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Scussel S, Gaudillat B, Esnault J, Lejarre Q, Duployer M, Lebon C, Benlali A, Mavingui P, Tortosa P, Cattel J. Combining transinfected Wolbachia and a genetic sexing strain to control Aedes albopictus in laboratory-controlled conditions. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240429. [PMID: 38628128 PMCID: PMC11021938 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The global expansion of Aedes albopictus has stimulated the development of environmentally friendly methods aiming to control disease transmission through the suppression of natural vector populations. Sterile male release programmes are currently being deployed worldwide, and are challenged by the availability of an efficient sex separation which can be achieved mechanically at the pupal stage and/or by artificial intelligence at the adult stage, or through genetic sexing, which allows separating males and females at an early development stage. In this study, we combined the genetic sexing strain previously established based on the linkage of dieldrin resistance to the male locus with a Wolbachia transinfected line. For this, we introduced either the wPip-I or the wPip-IV strain from Culex pipiens in an asymbiotic Wolbachia-free Ae. albopictus line. We then measured the penetrance of cytoplasmic incompatibility and life-history traits of both transinfected lines, selected the wPip-IV line and combined it with the genetic sexing strain. Population suppression experiments demonstrated a 90% reduction in population size and a 50% decrease in hatching rate. Presented results showed that such a combination has a high potential in terms of vector control but also highlighted associated fitness costs, which should be reduced before large-scale field assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Scussel
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Benjamin Gaudillat
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Jérémy Esnault
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Quentin Lejarre
- Symbiosis Technologies for Insect Control (SymbioTIC), Plateforme de Recherche Cyroi, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Marianne Duployer
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Cyrille Lebon
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Aude Benlali
- Groupement d'Intérêt Public Cyclotron Océan Indien (CYROI), 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249. Plateforme de recherché CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249. Plateforme de recherché CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Julien Cattel
- Symbiosis Technologies for Insect Control (SymbioTIC), Plateforme de Recherche Cyroi, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, Ste Clotilde, France
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Ren N, Jin Q, Wang F, Huang D, Yang C, Zaman W, Salazar FV, Liu Q, Yuan Z, Xia H. Evaluation of vector susceptibility in Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens to Tibet orbivirus. mSphere 2024; 9:e0006224. [PMID: 38530016 PMCID: PMC11036799 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00062-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne viruses cause various infectious diseases in humans and animals. Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV), a newly identified arbovirus, efficiently replicates in different types of vertebrate and mosquito cells, with its neutralizing antibodies detected in cattle and goats. However, despite being isolated from Culicoides midges, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes, there has been a notable absence of systematic studies on its vector competence. Thus, in this study, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens were reared in the laboratory to measure vector susceptibility through blood-feeding infection. Furthermore, RNA sequencing was used to examine the overall alterations in the Ae. aegypti transcriptome following TIBOV infection. The results revealed that Ae. aegypti exhibited a high susceptibility to TIBOV compared to Cx. p. pallens. Effective replication of the virus in Ae. aegypti midguts occurred when the blood-feeding titer of TIBOV exceeded 105 plaque-forming units mL-1. Nevertheless, only a few TIBOV RNA-positive samples were detected in the saliva of Ae. aegypti and Cx. p. pallens, suggesting that these mosquito species may not be the primary vectors for TIBOV. Moreover, at 2 dpi of TIBOV, numerous antimicrobial peptides downstream of the Toll and Imd signaling pathways were significantly downregulated in Ae. aegypti, indicating that TIBOV suppressed mosquitos' defense to survive in the vector at an early stage. Subsequently, the stress-activated protein kinase JNK, a crucial component of the MAPK signaling pathway, exhibited significant upregulation. Certain genes were also enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway in TIBOV-infected Ae. aegypti at 7 dpi.IMPORTANCETibet orbivirus (TIBOV) is an understudied arbovirus of the genus Orbivirus. Our study is the first-ever attempt to assess the vector susceptibility of this virus in two important mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens. Additionally, we present transcriptome data detailing the interaction between TIBOV and the immune system of Ae. aegypti, which expands the knowledge about orbivirus infection and its interaction with mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanjie Ren
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qianqian Jin
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Doudou Huang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cihan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wahid Zaman
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Qiyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiming Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Han Xia
- Key Laboratory of Virology and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, China
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Hixson B, Huot L, Morejon B, Yang X, Nagy P, Michel K, Buchon N. The transcriptional response in mosquitoes distinguishes between fungi and bacteria but not Gram types. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:353. [PMID: 38594632 PMCID: PMC11003161 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10153-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are prolific vectors of human pathogens, therefore a clear and accurate understanding of the organization of their antimicrobial defenses is crucial for informing the development of transmission control strategies. The canonical infection response in insects, as described in the insect model Drosophila melanogaster, is pathogen type-dependent, with distinct stereotypical responses to Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria/fungi mediated by the activation of the Imd and Toll pathways, respectively. To determine whether this pathogen-specific discrimination is shared by mosquitoes, we used RNAseq to capture the genome-wide transcriptional response of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) to systemic infection with Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous fungi, as well as challenge with heat-killed Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and fungal pathogens. From the resulting data, we found that Ae. aegypti and An. gambiae both mount a core response to all categories of infection, and this response is highly conserved between the two species with respect to both function and orthology. When we compared the transcriptomes of mosquitoes infected with different types of bacteria, we observed that the intensity of the transcriptional response was correlated with both the virulence and growth rate of the infecting pathogen. Exhaustive comparisons of the transcriptomes of Gram-negative-challenged versus Gram-positive-challenged mosquitoes yielded no difference in either species. In Ae. aegypti, however, we identified transcriptional signatures specific to bacterial infection and to fungal infection. The bacterial infection response was dominated by the expression of defensins and cecropins, while the fungal infection response included the disproportionate upregulation of an uncharacterized family of glycine-rich proteins. These signatures were also observed in Ae. aegypti challenged with heat-killed bacteria and fungi, indicating that this species can discriminate between molecular patterns that are specific to bacteria and to fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bretta Hixson
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Louise Huot
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Bianca Morejon
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Xiaowei Yang
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Current address: State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute for Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Peter Nagy
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Kristin Michel
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Noaman K, Abuelmaali SA, Elnour MAB, Korti M, Ageep T, Baleela RMH. First detection of F1534C kdr insecticide resistance mutation in Aedes aegypti in Sudan. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:178. [PMID: 38578300 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08194-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Kheder Noaman
- Tropical Medicine Research Institute, National Center for Research, P.O. Box 1304, Khartoum, 11111, Sudan
| | - Sara A Abuelmaali
- National Public Health Laboratory, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan.
| | - Mohamed-Ahmed B Elnour
- Tropical Medicine Research Institute, National Center for Research, P.O. Box 1304, Khartoum, 11111, Sudan
| | - Mohammed Korti
- Tropical Medicine Research Institute, National Center for Research, P.O. Box 1304, Khartoum, 11111, Sudan
| | - Tellal Ageep
- Tropical Medicine Research Institute, National Center for Research, P.O. Box 1304, Khartoum, 11111, Sudan
| | - Rania M H Baleela
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
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Reichl J, Prossegger C, Petutschnig S, Unterköfler MS, Bakran-Lebl K, Markowicz M, Indra A, Fuehrer HP. Comparison of a multiplex PCR with DNA barcoding for identification of container breeding mosquito species. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:171. [PMID: 38566239 PMCID: PMC10985852 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06255-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identification of mosquitoes greatly relies on morphological specification. Since some species cannot be distinguished reliably by morphological methods, it is important to incorporate molecular techniques into the diagnostic pipeline. DNA barcoding using Sanger sequencing is currently widely used for identification of mosquito species. However, this method does not allow detection of multiple species in one sample, which would be important when analysing mosquito eggs. Detection of container breeding Aedes is typically performed by collecting eggs using ovitraps. These traps consist of a black container filled with water and a wooden spatula inserted for oviposition support. Aedes mosquitoes of different species might lay single or multiple eggs on the spatula. In contrast to Sanger sequencing of specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, multiplex PCR protocols targeting specific species of interest can be of advantage for detection of multiple species in the same sample. METHODS For this purpose, we adapted a previously published PCR protocol for simultaneous detection of four different Aedes species that are relevant for Austrian monitoring programmes, as they can be found in ovitraps: Aedes albopictus, Aedes japonicus, Aedes koreicus, and Aedes geniculatus. For evaluation of the multiplex PCR protocol, we analysed 2271 ovitrap mosquito samples from the years 2021 and 2022, which were collected within the scope of an Austrian nationwide monitoring programme. We compared the results of the multiplex PCR to the results of DNA barcoding. RESULTS Of 2271 samples, the multiplex PCR could identify 1990 samples, while species determination using DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene was possible in 1722 samples. The multiplex PCR showed a mixture of different species in 47 samples, which could not be detected with DNA barcoding. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, identification of Aedes species in ovitrap samples was more successful when using the multiplex PCR protocol as opposed to the DNA barcoding protocol. Additionally, the multiplex PCR allowed us to detect multiple species in the same sample, while those species might have been missed when using DNA barcoding with Sanger sequencing alone. Therefore, we propose that the multiplex PCR protocol is highly suitable and of great advantage when analysing mosquito eggs from ovitraps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Reichl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Prossegger
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah Petutschnig
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Sophia Unterköfler
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Bakran-Lebl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Mateusz Markowicz
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Indra
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Williams AE, Gittis AG, Botello K, Cruz P, Martin-Martin I, Valenzuela Leon PC, Sumner B, Bonilla B, Calvo E. Structural and functional comparisons of salivary α-glucosidases from the mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 167:104097. [PMID: 38428508 PMCID: PMC10955559 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Mosquito vectors of medical importance both blood and sugar feed, and their saliva contains bioactive molecules that aid in both processes. Although it has been shown that the salivary glands of several mosquito species exhibit α-glucosidase activities, the specific enzymes responsible for sugar digestion remain understudied. We therefore expressed and purified three recombinant salivary α-glucosidases from the mosquito vectors Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus and compared their functions and structures. We found that all three enzymes were expressed in the salivary glands of their respective vectors and were secreted into the saliva. The proteins, as well as mosquito salivary gland extracts, exhibited α-glucosidase activity, and the recombinant enzymes displayed preference for sucrose compared to p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside. Finally, we solved the crystal structure of the Ae. aegypti α-glucosidase bound to two calcium ions at a 2.3 Ångstrom resolution. Molecular docking suggested that the Ae. aegypti α-glucosidase preferred di- or polysaccharides compared to monosaccharides, consistent with enzymatic activity assays. Comparing structural models between the three species revealed a high degree of similarity, suggesting similar functional properties. We conclude that the α-glucosidases studied herein are important enzymes for sugar digestion in three mosquito species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline E Williams
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Apostolos G Gittis
- Research Technologies Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Karina Botello
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Phillip Cruz
- Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Ines Martin-Martin
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Paola Carolina Valenzuela Leon
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Benjamin Sumner
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Brian Bonilla
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Eric Calvo
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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Nagy NA, Tóth GE, Kurucz K, Kemenesi G, Laczkó L. The updated genome of the Hungarian population of Aedes koreicus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7545. [PMID: 38555322 PMCID: PMC10981705 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58096-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases pose a potential risk to human and animal welfare, and understanding their spread requires genomic resources. The mosquito Aedes koreicus is an emerging vector that has been introduced into Europe more than 15 years ago but only a low quality, fragmented genome was available. In this study, we carried out additional sequencing and assembled and characterized the genome of the species to provide a background for understanding its evolution and biology. The updated genome was 1.1 Gbp long and consisted of 6099 contigs with an N50 value of 329,610 bp and a BUSCO score of 84%. We identified 22,580 genes that could be functionally annotated and paid particular attention to the identification of potential insecticide resistance genes. The assessment of the orthology of the genes indicates a high turnover at the terminal branches of the species tree of mosquitoes with complete genomes, which could contribute to the adaptation and evolutionary success of the species. These results could form the basis for numerous downstream analyzes to develop targets for the control of mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Andrea Nagy
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-UD Behavioural Ecology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
- Institute of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Endre Tóth
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kornélia Kurucz
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kemenesi
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Levente Laczkó
- HUN-REN-UD Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- One Health Institute, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Schoener ER, Tompkins DM, Howe L, Castro IC. New insight into avian malaria vectors in New Zealand. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:150. [PMID: 38519966 PMCID: PMC10958882 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06196-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are vectors for most malaria parasites of the Plasmodium species and are required for Plasmodium spp. to complete their life cycle. Despite having 16 species of mosquitoes and the detection of many Plasmodium species in birds, little is known about the role of different mosquito species in the avian malaria life cycle in New Zealand. METHODS In this study, we used nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR to determine Plasmodium spp. prevalence and diversity of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences in wild-caught mosquitoes sampled across ten sites on the North Island of New Zealand during 2012-2014. The mosquitoes were pooled by species and location collected, and the thorax and abdomens were examined separately for Plasmodium spp. DNA. Akaike information criterion (AIC) modeling was used to test whether location, year of sampling, and mosquito species were significant predictors of minimum infection rates (MIR). RESULTS We collected 788 unengorged mosquitoes of six species, both native and introduced. The most frequently caught mosquito species were the introduced Aedes notoscriptus and the native Culex pervigilans. Plasmodium sp DNA was detected in 37% of matched thorax and abdomen pools. When considered separately, 33% of abdomen and 23% of thorax pools tested positive by nested PCR. The MIR of the positive thorax pools from introduced mosquito species was 1.79% for Ae. notoscriptus and 0% for Cx. quinquefasciatus, while the MIR for the positive thorax pools of native mosquito species was 4.9% for Cx. pervigilans and 0% for Opifex fuscus. For the overall MIR, site and mosquito species were significant predictors of Plasmodium overall MIR. Aedes notoscriptus and Cx. pervigilans were positive for malaria DNA in the thorax samples, indicating that they may play a role as avian malaria vectors. Four different Plasmodium lineages (SYAT05, LINN1, GRW6, and a new lineage of P (Haemamoeba) sp. AENOT11) were identified in the pooled samples. CONCLUSIONS This is the first detection of avian Plasmodium DNA extracted from thoraxes of native Culex and introduced Aedes mosquito species in New Zealand and therefore the first study providing an indication of potential vectors in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Schoener
- School of Natural Sciences (SNS), Ecology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Laboklin-Labor Für Klinische Diagnostik GMBH& Co. KG, Abteilung Molekularbiologie, Bad Kissingen, Germany
| | - D M Tompkins
- Predator Free 2050 Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - L Howe
- School of Veterinary Science, Tāwharau Ora, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
| | - I C Castro
- School of Natural Sciences (SNS), Ecology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Heilig M, Sturiale SL, Marzec S, Holzapfel CM, Bradshaw WE, Meuti ME, Armbruster PA. Phenotypic variation in biting behavior associated with differences in expression of olfactory genes in the vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 2024; 61:367-376. [PMID: 38306459 PMCID: PMC10936175 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
We evaluated miRNA and mRNA expression differences in head tissues between avid-biting vs. reluctant-biting Aedes albopictus (Skuse) females from a single population over a 20-min timescale. We found no differences in miRNA expression between avid vs. reluctant biters, indicating that translational modulation of blood-feeding behavior occurs on a longer timescale than mRNA transcription. In contrast, we detected 19 differentially expressed mRNAs. Of the 19 differentially expressed genes at the mRNA level between avid-biting vs. reluctant-biting A. albopictus, 9 are implicated in olfaction, consistent with the well-documented role of olfaction in mosquito host-seeking. Additionally, several of the genes that we identified as differentially expressed in association with phenotypic variation in biting behavior share similar functions with or are inferred orthologues of, genes associated with evolutionary variation in biting behaviors of Wyeomyia smithii (Coq.) and Culex pipiens (Lin.). A future goal is to determine whether these genes are involved in the evolutionary transition from a biting to a non-biting life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Heilig
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Sarah Marzec
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christina M Holzapfel
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - William E Bradshaw
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Megan E Meuti
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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10
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Cosme LV, Corley M, Johnson T, Severson DW, Yan G, Wang X, Beebe N, Maynard A, Bonizzoni M, Khorramnejad A, Martins AJ, Lima JBP, Munstermann LE, Surendran SN, Chen CH, Maringer K, Wahid I, Mukherjee S, Xu J, Fontaine MC, Estallo EL, Stein M, Livdahl T, Scaraffia PY, Carter BH, Mogi M, Tuno N, Mains JW, Medley KA, Bowles DE, Gill RJ, Eritja R, González-Obando R, Trang HTT, Boyer S, Abunyewa AM, Hackett K, Wu T, Nguyễn J, Shen J, Zhao H, Crawford JE, Armbruster P, Caccone A. A genotyping array for the globally invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:106. [PMID: 38439081 PMCID: PMC10910840 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06158-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is the preferred genotyping method for most genomic analyses, limitations are often experienced when studying genomes characterized by a high percentage of repetitive elements, high linkage, and recombination deserts. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), for example, has a genome comprising up to 72% repetitive elements, and therefore we set out to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip to be more cost-effective. Aedes albopictus is an invasive species originating from Southeast Asia that has recently spread around the world and is a vector for many human diseases. Developing an accessible genotyping platform is essential in advancing biological control methods and understanding the population dynamics of this pest species, with significant implications for public health. METHODS We designed a SNP chip for Ae. albopictus (Aealbo chip) based on approximately 2.7 million SNPs identified using WGS data from 819 worldwide samples. We validated the chip using laboratory single-pair crosses, comparing technical replicates, and comparing genotypes of samples genotyped by WGS and the SNP chip. We then used the chip for a population genomic analysis of 237 samples from 28 sites in the native range to evaluate its usefulness in describing patterns of genomic variation and tracing the origins of invasions. RESULTS Probes on the Aealbo chip targeted 175,396 SNPs in coding and non-coding regions across all three chromosomes, with a density of 102 SNPs per 1 Mb window, and at least one SNP in each of the 17,461 protein-coding genes. Overall, 70% of the probes captured the genetic variation. Segregation analysis found that 98% of the SNPs followed expectations of single-copy Mendelian genes. Comparisons with WGS indicated that sites with genotype disagreements were mostly heterozygotes at loci with WGS read depth < 20, while there was near complete agreement with WGS read depths > 20, indicating that the chip more accurately detects heterozygotes than low-coverage WGS. Sample sizes did not affect the accuracy of the SNP chip genotype calls. Ancestry analyses identified four to five genetic clusters in the native range with various levels of admixture. CONCLUSIONS The Aealbo chip is highly accurate, is concordant with genotypes from WGS with high sequence coverage, and may be more accurate than low-coverage WGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Veiga Cosme
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA.
| | - Margaret Corley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Thomas Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Dave W Severson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Guiyun Yan
- Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nigel Beebe
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland Australia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Andrew Maynard
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland Australia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Mariangela Bonizzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ayda Khorramnejad
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ademir Jesus Martins
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Bento Pereira Lima
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonard E Munstermann
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Chun-Hong Chen
- National Health Research Institutes, National Mosquito-Borne Disease Control Research Center & National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | | | - Isra Wahid
- Center for Zoonotic and Emerging Diseases, Hasanuddin University Medical Research Centre (HUMRC), Makassar, Indonesia
| | - Shomen Mukherjee
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes of Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Biological and Life Sciences Division, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
| | - Jiannon Xu
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Michael C Fontaine
- MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabet L Estallo
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marina Stein
- Instituto de Medicina Regional, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, CONICET CCT Nordeste, Resistencia, Argentina
| | | | - Patricia Y Scaraffia
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Brendan H Carter
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Motoyoshi Mogi
- Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan
| | - Nobuko Tuno
- Laboratory of Ecology, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | | | - Kim A Medley
- Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | | | - Richard J Gill
- Department of Life Sciences, Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Imperial College London, Berkshire, UK
| | - Roger Eritja
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Blanes, Spain
| | | | - Huynh T T Trang
- Department of Medical Entomology and Zoonotics, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Sébastien Boyer
- Medical Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Ann-Marie Abunyewa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Kayleigh Hackett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Tina Wu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Justin Nguyễn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
| | - Jiangnan Shen
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | | | - Peter Armbruster
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8105, USA
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11
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Matute DR, Cooper BS. Aedes albopictus is present in the lowlands of southern Zambia. Acta Trop 2024; 251:107115. [PMID: 38184292 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Identifying the current geographic range of disease vectors is a critical first step towards determining effective mechanisms for controlling and potentially eradicating them. This is particularly true given that historical vector ranges may expand due to changing climates and human activity. The Aedes subgenus Stegomyia contains over 100 species, and among them, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes represent the largest concern for public health, spreading dengue, chikungunya, and zika viruses. While Ae. aegypti has been observed in the country of Zambia for decades, Ae. albopictus has not. In 2015 we sampled four urban and three rural areas in Zambia for Aedes species. Using DNA barcoding, we confirmed the presence of immature and adult Ae. albopictus at two sites: Siavonga and Livingstone. These genotypes seem most closely related to specimens previously collected in Mozambique based on mtDNA barcoding. We resampled Siavonga and Livingstone sites in 2019, again observing immature and adult Ae. albopictus at both sites. Relative Ae. albopictus frequencies were similar between sites, with the exception of immature life stages, which were higher in Siavonga than in Livingstone in 2019. While Ae. albopictus frequencies did not vary through time in Livingstone, both immature and adult frequencies increased through time in Siavonga. This report serves to document the presence of Ae. albopictus in Zambia, which will contribute to understanding the potential public health implications of this disease vector in southern Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Matute
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, 250 Bell Tower Drive, Genome Sciences Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, United States.
| | - Brandon S Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 59812, United States
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12
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Geng DQ, Wang XL, Lyu XY, Raikhel AS, Zou Z. Ecdysone-controlled nuclear receptor ERR regulates metabolic homeostasis in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011196. [PMID: 38466721 PMCID: PMC10957079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematophagous mosquitoes require vertebrate blood for their reproductive cycles, making them effective vectors for transmitting dangerous human diseases. Thus, high-intensity metabolism is needed to support reproductive events of female mosquitoes. However, the regulatory mechanism linking metabolism and reproduction in mosquitoes remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of estrogen-related receptor (ERR), a nuclear receptor, is activated by the direct binding of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and ecdysone receptor (EcR) to the ecdysone response element (EcRE) in the ERR promoter region during the gonadotropic cycle of Aedes aegypti (named AaERR). RNA interference (RNAi) of AaERR in female mosquitoes led to delayed development of ovaries. mRNA abundance of genes encoding key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism (CM)-glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) and pyruvate kinase (PYK)-was significantly decreased in AaERR knockdown mosquitoes, while the levels of metabolites, such as glycogen, glucose, and trehalose, were elevated. The expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) was notably downregulated, and lipid accumulation was reduced in response to AaERR depletion. Dual luciferase reporter assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) determined that AaERR directly activated the expression of metabolic genes, such as GPI, PYK, and FAS, by binding to the corresponding AaERR-responsive motif in the promoter region of these genes. Our results have revealed an important role of AaERR in the regulation of metabolism during mosquito reproduction and offer a novel target for mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Qian Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Alexander S. Raikhel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
- Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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13
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Simmons CP, Donald W, Tagavi L, Tarivonda L, Quai T, Tavoa R, Noran T, Manikaoti E, Kareaua L, Abwai TT, Chand D, Rama V, Deo V, Deo KK, Tavuii A, Valentine W, Prasad R, Seru E, Naituku L, Ratu A, Hesketh M, Kenny N, Beebe SC, Goundar AA, McCaw A, Buntine M, Green B, Frossard T, Gilles JRL, Joubert DA, Wilson G, Duong LQ, Bouvier JB, Stanford D, Forder C, Duyvestyn JM, Pacidônio EC, Flores HA, Wittmeier N, Retzki K, Ryan PA, Denton JA, Smithyman R, Tanamas SK, Kyrylos P, Dong Y, Khalid A, Hodgson L, Anders KL, O’Neill SL. Successful introgression of wMel Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti populations in Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012022. [PMID: 38484041 PMCID: PMC10980184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Pacific Island countries have experienced periodic dengue, chikungunya and Zika outbreaks for decades. The prevention and control of these mosquito-borne diseases rely heavily on control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which in most settings are the primary vector. Introgression of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) into Ae. aegypti populations reduces their vector competence and consequently lowers dengue incidence in the human population. Here we describe successful area-wide deployments of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti in Suva, Lautoka, Nadi (Fiji), Port Vila (Vanuatu) and South Tarawa (Kiribati). With community support, weekly releases of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for between 2 to 5 months resulted in wMel introgression in nearly all locations. Long term monitoring confirmed a high, self-sustaining prevalence of wMel infecting mosquitoes in almost all deployment areas. Measurement of public health outcomes were disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic but are expected to emerge in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wesley Donald
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Lekon Tagavi
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | - Len Tarivonda
- Ministry of Health, Government of Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu
| | | | | | - Tebikau Noran
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | - Erirau Manikaoti
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | - Lavinia Kareaua
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Kiribati Government, Kiribati
| | | | - Dip Chand
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | - Vineshwaran Rama
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | - Vimal Deo
- Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Government of Fiji, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Aminiasi Tavuii
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Anaseini Ratu
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Mark Hesketh
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Nichola Kenny
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Sarah C. Beebe
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Andrew McCaw
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Molly Buntine
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ben Green
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Tibor Frossard
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | - Geoff Wilson
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Le Quyen Duong
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jean B Bouvier
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Darren Stanford
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Carolyn Forder
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Kate Retzki
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Peter A. Ryan
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Jai A. Denton
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ruth Smithyman
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Peter Kyrylos
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Yi Dong
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Anam Khalid
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Lauren Hodgson
- World Mosquito Program, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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14
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Dabo S, Henrion-Lacritick A, Lecuyer A, Jiolle D, Paupy C, Ayala D, da Veiga Leal S, Badolo A, Vega-Rúa A, Sylla M, Akorli J, Otoo S, Lutomiah J, Sang R, Mutebi JP, Saleh MC, Rose NH, McBride CS, Lambrechts L. Extensive variation and strain-specificity in dengue virus susceptibility among African Aedes aegypti populations. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011862. [PMID: 38527081 PMCID: PMC10994562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
African populations of the mosquito Aedes aegypti are usually considered less susceptible to infection by human-pathogenic flaviviruses than globally invasive populations found outside Africa. Although this contrast has been well documented for Zika virus (ZIKV), it is unclear to what extent it is true for dengue virus (DENV), the most prevalent flavivirus of humans. Addressing this question is complicated by substantial genetic diversity among DENV strains, most notably in the form of four genetic types (DENV1 to DENV4), that can lead to genetically specific interactions with mosquito populations. Here, we carried out a survey of DENV susceptibility using a panel of seven field-derived Ae. aegypti colonies from across the African range of the species and a colony from Guadeloupe, French West Indies as non-African reference. We found considerable variation in the ability of African Ae. aegypti populations to acquire and replicate a panel of six DENV strains spanning the four DENV types. Although African Ae. aegypti populations were generally less susceptible than the reference non-African population from Guadeloupe, in several instances some African populations were equally or more susceptible than the Guadeloupe population. Moreover, the relative level of susceptibility between African mosquito populations depended on the DENV strain, indicating genetically specific interactions. We conclude that unlike ZIKV susceptibility, there is no clear-cut dichotomy in DENV susceptibility between African and non-African Ae. aegypti. DENV susceptibility of African Ae. aegypti populations is highly heterogeneous and largely governed by the specific pairing of mosquito population and DENV strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Dabo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Paris, France
| | | | - Alicia Lecuyer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Paris, France
| | - Davy Jiolle
- MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Christophe Paupy
- MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Diego Ayala
- MIVEGEC, Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Silvânia da Veiga Leal
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Praia, Cabo Verde
| | - Athanase Badolo
- Laboratoire d’Entomologie Fondamentale et Appliquée, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Anubis Vega-Rúa
- Institut Pasteur of Guadeloupe, Laboratory of Vector Control Research, Transmission Reservoir and Pathogens Diversity Unit, Morne Jolivière, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Massamba Sylla
- Department of Livestock Sciences and Techniques, University Sine Saloum El Hadji Ibrahima NIASS, Kaffrine, Senegal
| | - Jewelna Akorli
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Sampson Otoo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Joel Lutomiah
- Arbovirus/Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Laboratory, Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rosemary Sang
- Arbovirus/Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Laboratory, Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - John-Paul Mutebi
- Department of Solid Waste Management, Mosquito Control Division, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNA Interference Unit, Paris, France
| | - Noah H. Rose
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Carolyn S. McBride
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Louis Lambrechts
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, Paris, France
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15
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Chen L, Zhou K, Shi J, Zheng Y, Zhao X, Du Q, Lin Y, Yin X, Jiang J, Feng X. Pyrethroid resistance status and co-occurrence of V1016G, F1534C and S989P mutations in the Aedes aegypti population from two dengue outbreak counties along the China-Myanmar border. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:91. [PMID: 38414050 PMCID: PMC10898090 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06124-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the past two decades, dengue fever (DF) has emerged as a significant arboviral disease in Yunnan province, China, particularly in the China-Myanmar border area. Aedes aegypti, an invasive mosquito species, plays a crucial role in transmitting the dengue virus to the local population. Insecticide-based vector control has been the primary tool employed to combat DF, but the current susceptibility status of Ae. aegypti to commonly used insecticides is unknown. Assessment of Ae. aegypti resistance to pyrethroid insecticides and an understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this resistance in the China-Myanmar border region is of significant strategic importance for effectively controlling the DF epidemic in the area. METHODS Aedes aegypti larvae collected from Ruili and Gengma counties in Yunnan Province were reared to adults in the laboratory and tested for susceptibility to three pyrethroid insecticides (3.20% permethrin, 0.08% lambda-cyhalothrin and 0.20% deltamethrin) by the standard WHO susceptibility bioassay. Genotyping of mutations in the knockdown gene (kdr), namely S989P, V1016G and F1534C, that are responsible for resistance to pyrethroid insecticides was performed using allele-specific PCR methods. A possible association between the observed resistant phenotype and mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (VGSC) was also studied. RESULTS Aedes aegypti mosquitoes collected from the two counties and reared in the laboratory were resistant to all of the pyrethroids tested, with the exception of Ae. aegypti from Gengma County, which showed sensitivity to 0.20% deltamethrin. The mortality rate of Ae. aegypti from Ruili county exposed to 3.20% permethrin did not differ significantly from that of Ae. aegypti from Gengma County (χ2 = 0.311, P = 0.577). By contrast, the mortality rate of Ae. aegypti from Ruili County exposed to 0.08% lambda-cyhalothrin and 0.20% deltamethrin, respectively, was significantly different from that of Ae. aegypti from Gengma. There was no significant difference in the observed KDT50 of Ae. aegypti from the two counties to various insecticides. Four mutation types and 12 genotypes were detected at three kdr mutation sites. Based on results from all tested Ae. aegypti, the V1016G mutation was the most prevalent kdr mutation (100% prevalence), followed by the S989P mutation (81.6%) and the F1534C mutation (78.9%). The constituent ratio of VGSC gene mutation types was significantly different in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from Ruili and those Gengma. The triple mutant S989P + V1016G + F1534C was observed in 274 Ae. aegypti mosquitoes (60.8%), with the most common genotype being SP + GG + FC (31.4%). The prevalence of the F1534C mutation was significantly higher in resistant Ae. aegypti from Ruili (odds ratio [OR] 7.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71-32.29; P = 0.01) and Gengma (OR 9.29; 95% CI 3.38-25.50; P = 0.00) counties than in susceptible Ae. aegypti when exposed to 3.20% permethrin and 0.08% lambda-cyhalothrin, respectively. No significant association was observed in the triple mutation genotypes with the Ae. aegypti population exposed to 3.20% permethrin and 0.20% deltamethrin resistance (P > 0.05), except for Ae. aegypti from Gengma County when exposed to 0.08% lambda-cyhalothrin (OR 2.86; 95% CI 1.20-6.81; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Aedes aegypti from Ruili and Gengma counties have developed resistance to various pyrethroid insecticides. The occurrence of multiple mutant sites in VGSC strongly correlated with the high levels of resistance to pyrethroids in the Ae. aegypti populations, highlighting the need for alternative strategies to manage the spread of resistance. A region-specific control strategy for dengue vectors needs to be implemented in the future based on the status of insecticide resistance and kdr mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan Key Technology Innovation Team for Insect Borne Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Pu'er, China
| | - Kemei Zhou
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan Key Technology Innovation Team for Insect Borne Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Pu'er, China
| | - Jun Shi
- Lincang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lincang, China
| | - Yuting Zheng
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan Key Technology Innovation Team for Insect Borne Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Pu'er, China
| | - Xiaotao Zhao
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan Key Technology Innovation Team for Insect Borne Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Pu'er, China
| | - Qingyun Du
- Gengma Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gengma, China
| | - Yingkun Lin
- Dehong Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Mangshi, China
| | - Xaioxiong Yin
- Ruili Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ruili, China
| | - Jinyong Jiang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan Key Technology Innovation Team for Insect Borne Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Pu'er, China.
| | - Xinyu Feng
- School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 20025, China.
- One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, The University of Edinburgh, Shanghai, 20025, China.
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16
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Poulton BC, Colman F, Anthousi A, Sattelle DB, Lycett GJ. Aedes aegypti CCEae3A carboxylase expression confers carbamate, organophosphate and limited pyrethroid resistance in a model transgenic mosquito. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011595. [PMID: 38377131 PMCID: PMC10906864 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Insecticide resistance is a serious threat to our ability to control mosquito vectors which transmit pathogens including malaria parasites and arboviruses. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is an essential first step in tackling the challenges presented by resistance. This study aimed to functionally characterise the carboxylesterase, CCEae3A, the elevated expression of which has been implicated in temephos resistance in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus larvae. Using our GAL4/UAS expression system, already established in insecticide-sensitive Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, we produced transgenic An. gambiae mosquitoes that express an Ae. aegypti CCEae3A ubiquitously. This new transgenic line permits examination of CCEae3A expression in a background in which there is not a clear orthologue in Vectorbase and allows comparison with existing An. gambiae GAL4-UAS lines. Insecticide resistance profiling of these transgenic An. gambiae larvae indicated significant increases in resistance ratio for three organophosphate insecticides, temephos (6), chloropyriphos (6.6) and fenthion (3.2) when compared to the parental strain. Cross resistance to adulticides from three major insecticide classes: organophosphates (malathion, fenitrothion and pirimiphos methyl), carbamates (bendiocarb and propoxur) and pyrethroid (alpha-cypermethrin) was also detected. Resistance to certain organophosphates and carbamates validates conclusions drawn from previous expression and phenotypic data. However, detection of resistance to pirimiphos methyl and alphacypermethrin has not previously been formally associated with CCEae3A, despite occurring in Ae. aegypti strains where this gene was upregulated. Our findings highlight the importance of characterising individual resistance mechanisms, thereby ensuring accurate information is used to guide future vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth C. Poulton
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Fraser Colman
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Amalia Anthousi
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - David B. Sattelle
- Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth J. Lycett
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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17
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Mee PT, Buultjens AH, Oliver J, Brown K, Crowder JC, Porter JL, Hobbs EC, Judd LM, Taiaroa G, Puttharak N, Williamson DA, Blasdell KR, Tay EL, Feldman R, Muzari MO, Sanders C, Larsen S, Crouch SR, Johnson PDR, Wallace JR, Price DJ, Hoffmann AA, Gibney KB, Stinear TP, Lynch SE. Mosquitoes provide a transmission route between possums and humans for Buruli ulcer in southeastern Australia. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:377-389. [PMID: 38263454 PMCID: PMC10847040 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01553-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Buruli ulcer, a chronic subcutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is increasing in prevalence in southeastern Australia. Possums are a local wildlife reservoir for M. ulcerans and, although mosquitoes have been implicated in transmission, it remains unclear how humans acquire infection. We conducted extensive field survey analyses of M. ulcerans prevalence among mosquitoes in the Mornington Peninsula region of southeastern Australia. PCR screening of trapped mosquitoes revealed a significant association between M. ulcerans and Aedes notoscriptus. Spatial scanning statistics revealed overlap between clusters of M. ulcerans-positive Ae. notoscriptus, M. ulcerans-positive possum excreta and Buruli ulcer cases, and metabarcoding analyses showed individual mosquitoes had fed on humans and possums. Bacterial genomic analysis confirmed shared single-nucleotide-polymorphism profiles for M. ulcerans detected in mosquitoes, possum excreta and humans. These findings indicate Ae. notoscriptus probably transmit M. ulcerans in southeastern Australia and highlight mosquito control as a Buruli ulcer prevention measure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter T Mee
- Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Andrew H Buultjens
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jane Oliver
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karen Brown
- Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jodie C Crowder
- Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica L Porter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emma C Hobbs
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise M Judd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - George Taiaroa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natsuda Puttharak
- Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Deborah A Williamson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kim R Blasdell
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ee Laine Tay
- Department of Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Mutizwa Odwell Muzari
- Medical Entomology, Tropical Public Health Services Cairns, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris Sanders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stuart Larsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon R Crouch
- South East Public Health Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul D R Johnson
- North East Public Health Unit, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - John R Wallace
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - David J Price
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine B Gibney
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Timothy P Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium ulcerans, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Stacey E Lynch
- Centre for AgriBioscience, AgriBio, Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Paksa A, Azizi K, Yousefi S, Dabaghmanesh S, Shahabi S, Sanei-Dehkordi A. First report on the molecular phylogenetics and population genetics of Aedes aegypti in Iran. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:49. [PMID: 38303048 PMCID: PMC10835860 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of various human arboviral diseases, is a significant public health threat. Aedes aegypti was detected in Iran in 2018, in Hormozgan province, but comprehensive information regarding its genetic diversity and origin within the country remains scarce. This study aimed to determine the origin and genetic diversity of Ae. aegypti in southern Iran. METHODS Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were collected from Bandar Abbas City, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, between May and July 2022. Specimens were morphologically identified. Origin and assess genetic diversity were assessed based on the mitochondrial DNA-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtDNA-COI) gene. RESULTS BLAST (basic local alignment search tool) analysis confirmed the accuracy of the morphological identification of all specimens as Ae. aegypti, with 100% similarity to GenBank sequences. Calculated variance and haplotype diversity were 0.502 and 0.00157, respectively. Among the 604 examined nucleotide sequences, only a single site was non-synonymous. Total nucleotide diversity and average pairwise nucleotides were determined as 0.00083 and 0.502, respectively. Fu and Li's D test values were not statistically significant. Strobeck's S statistic value was 0.487, and Tajima's D value was 1.53395; both were not statistically significant (P > 0.10). CONCLUSIONS Phylogenetic analysis revealed two distinct clades with minimal nucleotide differences and low haplotype diversity, suggesting the recent establishment of Ae. Aegypti in the southern region of Iran. The phylogenetic analysis also indicated an association between Ae. aegypti populations and mosquitoes from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azim Paksa
- Department of Biology and Control of Disease Vectors, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Kourosh Azizi
- Department of Biology and Control of Disease Vectors, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Sorna Dabaghmanesh
- Department of Biology and Control of Disease Vectors, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Saeed Shahabi
- Department of Biology and Control of Disease Vectors, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Alireza Sanei-Dehkordi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
- Department of Biology and Control of Disease Vectors, Faculty of Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
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19
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Hegde S, Brettell LE, Quek S, Etebari K, Saldaña MA, Asgari S, Coon KL, Heinz E, Hughes GL. Aedes aegypti gut transcriptomes respond differently to microbiome transplants from field-caught or laboratory-reared mosquitoes. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16576. [PMID: 38192175 PMCID: PMC11022138 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The mosquito microbiome is critical for host development and plays a major role in many aspects of mosquito biology. While the microbiome is commonly dominated by a small number of genera, there is considerable variation in composition among mosquito species, life stages, and geography. How the host controls and is affected by this variation is unclear. Using microbiome transplant experiments, we asked whether there were differences in transcriptional responses when mosquitoes of different species were used as microbiome donors. We used microbiomes from four different donor species spanning the phylogenetic breadth of the Culicidae, collected either from the laboratory or the field. We found that when recipients received a microbiome from a donor reared in the laboratory, the response was remarkably similar regardless of donor species. However, when the donor had been collected from the field, many more genes were differentially expressed. We also found that while the transplant procedure did have some effect on the host transcriptome, this is likely to have had a limited effect on mosquito fitness. Overall, our results highlight the possibility that variation in mosquito microbiome communities is associated with variability in host-microbiome interactions and further demonstrate the utility of the microbiome transplantation technique for investigating host-microbe interactions in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivanand Hegde
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Laura E. Brettell
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M4 4WT, UK
| | - Shannon Quek
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Kayvan Etebari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Miguel A. Saldaña
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kerri L. Coon
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Eva Heinz
- Departments of Vector Biology and Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Grant L. Hughes
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
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20
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Yin C, Morita T, Parrish JZ. A cell atlas of the larval Aedes aegypti ventral nerve cord. Neural Dev 2024; 19:2. [PMID: 38297398 PMCID: PMC10829479 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-023-00178-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases account for nearly 1 million human deaths annually, yet we have a limited understanding of developmental events that influence host-seeking behavior and pathogen transmission in mosquitoes. Mosquito-borne pathogens are transmitted during blood meals, hence adult mosquito behavior and physiology have been intensely studied. However, events during larval development shape adult traits, larvae respond to many of the same sensory cues as adults, and larvae are susceptible to infection by many of the same disease-causing agents as adults. Hence, a better understanding of larval physiology will directly inform our understanding of physiological processes in adults. Here, we use single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to provide a comprehensive view of cellular composition in the Aedes aegypti larval ventral nerve cord (VNC), a central hub of sensory inputs and motor outputs which additionally controls multiple aspects of larval physiology. We identify more than 35 VNC cell types defined in part by neurotransmitter and neuropeptide expression. We also explore diversity among monoaminergic and peptidergic neurons that likely control key elements of larval physiology and developmental timing, and identify neuroblasts and immature neurons, providing a view of neuronal differentiation in the VNC. Finally, we find that larval cell composition, number, and position are preserved in the adult abdominal VNC, suggesting studies of larval VNC form and function will likely directly inform our understanding adult mosquito physiology. Altogether, these studies provide a framework for targeted analysis of VNC development and neuronal function in Aedes aegypti larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Yin
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Division of Education, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Takeshi Morita
- Division of Education, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jay Z Parrish
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Division of Education, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA.
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21
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Cabal S, Lopez K, Boloix J, Rodriguez BG, Marrero KM, Bellantuono AJ, DeGennaro M. Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use communal cues to manage population density at breeding sites. Commun Biol 2024; 7:143. [PMID: 38297108 PMCID: PMC10830494 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05830-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Where a female mosquito lays her eggs creates the conditions for reproductive success. Here we identify a communal behavior among ovipositing female mosquitoes. When choosing equal breeding sites, gravid Aedes aegypti aggregate more often than expected. This aggregation occurs when water contact is restricted and does not require the presence of eggs. Instead, the aggregation is regulated by the number of females present at the breeding site. Using assays with both occupied and empty oviposition sites, we show that the Orco olfactory co-receptor and a carbon dioxide receptor, Gr3, detect the presence of mosquitoes. orco mutants aggregate more often in empty sites, suggesting attractive olfactory cues influence females to associate with one another. Gr3 mutant females do not prefer either site, suggesting that the CO2 receptor is necessary to evaluate mosquito population density at breeding sites. Further, raising CO2 levels is sufficient to cause wild-type mosquitoes to avoid empty oviposition sites. Our results demonstrate that female mosquitoes can regulate their own population density at breeding sites using attractive and repellent communal cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Silvia Cabal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Kristian Lopez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Jean Boloix
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Brian Garcia Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Kaylee M Marrero
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Anthony J Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
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22
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Li M, Kandul NP, Sun R, Yang T, Benetta ED, Brogan DJ, Antoshechkin I, Sánchez C HM, Zhan Y, DeBeaubien NA, Loh YM, Su MP, Montell C, Marshall JM, Akbari OS. Targeting sex determination to suppress mosquito populations. eLife 2024; 12:RP90199. [PMID: 38289340 PMCID: PMC10945564 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insufficient, necessitating innovations. In response, here we generate a next-generation CRISPR-based precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for Ae. aegypti that disrupts genes essential for sex determination and fertility, producing predominantly sterile males that can be deployed at any life stage. Using mathematical models and empirical testing, we demonstrate that released pgSIT males can effectively compete with, suppress, and eliminate caged mosquito populations. This versatile species-specific platform has the potential for field deployment to effectively control wild populations of disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Nikolay P Kandul
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Ruichen Sun
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Ting Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Elena D Benetta
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Daniel J Brogan
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of TechnologyPasadenaUnited States
| | - Héctor M Sánchez C
- Divisions of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Yinpeng Zhan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research, Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Nicolas A DeBeaubien
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research, Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - YuMin M Loh
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - Matthew P Su
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - Craig Montell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research, Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - John M Marshall
- Divisions of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
- Innovative Genomics InstituteBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Omar S Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
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23
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Estevez-Castro CF, Rodrigues MF, Babarit A, Ferreira FV, de Andrade EG, Marois E, Cogni R, Aguiar ERGR, Marques JT, Olmo RP. Neofunctionalization driven by positive selection led to the retention of the loqs2 gene encoding an Aedes specific dsRNA binding protein. BMC Biol 2024; 22:14. [PMID: 38273313 PMCID: PMC10809485 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01821-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquito borne viruses, such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and Chikungunya, cause millions of infections every year. These viruses are mostly transmitted by two urban-adapted mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Although mechanistic understanding remains largely unknown, Aedes mosquitoes may have unique adaptations that lower the impact of viral infection. Recently, we reported the identification of an Aedes specific double-stranded RNA binding protein (dsRBP), named Loqs2, that is involved in the control of infection by dengue and Zika viruses in mosquitoes. Preliminary analyses suggested that the loqs2 gene is a paralog of loquacious (loqs) and r2d2, two co-factors of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, a major antiviral mechanism in insects. RESULTS Here we analyzed the origin and evolution of loqs2. Our data suggest that loqs2 originated from two independent duplications of the first double-stranded RNA binding domain of loqs that occurred before the origin of the Aedes Stegomyia subgenus, around 31 million years ago. We show that the loqs2 gene is evolving under relaxed purifying selection at a faster pace than loqs, with evidence of neofunctionalization driven by positive selection. Accordingly, we observed that Loqs2 is localized mainly in the nucleus, different from R2D2 and both isoforms of Loqs that are cytoplasmic. In contrast to r2d2 and loqs, loqs2 expression is stage- and tissue-specific, restricted mostly to reproductive tissues in adult Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Transgenic mosquitoes engineered to express loqs2 ubiquitously undergo developmental arrest at larval stages that correlates with massive dysregulation of gene expression without major effects on microRNAs or other endogenous small RNAs, classically associated with RNA interference. CONCLUSIONS Our results uncover the peculiar origin and neofunctionalization of loqs2 driven by positive selection. This study shows an example of unique adaptations in Aedes mosquitoes that could ultimately help explain their effectiveness as virus vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos F Estevez-Castro
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Murillo F Rodrigues
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5289, USA
| | - Antinéa Babarit
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Flávia V Ferreira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Elisa G de Andrade
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Rodrigo Cogni
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Eric R G R Aguiar
- Department of Biological Science, Center of Biotechnology and Genetics, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - João T Marques
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Roenick P Olmo
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
- CNRS UPR9022, Inserm U1257, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France.
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24
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Anderson MAE, Gonzalez E, Edgington MP, Ang JXD, Purusothaman DK, Shackleford L, Nevard K, Verkuijl SAN, Harvey-Samuel T, Leftwich PT, Esvelt K, Alphey L. A multiplexed, confinable CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive can propagate in caged Aedes aegypti populations. Nat Commun 2024; 15:729. [PMID: 38272895 PMCID: PMC10810878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44956-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the main vector of several major pathogens including dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses. Classical mosquito control strategies utilizing insecticides are threatened by rising resistance. This has stimulated interest in new genetic systems such as gene drivesHere, we test the regulatory sequences from the Ae. aegypti benign gonial cell neoplasm (bgcn) homolog to express Cas9 and a separate multiplexing sgRNA-expressing cassette inserted into the Ae. aegypti kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo) gene. When combined, these two elements provide highly effective germline cutting at the kmo locus and act as a gene drive. Our target genetic element drives through a cage trial population such that carrier frequency of the element increases from 50% to up to 89% of the population despite significant fitness costs to kmo insertions. Deep sequencing suggests that the multiplexing design could mitigate resistance allele formation in our gene drive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A E Anderson
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Estela Gonzalez
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Matthew P Edgington
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Joshua X D Ang
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Deepak-Kumar Purusothaman
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Henry Wellcome Building, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Lewis Shackleford
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Katherine Nevard
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
| | - Sebald A N Verkuijl
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | | | - Philip T Leftwich
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kevin Esvelt
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK.
- The Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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25
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Qi Z, Etebari K, Nouzova M, Noriega FG, Asgari S. Differential gene expression and microRNA profile in corpora allata-corpora cardiaca of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with weak juvenile hormone signalling. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:113. [PMID: 38273232 PMCID: PMC10811912 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10007-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The corpora allata-corpora cardiaca (CA-CC) is an endocrine gland complex that regulates mosquito development and reproduction through the synthesis of juvenile hormone (JH). Epoxidase (Epox) is a key enzyme in the production of JH. We recently utilized CRISPR/Cas9 to establish an epoxidase-deficient (epox-/-) Aedes aegypti line. The CA from epox-/- mutants do not synthesize epoxidated JH III but methyl farneosate (MF), a weak agonist of the JH receptor, and therefore have reduced JH signalling. Illumina sequencing was used to examine the differences in gene expression between the CA-CC from wild type (WT) and epox-/- adult female mosquitoes. From 18,034 identified genes, 317 were significantly differentially expressed. These genes are involved in many biological processes, including the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, energy metabolism, and nutritional uptake. In addition, the same CA-CC samples were also used to examine the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of epox-/- and WT mosquitoes. A total of 197 miRNAs were detected, 24 of which were differentially regulated in epox-/- mutants. miRNA binding sites for these particular miRNAs were identified using an in silico approach; they target a total of 101 differentially expressed genes. Our results suggest that a lack of epoxidase, besides affecting JH synthesis, results in the diminishing of JH signalling that have significant effects on Ae. aegypti CA-CC transcriptome profiles, as well as its miRNA repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Qi
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kayvan Etebari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Marcela Nouzova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Fernando G Noriega
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Parasitology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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Enayati A, Valadan R, Bagherzadeh M, Cheraghpour M, Nikookar SH, Fazeli-Dinan M, Hosseini-Vasoukolaei N, Sahraei Rostami F, Shabani Kordshouli R, Raeisi A, Nikpour F, Mirolyaei A, Bagheri F, Sedaghat MM, Zaim M, Weetman D, Hemigway J. Kdr genotyping and the first report of V410L and V1016I kdr mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel gene in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from Iran. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:34. [PMID: 38273349 PMCID: PMC10811842 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06123-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti is the main vector of arboviral diseases worldwide. The species invaded and became established in southern Iran in 2020. Insecticide-based interventions are primarily used for its control. With insecticide resistance widespread, knowledge of resistance mechanisms is vital for informed deployment of insecticidal interventions, but information from Iranian Ae. aegypti is lacking. METHODS Fifty-six Ae. aegypti specimens were collected from the port city of Bandar Lengeh in Hormozgan Province in the South of Iran in 2020 and screened for kdr mutations. The most common kdr mutations in Latin America and Asia (V410L, S989P, V1016G/I and F1534C), especially when present in combinations, are highly predictive of DDT and pyrethroid resistance were detected. Phylogenetic analyses based on the diversity of S989P and V1016G/I mutations were undertaken to assess the phylogeography of these kdr mutations. RESULTS Genotyping all four kdr positions of V410L, S989P, V1016G/I and F1534C revealed that only 16 out of the 56 (28.57%) specimens were homozygous wild type for all kdr mutation sites. Six haplotypes including VSVF (0.537), VSVC (0.107), LSVF (0.016), LSIF (0.071), VPGC (0.257) and LPGC (0.011) were detected in this study. For the first time, 11 specimens harbouring the V410L mutation, and 8 samples with V1016I mutation were found. V410L and V1016I were coincided in 8 specimens. Also, six specimens contained 1016G/I double mutation which was not reported before. CONCLUSIONS The relatively high frequency of these kdr mutations in Iranian Ae. aegypti indicates a population exhibiting substantial resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, which are used widely in control operations and household formulations. The detection of the 410L/1016I kdr mutant haplotype in Iranian Ae. aegypti suggests possible convergence of invasive populations from West Africa or Latin America. However, as Iran has very limited maritime/air connections with those African countries, a Latin American origin for the invasive Ae. aegypti in Iran is more plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmadali Enayati
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health and Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Reza Valadan
- Department of Immunology and Molecular and Cellular Biology Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahboobeh Bagherzadeh
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Student Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mohammad Cheraghpour
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Student Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Hassan Nikookar
- Health Sciences Research Center, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Fazeli-Dinan
- Health Sciences Research Center, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Nasibeh Hosseini-Vasoukolaei
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Sahraei Rostami
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Razieh Shabani Kordshouli
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Raeisi
- Vector Borne Diseases Control Department, Iran CDC, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Parasitology & Mycology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Nikpour
- Vector Borne Diseases Control Department, Iran CDC, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Chemical Pollutants and Pesticides, Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Mirolyaei
- Vector Borne Diseases Control Department, Iran CDC, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Bagheri
- Hormozgan Provincial Health Center, Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Sedaghat
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Zaim
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - David Weetman
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Janet Hemigway
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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Ryazansky SS, Chen C, Potters M, Naumenko AN, Lukyanchikova V, Masri RA, Brusentsov II, Karagodin DA, Yurchenko AA, Dos Anjos VL, Haba Y, Rose NH, Hoffman J, Guo R, Menna T, Kelley M, Ferrill E, Schultz KE, Qi Y, Sharma A, Deschamps S, Llaca V, Mao C, Murphy TD, Baricheva EM, Emrich S, Fritz ML, Benoit JB, Sharakhov IV, McBride CS, Tu Z, Sharakhova MV. The chromosome-scale genome assembly for the West Nile vector Culex quinquefasciatus uncovers patterns of genome evolution in mosquitoes. BMC Biol 2024; 22:16. [PMID: 38273363 PMCID: PMC10809549 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01825-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding genome organization and evolution is important for species involved in transmission of human diseases, such as mosquitoes. Anophelinae and Culicinae subfamilies of mosquitoes show striking differences in genome sizes, sex chromosome arrangements, behavior, and ability to transmit pathogens. However, the genomic basis of these differences is not fully understood. METHODS In this study, we used a combination of advanced genome technologies such as Oxford Nanopore Technology sequencing, Hi-C scaffolding, Bionano, and cytogenetic mapping to develop an improved chromosome-scale genome assembly for the West Nile vector Culex quinquefasciatus. RESULTS We then used this assembly to annotate odorant receptors, odorant binding proteins, and transposable elements. A genomic region containing male-specific sequences on chromosome 1 and a polymorphic inversion on chromosome 3 were identified in the Cx. quinquefasciatus genome. In addition, the genome of Cx. quinquefasciatus was compared with the genomes of other mosquitoes such as malaria vectors An. coluzzi and An. albimanus, and the vector of arboviruses Ae. aegypti. Our work confirms significant expansion of the two chemosensory gene families in Cx. quinquefasciatus, as well as a significant increase and relocation of the transposable elements in both Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti relative to the Anophelines. Phylogenetic analysis clarifies the divergence time between the mosquito species. Our study provides new insights into chromosomal evolution in mosquitoes and finds that the X chromosome of Anophelinae and the sex-determining chromosome 1 of Culicinae have a significantly higher rate of evolution than autosomes. CONCLUSION The improved Cx. quinquefasciatus genome assembly uncovered new details of mosquito genome evolution and has the potential to speed up the development of novel vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei S Ryazansky
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics of Cell, NRC "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia
| | - Chujia Chen
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology Program, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Mark Potters
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Anastasia N Naumenko
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Varvara Lukyanchikova
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Group of Genomic Mechanisms of Development, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Laboratory of Structural and Functional Genomics, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Reem A Masri
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ilya I Brusentsov
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Mechanisms, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Dmitriy A Karagodin
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Mechanisms, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Andrey A Yurchenko
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Vitor L Dos Anjos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yuki Haba
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Noah H Rose
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jinna Hoffman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Rong Guo
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Theresa Menna
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Melissa Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Emily Ferrill
- County of San Diego Vector Control Program, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Karen E Schultz
- Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Yumin Qi
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Atashi Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | | | | | - Chunhong Mao
- Biocomplexity Institute & Initiative University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Terence D Murphy
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Elina M Baricheva
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Mechanisms, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Scott Emrich
- Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Megan L Fritz
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Igor V Sharakhov
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Carolyn S McBride
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology Program, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Maria V Sharakhova
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Mechanisms, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia.
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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Lu T, Ji Y, Chang M, Zhang X, Wang Y, Zou Z. The accumulation of modular serine protease mediated by a novel circRNA sponging miRNA increases Aedes aegypti immunity to fungus. BMC Biol 2024; 22:7. [PMID: 38233907 PMCID: PMC10795361 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01811-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquitoes transmit many infectious diseases that affect human health. The fungus Beauveria bassiana is a biological pesticide that is pathogenic to mosquitoes but harmless to the environment. RESULTS We found a microRNA (miRNA) that can modulate the antifungal immunity of Aedes aegypti by inhibiting its cognate serine protease. Fungal infection can induce the expression of modular serine protease (ModSP), and ModSP knockdown mosquitoes were more sensitive to B. bassiana infection. The novel miRNA-novel-53 is linked to antifungal immune response and was greatly diminished in infected mosquitoes. The miRNA-novel-53 could bind to the coding sequences of ModSP and impede its expression. Double fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that this inhibition occurred in the cytoplasm. The amount of miRNA-novel-53 increased after miRNA agomir injection. This resulted in a significant decrease in ModSP transcript and a significant increase in mortality after fungal infection. An opposite effect was produced after antagomir injection. The miRNA-novel-53 was also knocked out using CRISPR-Cas9, which increased mosquito resistance to the fungus B. bassiana. Moreover, mosquito novel-circ-930 can affect ModSP mRNA by interacting with miRNA-novel-53 during transfection with siRNA or overexpression plasmid. CONCLUSIONS Novel-circ-930 affects the expression level of ModSP by a novel-circ-930/miRNA-novel-53/ModSP mechanism to modulate antifungal immunity, revealing new information on innate immunity in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yannan Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mengmeng Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Zhen Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Mendis BAN, Peiris V, Harshani WAK, Fernando HSD, de Silva BGDNK. Fine-scale monitoring of insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from Sri Lanka and modeling the phenotypic resistance using rational approximation. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:18. [PMID: 38216956 PMCID: PMC10785423 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06100-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The unplanned and intensified use of insecticides to control mosquito-borne diseases has led to an upsurge of resistance to commonly used insecticides. Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus, is primarily controlled through the application of adulticides (pyrethroid insecticides) and larvicides (temephos). Fine spatial-scale analysis of resistance may reveal important resistance-related patterns, and the application of mathematical models to determine the phenotypic resistance status lessens the cost and usage of resources, thus resulting in an enhanced and successful control program. METHODS The phenotypic resistance for permethrin, deltamethrin, and malathion was monitored in the Ae. aegypti populations using the World Health Organization (WHO) adult bioassay method. Mosquitoes' resistance to permethrin and deltamethrin was evaluated for the commonly occurring base substitutions in the voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene. Rational functions were used to determine the relationship between the kdr alleles and the phenotypic resistant percentage of Ae. aegypti in Sri Lanka. RESULTS The results of the bioassays revealed highly resistant Ae. aegypti populations for the two pyrethroid insecticides (permethrin and deltamethrin) tested. All populations were susceptible to 5% malathion insecticide. The study also revealed high frequencies of C1534 and G1016 in all the populations studied. The highest haplotype frequency was detected for the haplotype CC/VV, followed by FC/VV and CC/VG. Of the seven models obtained, this study suggests the prediction models using rational approximation considering the C allele frequencies and the total of C, G, and P allele frequencies and phenotypic resistance as the best fits for the area concerned. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to our knowledge to provide a model to predict phenotypic resistance using rational functions considering kdr alleles. The flexible nature of the rational functions has revealed the most suitable association among them. Thus, a general evaluation of kdr alleles prior to insecticide applications would unveil the phenotypic resistance percentage of the wild mosquito population. A site-specific strategy is recommended for monitoring resistance with a mathematical approach and management of insecticide applications for the vector population.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A N Mendis
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - V Peiris
- Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
- Center for Optimization and Decision Science, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - W A K Harshani
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - H S D Fernando
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - B G D N K de Silva
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
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Menezes A, Peixoto M, Silva M, Costa-Bartuli E, Oliveira CL, Walter-Nuno AB, Kistenmacker NDC, Pereira J, Ramos I, Paiva-Silva GO, Atella GC, Zancan P, Sola-Penna M, Gomes FM. Western diet consumption by host vertebrate promotes altered gene expression on Aedes aegypti reducing its lifespan and increasing fertility following blood feeding. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:12. [PMID: 38184590 PMCID: PMC10770904 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06095-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in low- and middle-income countries is linked to an increase in Western diet consumption, characterized by a high intake of processed foods, which impacts the levels of blood sugar and lipids, hormones, and cytokines. Hematophagous insect vectors, such as the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, rely on blood meals for reproduction and development and are therefore exposed to the components of blood plasma. However, the impact of the alteration of blood composition due to malnutrition and metabolic conditions on mosquito biology remains understudied. METHODS In this study, we investigated the impact of whole-blood alterations resulting from a Western-type diet on the biology of Ae. aegypti. We kept C57Bl6/J mice on a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet for 20 weeks and followed biological parameters, including plasma insulin and lipid levels, insulin tolerance, and weight gain, to validate the development of metabolic syndrome. We further allowed Ae. aegypti mosquitoes to feed on mice and tracked how altered host blood composition modulated parameters of vector capacity. RESULTS Our findings identified that HFHS-fed mice resulted in reduced mosquito longevity and increased fecundity upon mosquito feeding, which correlated with alteration in the gene expression profile of nutrient sensing and physiological and metabolic markers as studied up to several days after blood ingestion. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides new insights into the overall effect of alterations of blood components on mosquito biology and its implications for the transmission of infectious diseases in conditions where the frequency of Western diet-induced metabolic syndromes is becoming more frequent. These findings highlight the importance of addressing metabolic health to further understand the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Menezes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marilia Peixoto
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Melissa Silva
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emylle Costa-Bartuli
- The Metabolizsm' Group, Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cinara Lima Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz Walter-Nuno
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nathan da Cruz Kistenmacker
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jessica Pereira
- Laboratorio de Ovogênese Molecular de Insetos Vetores, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratorio de Ovogênese Molecular de Insetos Vetores, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratorio de Ovogênese Molecular de Insetos Vetores, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Geórgia C Atella
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídeos e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratorio de Ovogênese Molecular de Insetos Vetores, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Zancan
- The Metabolizsm' Group, Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mauro Sola-Penna
- The Metabolizsm' Group, Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio M Gomes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Laboratorio de Ovogênese Molecular de Insetos Vetores, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Biedler JK, Aryan A, Qi Y, Wang A, Martinson EO, Hartman DA, Yang F, Sharma A, Morton KS, Potters M, Chen C, Dobson SL, Ebel GD, Kading RC, Paulson S, Xue RD, Strand MR, Tu Z. On the Origin and Evolution of the Mosquito Male-determining Factor Nix. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msad276. [PMID: 38128148 PMCID: PMC10798136 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito family Culicidae is divided into 2 subfamilies named the Culicinae and Anophelinae. Nix, the dominant male-determining factor, has only been found in the culicines Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, 2 important arboviral vectors that belong to the subgenus Stegomyia. Here we performed sex-specific whole-genome sequencing and RNAseq of divergent mosquito species and explored additional male-inclusive datasets to investigate the distribution of Nix. Except for the Culex genus, Nix homologs were found in all species surveyed from the Culicinae subfamily, including 12 additional species from 3 highly divergent tribes comprising 4 genera, suggesting Nix originated at least 133 to 165 million years ago (MYA). Heterologous expression of 1 of 3 divergent Nix open reading frames (ORFs) in Ae. aegypti resulted in partial masculinization of genetic females as evidenced by morphology and doublesex splicing. Phylogenetic analysis suggests Nix is related to femaleless (fle), a recently described intermediate sex-determining factor found exclusively in anopheline mosquitoes. Nix from all species has a conserved structure, including 3 RNA-recognition motifs (RRMs), as does fle. However, Nix has evolved at a much faster rate than fle. The RRM3 of both Nix and fle are distantly related to the single RRM of a widely distributed and conserved splicing factor transformer-2 (tra2). The RRM3-based phylogenetic analysis suggests this domain in Nix and fle may have evolved from tra2 or a tra2-related gene in a common ancestor of mosquitoes. Our results provide insights into the evolution of sex determination in mosquitoes and will inform broad applications of mosquito-control strategies based on manipulating sex ratios toward nonbiting males.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Biedler
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Azadeh Aryan
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Yumin Qi
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Aihua Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Ellen O Martinson
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Daniel A Hartman
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Atashi Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Katherine S Morton
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mark Potters
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Chujia Chen
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology PhD program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Stephen L Dobson
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40503, USA
- MosquitoMate, Inc., Lexington, KY 40502, USA
| | - Gregory D Ebel
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Rebekah C Kading
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Sally Paulson
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Rui-De Xue
- Anastasia Mosquito Control District, St. Augustine, FL 32092, USA
| | - Michael R Strand
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Genetics Bioinformatics and Computational Biology PhD program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Yared S, Gebressilasie A, Worku A, Mohammed A, Gunarathna I, Rajamanickam D, Waymire E, Balkew M, Carter TE. Breeding habitats, bionomics and phylogenetic analysis of Aedes aegypti and first detection of Culiseta longiareolata, and Ae. hirsutus in Somali Region, eastern Ethiopia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296406. [PMID: 38165914 PMCID: PMC10760653 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Arboviral diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, are caused by viruses that are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. However, the status of arbovirus vectors in eastern Ethiopia is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate distribution, breeding habitat, bionomics and phylogenetic relationship of Aedes aegypti mosquito species in Somali Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS Entomological surveys were conducted in four sites including Jigjiga, Degehabur, Kebridehar and Godey in 2018 (October to December) to study the distribution of Ae. aegypti and with a follow-up collection in 2020 (July-December). In addition, an investigation into the seasonality and bionomics of Ae. aegypti was conducted in 2021 (January-April) in Kebridehar town. Adult mosquitoes were collected from indoor and outdoor locations using CDC light traps (LTs), pyrethrum spray collection (PSCs), and aspirators. Larvae and pupae were also collected from a total of 169 water-holding containers using a dipper between October and November 2020 (rainy season) in Kebridehar town. The species identification of wild caught and reared adults was conducted using a taxonomic key. In addition, species identification using mitochondrial and nuclear genes maximum likelihood-based phylogenetic analysis was performed. RESULTS In the 2018 collection, Ae. aegypti was found in all study sites (Jigjiga, Degahabour, Kebridehar and Godey). In the 2020-2021 collection, a total of 470 (Female = 341, Male = 129) wild caught adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected, mostly during the rainy season with the highest frequency in November (n = 177) while the lowest abundance was in the dry season (n = 14) for both February and March. The majority of Ae. aegypt were caught using PSC (n = 365) followed by CDC LT (n = 102) and least were collected by aspirator from an animal shelter (n = 3). Aedes aegypti larval density was highest in tires (0.97 larvae per dip) followed by cemented cisterns (0.73 larvae per dip) and the Relative Breeding Index (RBI) was 0.87 and Container Index (CI) was 0.56. Genetic analysis of ITS2 and COI revealed one and 18 haplotypes, respectively and phylogenetic analysis confirmed species identification. The 2022 collection revealed no Ae. aegpti, but two previously uncharacterized species to that region. Phylogenetic analysis of these two species revealed their identities as Ae. hirsutus and Culiseta longiareolata. CONCLUSION Data from our study indicate that, Ae. aegypti is present both during the wet and dry seasons due to the availability of breeding habitats, including water containers like cemented cisterns, tires, barrels, and plastic containers. This study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a national entomological surveillance program for Aedes in Somali region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Yared
- Department of Biology, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia
| | - Araya Gebressilasie
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Amha Worku
- Department of Biology, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia
| | - Abas Mohammed
- Department of Biology, Jigjiga University, Jigjiga, Ethiopia
| | - Isuru Gunarathna
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Dhivya Rajamanickam
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Waymire
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
| | - Meshesha Balkew
- Abt Associates, PMI VectorLink Ethiopia Project, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tamar E. Carter
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States of America
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Stryapunina I, Itoe MA, Trinh Q, Vidoudez C, Du E, Mendoza L, Hulai O, Kauffman J, Carew J, Shaw WR, Catteruccia F. Precise coordination between nutrient transporters ensures fertility in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011145. [PMID: 38285728 PMCID: PMC10852252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Females from many mosquito species feed on blood to acquire nutrients for egg development. The oogenetic cycle has been characterized in the arboviral vector Aedes aegypti, where after a bloodmeal, the lipid transporter lipophorin (Lp) shuttles lipids from the midgut and fat body to the ovaries, and a yolk precursor protein, vitellogenin (Vg), is deposited into the oocyte by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Our understanding of how the roles of these two nutrient transporters are mutually coordinated is however limited in this and other mosquito species. Here, we demonstrate that in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae, Lp and Vg are reciprocally regulated in a timely manner to optimize egg development and ensure fertility. Defective lipid transport via Lp knockdown triggers abortive ovarian follicle development, leading to misregulation of Vg and aberrant yolk granules. Conversely, depletion of Vg causes an upregulation of Lp in the fat body in a manner that appears to be at least partially dependent on target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling, resulting in excess lipid accumulation in the developing follicles. Embryos deposited by Vg-depleted mothers are completely inviable, and are arrested early during development, likely due to severely reduced amino acid levels and protein synthesis. Our findings demonstrate that the mutual regulation of these two nutrient transporters is essential to safeguard fertility by ensuring correct nutrient balance in the developing oocyte, and validate Vg and Lp as two potential candidates for mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna Stryapunina
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Maurice A. Itoe
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Queenie Trinh
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Charles Vidoudez
- Harvard Center for Mass Spectrometry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Esrah Du
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lydia Mendoza
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Oleksandr Hulai
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jamie Kauffman
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Carew
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - W. Robert Shaw
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Flaminia Catteruccia
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
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Zhao M, Ran X, Xing D, Liu W, Ma Z, Liao Y, Zhang Q, Bai Y, Liu L, Chen K, Wu M, Gao J, Zhang H, Zhao T. Population genetics of Aedes albopictus in the port cities of Hainan Island and Leizhou Peninsula, China. Infect Genet Evol 2024; 117:105539. [PMID: 38104852 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes albopictus is an important vector of arboviral diseases, transmitting yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika. Monitoring its population genetic diversity and genetic differentiation has become essential for the control of infectious disease epidemics, especially in the functional areas of ports of entry. Population genetic monitoring of Ae. albopictus in the port area can help in the monitoring of port mosquito invasions and establishing port sanitary and quarantine measures to prevent the introduction and transmission of vector-borne diseases. METHODS Seventeen populations of Ae. albopictus were collected from five port cities on Hainan Island and the Leizhou Peninsula, 8 populations were collected from port areas, 4 from urban areas and 5 from rural areas. Nine microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial COI gene were used to study the population genetic diversity, population genetic structure and interpopulation gene flow of Ae. albopictus. RESULTS The nine microsatellite loci used were highly polymorphic, with an average PIC value of 0.768. The UPGMA genetic tree, STRUCTURE barplot and PCoA analyses showed that the 17 Ae. albopictus populations could be divided into three genetic groups. All 17 populations showed high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.8069-0.9678) and formed 133 distinct haplotypes. These haplotypes can be divided into four genetic clades, but they are not associated with the geographical distribution of Ae. albopictus. Fst and Nm showed strong gene flow and little differentiation among populations. CONCLUSION Ae. albopictus in port areas are not significantly different from urban and rural populations due to strong gene flow, which prevents differentiation and increases the genetic diversity of the populations. High genetic diversity facilitates mosquito adaptation to complex environmental changes, which is a challenge for vector-borne disease control in port areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Xin Ran
- Jiangxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Dan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Zu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yun Liao
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Lan Liu
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Kan Chen
- Jiangxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Nanchang 330002, China
| | - Mingyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Hengduan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.
| | - Tongyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.
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Penilla-Navarro P, Solis-Santoyo F, Lopez-Solis A, Rodriguez AD, Vera-Maloof F, Lozano S, Contreras-Mejía E, Vázquez-Samayoa G, Torreblanca-Lopez R, Perera R, Black IV WC, Saavedra-Rodriguez K. Pyrethroid susceptibility reversal in Aedes aegypti: A longitudinal study in Tapachula, Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011369. [PMID: 38166129 PMCID: PMC10786364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Pyrethroid resistance in Aedes aegypti has become widespread after almost two decades of frequent applications to reduce the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. Because few insecticide classes are available for public health use, insecticide resistance management (IRM) is proposed as a strategy to retain their use. A key hypothesis of IRM assumes that negative fitness is associated with resistance, and when insecticides are removed from use, susceptibility is restored. In Tapachula, Mexico, pyrethroids (PYRs) were used exclusively by dengue control programs for 15 years, thereby contributing to selection for high PYR resistance in mosquitoes and failure in dengue control. In 2013, PYRs were replaced by organophosphates-insecticides from a class with a different mode of action. To test the hypothesis that PYR resistance is reversed in the absence of PYRs, we monitored Ae. aegypti's PYR resistance from 2016 to 2021 in Tapachula. We observed significant declining rates in the lethal concentration 50 (LC50), for permethrin and deltamethrin. For each month following the discontinuation of PYR use by vector control programs, we observed increases in the odds of mosquitoes dying by 1.5% and 8.4% for permethrin and deltamethrin, respectively. Also, knockdown-resistance mutations (kdr) in the voltage-gated sodium channel explained the variation in the permethrin LC50s, whereas variation in the deltamethrin LC50s was only explained by time. This trend was rapidly offset by application of a mixture of neonicotinoid and PYRs by vector control programs. Our results suggest that IRM strategies can be used to reverse PYR resistance in Ae. aegypti; however, long-term commitment by operational and community programs will be required for success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Penilla-Navarro
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Francisco Solis-Santoyo
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Alma Lopez-Solis
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Americo D. Rodriguez
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Farah Vera-Maloof
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Saul Lozano
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arboviral Diseases Branch, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Elsa Contreras-Mejía
- Jurisdiccion Sanitaria VII, Tapachula Chiapas, Antiguo Hospital General de Tapachula, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Geovanni Vázquez-Samayoa
- Jurisdiccion Sanitaria VII, Tapachula Chiapas, Antiguo Hospital General de Tapachula, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Rene Torreblanca-Lopez
- Jurisdiccion Sanitaria VII, Tapachula Chiapas, Antiguo Hospital General de Tapachula, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Rushika Perera
- Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, 1685 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - William C. Black IV
- Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, 1685 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Karla Saavedra-Rodriguez
- Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, 1685 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Lin HH, Li ZT, Tzeng HY, Chang C, Dai SM. Correlation between pyrethroid knockdown resistance and mutation frequency of voltage-gated sodium channel and its application in Aedes aegypti management. Pestic Biochem Physiol 2024; 198:105710. [PMID: 38225068 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the primary vector responsible for transmitting dengue fever in southern Taiwan, has developed a relatively high resistance to synthetic pyrethroids. It has evolved four amino acid substitutions in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), namely S996P, V1023G, F1565C, and D1794Y. To unveil the distribution and correlation of VGSC mutations and pyrethroid resistance among different field populations, Ae. aegypti collected from various districts in Kaohsiung and Tainan Cities underwent tests for resistance development against different pyrethroids and frequency of S996P, V1023G, F1565C, and D1794Y substitutions. The adult knockdown assay revealed a relatively high knockdown resistance in the Ae. aegypti populations from Kaohsiung and Tainan against permethrin, cypermethrin, and fenvalerate (averaging >50-fold). Conversely, less resistance was observed against α-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, λ-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, and etofenprox (averaging <35-fold). Using Polymerase Chain Reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, four mutant haplotypes were identified in these field populations. Notably, the SIAVFD and SIBVFD wild haplotypes were absent. Analysis utilizing IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient indicated that Haplotype C (PIAGFD), especially P allele, frequency displayed a significant positive correlation with five Type II pyrethroid resistance, while 1023G and 1023G/G exhibited a significant association with permethrin and fevalerate resistance. Conversely, Haplotype E (SIBVCD) negatively correlated with pyrethroid resistance, particularly fenvalerate resistance (-0.776). Haplotype C and E were the most prevalent and widely distributed among the investigated field populations. This prevalence of haplotype C is likely tied to the extensive and excessive use of Type II pyrethroids for dengue control over the past three decades. Given the significant positive correlation, the best-fit lines and R2 values were established to facilitate the swift prediction of knockdown resistance levels to various pyrethroids based on VGSC mutation frequency. This predictive approach aims to guide insecticide usage and the management of pyrethroid resistance in the field populations of Ae. aegypti in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Hua Lin
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, 145 Hsingda Road, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Zhong-Tai Li
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, 145 Hsingda Road, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hau-You Tzeng
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, 145 Hsingda Road, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng Chang
- Biotechnology Center, National Chung-Hsing University, 145 Hsingda Road, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shu-Mei Dai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, 145 Hsingda Road, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan, ROC.
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Reichl J, Prossegger C, Eichholzer B, Plauder P, Unterköfler MS, Bakran-Lebl K, Indra A, Fuehrer HP. A citizen science report-Tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) in allotment gardens in Graz, Styria, Austria. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:79. [PMID: 38158426 PMCID: PMC10756886 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08106-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an invasive species not native to Europe. Due to its ability to transmit pathogens, such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses, Ae. albopictus is considered a major health threat. In Austria, it was first reported in 2012 in the Western province of Tyrol and was documented in the metropolitan area of Vienna in 2020, demonstrating its ability to colonize urban areas. In July 2021, a garden owner from Graz, Styria, Austria, contacted experts because of the possible presence of tiger mosquitoes in an allotment garden complex. Accordingly, citizen scientists collected adult mosquitoes and set up ovitraps. Adults and eggs were sent to the laboratory for morphological examination and molecular DNA barcoding within the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. In total, 217 eggs of Ae. albopictus were found at the allotment garden as well as at a second location in the city of Graz. In addition, 14 adult Ae. albopictus specimens, of which 7 were molecularly identified as an identical haplotype, were collected at the allotment garden. With its mild climate and numerous parks and gardens, Graz provides the perfect environment for reproduction of tropical/subtropical alien Aedes mosquitoes. The presence of eggs and adult specimens in the current study period indicates that Ae. albopictus is already breeding in Graz. However, monitoring efforts need to be continued to determine whether stable populations of Ae. albopictus can survive there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Reichl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, AGES - Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd., Währinger Straße 25A, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Prossegger
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Pamina Plauder
- Heimgartenverein Schönau, Kasernstraße 60, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Maria Sophia Unterköfler
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Bakran-Lebl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, AGES - Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd., Währinger Straße 25A, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Indra
- Institute for Medical Microbiology & Hygiene, AGES - Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd., Währinger Straße 25A, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
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Ould Lemrabott MA, Briolant S, Gomez N, Basco L, Ould Mohamed Salem Boukhary A. First report of kdr mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene in the arbovirus vector, Aedes aegypti, from Nouakchott, Mauritania. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:464. [PMID: 38115092 PMCID: PMC10731742 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06066-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since 2014, dengue epidemics have occurred almost annually in Nouakchott, the capital city of Mauritania, coinciding with the recent establishment of Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue, in the city. Anopheles arabiensis, the primary vector of malaria, is also abundant not only in Nouakchott but also in most areas of the country. Resistance to insecticides has been studied in An. arabiensis but not in Ae. aegypti in Mauritania. The objective of the present study was to establish the baseline data on the frequencies of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene in Ae. aegypti collected in Nouakchott to improve vector control. METHODS Resting Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected in 2017 and 2018 in Teyarett and Dar Naim districts in Nouakchott using a battery-powered aspirator. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing were performed to detect the presence of five kdr mutations known to be associated with pyrethroid resistance: L982W, S989P, I1011M/G, V1016G/I, and F1534C. RESULTS A total of 100 female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were identified among collected resting culicid fauna, of which 60% (60/100) were unfed, 12% (12/100) freshly blood-fed, and 28% (28/100) gravid. Among the mutations investigated in this study, 989P, 1016G, and 1534C were found to be widespread, with the frequencies of 0.43, 0.44, and 0.55, respectively. Mutations were not found in codons 982 and 1011. No other mutations were detected within the fragments analyzed in this study. Genotype distribution did not deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The most frequent co-occurring point mutation patterns among Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were the heterozygous individuals 989SP/1016VG/1534FC detected in 45.1% of mosquitoes. In addition, homozygous mutant 1534CC co-occurred simultaneously with homozygous wild type 989SS and 1016VV in 30.5% of mosquito specimens. Inversely, homozygous wild-type 1534FF co-occurred simultaneously with homozygous mutant 989PP and 1016GG in 19.5% of the mosquitoes. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the presence of three point mutations in the vgsc gene of Ae. aegypti in Mauritania. The findings of the present study are alarming because they predict a high level of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides which are commonly used in vector control in the country. Therefore, further studies are urgently needed, in particular phenotypic characterization of insecticide resistance using the standardized test.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sébastien Briolant
- Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
- Unité de Parasitologie Entomologie, Département de Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Marseille, France.
| | - Nicolas Gomez
- Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Unité de Parasitologie Entomologie, Département de Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Marseille, France
| | - Leonardo Basco
- Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Ali Ould Mohamed Salem Boukhary
- Université de Nouakchott, UR-GEMI, Nouveau Campus Universitaire, BP 5026, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
- Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.
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Mysore K, Njoroge TM, Stewart ATM, Winter N, Hamid-Adiamoh M, Sun L, Feng RS, James LD, Mohammed A, Severson DW, Duman-Scheel M. Characterization of a novel RNAi yeast insecticide that silences mosquito 5-HT1 receptor genes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22511. [PMID: 38110471 PMCID: PMC10728091 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49799-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which regulate numerous intracellular signaling cascades that mediate many essential physiological processes, are attractive yet underexploited insecticide targets. RNA interference (RNAi) technology could facilitate the custom design of environmentally safe pesticides that target GPCRs in select target pests yet are not toxic to non-target species. This study investigates the hypothesis that an RNAi yeast insecticide designed to silence mosquito serotonin receptor 1 (5-HTR1) genes can kill mosquitoes without harming non-target arthropods. 5-HTR.426, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that expresses an shRNA targeting a site specifically conserved in mosquito 5-HTR1 genes, was generated. The yeast can be heat-inactivated and delivered to mosquito larvae as ready-to-use tablets or to adult mosquitoes using attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs). The results of laboratory and outdoor semi-field trials demonstrated that consumption of 5-HTR.426 yeast results in highly significant mortality rates in Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquito larvae and adults. Yeast consumption resulted in significant 5-HTR1 silencing and severe neural defects in the mosquito brain but was not found to be toxic to non-target arthropods. These results indicate that RNAi insecticide technology can facilitate selective targeting of GPCRs in intended pests without impacting GPCR activity in non-targeted organisms. In future studies, scaled production of yeast expressing the 5-HTR.426 RNAi insecticide could facilitate field trials to further evaluate this promising new mosquito control intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshava Mysore
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Teresia M Njoroge
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Akilah T M Stewart
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Nikhella Winter
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
| | - Majidah Hamid-Adiamoh
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Longhua Sun
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Rachel Shui Feng
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
| | - Lester D James
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
| | - Azad Mohammed
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
| | - David W Severson
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Molly Duman-Scheel
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Raclin-Carmichael Hall, 1234 Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN, 46617, USA.
- The University of Notre Dame Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
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Aung ST, Bawm S, Chel HM, Thu MJ, Wai SS, Eshita Y, Nakao R, Katakura K, Htun LL. Molecular Identification of Aedes, Armigeres, and Culex Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Using Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I Genes in Myanmar. Acta Parasitol 2023; 68:862-868. [PMID: 37831281 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00721-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Mosquitoes are important vectors that carry disease-causing agents that can affect humans and animals. DNA barcoding is a complementary identification which can be used to validate morphological characterization of mosquito species. The objectives of this study were to identify the mitochondrial sequence of the COI gene and to construct a molecular phylogeny based on the genetic divergence of the mosquito species studied. METHODS In this study, DNA extraction and the amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I genes (COI) were performed on pooled mosquito samples collected in Nay Pyi Taw area, Myanmar. RESULTS Fragments of the COI gene showed 99-100% identity with sequences of Aedes aegypti, Armigeres subalbatus, Culex pipiens complex, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively, deposited in GenBank. This study categorized two haplotypes from each Ar. subalbatus and Cx. pipiens complex COI gene sequence, as well as three haplotypes from Cx. quinquefasciatus COI gene sequences. The highest haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were observed in the Ar. subalbatus population (Hd = 1.0000; π = 0.0033), followed by the Cx. pipiens complex and Cx. quinquefasciatus populations. CONCLUSION This study provides useful information on the molecular identification and genetic diversity of mosquito vectors with medical and veterinary significance, which may assist in the improvement of mosquito control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Thu Aung
- Department of Pharmacology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar
- Swan Arh Veterinary Clinic, Yan Aung, Pyinmana, Nay Pyi Taw, 15012, Myanmar
| | - Saw Bawm
- Department of Pharmacology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
- Department of Livestock and Aquaculture Research, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
| | - Hla Myet Chel
- Department of Pharmacology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar
| | - May June Thu
- Department of Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Sports, Zabu Thiri, Nay Pyi Taw, 115011, Myanmar
| | - Soe Soe Wai
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar
| | - Yuki Eshita
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Ken Katakura
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Lat Lat Htun
- Department of Pharmacology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar
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Hu L, Xiong G, Zhao Y, Chai R, Xie J, Xiao Y, Du Y, Teng J, Zhang W, Guan C. Classification and identification of mosquitoes in China based on rDNA 28S D5 region. Acta Trop 2023; 248:107028. [PMID: 37730192 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Accurate classification and identification of mosquitoes are essential for the prevention and control of mosquito-borne diseases. In this study, adult mosquitoes were collected from 15 cities across 14 provinces in China. They were identified morphologically with the dominant species determined. Furthermore, representative samples were identified at the molecular level based on rDNA 28S D5. In total, 880 adult mosquitoes were collected belonging to Culex (266), Aedes (473), Armigeres (13), and Anopheles (5). Aedes albopictus and "C. pipiens subgroup" were the dominant species. A total of 140 sequences of 28S D5 region (68 for "C. pipiens subgroup", 51 for Ae. albopictus, 18 for Ar. subalbatus, and three for An. sinensis) ranging from 148 to 161 bp were obtained, with 100 % success of amplification and sequencing. Molecular identification were consistent with morphological classification. Sequence analysis showed that "C. pipiens subgroup" was identified into three clades: the traditional C. pipiens subgroup (Clade I), the newly discovered C. cf. perexiguus (Clade II), and C. new sp. (Clade III). Clade I contained the most abundant haplotypes (16) widely distributed without geographical differences. Clade II included six haplotypes that were aggregately distributed south of the Yangtze River. Only three sequences in Clade III showed two haplotypes with no geographical differences. Further morphological comparisons demonstrated differences in body color, beaks, and abdomens among the three clades. In conclusion, the rDNA 28S D5 region could effectively distinguish Culex, Aedes, Armigeres, and Anopheles species at the lower category level, demonstrating its potential as a mini-DNA barcode for mosquito identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Hu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Guodian Xiong
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China; Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yae Zhao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
| | - Rong Chai
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiaxuan Xie
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuyao Xiao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Yue Du
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Juan Teng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China; Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Wanyu Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Chenglin Guan
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
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Anderson MAE, Leftwich PT, Wilson R, Paladino LZC, Basu S, Rooney S, Adelman ZN, Alphey L. AePUb promoter length modulates gene expression in Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20352. [PMID: 37990055 PMCID: PMC10663553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47777-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular tools for modulating transgene expression in Aedes aegypti are few. Here we demonstrate that adjustments to the AePUb promoter length can alter expression levels of two reporter proteins in Ae. aegypti cell culture and in mosquitoes. This provides a simple means for increasing or decreasing expression of a gene of interest and easy translation from cells to whole insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A E Anderson
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK.
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Philip T Leftwich
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Ray Wilson
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK
| | | | - Sanjay Basu
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Molecular Biology Team, R&D Division, Oxitec, Oxford, UK
| | - Sara Rooney
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Zach N Adelman
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0HN, UK.
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.
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Harvey-Samuel T, Feng X, Okamoto EM, Purusothaman DK, Leftwich PT, Alphey L, Gantz VM. CRISPR-based gene drives generate super-Mendelian inheritance in the disease vector Culex quinquefasciatus. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7561. [PMID: 37985762 PMCID: PMC10662442 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41834-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Culex mosquitoes pose a significant public health threat as vectors for a variety of diseases including West Nile virus and lymphatic filariasis, and transmit pathogens threatening livestock, companion animals, and endangered birds. Rampant insecticide resistance makes controlling these mosquitoes challenging and necessitates the development of new control strategies. Gene drive technologies have made significant progress in other mosquito species, although similar advances have been lagging in Culex. Here we test a CRISPR-based homing gene drive for Culex quinquefasciatus, and show that the inheritance of two split-gene-drive transgenes, targeting different loci, are biased in the presence of a Cas9-expressing transgene although with modest efficiencies. Our findings extend the list of disease vectors where engineered homing gene drives have been demonstrated to include Culex alongside Anopheles and Aedes, and pave the way for future development of these technologies to control Culex mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Harvey-Samuel
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Xuechun Feng
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Guangdong, 518106, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Emily M Okamoto
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Deepak-Kumar Purusothaman
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Philip T Leftwich
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics Group, The Pirbright Institute, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK.
- Biology Department, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Valentino M Gantz
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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Catapano PL, Falcinelli M, Damiani C, Cappelli A, Koukouli D, Rossi P, Ricci I, Napolioni V, Favia G. De novo genome assembly of the invasive mosquito species Aedes japonicus and Aedes koreicus. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:427. [PMID: 37986088 PMCID: PMC10658958 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06048-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, two invasive Aedes mosquito species, Ae. japonicus and Ae. koreicus, are circulating in several European countries posing potential health risks to humans and animals. Vector control is the main option to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, and an accurate genome sequence of these mosquitoes is essential to better understand their biology and to develop effective control strategies. METHODS A de novo genome assembly of Ae. japonicus (Ajap1) and Ae. koreicus (Akor1) has been produced based on a hybrid approach that combines Oxford Nanopore long-read and Illumina short-read data. Their quality was ascertained using various metrics. Masking of repetitive elements, gene prediction and functional annotation was performed. RESULTS Sequence analysis revealed a very high presence of repetitive DNA and, among others, thermal adaptation genes and insecticide-resistance genes. Through the RNA-seq analysis of larvae and adults of Ae. koreicus and Ae. japonicus exposed to different temperatures, we also identified genes showing a differential temperature-dependent activation. CONCLUSIONS The assembly of Akor1 and Ajap1 genomes constitutes the first updated collective knowledge of the genomes of both mosquito species, providing the possibility of understanding key mechanisms of their biology such as the ability to adapt to harsh climates and to develop insecticide-resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo L Catapano
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Monica Falcinelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Claudia Damiani
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, CIRM Italian Malaria Network, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Alessia Cappelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, CIRM Italian Malaria Network, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Despoina Koukouli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Irene Ricci
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, CIRM Italian Malaria Network, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Valerio Napolioni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - Guido Favia
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, CIRM Italian Malaria Network, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
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Yang Z, He Y, Chen Y, Meng J, Li N, Li S, Wang J. Full genome characterization and evolutionary analysis of Banna virus isolated from Culicoides, mosquitoes and ticks in Yunnan, China. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1283580. [PMID: 38035340 PMCID: PMC10687475 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1283580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Banna virus (BAV), a potential pathogen that may cause human encephalitis, is the prototype species of genus Seadornaviru within the family Reoviridae, and has been isolated from a variety of blood-sucking insects and mammals in Asia. Methods Culicoides, Mosquitoes, and Ticks were collected overnight in Yunnan, China, during 2016-2023 using light traps. Virus was isolated from these collected blood-sucking insects and grown using Aedes albopictus (C6/36) cells. Preliminary identification of the virus was performed by agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE). The full genome sequences of the BAVs were determined by full-length amplification of cDNAs (FLAC) and sequenced using next-generation sequencing. Results In this study, 13 strains BAV were isolated from Culicoides, Mosquitoes and Ticks. Their viral genome consisted of 12 segments of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and with three distinct distribution patterns. Sequence analysis showed that Seg-5 of four strains (SJ_M46, SJ_M49, JC_M19-13 and JC_C24-13) has 435 bases nucleotide sequence insertions in their ORF compared to other BAVs, resulting in the length of Seg-5 up to 2128 nt. There are 34 bases sequence deletion in Seg-9 of 3 strains (WS_T06, MS_M166 and MS_M140). Comparison of the coding sequences of VP1, VP2, VP5, VP9 and VP12 of the 13 BAV strains, the results show that VP1, VP2 and VP12 are characterised by high levels of sequence conservation, while VP9 is highly variable, under great pressure to adapt and may be correlated with serotype. While also variable, VP5 appears to be under less adaptive pressure than VP9. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis indicates that the 13 BAV strains locate in the same evolutionary cluster as BAVs isolated from various blood-sucking insects, and are clustered according to geographical distribution. Conclusion The data obtained herein would be beneficial for the surveillance of evolutionary characteristics of BAV in China and neighboring countries as well as extend the knowledge about its genomic diversity and geographic distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Yang
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuwen He
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yiju Chen
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jinxin Meng
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Nan Li
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Susheng Li
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jinglin Wang
- Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Disease Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Simões ML. Transgenic approaches in medical entomology: 2022 highlights. J Med Entomol 2023; 60:1262-1268. [PMID: 37658779 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Transgenesis has emerged as a powerful tool to control arthropod vectors and the diseases they transmit. Here, we highlight the latest developments on transgenic approaches in ticks, Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, based on recent findings and significant papers from 2022. We survey topics ranging from population replacement, population suppression, gene drive, sex ratio distortion, public engagement and capacity building, and gene editing in ticks. While presenting these advancements, we discuss the current challenges surrounding the application of arthropod transgenesis for the development of novel vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Simões
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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Flores GAM, Lopez RP, Cerrudo CS, Perotti MA, Consolo VF, Berón CM. Wolbachia dominance influences the Culex quinquefasciatus microbiota. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18980. [PMID: 37923779 PMCID: PMC10624681 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46067-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms present in mosquitoes and their interactions are key factors affecting insect development. Among them, Wolbachia is closely associated with the host and affects several fitness parameters. In this study, the bacterial and fungal microbiota from two laboratory Culex quinquefasciatus isolines (wild type and tetracycline-cured) were characterized by metagenome amplicon sequencing of the ITS2 and 16S rRNA genes at different developmental stages and feeding conditions. We identified 572 bacterial and 61 fungal OTUs. Both isolines presented variable bacterial communities and different trends in the distribution of diversity among the groups. The lowest bacterial richness was detected in sugar-fed adults of the cured isoline, whereas fungal richness was highly reduced in blood-fed mosquitoes. Beta diversity analysis indicated that isolines are an important factor in the differentiation of mosquito bacterial communities. Considering composition, Penicillium was the dominant fungal genus, whereas Wolbachia dominance was inversely related to that of Enterobacteria (mainly Thorsellia and Serratia). This study provides a more complete overview of the mosquito microbiome, emphasizing specific highly abundant components that should be considered in microorganism manipulation approaches to control vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo A M Flores
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación Para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocio P Lopez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación Para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina S Cerrudo
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería Genética y Biología Celular y Molecular (LIGBCM), Area Virosis de Insectos (AVI), Departamento Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes and CONICET, Bernal, Argentina
| | - M Alejandra Perotti
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - V Fabiana Consolo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación Para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Corina M Berón
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Fundación Para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Zhang R, Liu W, Fu J, Zhang Z. MicroRNA-989 controls Aedes albopictus pupal-adult transition process by influencing cuticle chitin metabolism in pupae. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:397. [PMID: 37919799 PMCID: PMC10623821 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05976-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes albopictus is a vector of numerous devastating arboviruses and places heavy burdens on global public health. Chitin is one of the important components of cuticles and targeting chitin metabolism is a promising strategy for preventing mosquito dispersal and mosquito-borne diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in various physiological processes of insects. METHODS A previous analysis suggested that the microRNA miR-989 is potentially involved in chitin metabolism in Ae. albopictus pupae. In the present study, we found that the expression level of miR-989 was significantly overexpressed after injection of agomir. A dual-luciferase assay was used to determine the direct target of miR-989. Survival rate, eclosion rate and malformation rate were statistically analyzed to evaluate the potential effect of miR-989. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and chitin staining were used to evaluate the microstructural changes in the cuticles of Ae. albopictus pupae. RESULTS Overexpression of miR-989 resulted in a significantly reduced survival rate and eclosion rate of pupae and an elevated malformation rate of adults. The results suggested that miR-989 acted as a regulator of chitin metabolism in Ae. albopictus pupae by affecting the transcript levels of the Ae. albopictus genes encoding chitin synthase 1 (AaCHS1) and chitinase 10 (AaCht10). The altered expression levels of the two chitin metabolism-related enzymes (CHS1 and Cht10, respectively) caused the structural changes in cuticles and further affected the pupal-adult transition process of Ae. albopictus. XM_029863591.1 was proven to be the target gene of miR-989 and displayed similar effects on pupae as miR-989. CONCLUSIONS The microRNA miR-989 was found to be essential for chitin metabolism in old and new cuticles of Ae. albopictus pupae. The results of the current study suggested that miR-989 could be used as a potential target to control Ae. albopictus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiling Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250000, China.
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Science, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China.
- School of Laboratory Animal (Shandong Laboratory Animal Center), Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250000, China
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Science, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Jingwen Fu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250000, China
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Science, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China
| | - Zhong Zhang
- School of Clinical and Basic Medical Science, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China.
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Turan M. Genome-wide analysis and characterization of HSP gene families (HSP20, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90) in the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) (Diptera: Culicidae). J Insect Sci 2023; 23:27. [PMID: 38102758 PMCID: PMC10724114 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The heat shock protein (HSP) gene families, present across prokaryotes to eukaryotes, play vital roles in growth, development, and heat resistance processes. While HSP proteins have been identified and characterized in various species, this study achieved the first genome-wide identification and characterization of HSP proteins in the Aedes aegypti genome. This study identified and assessed 80 potential HSP genes in Ae. aegypti. The phylogenetic relationships of HSP genes were investigated in Ae. aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Drosophila melanogaster. Additionally, the structural features, chromosomal locations, protein characteristics, 3D structure, protein-protein interactions, and microsatellites associated with HSP proteins were examined in Ae. aegypti. The phylogenetic analysis of HSP gene families revealed distinct intra-group relationships for each HSP group. Each family exhibited relatively conserved genetic structures and motif components. In the expression analysis of growth and development, high expression was observed in certain HSP20 and HSP70 genes, while others exhibited low expression. Notably, sex-dependent expression differences were observed, particularly in HSP20 genes. These findings, the relationships, evolution, and modification of HSP gene families are illuminated by these comprehensive findings, and a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying growth, development, and heat resistance in vector organisms is facilitated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Turan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Turkey
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Weng SC, Antoshechkin I, Marois E, Akbari OS. Efficient sex separation by exploiting differential alternative splicing of a dominant marker in Aedes aegypti. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011065. [PMID: 38011259 PMCID: PMC10703412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Only female mosquitoes consume blood giving them the opportunity to transmit deadly human pathogens. Therefore, it is critical to remove females before conducting releases for genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe a robust sex-sorting approach termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter) that exploits sex-specific alternative splicing of an innocuous reporter to ensure exclusive dominant male-specific expression. Using SEPARATOR, we demonstrate reliable sex selection from early larval and pupal stages in Aedes aegypti, and use a Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) to demonstrate scalable high-throughput sex-selection of first instar larvae. Additionally, we use this approach to sequence the transcriptomes of early larval males and females and find several genes that are sex-specifically expressed. SEPARATOR can simplify mass production of males for release programs and is designed to be cross-species portable and should be instrumental for genetic biocontrol interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Che Weng
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Eric Marois
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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