Deciphering the reproductive protein-protein interaction network in Anopheles gambiae with Drosophila melanogaster as a framework

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are the most fundamental biological processes at the molecular level. The experimental methods for testing PPIs are time-consuming and are limited by analogs for many reactions. As a result, a computational model is necessary to predict PPIs and to explore the consequences of signal alterations in biological pathways. Reproductive control of the vector Anopheles gambiae using transgenic techniques poses a serious challenge. To meet this challenge, it would help to define the biological network involving the male accessory gland (MAG) proteins responsible for successful formation of the mating plug [1]. This plug forms in the male and is transferred to the female during mating, hence initiating the PPIs in both sexes. As is the case in Drosophila melanogaster, a close relative of A. gambiae, some MAG proteins responsible for the formation of the mating plug have been shown to alter the post-mating behavior of females.