Figure 4

The growth of gut microbiota that follows a blood meal increases the amount of midgut lipid droplets.

Mosquitoes were kept feeding on a sugar solution (A,B) or blood fed (C,D) and 24 hours after feeding, midguts were stained with Nile Red. Alternatively, mosquitoes were fed with antibiotics added to the sugar solution for four days, after which they were kept feeding on the same solution (E,F) or blood fed (G,H). After additional 24 hours midguts were stained with Nile Red. (A,C,E,G) Differential interference contrast (DIC). (B,D,F,H). Nile red stained lipid droplets (red). Nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). (I) Fluorescent particle quantification was performed only for blood-fed conditions (with and without antibiotics) using Analyze particles tool from ImageJ.