Data from: Immune response and insulin signalling alter mosquito feeding behaviour to enhance malaria transmission potential

Malaria parasites alter mosquito feeding behaviour in a way that enhances
parasite transmission. This is widely considered a prime example of
manipulation of host behaviour to increase onward transmission, but
transient immune challenge in the absence of parasites can induce the same
behavioural phenotype. Here, we show that alterations in feeding behaviour
depend on the timing and dose of immune challenge relative to blood
ingestion and that these changes are functionally linked to changes in
insulin signalling in the mosquito gut. These results suggest that altered
phenotypes derive from insulin signalling-dependent host resource
allocation among immunity, blood feeding, and reproduction in a manner
that is not specific to malaria parasite infection. We measured large
increases in mosquito survival and subsequent transmission potential when
feeding patterns are altered. Leveraging these changes in physiology,
behaviour and life history could promote effective and sustainable control
of female mosquitoes responsible for transmission.