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Chen TY, Marín-López A, Raduwan H, Fikrig E. Aedes aegypti adiponectin receptor-like protein signaling facilitates Zika virus infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0243324. [PMID: 39373507 PMCID: PMC11559040 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02433-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The Aedes aegypti mosquito plays a critical role in the transmission of viral diseases, including Zika virus, which poses significant public health challenges. Understanding the complex interactions between mosquitoes and viruses is paramount for the development of effective control strategies. In this study, we demonstrate that silencing the A. aegypti adiponectin receptor-like protein (AaARLP) results in a reduction of Zika virus infection. Transcriptomic analysis identified alterations in several trypsin genes and further revealed that AaARLP-knockdown mosquitoes had diminished trypsin activity. Moreover, silencing of selected trypsins resulted in a similar delay in Zika virus infection in mosquitoes, further highlighting the connection between the AaARLP and trypsin. Overall, our findings demonstrate that AaARLP signaling is important for Zika virus infection of A. aegypti. IMPORTANCE Arboviruses pose a significant threat to public health, with mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti, being a major vector for their transmission. Gaining insight into the complex interaction between mosquitoes and viruses is essential to build successful control strategies. In this study, we identified a novel pathway connecting the A. aegypti adiponectin receptor-like protein and its association with trypsin, key enzymes involved in blood digestion. Furthermore, we demonstrated the significance of signaling via the adiponectin receptor-like protein in virus infection within the mosquito. Together, our discoveries illuminate mosquito metabolic pathways essential in viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tse-Yu Chen
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alejandro Marín-López
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hamidah Raduwan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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2
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Dutra HLC, Marshall DJ, Comerford B, McNulty BP, Diaz AM, Jones MJ, Mejia AJ, Bjornstad ON, McGraw EA. Larval crowding enhances dengue virus loads in Aedes aegypti, a relationship that might increase transmission in urban environments. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012482. [PMID: 39255310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 09/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change and urbanization will alter the global distribution of disease vectors, changing the disease burden in yet unpredictable ways. Aedes aegypti is a mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses that breeds in containers associated with urban environments. We sought to understand how ambient temperature and larval densities in the immature aquatic phases determine adult life history traits and dengue virus loads post-infection. We predicted that larval crowding and high temperatures would both lead to smaller mosquitoes that might struggle to invest in an immune response and, hence, would exhibit high viral loads. METHODS We first examined larval densities from urban and rural areas via a meta-analysis. We then used these data to inform a laboratory-based 2x2 design examining the interacting effects of temperature (21 vs. 26°C) and density (0.2 vs. 0.4 larvae/mL) on adult life history and dengue virus loads. RESULTS We found that urban areas had an ~8-fold increase in larval densities compared to more rural sites. In the lab, we found that crowding had more impact on mosquito traits than temperature. Crowding led to slower development, smaller mosquitoes, less survival, lower fecundity, and higher viral loads, as predicted. The higher temperature led to faster development, reduced fecundity, and lower viral loads. The virus-reducing effect of higher temperature rearing was, however, overwhelmed by the impact of larval crowding when both factors were present. CONCLUSIONS These data reveal complex interactions between the environmental effects experienced by immature mosquitoes and adult traits. They especially highlight the importance of crowding with respect to adult viral loads. Together, these data suggest that urban environments might enhance dengue virus loads and, therefore, possibly transmission, a concerning result given the increasing rates of urbanization globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heverton L C Dutra
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Dustin J Marshall
- The School of Life Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Belinda Comerford
- The School of Life Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brianna P McNulty
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Anastacia M Diaz
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew J Jones
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Austin J Mejia
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Entomology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ottar N Bjornstad
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Entomology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A McGraw
- The Biology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- The Entomology Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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3
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Boehm EC, Jaeger AS, Ries HJ, Castañeda D, Weiler AM, Valencia CC, Weger-Lucarelli J, Ebel GD, O’Connor SL, Friedrich TC, Zamanian M, Aliota MT. Wolbachia-mediated resistance to Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti is dominated by diverse transcriptional regulation and weak evolutionary pressures. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011674. [PMID: 37782672 PMCID: PMC10569609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A promising candidate for arbovirus control and prevention relies on replacing arbovirus-susceptible Aedes aegypti populations with mosquitoes that have been colonized by the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and thus have a reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses. This reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses is mediated through a phenomenon referred to as pathogen blocking. Pathogen blocking has primarily been proposed as a tool to control dengue virus (DENV) transmission, however it works against a range of viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Despite years of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen blocking still need to be better understood. Here, we used RNA-seq to characterize mosquito gene transcription dynamics in Ae. aegypti infected with the wMel strain of Wolbachia that are being released by the World Mosquito Program in Medellín, Colombia. Comparative analyses using ZIKV-infected, uninfected tissues, and mosquitoes without Wolbachia revealed that the influence of wMel on mosquito gene transcription is multifactorial. Importantly, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to pathogen blocking. Therefore, to understand the influence of Wolbachia on within-host ZIKV evolution, we characterized the genetic diversity of molecularly barcoded ZIKV virus populations replicating in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes and found that within-host ZIKV evolution was subject to weak purifying selection and, unexpectedly, loose anatomical bottlenecks in the presence and absence of Wolbachia. Together, these findings suggest that there is no clear transcriptional profile associated with Wolbachia-mediated ZIKV restriction, and that there is no evidence for ZIKV escape from this restriction in our system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Boehm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hunter J. Ries
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - David Castañeda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Andrea M. Weiler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Corina C. Valencia
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Gregory D. Ebel
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
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4
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Boehm EC, Jaeger AS, Ries HJ, Castañeda D, Weiler AM, Valencia CC, Weger-Lucarelli J, Ebel GD, O’Connor SL, Friedrich TC, Zamanian M, Aliota MT. Wolbachia -mediated resistance to Zika virus infection in Aedes aegypti is dominated by diverse transcriptional regulation and weak evolutionary pressures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.26.546271. [PMID: 37425681 PMCID: PMC10327090 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.26.546271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
A promising candidate for arbovirus control and prevention relies on replacing arbovirus-susceptible Aedes aegypti populations with mosquitoes that have been colonized by the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and thus have a reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses. This reduced capacity to transmit arboviruses is mediated through a phenomenon referred to as pathogen blocking. Pathogen blocking has primarily been proposed as a tool to control dengue virus (DENV) transmission, however it works against a range of viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Despite years of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen blocking still need to be better understood. Here, we used RNA-seq to characterize mosquito gene transcription dynamics in Ae. aegypti infected with the w Mel strain of Wolbachia that are being released by the World Mosquito Program in Medellín, Colombia. Comparative analyses using ZIKV-infected, uninfected tissues, and mosquitoes without Wolbachia revealed that the influence of w Mel on mosquito gene transcription is multifactorial. Importantly, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to pathogen blocking. Therefore, to understand the influence of Wolbachia on within-host ZIKV evolution, we characterized the genetic diversity of molecularly barcoded ZIKV virus populations replicating in Wolbachia -infected mosquitoes and found that within-host ZIKV evolution was subject to weak purifying selection and, unexpectedly, loose anatomical bottlenecks in the presence and absence of Wolbachia . Together, these findings suggest that there is no clear transcriptional profile associated with Wolbachia -mediated ZIKV restriction, and that there is no evidence for ZIKV escape from this restriction in our system. Author Summary When Wolbachia bacteria infect Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, they dramatically reduce the mosquitoes' susceptibility to infection with a range of arthropod-borne viruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Although this pathogen-blocking effect has been widely recognized, its mechanisms remain unclear. Furthermore, because Wolbachia limits, but does not completely prevent, replication of ZIKV and other viruses in coinfected mosquitoes, there is a possibility that these viruses could evolve resistance to Wolbachia -mediated blocking. Here, we use host transcriptomics and viral genome sequencing to examine the mechanisms of ZIKV pathogen blocking by Wolbachia and viral evolutionary dynamics in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. We find complex transcriptome patterns that do not suggest a single clear mechanism for pathogen blocking. We also find no evidence that Wolbachia exerts detectable selective pressures on ZIKV in coinfected mosquitoes. Together our data suggest that it may be difficult for ZIKV to evolve Wolbachia resistance, perhaps due to the complexity of the pathogen blockade mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Boehm
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Anna S. Jaeger
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Hunter J. Ries
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - David Castañeda
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
| | - Andrea M. Weiler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Corina C. Valencia
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | | | - Shelby L. O’Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Thomas C. Friedrich
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Matthew T. Aliota
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
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Novelo M, Dutra HLC, Metz HC, Jones MJ, Sigle LT, Frentiu FD, Allen SL, Chenoweth SF, McGraw EA. Dengue and chikungunya virus loads in the mosquito Aedes aegypti are determined by distinct genetic architectures. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011307. [PMID: 37043515 PMCID: PMC10124881 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of the arboviruses dengue (DENV) and chikungunya (CHIKV). These viruses exhibit key differences in their vector interactions, the latter moving more quicky through the mosquito and triggering fewer standard antiviral pathways. As the global footprint of CHIKV continues to expand, we seek to better understand the mosquito's natural response to CHIKV-both to compare it to DENV:vector coevolutionary history and to identify potential targets in the mosquito for genetic modification. We used a modified full-sibling design to estimate the contribution of mosquito genetic variation to viral loads of both DENV and CHIKV. Heritabilities were significant, but higher for DENV (40%) than CHIKV (18%). Interestingly, there was no genetic correlation between DENV and CHIKV loads between siblings. These data suggest Ae. aegypti mosquitoes respond to the two viruses using distinct genetic mechanisms. We also examined genome-wide patterns of gene expression between High and Low CHIKV families representing the phenotypic extremes of viral load. Using RNAseq, we identified only two loci that consistently differentiated High and Low families: a long non-coding RNA that has been identified in mosquito screens post-infection and a distant member of a family of Salivary Gland Specific (SGS) genes. Interestingly, the latter gene is also associated with horizontal gene transfer between mosquitoes and the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia. This work is the first to link the SGS gene to a mosquito phenotype. Understanding the molecular details of how this gene contributes to viral control in mosquitoes may, therefore, also shed light on its role in Wolbachia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Novelo
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Heverton LC Dutra
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Hillery C. Metz
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Jones
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Leah T. Sigle
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Francesca D. Frentiu
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Scott L. Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen F. Chenoweth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A. McGraw
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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6
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Mejia AJ, Dutra HLC, Jones MJ, Perera R, McGraw EA. Cross-tissue and generation predictability of relative Wolbachia densities in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:128. [PMID: 35413938 PMCID: PMC9004076 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05231-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The insect endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia is being deployed in field populations of the mosquito Aedes aegypti for biological control. This microbe prevents the replication of human disease-causing viruses inside the vector, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Relative Wolbachia densities may in part predict the strength of this 'viral blocking' effect. Additionally, Wolbachia densities may affect the strength of the reproductive manipulations it induces, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), maternal inheritance rates or induced fitness effects in the insect host. High rates of CI and maternal inheritance and low rates of fitness effects are also key to the successful spreading of Wolbachia through vector populations and its successful use in biocontrol. The factors that control Wolbachia densities are not completely understood. METHODS We used quantitative PCR-based methods to estimate relative density of the Wolbachia wAlbB strain in both the somatic and reproductive tissues of adult male and female mosquitoes, as well as in eggs. Using correlation analyses, we assessed whether densities in one tissue predict those in others within the same individual, but also across generations. RESULTS We found little relationship among the relative Wolbachia densities of different tissues in the same host. The results also show that there was very little relationship between Wolbachia densities in parents and those in offspring, both in the same and different tissues. The one exception was with ovary-egg relationships, where there was a strong positive association. Relative Wolbachia densities in reproductive tissues were always greater than those in the somatic tissues. Additionally, the densities were consistent in females over their lifetime regardless of tissue, whereas they were generally higher and more variable in males, particularly in the testes. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that either stochastic processes or local tissue-based physiologies are more likely factors dictating Wolbachia densities in Ae. aegypti individuals, rather than shared embryonic environments or heritable genetic effects of the mosquito genome. These findings have implications for understanding how relative Wolbachia densities may evolve and/or be maintained over the long term in Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin J. Mejia
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA ,grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - H. L. C. Dutra
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA ,grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - M. J. Jones
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA ,grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - R. Perera
- grid.47894.360000 0004 1936 8083Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - E. A. McGraw
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA ,grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA ,grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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Alonso AC, Stein M, Matías Hisgen C, Micieli MV. Abiotic factors affecting the prevalence of Wolbachia (Rickettsiaceae) in immature Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Culicidae). J Invertebr Pathol 2022; 189:107730. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Leitner M, Etebari K, Asgari S. Transcriptional response of Wolbachia-transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquito cells to dengue virus at early stages of infection. J Gen Virol 2022; 103:001694. [PMID: 35006065 PMCID: PMC8895618 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne flaviviruses are responsible for viral infections and represent a considerable public health burden. Aedes aegypti is the principal vector of dengue virus (DENV), therefore understanding the intrinsic virus-host interactions is vital, particularly in the presence of the endosymbiont Wolbachia, which blocks virus replication in mosquitoes. Here, we examined the transcriptional response of Wolbachia-transinfected Ae. aegypti Aag2 cells to DENV infection. We identified differentially expressed immune genes that play a key role in the activation of anti-viral defence such as the Toll and immune deficiency pathways. Further, genes encoding cytosine and N6-adenosine methyltransferases and SUMOylation, involved in post-transcriptional modifications, an antioxidant enzyme, and heat-shock response were up-regulated at the early stages of DENV infection and are reported here for the first time. Additionally, several long non-coding RNAs were among the differentially regulated genes. Our results provide insight into Wolbachia-transinfected Ae. aegypti's initial virus recognition and transcriptional response to DENV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leitner
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kayvan Etebari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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9
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Kumar V, Garg S, Gupta L, Gupta K, Diagne CT, Missé D, Pompon J, Kumar S, Saxena V. Delineating the Role of Aedes aegypti ABC Transporter Gene Family during Mosquito Development and Arboviral Infection via Transcriptome Analyses. Pathogens 2021; 10:1127. [PMID: 34578158 PMCID: PMC8470938 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10091127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti acts as a vector for several arboviral diseases that impose a major socio-economic burden. Moreover, the absence of a vaccine against these diseases and drug resistance in mosquitoes necessitates the development of new control strategies for vector-borne diseases. ABC transporters that play a vital role in immunity and other cellular processes in different organisms may act as non-canonical immune molecules against arboviruses, however, their role in mosquito immunity remains unexplored. This study comprehensively analyzed various genetic features of putative ABC transporters and classified them into A-H subfamilies based on their evolutionary relationships. Existing RNA-sequencing data analysis indicated higher expression of cytosolic ABC transporter genes (E & F Subfamily) throughout the mosquito development, while members of other subfamilies exhibited tissue and time-specific expression. Furthermore, comparative gene expression analysis from the microarray dataset of mosquito infected with dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses revealed 31 commonly expressed ABC transporters suggesting a potentially conserved transcriptomic signature of arboviral infection. Among these, only a few transporters of ABCA, ABCC and ABCF subfamily were upregulated, while most were downregulated. This indicates the possible involvement of ABC transporters in mosquito immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani Campus, Pilani 333031, India or (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Shilpi Garg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani Campus, Pilani 333031, India or (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Lalita Gupta
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Bhiwani 127021, India or
| | - Kuldeep Gupta
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, School of Medicine, 470 Cancer Research Building-II, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
| | - Cheikh Tidiane Diagne
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, 34394 Montpellier, France; (C.T.D.); (D.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Dorothée Missé
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, 34394 Montpellier, France; (C.T.D.); (D.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Julien Pompon
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, 34394 Montpellier, France; (C.T.D.); (D.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Bhiwani 127021, India
| | - Vishal Saxena
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani Campus, Pilani 333031, India or (V.K.); (S.G.)
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10
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Cross Talk between Viruses and Insect Cells Cytoskeleton. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081658. [PMID: 34452522 PMCID: PMC8402729 DOI: 10.3390/v13081658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are excellent manipulators of host cellular machinery, behavior, and life cycle, with the host cell cytoskeleton being a primordial viral target. Viruses infecting insects generally enter host cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis or membrane fusion mechanisms followed by transport of the viral particles to the corresponding replication sites. After viral replication, the viral progeny egresses toward adjacent cells and reaches the different target tissues. Throughout all these steps, actin and tubulin re-arrangements are driven by viruses. The mechanisms used by viruses to manipulate the insect host cytoskeleton are well documented in the case of alphabaculoviruses infecting Lepidoptera hosts and plant viruses infecting Hemiptera vectors, but they are not well studied in case of other insect-virus systems such as arboviruses-mosquito vectors. Here, we summarize the available knowledge on how viruses manipulate the insect host cell cytoskeleton, and we emphasize the primordial role of cytoskeleton components in insect virus motility and the need to expand the study of this interaction.
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Cell Line Platforms Support Research into Arthropod Immunity. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12080738. [PMID: 34442304 PMCID: PMC8397109 DOI: 10.3390/insects12080738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many insect and tick species are serious pests, because insects damage crop plants and, along with ticks, transmit a wide range of human and animal diseases. One way of controlling these pests is by impairing their immune system, which protects them from bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. An important tool for studying immunity is using long-lasting cell cultures, known as cell lines. These lines can be frozen and thawed at will to be used in automated tests, and they provide consistent results over years. Questions that can be asked using cell lines include: How do insects or ticks recognize when they have been infected and by what organism? What kinds of defensive strategies do they use to contain or kill infectious agents? This article reviews research with insect or tick cell lines to answer these questions, as well as other questions relating to immunity. This review also discusses future research strategies for working with cell lines. Abstract Innate immune responses are essential to maintaining insect and tick health and are the primary defense against pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Cell line research is a powerful method for understanding how invertebrates mount defenses against pathogenic organisms and testing hypotheses on how these responses occur. In particular, immortal arthropod cell lines are valuable tools, providing a tractable, high-throughput, cost-effective, and consistent platform to investigate the mechanisms underpinning insect and tick immune responses. The research results inform the controls of medically and agriculturally important insects and ticks. This review presents several examples of how cell lines have facilitated research into multiple aspects of the invertebrate immune response to pathogens and other foreign agents, as well as comments on possible future research directions in these robust systems.
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Chen TY, Lee Y, Wang X, Mathias D, Caragata EP, Smartt CT. Profiling Transcriptional Response of Dengue-2 Virus Infection in Midgut Tissue of Aedes aegypti. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.708817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mosquito antiviral response could reveal target pathways or genes of interest that could form the basis of new disease control applications. However, there is a paucity of data in the current literature in understanding antiviral response during the replication period. To illuminate the gene expression patterns in the replication stage, we collected gene expression data at 2.5 days after Dengue-2 virus (DENV-2) infection. We sequenced the whole transcriptome of the midgut tissue and compared gene expression levels between the control and virus-infected group. We identified 31 differentially expressed genes. Based on their function, we identified that those genes fell into two major functional categories - (1) nucleic acid/protein process and (2) immunity/oxidative stress response. Our study has identified candidate genes that can be followed up for gene overexpression/inhibition experiments to examine if the perturbed gene interaction may impact the mosquito’s immune response against DENV. This is an important step to understanding how mosquitoes eliminate the virus and provides an important foundation for further research in developing novel dengue control strategies.
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Parry R, James ME, Asgari S. Uncovering the Worldwide Diversity and Evolution of the Virome of the Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1653. [PMID: 34442732 PMCID: PMC8398489 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, and Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, are the most significant vectors of dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses globally. Studies examining host factors that control arbovirus transmission demonstrate that insect-specific viruses (ISVs) can modulate mosquitoes' susceptibility to arbovirus infection in both in vivo and in vitro co-infection models. While research is ongoing to implicate individual ISVs as proviral or antiviral factors, we have a limited understanding of the composition and diversity of the Aedes virome. To address this gap, we used a meta-analysis approach to uncover virome diversity by analysing ~3000 available RNA sequencing libraries representing a worldwide geographic range for both mosquitoes. We identified ten novel viruses and previously characterised viruses, including mononegaviruses, orthomyxoviruses, negeviruses, and a novel bi-segmented negev-like group. Phylogenetic analysis suggests close relatedness to mosquito viruses implying likely insect host range except for one arbovirus, the multi-segmented Jingmen tick virus (Flaviviridae) in an Italian colony of Ae. albopictus. Individual mosquito transcriptomes revealed remarkable inter-host variation of ISVs within individuals from the same colony and heterogeneity between different laboratory strains. Additionally, we identified striking virus diversity in Wolbachia infected Aedes cell lines. This study expands our understanding of the virome of these important vectors. It provides a resource for further assessing the ecology, evolution, and interaction of ISVs with their mosquito hosts and the arboviruses they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhys Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Maddie E James
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.E.J.); (S.A.)
| | - Sassan Asgari
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.E.J.); (S.A.)
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Ware-Gilmore F, Sgrò CM, Xi Z, Dutra HLC, Jones MJ, Shea K, Hall MD, Thomas MB, McGraw EA. Microbes increase thermal sensitivity in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, with the potential to change disease distributions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009548. [PMID: 34292940 PMCID: PMC8297775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of many disease-causing viruses, including dengue (DENV), Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. As consequences of climate change, we expect an increase in both global mean temperatures and extreme climatic events. When temperatures fluctuate, mosquito vectors will be increasingly exposed to temperatures beyond their upper thermal limits. Here, we examine how DENV infection alters Ae. aegypti thermotolerance by using a high-throughput physiological 'knockdown' assay modeled on studies in Drosophila. Such laboratory measures of thermal tolerance have previously been shown to accurately predict an insect's distribution in the field. We show that DENV infection increases thermal sensitivity, an effect that may ultimately limit the geographic range of the virus. We also show that the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, which is currently being released globally as a biological control agent, has a similar impact on thermal sensitivity in Ae. aegypti. Surprisingly, in the coinfected state, Wolbachia did not provide protection against DENV-associated effects on thermal tolerance, nor were the effects of the two infections additive. The latter suggests that the microbes may act by similar means, potentially through activation of shared immune pathways or energetic tradeoffs. Models predicting future ranges of both virus transmission and Wolbachia's efficacy following field release may wish to consider the effects these microbes have on host survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fhallon Ware-Gilmore
- Department of Entomology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Carla M. Sgrò
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Heverton L. C. Dutra
- Department of Entomology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Jones
- Department of Entomology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Katriona Shea
- Department of Biology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew D. Hall
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew B. Thomas
- Department of Entomology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. McGraw
- Department of Entomology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology & The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Marconcini M, Pischedda E, Houé V, Palatini U, Lozada-Chávez N, Sogliani D, Failloux AB, Bonizzoni M. Profile of Small RNAs, vDNA Forms and Viral Integrations in Late Chikungunya Virus Infection of Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes. Viruses 2021; 13:553. [PMID: 33806250 PMCID: PMC8066115 DOI: 10.3390/v13040553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is contributing to the (re)-emergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). To gain insights into the molecular underpinning of viral persistence, which renders a mosquito a life-long vector, we coupled small RNA and whole genome sequencing approaches on carcasses and ovaries of mosquitoes sampled 14 days post CHIKV infection and investigated the profile of small RNAs and the presence of vDNA fragments. Since Aedes genomes harbor nonretroviral Endogenous Viral Elements (nrEVEs) which confers tolerance to cognate viral infections in ovaries, we also tested whether nrEVEs are formed after CHIKV infection. We show that while small interfering (si)RNAs are evenly distributed along the full viral genome, PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs mostly arise from a ~1000 bp window, from which a unique vDNA fragment is identified. CHIKV infection does not result in the formation of new nrEVEs, but piRNAs derived from existing nrEVEs correlate with differential expression of an endogenous transcript. These results demonstrate that all three RNAi pathways contribute to the homeostasis during the late stage of CHIKV infection, but in different ways, ranging from directly targeting the viral sequence to regulating the expression of mosquito transcripts and expand the role of nrEVEs beyond immunity against cognate viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Marconcini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Elisa Pischedda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Vincent Houé
- Arbovirus and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; (V.H.); (A.-B.F.)
| | - Umberto Palatini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Nabor Lozada-Chávez
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Davide Sogliani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Arbovirus and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; (V.H.); (A.-B.F.)
| | - Mariangela Bonizzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
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Tikhe CV, Dimopoulos G. Mosquito antiviral immune pathways. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 116:103964. [PMID: 33301792 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of a large number of viral pathogens. In recent years, increased urbanization and climate change has expanded the range of many vector mosquitoes. The lack of effective medical interventions has made the control of mosquito-borne viral diseases very difficult. Understanding the interactions between the mosquito immune system and viruses is critical if we are to develop effective control strategies against these diseases. Mosquitoes harbor multiple conserved immune pathways that curb invading viral pathogens. Despite the conservation of these pathways, the activation and intensity of the mosquito immune response varies with the mosquito species, tissue, and the infecting virus. This article reviews major conserved antiviral immune pathways in vector mosquitoes, their interactions with invading viral pathogens, and how these interactions restrict or promote infection of these medically important viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay V Tikhe
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, United States.
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, United States.
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Wimalasiri-Yapa BMCR, Barrero RA, Stassen L, Hafner LM, McGraw EA, Pyke AT, Jansen CC, Suhrbier A, Yakob L, Hu W, Devine GJ, Frentiu FD. Temperature modulates immune gene expression in mosquitoes during arbovirus infection. Open Biol 2021; 11:200246. [PMID: 33401993 PMCID: PMC7881175 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The principal vector of dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, with its ability to transmit pathogens influenced by ambient temperature. We use chikungunya virus (CHIKV) to understand how the mosquito transcriptome responds to arbovirus infection at different ambient temperatures. We exposed CHIKV-infected mosquitoes to 18, 28 and 32°C, and found that higher temperature correlated with higher virus levels, particularly at 3 days post infection, but lower temperature resulted in reduced virus levels. RNAseq analysis indicated significantly altered gene expression levels in CHIKV infection. The highest number of significantly differentially expressed genes was observed at 28°C, with a more muted effect at the other temperatures. At the higher temperature, the expression of many classical immune genes, including Dicer-2, was not substantially altered in response to CHIKV. The upregulation of Toll, IMD and JAK-STAT pathways was only observed at 28°C. Functional annotations suggested that genes in immune response and metabolic pathways related to energy supply and DNA replication were involved in temperature-dependent changes. Time post infection also led to substantially different gene expression profiles, and this varied with temperature. In conclusion, temperature significantly modulates mosquito gene expression in response to infection, potentially leading to impairment of immune defences at higher temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. M. C. Randika Wimalasiri-Yapa
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, and School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Open University of Sri Lanka, Nugegoda, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Roberto A. Barrero
- eResearch Office, Division of Research and Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Liesel Stassen
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, and School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Louise M. Hafner
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, and School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A. McGraw
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
| | - Alyssa T. Pyke
- Public Health Virology Laboratory, Forensic and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, Queensland, Australia
| | - Cassie C. Jansen
- Communicable Diseases Branch, Department of Health, Queensland Government, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andreas Suhrbier
- Inflammation Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Laith Yakob
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Wenbiao Hu
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gregor J. Devine
- Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Francesca D. Frentiu
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, and School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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18
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Merkling SH, Raquin V, Dabo S, Henrion-Lacritick A, Blanc H, Moltini-Conclois I, Frangeul L, Varet H, Saleh MC, Lambrechts L. Tudor-SN Promotes Early Replication of Dengue Virus in the Aedes aegypti Midgut. iScience 2020; 23:100870. [PMID: 32059176 PMCID: PMC7054812 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses have been on the rise for the last decades, and novel methods aiming to use laboratory-engineered mosquitoes that are incapable of carrying viruses have been developed to reduce pathogen transmission. This has stimulated efforts to identify optimal target genes that are naturally involved in mosquito antiviral defenses or required for viral replication. Here, we investigated the role of a member of the Tudor protein family, Tudor-SN, upon dengue virus infection in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Tudor-SN knockdown reduced dengue virus replication in the midgut of Ae. aegypti females. In immunofluorescence assays, Tudor-SN localized to the nucleolus in both Ae. aegypti and Aedes albopictus cells. A reporter assay and small RNA profiling demonstrated that Tudor-SN was not required for RNA interference function in vivo. Collectively, these results defined a novel proviral role for Tudor-SN upon early dengue virus infection of the Ae. aegypti midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hélène Merkling
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Raquin
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Dabo
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Hervé Blanc
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Lionel Frangeul
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Hugo Varet
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique - Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756, CNRS, Paris, France; Plate-forme Technologique Biomics - Centre de Ressources et Recherches Technologiques (C2RT), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, UMR3569, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Institut Pasteur, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, UMR2000, CNRS, 75015 Paris, France.
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19
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Ghosh A, Jasperson D, Cohnstaedt LW, Brelsfoard CL. Transfection of Culicoides sonorensis biting midge cell lines with Wolbachia pipientis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:483. [PMID: 31615544 PMCID: PMC6792224 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Biting midges of the genus Culicoides vector multiple veterinary pathogens and are difficult to control. Endosymbionts particularly Wolbachia pipientis may offer an alternative to control populations of Culicoides and/or impact disease transmission in the form of population suppression or replacement strategies. Methods Culicoides sonorensis cell lines were transfected with a Wolbachia infection using a modified shell vial technique. Infections were confirmed using PCR and cell localization using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The stability of Wolbachia infections and density was determined by qPCR. qPCR was also used to examine immune genes in the IMD, Toll and JACK/STAT pathways to determine if Wolbachia were associated with an immune response in infected cells. Results Here we have transfected two Culicoides sonorensis cell lines (W3 and W8) with a Wolbachia infection (walbB) from donor Aedes albopictus Aa23 cells. PCR and FISH showed the presence of Wolbachia infections in both C. sonorensis cell lines. Infection densities were higher in the W8 cell lines when compared to W3. In stably infected cells, genes in the immune Toll, IMD and JAK/STAT pathways were upregulated, along with Attacin and an Attacin-like anti-microbial peptides. Conclusions The successful introduction of Wolbachia infections in C. sonorensis cell lines and the upregulation of immune genes, suggest the utility of using Wolbachia for a population replacement and/or population suppression approach to limit the transmission of C. sonorensis vectored diseases. Results support the further investigation of Wolbachia induced pathogen inhibitory effects in Wolbachia-infected C. sonorensis cell lines and the introduction of Wolbachia into C. sonorensis adults via embryonic microinjection to examine for reproductive phenotypes and host fitness effects of a novel Wolbachia infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Dane Jasperson
- USDA-ARS Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, 1515 College Ave., Manhattan, KS, 66502, USA
| | - Lee W Cohnstaedt
- USDA-ARS Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, 1515 College Ave., Manhattan, KS, 66502, USA
| | - Corey L Brelsfoard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
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Nainu F, Trenerry A, Johnson KN. Wolbachia-mediated antiviral protection is cell-autonomous. J Gen Virol 2019; 100:1587-1592. [PMID: 31599711 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne viral diseases pose significant risks to human health. To control the transmission of these viruses, a number of approaches are required. The ability of the intracellular bacteria Wolbachia to limit viral accumulation and transmission in some arthropod hosts, highlights its potential as a biocontrol agent. Whilst Wolbachia can reduce the transmission of several epidemiologically important viruses, protection is not consistent amongst all insects, viruses and strains of Wolbachia, which confounds elucidation of the mechanisms that underly this protection. Evidence of different mechanisms has emerged, but is not always consistent, suggesting the tripartite interaction may be complex. Here we provide evidence that Wolbachia-mediated antiviral protection is dependent on the presence of Wolbachia in individual cells, and cannot be conferred to surrounding cells. Our results suggest that protection is cell-autonomous, and this has several mechanistic implications, which can direct future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firzan Nainu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Alice Trenerry
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Karyn N Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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