Scientists discover how mosquitoes detect human sweat-由于嗅觉受体的存在，蚊子会被人体汗液中的乳酸所吸引，

由于嗅觉受体的存在，蚊子会被人体汗液中的乳酸所吸引，这一发现可能为新一代引诱剂提供了一个路线图，这种引诱剂能将成年样本引诱到控制人口的陷阱中，同时也能在可预见的未来提供先进的驱蚊剂，使人们对蚊子隐形。
Scientists discover how mosquitoes detect human sweat

Scientists have known for decades that mosquitoes are attracted to the lactic acid contained in human sweat, but in the era before advanced genetics, the precise mechanism had remained a mystery.
Now, a team of researchers at Florida International University have discovered the olfactory receptor that allows the disease-carrying insects to hone in on our odor — and how to switch it off.
They published their work on the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, known for spreading deadly illnesses like Zika, dengue and yellow fever, in the journal Current Biology on Thursday.
The team, led by FIU biologist Matthew DeGennaro, identified the guilty receptor as Ionotropic Receptor 8a, or simply IR8a, through a process of elimination that began in 2013 when DeGennaro was able to create the world’s first mutant mosquito, removing a gene to investigate how its absence affected the insect.
Tasked with investigating IR8a, DeGennaro’s PhD student Joshua Raji began by carrying out an exposure experiment using his own arm, and found the mutant mosquitoes were significantly less attracted to him than wild ones.
The outcome was confirmed through testing on 14 additional subjects.
"People have been looking for a receptor for lactic acid since the 1960s, " DeGennaro told AFP.
The findings could offer a roadmap for a new generation of attractants that lure adult specimens into traps for population control, as well as advanced repellants that make people invisible to mosquitoes — though that could be some way away.
"It’ll take years, but we are definitely a step closer, " said DeGennaro.

Scientists discover how mosquitoes detect human sweat 蚊子是如何探测到人体汗液的？科学家解开谜题

Scientists have known for decades that mosquitoes are attracted to the lactic acid contained in human sweat, but in the era before advanced genetics, the precise mechanism had remained a mystery.
几十年来，科学家们都知道蚊子会被人体汗液中所含的乳酸所吸引，但在高级遗传学出现之前，其确切原理一直是个谜。
Now, a team of researchers at Florida International University have discovered the olfactory receptor that allows the disease-carrying insects to hone in on our odor — and how to switch it off.
有一种嗅觉受体可以让携带疾病的蚊子锁定我们的气味，现在，佛罗里达国际大学的一个研究人员小组发现了这种嗅觉受体，并且找到了关闭受体的方法。
They published their work on the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, known for spreading deadly illnesses like Zika, dengue and yellow fever, in the journal Current Biology on Thursday.
周四，他们在《当代生物学》期刊上发表了关于埃及伊蚊的研究成果。埃及伊蚊以传播寨卡病毒、登革热和黄热病等致命疾病而闻名。
The team, led by FIU biologist Matthew DeGennaro, identified the guilty receptor as Ionotropic Receptor 8a, or simply IR8a, through a process of elimination that began in 2013 when DeGennaro was able to create the world’s first mutant mosquito, removing a gene to investigate how its absence affected the insect.
这个研究小组由佛罗里达国际大学的生物学家马修·德根纳罗领导。小组通过排除法，确定了这种罪魁祸首的受体为亲离子受体 8a，简称 IR8a。这个排除法实验从 2013 年就开始了，当时德根纳罗移除了（蚊子的）一种基因，得以创造出了世界上第一只变体蚊子，为的是研究缺少这种基因对蚊子的影响。
Tasked with investigating IR8a, DeGennaro’s PhD student Joshua Raji began by carrying out an exposure experiment using his own arm, and found the mutant mosquitoes were significantly less attracted to him than wild ones.
马修·德根纳罗的博士生约书亚·拉吉被指派研究 IR8a，他先用自己的手臂做了一个暴露实验，结果发现自己对变体蚊子的吸引力明显小于野生蚊子。
The outcome was confirmed through testing on 14 additional subjects.
对另外 14 名受试者的测试也证实了这一结果。
“People have been looking for a receptor for lactic acid since the 1960s,” DeGennaro told AFP.
“自 20 世纪 60 年代以来，人们就一直在寻找（蚊子的）乳酸受体，”德根纳罗告诉法新社。
The findings could offer a roadmap for a new generation of attractants that lure adult specimens into traps for population control, as well as advanced repellants that make people invisible to mosquitoes — though that could be some way away.
这些研究可以为研制新一代昆虫引诱剂和先进驱蚊剂提供方向，引诱剂可以引诱成年昆虫进入陷阱，以控制种群数量，而驱蚊剂则能使人们不被蚊子探测到——尽管这可能还需要一段时间。
“It’ll take years, but we are definitely a step closer,” said DeGennaro.
德根纳罗说：“这将需要好几年的时间，但毫无疑问我们离目标更近了一步。”