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Orozco-Gonzales JL, Dos Santos Benedito A, Cardona-Salgado D, Ferreira CP, de Oliveira Florentino H, Sepulveda-Salcedo LS, Vasilieva O. Comparing the long-term persistence of different Wolbachia strains after the release of bacteria-carrying mosquitoes. Math Biosci 2024; 372:109190. [PMID: 38631561 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
This paper proposes a bidimensional modeling framework for Wolbachia invasion, assuming imperfect maternal transmission, incomplete cytoplasmic incompatibility, and direct infection loss due to thermal stress. Our model adapts to various Wolbachia strains and retains all properties of higher-dimensional models. The conditions for the durable coexistence of Wolbachia-carrying and wild mosquitoes are expressed using the model's parameters in a compact closed form. When the Wolbachia bacterium is locally established, the size of the remanent wild population can be assessed by a direct formula derived from the model. The model was tested for four Wolbachia strains undergoing laboratory and field trials to control mosquito-borne diseases: wMel, wMelPop, wAlbB, and wAu. As all these bacterial strains affect the individual fitness of mosquito hosts differently and exhibit different levels of resistance to temperature variations, the model helped to conclude that: (1) the wMel strain spreads faster in wild mosquito populations; (2) the wMelPop exhibits lower resilience but also guarantees the smallest size of the remanent wild population; (3) the wAlbB strain performs better at higher ambient temperatures than others; (4) the wAu strain is not sustainable and cannot persist in the wild mosquito population despite its resistance to high temperatures.
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Maciel-de-Freitas R, Sauer FG, Kliemke K, Garcia GA, Pavan MG, David MR, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Hoffmann A, Lühken R. Wolbachia strains wMel and wAlbB differentially affect Aedes aegypti traits related to fecundity. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0012824. [PMID: 38483475 PMCID: PMC10986601 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00128-24] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Two Wolbachia strains, wMel and wAlbB, have been transinfected into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for population replacement with the aim of reducing dengue transmission. Epidemiological data from various endemic sites suggest a pronounced decrease in dengue transmission after implementing this strategy. In this study, we investigated the impact of the Wolbachia strains wMel and wAlbB on Ae. aegypti fitness in a common genetic background. We found that Ae. aegypti females infected with the wMel strain exhibited several significant differences compared with those infected with the wAlbB strain. Specifically, wMel-infected females laid significantly fewer eggs, ingested a lower amount of blood, had a reduced egg production rate, and exhibited a decreased Wolbachia density at a later age compared with mosquitoes infected with the wAlbB strain. Conversely, the wAlbB strain showed only mild negative effects when compared with Wolbachia-uninfected specimens. These differential effects on Ae. aegypti fitness following infection with either wMel or wAlbB may have important implications for the success of population replacement strategies in invading native Ae. aegypti populations in endemic settings. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for these differences in fitness effects and their potential impact on the long-term efficacy of Wolbachia-based dengue control programs.IMPORTANCEThe transmission of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya is on the rise globally. Among the most promising strategies to reduce arbovirus burden is the release of one out of two strains of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti: wMel and wAlbB. One critical aspect of whether this approach will succeed involves the fitness cost of either Wolbachia strains on mosquito life history traits. For instance, we found that wMel-infected Ae. aegypti females laid significantly fewer eggs, ingested a lower amount of blood, had a reduced egg production rate, and exhibited a decreased Wolbachia density at a later age compared with mosquitoes infected with the wAlbB strain. Conversely, the wAlbB strain showed only mild negative effects when compared with Wolbachia-uninfected specimens. These differential effects on mosquito fitness following infection with either wMel or wAlbB may have important implications for the success of population replacement strategies in invading native Ae. aegypti populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felix G. Sauer
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Gabriela A. Garcia
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Márcio G. Pavan
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana R. David
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ary Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Renke Lühken
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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Mancini MV, Murdochy SM, Bilgo E, Ant TH, Gingell D, Gnambani EJ, Failloux AB, Diabate A, Sinkins SP. Wolbachia strain wAlbB shows favourable characteristics for dengue control use in Aedes aegypti from Burkina Faso. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16588. [PMID: 38450576 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16588] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Dengue represents an increasing public health burden worldwide. In Africa, underreporting and misdiagnosis often mask its true epidemiology, and dengue is likely to be both more widespread than reported data suggest and increasing in incidence and distribution. Wolbachia-based dengue control is underway in Asia and the Americas but has not to date been deployed in Africa. Due to the genetic heterogeneity of African Aedes aegypti populations and the complexity of the host-symbiont interactions, characterization of key parameters of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes is paramount for determining the potential of the system as a control tool for dengue in Africa. The wAlbB Wolbachia strain was stably introduced into an African Ae. aegypti population by introgression, and showed high intracellular density in whole bodies and different mosquito tissues; high intracellular density was also maintained following larval rearing at high temperatures. No effect on the adult lifespan induced by Wolbachia presence was detected. Moreover, the ability of this strain to strongly inhibit DENV-2 dissemination and transmission in the host was also demonstrated in the African background. Our findings suggest the potential of harnessing Wolbachia for dengue control for African populations of Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Mancini
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Etienne Bilgo
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas H Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Daniel Gingell
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Edounou Jacques Gnambani
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Paris, France
| | - Abdoulaye Diabate
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Direction Régionale de l'Ouest, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Institut National de Santé Publique/Centre Muraz, Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Steven P Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
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Corrêa-Antônio J, David MR, Couto-Lima D, Garcia GA, Keirsebelik MSG, Maciel-de-Freitas R, Pavan MG. DENV-1 Titer Impacts Viral Blocking in wMel Aedes aegypti with Brazilian Genetic Background. Viruses 2024; 16:214. [PMID: 38399990 PMCID: PMC10891765 DOI: 10.3390/v16020214] [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: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Several countries have been using Wolbachia deployments to replace highly competent native Aedes aegypti populations with Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes with lower susceptibility to arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. In Rio de Janeiro, Wolbachia deployments started in 2015 and still present a moderate introgression with a modest reduction in dengue cases in humans (38%). Here, we evaluated the vector competence of wild-type and wMel-infected Ae. aegypti with a Brazilian genetic background to investigate whether virus leakage could contribute to the observed outcomes in Brazil. We collected the specimens in three areas of Rio de Janeiro with distinct frequencies of mosquitoes with wMel strain and two areas with wild Ae. aegypti. The mosquitoes were orally exposed to two titers of DENV-1 and the saliva of DENV-1-infected Ae. aegypti was microinjected into wMel-free mosquitoes to check their infectivity. When infected with the high DENV-1 titer, the presence of wMel did not avoid viral infection in mosquitoes' bodies and saliva but DENV-1-infected wMel mosquitoes produced lower viral loads than wMel-free mosquitoes. On the other hand, wMel mosquitoes infected with the low DENV-1 titer were less susceptible to virus infection than wMel-free mosquitoes, although once infected, wMel and wMel-free mosquitoes exhibited similar viral loads in the body and the saliva. Our results showed viral leakage in 60% of the saliva of wMel mosquitoes with Brazilian background; thus, sustained surveillance is imperative to monitor the presence of other circulating DENV-1 strains capable of overcoming the Wolbachia blocking phenotype, enabling timely implementation of action plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Corrêa-Antônio
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
| | - Mariana R. David
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
| | - Dinair Couto-Lima
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
| | - Gabriela Azambuja Garcia
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
| | - Milan S. G. Keirsebelik
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
| | - Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Márcio Galvão Pavan
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.C.-A.); (M.R.D.); (D.C.-L.); (G.A.G.); (M.S.G.K.); (R.M.-d.-F.)
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5
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Ross PA. Measuring Host Fitness Effects and Transmission of Wolbachia Strains in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2739:189-203. [PMID: 38006553 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3553-7_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Lines of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with heritable Wolbachia bacteria are being developed and released for arbovirus control. Coordinated releases of lab-reared Wolbachia mosquitoes have reduced local disease incidence by spreading virus-blocking Wolbachia strains and by crashing mosquito populations through incompatible male releases. The phenotypic effects of Wolbachia are diverse and depend on both genetics and the environment. Accurate assessments of Wolbachia effects in mosquitoes are essential, as such effects can make the difference between success and failure of a Wolbachia release program. This chapter provides guidelines for testing key Wolbachia host effects and transmission in Aedes aegypti: the most important arbovirus vector and the most common target of Wolbachia release programs. The protocols should be useful for evaluating mosquito strains prior to field release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perran A Ross
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Osorio J, Villa-Arias S, Camargo C, Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Barrientos LM, Bedoya C, Rúa-Uribe G, Dorus S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. wMel Wolbachia alters female post-mating behaviors and physiology in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2023; 6:865. [PMID: 37604924 PMCID: PMC10442437 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05180-8] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally invasive Aedes aegypti disseminate numerous arboviruses that impact human health. One promising method to control Ae. aegypti populations is transinfection with Wolbachia pipientis, which naturally infects ~40-52% of insects but not Ae. aegypti. Transinfection of Ae. aegypti with the wMel Wolbachia strain induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), allows infected individuals to invade native populations, and inhibits transmission of medically relevant arboviruses by females. Female insects undergo post-mating physiological and behavioral changes-referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-required for optimal fertility. PMRs are typically elicited by male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred with sperm during mating but can be modified by other factors, including microbiome composition. Wolbachia has modest effects on Ae. aegypti fertility, but its influence on other PMRs is unknown. Here, we show that Wolbachia influences female fecundity, fertility, and re-mating incidence and significantly extends the longevity of virgin females. Using proteomic methods to examine the seminal proteome of infected males, we found that Wolbachia moderately affects SFP composition. However, we identified 125 paternally transferred Wolbachia proteins, but the CI factor proteins (Cifs) were not among them. Our findings indicate that Wolbachia infection of Ae. aegypti alters female PMRs, potentially influencing control programs that utilize Wolbachia-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Osorio
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Sara Villa-Arias
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Carolina Camargo
- Centro de Investigación de la caña de azúcar CENICAÑA, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | | | - Luisa María Barrientos
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Carolina Bedoya
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, USA
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia.
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
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7
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Zheng R, Wang Q, Wu R, Paradkar PN, Hoffmann AA, Wang GH. Holobiont perspectives on tripartite interactions among microbiota, mosquitoes, and pathogens. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01436-7. [PMID: 37231184 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01436-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria cause a significant global health burden. Unfortunately, current insecticides and environmental control strategies aimed at the vectors of these diseases are only moderately effective in decreasing disease burden. Understanding and manipulating the interaction between the mosquito holobiont (i.e., mosquitoes and their resident microbiota) and the pathogens transmitted by these mosquitoes to humans and animals could help in developing new disease control strategies. Different microorganisms found in the mosquito's microbiota affect traits related to mosquito survival, development, and reproduction. Here, we review the physiological effects of essential microbes on their mosquito hosts; the interactions between the mosquito holobiont and mosquito-borne pathogen (MBP) infections, including microbiota-induced host immune activation and Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking (PB); and the effects of environmental factors and host regulation on the composition of the microbiota. Finally, we briefly overview future directions in holobiont studies, and how these may lead to new effective control strategies against mosquitoes and their transmitted diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronger Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Runbiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Prasad N Paradkar
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Guan-Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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8
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Ant TH, Mancini MV, McNamara CJ, Rainey SM, Sinkins SP. Wolbachia-Virus interactions and arbovirus control through population replacement in mosquitoes. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:245-258. [PMID: 36205550 PMCID: PMC10081064 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2117939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Following transfer into the primary arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, several strains of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia have been shown to inhibit the transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, important human pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition to pathogen inhibition, many Wolbachia strains manipulate host reproduction, resulting in an invasive capacity of the bacterium in insect populations. This has led to the deployment of Wolbachia as a dengue control tool, and trials have reported significant reductions in transmission in release areas. Here, we discuss the possible mechanisms of Wolbachia-virus inhibition and the implications for long-term success of dengue control. We also consider the evidence presented in several reports that Wolbachia may cause an enhancement of replication of certain viruses under particular conditions, and conclude that these should not cause any concerns with respect to the application of Wolbachia to arbovirus control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Ant
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Maria Vittoria Mancini
- Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Polo d’Innovazione di Genomica, Genetica e Biologia, Terni, Italy
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9
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Petersen MT, Couto-Lima D, Garcia GA, Pavan MG, David MR, Maciel-de-Freitas R. Dengue Exposure and Wolbachia wMel Strain Affects the Fertility of Quiescent Eggs of Aedes aegypti. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040952. [PMID: 37112932 PMCID: PMC10144928 DOI: 10.3390/v15040952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The deployment of the bacterium Wolbachia to reduce arbovirus transmission is ongoing in several countries worldwide. When Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti are released and established in the field, females may feed on dengue-infected hosts. The effects of simultaneous exposure on life-history traits of Ae. aegypti to Wolbachia wMel strain and dengue-1 virus DENV-1 remain unclear. (2) Methods: We monitored 4 groups (mosquitoes with either DENV-1 or Wolbachia, coinfected with DENV-1 and Wolbachia, as well as negative controls) to estimate Ae. aegypti survival, oviposition success, fecundity, collapsing and fertility of quiescent eggs for 12 weeks. (3) Results: Neither DENV-1 nor Wolbachia had a significant impact on mosquito survival nor on mosquito fecundity, although the last parameter showed a tendency to decrease with ageing. There was a significant decrease in oviposition success in individuals carrying Wolbachia. Wolbachia infection and storage time significantly increased egg collapse parameter on the egg viability assay, while DENV-1 had a slight protective effect on the first four weeks of storage. (4) Conclusions: Despite limitations, our results contribute to better understanding of the tripartite interaction of virus, bacteria and mosquito that may take place in field conditions and aid in guaranteeing the Wolbachia strategy success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Thieme Petersen
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
| | - Dinair Couto-Lima
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Azambuja Garcia
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
| | - Márcio Galvão Pavan
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
| | - Mariana Rocha David
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
| | - Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, Brazil
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
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10
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Al Noman A, Das D, Nesa Z, Tariquzzaman M, Sharzana F, Rakibul Hasan M, Khoorshid Riaz B, Sharower G, Meshbahur Rahman M. Importance of Wolbachia-mediated biocontrol to reduce dengue in Bangladesh and other dengue-endemic developing countries. BIOSAFETY AND HEALTH 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
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11
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Developing Wolbachia-based disease interventions for an extreme environment. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011117. [PMID: 36719928 PMCID: PMC9917306 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying self-spreading, virus-blocking Wolbachia bacteria are being deployed to suppress dengue transmission. However, there are challenges in applying this technology in extreme environments. We introduced two Wolbachia strains into Ae. aegypti from Saudi Arabia for a release program in the hot coastal city of Jeddah. Wolbachia reduced infection and dissemination of dengue virus (DENV2) in Saudi Arabian mosquitoes and showed complete maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility. Wolbachia reduced egg hatch under a range of environmental conditions, with the Wolbachia strains showing differential thermal stability. Wolbachia effects were similar across mosquito genetic backgrounds but we found evidence of local adaptation, with Saudi Arabian mosquitoes having lower egg viability but higher adult desiccation tolerance than Australian mosquitoes. Genetic background effects will influence Wolbachia invasion dynamics, reinforcing the need to use local genotypes for mosquito release programs, particularly in extreme environments like Jeddah. Our comprehensive characterization of Wolbachia strains provides a foundation for Wolbachia-based disease interventions in harsh climates.
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Dodson BL, Pujhari S, Brustolin M, Metz HC, Rasgon JL. Variable effects of Wolbachia on alphavirus infection in Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.20.524939. [PMID: 36711723 PMCID: PMC9884506 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.20.524939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis (=Wolbachia) has promise as a tool to suppress virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia can have variable effects on mosquito-borne viruses. This variation remains poorly characterized, yet the multimodal effects of Wolbachia on diverse pathogens could have important implications for public health. Here, we examine the effects of somatic infection with two strains of Wolbachia (wAlbB and wMel) on the alphaviruses Sindbis virus (SINV), O'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), and Mayaro virus (MAYV) in Ae. aegypti. We found variable effects of Wolbachia including enhancement and suppression of viral infections, with some effects depending on Wolbachia strain. Both wAlbB- and wMel-infected mosquitoes showed enhancement of SINV infection rates one week post-infection, with wAlbB-infected mosquitoes also having higher viral titers than controls. Infection rates with ONNV were low across all treatments and no significant effects of Wolbachia were observed. The effects of Wolbachia on MAYV infections were strikingly strain-specific; wMel strongly blocked MAYV infections and suppressed viral titers, while wAlbB did not influence MAYV infection. The variable effects of Wolbachia on vector competence underscore the importance of further research into how this bacterium impacts the virome of wild mosquitoes including the emergent human pathogens they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany L Dodson
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sujit Pujhari
- Current address: Department of Pharmacology Physiology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, United States
| | - Marco Brustolin
- Current address: Unit of Entomology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hillery C Metz
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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13
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Zeng Q, She L, Yuan H, Luo Y, Wang R, Mao W, Wang W, She Y, Wang C, Shi M, Cao T, Gan R, Li Y, Zhou J, Qian W, Hu S, Wang Y, Zheng X, Li K, Bai L, Pan X, Xi Z. A standalone incompatible insect technique enables mosquito suppression in the urban subtropics. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1419. [PMID: 36575240 PMCID: PMC9793375 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04332-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The strong suppression of Aedes albopictus on two Guangzhou islands in China has been successfully achieved by releasing males with an artificial triple-Wolbachia infection. However, it requires the use of radiation to sterilize residual females to prevent population replacement. To develop a highly effective tool for dengue control, we tested a standalone incompatible insect technique (IIT) to control A. albopictus in the urban area of Changsha, an inland city where dengue recently emerged. Male mosquitoes were produced in a mass rearing facility in Guangzhou and transported over 670 km under low temperature to the release site. After a once-per-week release with high numbers of males (phase I) and a subsequent twice-per-week release with low numbers of males (phase II), the average numbers of hatched eggs and female adults collected weekly per trap were reduced by 97% and 85%, respectively. The population suppression caused a 94% decrease in mosquito biting at the release site compared to the control site. Remarkably, this strong suppression was achieved using only 28% of the number of males released in a previous trial. Despite the lack of irradiation to sterilize residual females, no triple-infected mosquitoes were detected in the field post release based on the monitoring of adult and larval A. albopictus populations for two years, indicating that population replacement was prevented. Our results support the feasibility of implementing a standalone IIT for dengue control in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zeng
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Lingzhi She
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Hao Yuan
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yuying Luo
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Renke Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Wei Mao
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Weifeng Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yueting She
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Chaojun Wang
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Mengyi Shi
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Ting Cao
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Renxian Gan
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Yongjun Li
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China ,grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Present Address: Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jiayi Zhou
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Wei Qian
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Shixiong Hu
- grid.508374.dHunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Yong Wang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Xiaoying Zheng
- grid.12981.330000 0001 2360 039XSun Yat-sen University—Michigan State University Joint Center of Vector Control for Tropical Diseases, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Kuibiao Li
- grid.508371.80000 0004 1774 3337Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China
| | - Lianyang Bai
- grid.410598.10000 0004 4911 9766Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Xiaoling Pan
- grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, Hunan PR China ,grid.411427.50000 0001 0089 3695The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Fish of Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan PR China
| | - Zhiyong Xi
- Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong PR China ,grid.17088.360000 0001 2150 1785Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI USA
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14
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Zhang H, Gao J, Ma Z, Liu Y, Wang G, Liu Q, Du Y, Xing D, Li C, Zhao T, Jiang Y, Dong Y, Guo X, Zhao T. Wolbachia infection in field-collected Aedes aegypti in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1082809. [PMID: 36530420 PMCID: PMC9748079 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1082809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia is gram-negative and common intracellular bacteria, which is maternally inherited endosymbionts and could expand their propagation in host populations by means of various manipulations. Recent reports reveal the natural infection of Wolbachia in Aedes Aegypti in Malaysia, India, Philippines, Thailand and the United States. At present, none of Wolbachia natural infection in Ae. aegypti has been reported in China. Methods A total of 480 Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes were collected from October and November 2018 based on the results of previous investigations and the distribution of Ae. aegypti in Yunnan. Each individual sample was processed and screened for the presence of Wolbachia by PCR with wsp primers. Phylogenetic trees for the wsp gene was constructed using the neighbour-joining method with 1,000 bootstrap replicates, and the p-distance distribution model of molecular evolution was applied. Results 24 individual adult mosquito samples and 10 sample sites were positive for Wolbachia infection. The Wolbachia infection rate (IR) of each population ranged from 0 - 41.7%. The infection rate of group A alone was 0%-10%, the infection rate of group B alone was 0%-7.7%, and the infection rate of co-infection with A and B was 0-33.3%. Conclusions Wolbachia infection in wild Ae. aegypti in China is the first report based on PCR amplification of the Wolbachia wsp gene. The Wolbachia infection is 5%, and the wAlbA and wAlbB strains were found to be prevalent in the natural population of Ae. aegypti in Yunnan Province.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - XiaoXia Guo
- *Correspondence: XiaoXia Guo, ; TongYan Zhao,
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15
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Martinez J, Ross PA, Gu X, Ant TH, Murdochy SM, Tong L, da Silva Filipe A, Hoffmann AA, Sinkins SP. Genomic and Phenotypic Comparisons Reveal Distinct Variants of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0141222. [PMID: 36318064 PMCID: PMC9680635 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01412-22] [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: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular bacterium Wolbachia inhibits virus replication and is being harnessed around the world to fight mosquito-borne diseases through releases of mosquitoes carrying the symbiont. Wolbachia strains vary in their ability to invade mosquito populations and suppress viruses in part due to differences in their density within the insect and associated fitness costs. Using whole-genome sequencing, we demonstrate the existence of two variants in wAlbB, a Wolbachia strain being released in natural populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The two variants display striking differences in genome architecture and gene content. Differences in the presence/absence of 52 genes between variants include genes located in prophage regions and others potentially involved in controlling the symbiont's density. Importantly, we show that these genetic differences correlate with variation in wAlbB density and its tolerance to heat stress, suggesting that different wAlbB variants may be better suited for field deployment depending on local environmental conditions. Finally, we found that the wAlbB genome remained stable following its introduction in a Malaysian mosquito population. Our results highlight the need for further genomic and phenotypic characterization of Wolbachia strains in order to inform ongoing Wolbachia-based programs and improve the selection of optimal strains in future field interventions. IMPORTANCE Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes that threatens around half of the world population. Recent advances in dengue control involve the introduction of Wolbachia bacterial symbionts with antiviral properties into mosquito populations, which can lead to dramatic decreases in the incidence of the disease. In light of these promising results, there is a crucial need to better understand the factors affecting the success of such strategies, in particular the choice of Wolbachia strain for field releases and the potential for evolutionary changes. Here, we characterized two variants of a Wolbachia strain used for dengue control that differ at the genomic level and in their ability to replicate within the mosquito. We also found no evidence for the evolution of the symbiont within the 2 years following its deployment in Malaysia. Our results have implications for current and future Wolbachia-based health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Martinez
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Perran A. Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Xinyue Gu
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Thomas H. Ant
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Shivan M. Murdochy
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lily Tong
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ana da Silva Filipe
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Steven P. Sinkins
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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16
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Wolbachia inhibits ovarian formation and increases blood feeding rate in female Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010913. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia, a gram-negative endosymbiotic bacterium widespread in arthropods, is well-known for changing the reproduction of its host in ways that increase its rate of spread, but there are also costs to hosts that can reduce this. Here we investigated a novel reproductive alteration of Wolbachia wAlbB on its host Aedes aegypti, using studies on mosquito life history traits, ovarian dissection, as well as gene expression assays. We found that an extended period of the larval stage as well as the egg stage (as previously shown) can increase the proportion of Wolbachia-infected females that become infertile; an effect which was not observed in uninfected females. Infertile females had incomplete ovarian formation and also showed a higher frequency of blood feeding following a prior blood meal, indicating that they do not enter a complete gonotrophic cycle. Treatments leading to infertility also decreased the expression of genes related to reproduction, especially the vitellogenin receptor gene whose product regulates the uptake of vitellogenin (Vg) into ovaries. Our results demonstrate effects associated with the development of infertility in wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti females with implications for Wolbachia releases. The results also have implications for the evolution of Wolbachia infections in novel hosts.
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17
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Pagendam D, Elfekih S, Nassar MS, Nelson S, Almalik AM, Tawfik EA, Al-Fageeh MB, Hoffmann AA. Spatio-Temporal Modelling Informing Wolbachia Replacement Releases in a Low Rainfall Climate. INSECTS 2022; 13:949. [PMID: 36292897 PMCID: PMC9604250 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Releases of Aedes aegypti carrying Wolbachia bacteria are known to suppress arbovirus transmission and reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases. In planning for Wolbachia releases in the arid environment of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, we collected entomological data with ovitraps across a 7-month period in four locations. Herein, we show that mosquito presence in basements does not differ from that of non-basement areas of buildings. In modelling mosquito presence across the study sites, we found the spatial structure to be statistically significant in one of the four sites, while a significant spatial structure was found for egg production data across three of the four sites. The length scales of the spatial covariance functions fitted to the egg production data ranged from 143 m to 574 m, indicating that high productivity regions can be extensive in size. Rank-correlation analyses indicated that mosquito presence tended to persist from the dry to wet season, but that egg production ranks at locations could reverse. The data suggest that, in Jeddah, the quality of the local environment for breeding can vary over time. The data support the feasibility of dry season releases but with release numbers needing to be flexible depending on local rates of invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Pagendam
- CSIRO Data61, Dutton Park, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
| | - Samia Elfekih
- CSIRO H&B, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Geelong, VIC 3052, Australia
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Majed S. Nassar
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samuel Nelson
- CSIRO Data61, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Abdulaziz M. Almalik
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Essam A. Tawfik
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed B. Al-Fageeh
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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18
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Bishop C, Hussain M, Hugo LE, Asgari S. Analysis of Aedes aegypti microRNAs in response to Wolbachia wAlbB infection and their potential role in mosquito longevity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15245. [PMID: 36085160 PMCID: PMC9463151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19574-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of a range of medically important viruses including dengue, Zika, West Nile, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses. The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB strain is a promising biocontrol agent for blocking viral transmission by Ae. aegypti. To predict the long-term efficacy of field applications, a thorough understanding of the interactions between symbiont, host, and pathogen is required. Wolbachia influences host physiology in a variety of ways including reproduction, immunity, metabolism, and longevity. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression in eukaryotes and viruses. Several miRNAs are known to regulate biological processes in Drosophila and mosquitoes, including facilitating Wolbachia maintenance. We generated the first chromosomal map of Ae. aegypti miRNAs, and compared miRNA expression profiles between a wAlbB-transinfected Ae. aegypti mosquito line and a tetracycline cleared derivative, using deep small RNA-sequencing. We found limited modulation of miRNAs in response to wAlbB infection. Several miRNAs were modulated in response to age, some of which showed greater upregulation in wAlbB-infected mosquitoes than in tetracycline cleared ones. By selectively inhibiting some differentially expressed miRNAs, we identified miR-2946-3p and miR-317-3p as effecting mosquito longevity in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Bishop
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Mazhar Hussain
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Leon E Hugo
- Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Herston, 4006, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Ramos LFC, Martins M, Murillo JR, Domont GB, de Oliveira DMP, Nogueira FCS, Maciel-de-Freitas R, Junqueira M. Interspecies Isobaric Labeling-Based Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Protein Changes in the Ovary of Aedes aegypti Coinfected With ZIKV and Wolbachia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900608. [PMID: 35873163 PMCID: PMC9302590 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika is a vector-borne disease caused by an arbovirus (ZIKV) and overwhelmingly transmitted by Ae. aegypti. This disease is linked to adverse fetal outcomes, mostly microcephaly in newborns, and other clinical aspects such as acute febrile illness and neurologic complications, for example, Guillain-Barré syndrome. One of the most promising strategies to mitigate arbovirus transmission involves releasing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes carrying the maternally inherited endosymbiont bacteria Wolbachia pipientis. The presence of Wolbachia is associated with a reduced susceptibility to arboviruses and a fitness cost in mosquito life-history traits such as fecundity and fertility. However, the mechanisms by which Wolbachia influences metabolic pathways leading to differences in egg production remains poorly known. To investigate the impact of coinfections on the reproductive tract of the mosquito, we applied an isobaric labeling-based quantitative proteomic strategy to investigate the influence of Wolbachia wMel and ZIKV infection in Ae. aegypti ovaries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most complete proteome of Ae. aegypti ovaries reported so far, with a total of 3913 proteins identified, were also able to quantify 1044 Wolbachia proteins in complex sample tissue of Ae. aegypti ovary. Furthermore, from a total of 480 mosquito proteins modulated in our study, we discuss proteins and pathways altered in Ae. aegypti during ZIKV infections, Wolbachia infections, coinfection Wolbachia/ZIKV, and compared with no infection, focusing on immune and reproductive aspects of Ae. aegypti. The modified aspects mainly were related to the immune priming enhancement by Wolbachia presence and the modulation of the Juvenile Hormone pathway caused by both microorganism’s infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Felipe Costa Ramos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Michele Martins
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jimmy Rodriguez Murillo
- Division of Chemistry I, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gilberto Barbosa Domont
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Fábio César Sousa Nogueira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Transmissores de Hematozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Arbovirology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Magno Junqueira, ; Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas,
| | - Magno Junqueira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Magno Junqueira, ; Rafael Maciel-de-Freitas,
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20
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Sarwar MS, Jahan N, Ali A, Yousaf HK, Munzoor I. Establishment of Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti from Pakistan via embryonic microinjection and semi-field evaluation of general fitness of resultant mosquito population. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:191. [PMID: 35668540 PMCID: PMC9169386 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti. It is prevalent on five continents, predominantly in tropical and sub-tropical zones across the world. Wolbachia bacteria have been extensively used in vector control strategies worldwide. The focus of the current study was to obtain a natural population of Ae. aegypti harbouring Wolbachia and to determine the impact of this bacteria on the new host in a semi-field environment. Methods Wolbachia-infected Aedes albopictus was collected from the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, and Wolbachia were successfully introduced into laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti via embryonic microinjection. The stable vertical transmission of wAlbB in the host population was observed for eight generations, and the impact of Wolbachia on the general fitness of the host was evaluated in semi-field conditions. Results In the laboratory and semi-field experiments, wAlbB Wolbachia presented a strong cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) effect, evidenced as zero egg hatching, in crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and wild (uninfected) females of Ae. aegypti. Wolbachia infection had no noticeable impact on the general fitness (P > 0.05), fecundity, body size (females and males) and mating competitiveness of the new host, Ae. aegypti. However, there was a significant decrease in female fertility (egg hatch) (P < 0.001). In addition, under starvation conditions, there was a remarkable decrease (P < 0.0001) in the life span of Wolbachia-infected females compared to uninfected females (4 vs. > 5 days, respectively). Conclusions Wolbachia strain wAlbB has a great potential to control the dengue vector in Ae. aegypti populations by producing 100% CI with a limited burden on its host in natural field conditions. This strain can be used as a biological tool against vector-borne diseases. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajjad Sarwar
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan. .,Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Azeem Ali
- Department of Statistics and Computer Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Iqra Munzoor
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan
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21
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Hien NT, Anh DD, Le NH, Yen NT, Phong TV, Nam VS, Duong TN, Nguyen NB, Huong DT, Hung LQ, Trinh CN, Hoang NV, Mai VQ, Nghia LT, Dong NT, Tho LH, Kutcher S, Hurst TP, Montgomery JL, Woolfit M, Rances E, Kyrylos P, L. Anders K, Nguyen L, Brown-Kenyon J, Caird A, McLean BJ, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Ritchie SA, O'Neill SL, Ryan PA. Environmental factors influence the local establishment of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in two small communities in central Vietnam. Gates Open Res 2022; 5:147. [PMID: 35602266 PMCID: PMC9098883 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13347.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The wMel strain of Wolbachia has been successfully introduced into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and subsequently shown to reduce transmission of dengue and other pathogens, under both laboratory and field conditions. Here we describe the entomological outcomes of wMel Wolbachia mosquito releases in two small communities in Nha Trang City in central Vietnam. Methods: The wMel strain of Wolbachia was backcrossed into local Aedes aegypti genotype and mosquito releases were undertaken by community members or by staff. Field monitoring was undertaken to track Wolbachia establishment in local Ae. aegypti mosquito populations. Ecological studies were undertaken to assess relationships between environmental factors and the spatial and temporal variability in Wolbachia infection prevalence in mosquitoes. Results: Releases of wMel Wolbachia Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in two small communities in Nha Trang City resulted in the initial establishment of Wolbachia in the local Ae. aegypti mosquito populations, followed by seasonal fluctuations in Wolbachia prevalence. There was significant small-scale spatial heterogeneity in Wolbachia infection prevalence in the Tri Nguyen Village site, resulting in the loss of wMel Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes in north and center areas, despite Wolbachia prevalence remaining high in mosquitoes in the south area. In the second site, Vinh Luong Ward, Wolbachia has persisted at a high level in mosquitoes throughout this site despite similar seasonal fluctuations in wMel Wolbachia prevalence. Conclusion: Seasonal variation in Wolbachia infection prevalence in mosquitoes was associated with elevated temperature conditions, and was possibly due to imperfect maternal transmission of Wolbachia. Heterogeneity in Wolbachia infection prevalence was found throughout one site, and indicates additional factors may influence Wolbachia establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen T. Hien
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Dang D. Anh
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen H. Le
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen T. Yen
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tran V. Phong
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Vu S. Nam
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tran N. Duong
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Luu Q. Hung
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Chau N.T. Trinh
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen V. Hoang
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | | | - Le H. Tho
- Khanh Hoa Health Department, Nha Trang, Vietnam
| | - Simon Kutcher
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Tim P. Hurst
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jacqui L. Montgomery
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Megan Woolfit
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Edwige Rances
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Peter Kyrylos
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Anders
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Le Nguyen
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jack Brown-Kenyon
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Angela Caird
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Breeanna J. McLean
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Inaki Iturbe-Ormaetxe
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Scott A. Ritchie
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Scott L. O'Neill
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Peter A. Ryan
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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22
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Pilot trial using mass field-releases of sterile males produced with the incompatible and sterile insect techniques as part of integrated Aedes aegypti control in Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010324. [PMID: 35471983 PMCID: PMC9041844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The combination of Wolbachia-based incompatible insect technique (IIT) and radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) can be used for population suppression of Aedes aegypti. Our main objective was to evaluate whether open-field mass-releases of wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males, as part of an Integrated Vector Management (IVM) plan led by the Mexican Ministry of Health, could suppress natural populations of Ae. aegypti in urbanized settings in south Mexico. Methodology/Principal findings We implemented a controlled before-and-after quasi-experimental study in two suburban localities of Yucatan (Mexico): San Pedro Chimay (SPC), which received IIT-SIT, and San Antonio Tahdzibichén used as control. Release of wAlbB Ae. aegypti males at SPC extended for 6 months (July-December 2019), covering the period of higher Ae. aegypti abundance. Entomological indicators included egg hatching rates and outdoor/indoor adult females collected at the release and control sites. Approximately 1,270,000 lab-produced wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males were released in the 50-ha treatment area (2,000 wAlbB Ae. aegypti males per hectare twice a week in two different release days, totaling 200,000 male mosquitoes per week). The efficacy of IIT-SIT in suppressing indoor female Ae. aegypti density (quantified from a generalized linear mixed model showing a statistically significant reduction in treatment versus control areas) was 90.9% a month after initiation of the suppression phase, 47.7% two months after (when number of released males was reduced in 50% to match local abundance), 61.4% four months after (when initial number of released males was re-established), 88.4% five months after and 89.4% at six months after the initiation of the suppression phase. A proportional, but lower, reduction in outdoor female Ae. aegypti was also quantified (range, 50.0–75.2% suppression). Conclusions/Significance Our study, the first open-field pilot implementation of Wolbachia IIT-SIT in Mexico and Latin-America, confirms that inundative male releases can significantly reduce natural populations of Ae. aegypti. More importantly, we present successful pilot results of the integration of Wolbachia IIT-SIT within a IVM plan implemented by Ministry of Health personnel. Wild-type female Ae. aegypti mating with released males carrying the maternally inherited bacteria Wolbachia produce infertile eggs, leading to important reductions in mosquito population size. We present results from pilot open-field mass-releases of Ae. aegypti males infected with the Wolbachia strain wAlbB (termed incompatible insect technique, IIT) and irradiated to prevent accidental female mosquito colonization (termed sterile insect technique, SIT). Our IIT-SIT approach was implemented by the Mexican Ministry of Health within an Integrated Vector Management (IVM) plan to suppress natural populations of Ae. aegypti. Approximately 1,270,000 lab-produced wAlbB-infected Ae. aegypti males were released in a 50-ha. town of Yucatan over a period of 24 weeks. Throughout the suppression phase, we observed significant reductions in egg hatching, outdoor and indoor female Ae. aegypti densities in the release town compared to a similar town used as control. The largest effect was on the number of indoor Ae. aegypti females per house (Prokopack collections) which reached a 90% efficacy. Our study, the first report of an open-field pilot-study with mass-releases of sterile Ae. aegypti males produced with IIT-SIT in Mexico and Latin-America, confirms findings from other settings showing important reductions in entomological indices due to inundative incompatible male releases.
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23
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Gu X, Ross PA, Rodriguez-Andres J, Robinson KL, Yang Q, Lau MJ, Hoffmann AA. A wMel Wolbachia variant in Aedes aegypti from field-collected Drosophila melanogaster with increased phenotypic stability under heat stress. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2119-2135. [PMID: 35319146 PMCID: PMC9544352 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito‐borne diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Population replacement strategies involving the wMel strain of Wolbachia are being used widely to control mosquito‐borne diseases. However, these strategies may be influenced by temperature because wMel is vulnerable to heat. wMel infections in Drosophila melanogaster are genetically diverse, but few transinfections of wMel variants have been generated in Aedes aegypti. Here, we successfully transferred a wMel variant (termed wMelM) originating from a field‐collected D. melanogaster into Ae. aegypti. The new wMelM variant (clade I) is genetically distinct from the original wMel transinfection (clade III), and there are no genomic differences between wMelM in its original and transinfected host. We compared wMelM with wMel in its effects on host fitness, temperature tolerance, Wolbachia density, vector competence, cytoplasmic incompatibility and maternal transmission under heat stress in a controlled background. wMelM showed a higher heat tolerance than wMel, likely due to higher overall densities within the mosquito. Both wMel variants had minimal host fitness costs, complete cytoplasmic incompatibility and maternal transmission, and dengue virus blocking under laboratory conditions. Our results highlight phenotypic differences between Wolbachia variants and wMelM shows potential as an alternative strain in areas with strong seasonal temperature fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Gu
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Perran A Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Julio Rodriguez-Andres
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia
| | - Katie L Robinson
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Qiong Yang
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Meng-Jia Lau
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
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24
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Temperature effects on cellular host-microbe interactions explain continent-wide endosymbiont prevalence. Curr Biol 2022; 32:878-888.e8. [PMID: 34919808 PMCID: PMC8891084 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Endosymbioses influence host physiology, reproduction, and fitness, but these relationships require efficient microbe transmission between host generations to persist. Maternally transmitted Wolbachia are the most common known endosymbionts,1 but their frequencies vary widely within and among host populations for unknown reasons.2,3 Here, we integrate genomic, cellular, and phenotypic analyses with mathematical models to provide an unexpectedly simple explanation for global wMel Wolbachia prevalence in Drosophila melanogaster. Cooling temperatures decrease wMel cellular abundance at a key stage of host oogenesis, producing temperature-dependent variation in maternal transmission that plausibly explains latitudinal clines of wMel frequencies on multiple continents. wMel sampled from a temperate climate targets the germline more efficiently in the cold than a recently differentiated tropical variant (∼2,200 years ago), indicative of rapid wMel adaptation to climate. Genomic analyses identify a very narrow list of wMel alleles-most notably, a derived stop codon in the major Wolbachia surface protein WspB-that underlie thermal sensitivity of cellular Wolbachia abundance and covary with temperature globally. Decoupling temperate wMel and host genomes further reduces transmission in the cold, a pattern that is characteristic of host-microbe co-adaptation to a temperate climate. Complex interactions among Wolbachia, hosts, and the environment (GxGxE) mediate wMel cellular abundance and maternal transmission, implicating temperature as a key determinant of Wolbachia spread and equilibrium frequencies, in conjunction with Wolbachia effects on host fitness and reproduction.4,5 Our results motivate the strategic use of locally selected wMel variants for Wolbachia-based biocontrol efforts, which protect millions of individuals from arboviruses that cause human disease.6.
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25
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Ross PA, Robinson KL, Yang Q, Callahan AG, Schmidt TL, Axford JK, Coquilleau MP, Staunton KM, Townsend M, Ritchie SA, Lau MJ, Gu X, Hoffmann AA. A decade of stability for wMel Wolbachia in natural Aedes aegypti populations. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010256. [PMID: 35196357 PMCID: PMC8901071 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia endosymbionts are being released in many countries for arbovirus control. The wMel strain of Wolbachia blocks Aedes-borne virus transmission and can spread throughout mosquito populations by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying wMel were first released into the field in Cairns, Australia, over a decade ago, and with wider releases have resulted in the near elimination of local dengue transmission. The long-term stability of Wolbachia effects is critical for ongoing disease suppression, requiring tracking of phenotypic and genomic changes in Wolbachia infections following releases. We used a combination of field surveys, phenotypic assessments, and Wolbachia genome sequencing to show that wMel has remained stable in its effects for up to a decade in Australian Ae. aegypti populations. Phenotypic comparisons of wMel-infected and uninfected mosquitoes from near-field and long-term laboratory populations suggest limited changes in the effects of wMel on mosquito fitness. Treating mosquitoes with antibiotics used to cure the wMel infection had limited effects on fitness in the next generation, supporting the use of tetracycline for generating uninfected mosquitoes without off-target effects. wMel has a temporally stable within-host density and continues to induce complete cytoplasmic incompatibility. A comparison of wMel genomes from pre-release (2010) and nine years post-release (2020) populations show few genomic differences and little divergence between release locations, consistent with the lack of phenotypic changes. These results indicate that releases of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes for population replacement are likely to be effective for many years, but ongoing monitoring remains important to track potential evolutionary changes. Wolbachia are endosymbionts that can block the transmission of arboviruses by mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying the wMel strain of Wolbachia have been released in ‘population replacement’ interventions, which aim to establish wMel in mosquito populations, thereby reducing their ability to spread disease. Wolbachia population replacement programs began only a decade ago, raising uncertainty about their long-term effectiveness. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of the long-term stability of wMel from the very first Wolbachia population replacement release. We show that there is no evidence for changes in the phenotypic effects of wMel in mosquitoes, and confirm that the wMel genome has changed very little in the decade since field releases began. wMel remains at high levels within mosquitoes, suggesting that its ability to block virus transmission has been retained. Our data provides confidence that Wolbachia population replacement releases will provide ongoing protection against arbovirus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perran A. Ross
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Katie L. Robinson
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qiong Yang
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashley G. Callahan
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas L. Schmidt
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jason K. Axford
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marianne P. Coquilleau
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kyran M. Staunton
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Townsend
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia
| | - Scott A. Ritchie
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia
| | - Meng-Jia Lau
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xinyue Gu
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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26
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Yang Y, He Y, Zhu G, Zhang J, Gong Z, Huang S, Lu G, Peng Y, Meng Y, Hao X, Wang C, Sun J, Shang S. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Wolbachia in field-collected Aedes albopictus, Anopheles sinensis, Armigeres subalbatus, Culex pipiens and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in China. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009911. [PMID: 34710095 PMCID: PMC8577788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that can naturally and artificially infect arthropods and nematodes. Recently, they were applied to control the spread of mosquito-borne pathogens by causing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) between germ cells of females and males. The ability of Wolbachia to induce CI is based on the prevalence and polymorphism of Wolbachia in natural populations of mosquitoes. In this study, we screened the natural infection level and diversity of Wolbachia in field-collected mosquitoes from 25 provinces of China based on partial sequence of Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Among the samples, 2489 mosquitoes were captured from 24 provinces between July and September, 2014 and the remaining 1025 mosquitoes were collected month-by-month in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province between September 2013 and August 2014. Our results showed that the presence of Wolbachia was observed in mosquitoes of Aedes albopictus (97.1%, 331/341), Armigeres subalbatus (95.8%, 481/502), Culex pipiens (87.0%, 1525/1752), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (17.1%, 14/82), but not Anopheles sinensis (n = 88). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that high polymorphism of wsp and MLST loci was observed in Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, while no or low polymorphisms were in Ar. subalbatus and Cx. pipiens mosquitoes. A total of 12 unique mutations of deduced amino acid were identified in the wsp sequences obtained in this study, including four mutations in Wolbachia supergroup A and eight mutations in supergroup B. This study revealed the prevalence and polymorphism of Wolbachia in mosquitoes in large-scale regions of China and will provide some useful information when performing Wolbachia-based mosquito biocontrol strategies in China. The mosquitoes Aedes albopictus, Anopheles sinensis, Armigeres subalbatus, Culex pipiens and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus are native to China and the major vectors in the transmission of arboviruses, protozoans and nematodes. Recently, an innovative biocontrol strategy has been developed and evaluated based on the ability of Wolbachia to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), as well as interfere with the infection and replication of pathogens. Since the ability to induce CI largely depends on the density and diversity of Wolbachia, we investigated and characterized the natural infection of Wolbachia in above-mentioned five species of field-collected mosquitoes in 25 provinces of China. The results showed that the positive rates of Wolbachia infection were high in mosquitoes of Ae. albopictus, Ar. subalbatus and Cx. pipiens in large-scale regions of China and low in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Guizhou province. Phylogenetic analysis based on Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene and five multilocus sequence typing (MLST) loci indicated the high polymorphism of Wolbachia in Ae. albopictus, and low polymorphisms in Ar. subalbatus and Cx. pipiens. This finding contributes to the understanding of the nationwide distribution of Wolbachia and the potential application of this biocontrol strategy in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (YY); (JS); (SS)
| | - Yifan He
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guoding Zhu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Jilei Zhang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Zaicheng Gong
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Siyang Huang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guangwu Lu
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yalan Peng
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yining Meng
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Hao
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Chengming Wang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Jie Sun
- Shenzhen Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- * E-mail: (YY); (JS); (SS)
| | - Shaobin Shang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses; College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Corporation Laboratory of Agriculture and Agricultural Products Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (YY); (JS); (SS)
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27
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Releasing incompatible males drives strong suppression across populations of wild and Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti in Australia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2106828118. [PMID: 34607949 PMCID: PMC8521666 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106828118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
With over 40% of humans at risk from mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, the development of environmentally friendly mosquito-control tools is critical. The release of reproductively incompatible male mosquitoes carrying a Wolbachia bacterium can drive mating events that kill the eggs. Through replicated treatment and control experiments in northern Australia, regular releases of Aedes aegypti males infected with a Wolbachia from Aedes albopictus was shown to drive strong population suppression in mosaic populations of wild-type (no Wolbachia) and wMel-Wolbachia–carrying Ae. aegypti. In a demonstration of bidirectional incompatibility between different Wolbachia strains in the field, we also demonstrate that one season’s suppression experiment can also show an ongoing effect into the following season. Releasing sterile or incompatible male insects is a proven method of population management in agricultural systems with the potential to revolutionize mosquito control. Through a collaborative venture with the “Debug” Verily Life Sciences team, we assessed the incompatible insect technique (IIT) with the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti in northern Australia in a replicated treatment control field trial. Backcrossing a US strain of Ae. aegypti carrying Wolbachia wAlbB from Aedes albopictus with a local strain, we generated a wAlbB2-F4 strain incompatible with both the wild-type (no Wolbachia) and wMel-Wolbachia Ae. aegypti now extant in North Queensland. The wAlbB2-F4 strain was manually mass reared with males separated from females using Verily sex-sorting technologies to obtain no detectable female contamination in the field. With community consent, we delivered a total of three million IIT males into three isolated landscapes of over 200 houses each, releasing ∼50 males per house three times a week over 20 wk. Detecting initial overflooding ratios of between 5:1 and 10:1, strong population declines well beyond 80% were detected across all treatment landscapes when compared to controls. Monitoring through the following season to observe the ongoing effect saw one treatment landscape devoid of adult Ae. aegypti early in the season. A second landscape showed reduced adults, and the third recovered fully. These encouraging results in suppressing both wild-type and wMel-Ae. aegypti confirms the utility of bidirectional incompatibility in the field setting, show the IIT to be robust, and indicate that the removal of this arbovirus vector from human-occupied landscapes may be achievable.
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Ross PA. Designing effective Wolbachia release programs for mosquito and arbovirus control. Acta Trop 2021; 222:106045. [PMID: 34273308 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes carrying endosymbiotic bacteria called Wolbachia are being released in mosquito and arbovirus control programs around the world through two main approaches: population suppression and population replacement. Open field releases of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes have achieved over 95% population suppression by reducing the fertility of wild mosquito populations. The replacement of populations with Wolbachia-infected females is self-sustaining and can greatly reduce local dengue transmission by reducing the vector competence of mosquito populations. Despite many successful interventions, significant questions and challenges lie ahead. Wolbachia, viruses and their mosquito hosts can evolve, leading to uncertainty around the long-term effectiveness of a given Wolbachia strain, while few ecological impacts of Wolbachia releases have been explored. Wolbachia strains are diverse and the choice of strain to release should be made carefully, taking environmental conditions and the release objective into account. Mosquito quality control, thoughtful community awareness programs and long-term monitoring of populations are essential for all types of Wolbachia intervention. Releases of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes show great promise, but existing control measures remain an important way to reduce the burden of mosquito-borne disease.
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Lau MJ, Hoffmann AA, Endersby-Harshman NM. A diagnostic primer pair to distinguish between wMel and wAlbB Wolbachia infections. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257781. [PMID: 34555085 PMCID: PMC8459989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of the Wolbachia endosymbiont in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through real-time polymerase chain reaction assays is widely used during and after Wolbachia releases in dengue reduction trials involving the wMel and wAlbB strains. Although several different primer pairs have been applied in current successful Wolbachia releases, they cannot be used in a single assay to distinguish between these strains. Here, we developed a new diagnostic primer pair, wMwA, which can detect the wMel or wAlbB infection in the same assay. We also tested current Wolbachia primers and show that there is variation in their performance when they are used to assess the relative density of Wolbachia. The new wMwA primers provide an accurate and efficient estimate of the presence and density of both Wolbachia infections, with practical implications for Wolbachia estimates in field collected Ae. aegypti where Wolbachia releases have taken place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Jia Lau
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nancy M. Endersby-Harshman
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, Bio21 Institute and the School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Hien NT, Anh DD, Le NH, Yen NT, Phong TV, Nam VS, Duong TN, Nguyen NB, Huong DT, Hung LQ, Trinh CN, Hoang NV, Mai VQ, Nghia LT, Dong NT, Tho LH, Kutcher S, Hurst TP, Montgomery JL, Woolfit M, Rances E, Kyrylos P, L. Anders K, Nguyen L, Brown-Kenyon J, Caird A, McLean BJ, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I, Ritchie SA, O'Neill SL, Ryan PA. Environmental factors influence the local establishment of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in two small communities in central Vietnam. Gates Open Res 2021; 5:147. [PMID: 35602266 PMCID: PMC9098883 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13347.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The wMel strain of Wolbachia has been successfully introduced into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and subsequently shown to reduce transmission of dengue and other pathogens, under both laboratory and field conditions. Here we describe the entomological outcomes of wMel Wolbachia mosquito releases in two small communities in Nha Trang City in central Vietnam. Methods: The wMel strain of Wolbachia was backcrossed into local Aedes aegypti genotype and mosquito releases were undertaken by community members or by staff. Field monitoring was undertaken to track Wolbachia establishment in local Ae. aegypti mosquito populations. Ecological studies were undertaken to assess relationships between environmental factors and the spatial and temporal variability in Wolbachia infection prevalence in mosquitoes. Results: Releases of wMel Wolbachia Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in two small communities in Nha Trang City resulted in the initial establishment of Wolbachia in the local Ae. aegypti mosquito populations, followed by seasonal fluctuations in Wolbachia prevalence. There was significant small-scale spatial heterogeneity in Wolbachia infection prevalence in the Tri Nguyen Village site, resulting in the loss of wMel Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes in north and center areas, despite Wolbachia prevalence remaining high in mosquitoes in the south area. In the second site, Vinh Luong Ward, Wolbachia has persisted at a high level in mosquitoes throughout this site despite similar seasonal fluctuations in wMel Wolbachia prevalence. Conclusion: Seasonal variation in Wolbachia infection prevalence in mosquitoes was associated with elevated temperature conditions, and was possibly due to imperfect maternal transmission of Wolbachia. Heterogeneity in Wolbachia infection prevalence was found throughout one site, and indicates additional factors may influence Wolbachia establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen T. Hien
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Dang D. Anh
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen H. Le
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen T. Yen
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tran V. Phong
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Vu S. Nam
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tran N. Duong
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | - Luu Q. Hung
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Chau N.T. Trinh
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen V. Hoang
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | | | | | - Le H. Tho
- Khanh Hoa Health Department, Nha Trang, Vietnam
| | - Simon Kutcher
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Tim P. Hurst
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jacqui L. Montgomery
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Megan Woolfit
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Edwige Rances
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Peter Kyrylos
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Anders
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Le Nguyen
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jack Brown-Kenyon
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Angela Caird
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Breeanna J. McLean
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Inaki Iturbe-Ormaetxe
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Scott A. Ritchie
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Scott L. O'Neill
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Peter A. Ryan
- World Mosquito Program, Institute of Vector-Borne Disease, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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A wAlbB Wolbachia transinfection displays stable phenotypic effects across divergent Aedes aegypti mosquito backgrounds. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0126421. [PMID: 34379518 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01264-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes mosquitoes harboring intracellular Wolbachia bacteria are being released in arbovirus and mosquito control programs. With releases taking place around the world, understanding the contribution of host variation to Wolbachia phenotype is crucial. We generated a Wolbachia transinfection (wAlbBQ) in Aedes aegypti and performed backcrossing to introduce the infection into Australian or Malaysian nuclear backgrounds. Whole Wolbachia genome sequencing shows that the wAlbBQ transinfection is near-identical to the reference wAlbB genome, suggesting few changes since the infection was first introduced to Ae. aegypti over 15 years ago. However, these sequences were distinct from other available wAlbB genome sequences, highlighting the potential diversity of wAlbB in natural Ae. albopictus populations. Phenotypic comparisons demonstrate effects of wAlbB infection on egg hatch and nuclear background on fecundity and body size, but no interactions between wAlbB infection and nuclear background for any trait. The wAlbB infection was stable at high temperatures and showed perfect maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility regardless of host background. Our results demonstrate the stability of wAlbB across host backgrounds and point to its long-term effectiveness for controlling arbovirus transmission and mosquito populations. Importance Wolbachia bacteria are being used to control the transmission of dengue and other arboviruses by mosquitoes. For Wolbachia release programs to be effective globally, Wolbachia infections must be stable across mosquito populations from different locations. In this study, we transferred Wolbachia (strain wAlbB) to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with an Australian genotype and introduced the infection to Malaysian mosquitoes through backcrossing. We found that the phenotypic effects of Wolbachia are stable across both mosquito backgrounds. We sequenced the genome of wAlbB and found very few genetic changes despite spending over 15 years in a novel mosquito host. Our results suggest that the effects of Wolbachia infections are likely to remain stable across time and host genotype.
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