies further clarify the evolution of A. japonicus and A. koreicus, and indicate the need to obtain whole-genome data from putative species in order to disentangle their complex patterns of evolution.