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Kumar D, Budachetri K, Rikihisa Y, Karim S. Analysis of Amblyomma americanum microRNAs in response to Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection and their potential role in vectorial capacity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.03.592465. [PMID: 38765993 PMCID: PMC11100627 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.03.592465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a subset of small noncoding RNAs and carry tremendous potential for regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They play pivotal roles in distinct cellular mechanisms including inhibition of bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections via immune response pathways. Intriguingly, pathogens have developed strategies to manipulate the host's miRNA profile, fostering environments conducive to successful infection. Therefore, changes in an arthropod host's miRNA profile in response to pathogen invasion could be critical in understanding host-pathogen dynamics. Additionally, this area of study could provide insights into discovering new targets for disease control and prevention. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the functional role of differentially expressed miRNAs upon Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a tick-borne pathogen, infection in tick vector, Amblyomma americanum. Methods Small RNA libraries from uninfected and E. chaffeensis-infected Am. americanum midgut and salivary gland tissues were prepared using the Illumina Truseq kit. Small RNA sequencing data was analyzed using miRDeep2 and sRNAtoolbox to identify novel and known miRNAs. The differentially expressed miRNAs were validated using a quantitative PCR assay. Furthermore, a miRNA inhibitor approach was used to determine the functional role of selected miRNA candidates. Results The sequencing of small RNA libraries generated >147 million raw reads in all four libraries and identified a total of >250 miRNAs across the four libraries. We identified 23 and 14 differentially expressed miRNAs in salivary glands, and midgut tissues infected with E. chaffeensis, respectively. Three differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-87, miR-750, and miR-275) were further characterized to determine their roles in pathogen infection. Inhibition of target miRNAs significantly decreased the E. chaffeensis load in tick tissues, which warrants more in-depth mechanistic studies. Conclusions The current study identified known and novel miRNAs and suggests that interfering with these miRNAs may impact the vectorial capacity of ticks to harbor Ehrlichia. This study identified several new miRNAs for future analysis of their functions in tick biology and tick-pathogen interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- Laboratory of Molecular, Cellular, and Environmental Rickettsiology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Yasuko Rikihisa
- Laboratory of Molecular, Cellular, and Environmental Rickettsiology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
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Li M, Zhou Y, Cheng J, Wang Y, Lan C, Shen Y. Response of the mosquito immune system and symbiotic bacteria to pathogen infection. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:69. [PMID: 38368353 PMCID: PMC10874582 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06161-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the word, transmitting a variety of insect-borne infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and Zika, causing more deaths than any other vector-borne pathogen. Moreover, in the absence of effective drugs and vaccines to prevent and treat insect-borne diseases, mosquito control is particularly important as the primary measure. In recent decades, due to the gradual increase in mosquito resistance, increasing attention has fallen on the mechanisms and effects associated with pathogen infection. This review provides an overview of mosquito innate immune mechanisms in terms of physical and physiological barriers, pattern recognition receptors, signalling pathways, and cellular and humoral immunity, as well as the antipathogenic effects of mosquito symbiotic bacteria. This review contributes to an in-depth understanding of the interaction process between mosquitoes and pathogens and provides a theoretical basis for biological defence strategies against mosquito-borne infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjin Li
- The Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214023, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jin Cheng
- The Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214023, China
| | - Yiqing Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214023, China
| | - Cejie Lan
- The Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214023, China.
| | - Yuan Shen
- The Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi, 214023, China.
- Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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3
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Nian X, Luo Y, He X, Wu S, Li J, Wang D, Holford P, Beattie GAC, Cen Y, Zhang S, He Y. Infection with 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' improves the fecundity of Diaphorina citri aiding its proliferation: A win-win strategy. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17214. [PMID: 38018658 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of insect vector-pathogen relationships has long been of interest in the field of molecular ecology. One system of special relevance, due to its economic impacts, is that between Diaphorina citri and 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas), the cause of the severe Asian form of huanglongbing. CLas-positive D. citri are more fecund than their CLas-negative counterparts, boosting opportunities for pathogens to acquire new vector hosts. The molecular mechanism behind this life-history shift remains unclear. Here, we found that CLas promoted ovarian development and increased the expression of the vitellogenin receptor (DcVgR) in ovaries. DcVgR RNAi significantly decreased fecundity and CLas titer in ovaries, extended the preoviposition period, shortened the oviposition period and blocked ovarian development. Given their importance in gene regulation, we explored the role of miRNAs in shaping these phenotypes and their molecular triggers. Our results showed that one miRNA, miR-275, suppressed DcVgR expression by binding to its 3' UTR. Overexpression of miR-275 knocked down DcVgR expression and CLas titer in ovaries, causing reproductive defects that mimicked DcVgR knockdown phenotypes. We focused, further, on roles of the Juvenile Hormone (JH) pathway in shaping the observed fecundity phenotype, given its known impacts on ovarian development. After CLas infection, this pathway was upregulated, thereby increasing DcVgR expression. From these combined results, we conclude that CLas hijacks the JH signalling pathway and miR-275, thereby targeting DcVgR to increase D. citri fecundity. These changes simultaneously increase CLas replication, suggesting a pathogen-vector host mutualism, or a seemingly helpful, but cryptically costly life-history manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoge Nian
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Henry Fok School of Biology and Agriculture, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, China
| | - Yaru Luo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shujie Wu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayun Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Desen Wang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Paul Holford
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Yijing Cen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Songdou Zhang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yurong He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Lewis J, Gallichotte EN, Randall J, Glass A, Foy BD, Ebel GD, Kading RC. Intrinsic factors driving mosquito vector competence and viral evolution: a review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1330600. [PMID: 38188633 PMCID: PMC10771300 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1330600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of numerous viruses of global health significance. The term "vector competence" describes the intrinsic ability of an arthropod vector to transmit an infectious agent. Prior to transmission, the mosquito itself presents a complex and hostile environment through which a virus must transit to ensure propagation and transmission to the next host. Viruses imbibed in an infectious blood meal must pass in and out of the mosquito midgut, traffic through the body cavity or hemocoel, invade the salivary glands, and be expelled with the saliva when the vector takes a subsequent blood meal. Viruses encounter physical, cellular, microbial, and immunological barriers, which are influenced by the genetic background of the mosquito vector as well as environmental conditions. Collectively, these factors place significant selective pressure on the virus that impact its evolution and transmission. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of the field in understanding the mosquito-specific factors that underpin vector competence and how each of these mechanisms may influence virus evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Lewis
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Emily N. Gallichotte
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Jenna Randall
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Arielle Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Brian D. Foy
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Gregory D. Ebel
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Rebekah C. Kading
- Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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5
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Mills MK, Rozo-Lopez P, Bryant WB, Drolet BS. microRNA Expression Dynamics in Culicoides sonorensis Biting Midges Following Blood-Feeding. INSECTS 2023; 14:611. [PMID: 37504617 PMCID: PMC10380374 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Culicoides sonorensis midges vector multiple livestock arboviruses, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. Due to the tight association between virus transmission, blood feeding, and egg development, understanding midge physiology is paramount to limiting pathogen transmission. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs), in multiple aspects of vector physiology. These small ncRNAs regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and display differential expression during pathogen infection. Due to the lack of annotated miRNAs in the biting midge and associated expression profiles, we used small RNA-Seq and miRDeep2 analyses to determine the Culicoides miRNAs in whole females and midgut tissues in response to blood feeding. Our analyses revealed 76 miRNAs within C. sonorensis composed of 73 orthologous and three candidate novel miRNAs, as well as conserved miRNA clusters. miRNA conservation suggests an interesting evolutionary relationship between miRNA expression and hematophagy in the infraorder Culicomorpha. We also identified multiple blood meal-regulated and tissue-enriched miRNAs. Lastly, we further identified miRNAs with expression patterns potentially associated with virus infection by probing publicly available datasets. Together, our data provide a foundation for future ncRNA work to untangle the dynamics of gene regulation associated with midge physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Katherine Mills
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina-Aiken, Aiken, SC 29801, USA
| | - Paula Rozo-Lopez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - William Bart Bryant
- Department of Medicine and Vascular Biology Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Barbara S Drolet
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
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6
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Asad S, Mehdi AM, Pujhari S, Rückert C, Ebel GD, Rasgon JL. Identification of MicroRNAs in the West Nile Virus Vector Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:182-293. [PMID: 36477983 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression during important biological processes including development and pathogen defense in most living organisms. Presently, no miRNAs have been identified in the mosquito Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae), one of the most important vectors of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America. We used small RNA sequencing data and in vitro and in vivo experiments to identify and validate a repertoire of miRNAs in Cx. tarsalis mosquitoes. Using bioinformatic approaches we analyzed small RNA sequences from the Cx. tarsalis CT embryonic cell line to discover orthologs for 86 miRNAs. Consistent with other mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus, miR-184 was found to be the most abundant miRNA in Cx. tarsalis. We also identified 20 novel miRNAs from the recently sequenced Cx. tarsalis genome, for a total of 106 miRNAs identified in this study. The presence of selected miRNAs was biologically validated in both the CT cell line and in adult Cx. tarsalis mosquitoes using RT-qPCR and sequencing. These results will open new avenues of research into the role of miRNAs in Cx. tarsalis biology, including development, metabolism, immunity, and pathogen infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultan Asad
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Ahmed M Mehdi
- The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Diamantina Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sujit Pujhari
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Claudia Rückert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USAand
| | - Gregory D Ebel
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-borne Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USAand
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Cottis S, Blisnick AA, Failloux AB, Vernick KD. Determinants of Chikungunya and O'nyong-Nyong Virus Specificity for Infection of Aedes and Anopheles Mosquito Vectors. Viruses 2023; 15:589. [PMID: 36992298 PMCID: PMC10051923 DOI: 10.3390/v15030589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases caused by viruses and parasites are responsible for more than 700 million infections each year. Anopheles and Aedes are the two major vectors for, respectively, malaria and arboviruses. Anopheles mosquitoes are the primary vector of just one known arbovirus, the alphavirus o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), which is closely related to the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), vectored by Aedes mosquitoes. However, Anopheles harbor a complex natural virome of RNA viruses, and a number of pathogenic arboviruses have been isolated from Anopheles mosquitoes in nature. CHIKV and ONNV are in the same antigenic group, the Semliki Forest virus complex, are difficult to distinguish via immunodiagnostic assay, and symptomatically cause essentially the same human disease. The major difference between the arboviruses appears to be their differential use of mosquito vectors. The mechanisms governing this vector specificity are poorly understood. Here, we summarize intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could be associated with vector specificity by these viruses. We highlight the complexity and multifactorial aspect of vectorial specificity of the two alphaviruses, and evaluate the level of risk of vector shift by ONNV or CHIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solène Cottis
- Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, F-75015 Paris, France
- Graduate School of Life Sciences ED515, Sorbonne Université UPMC Paris VI, 75252 Paris, France
| | - Adrien A. Blisnick
- Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Kenneth D. Vernick
- Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, F-75015 Paris, France
- Graduate School of Life Sciences ED515, Sorbonne Université UPMC Paris VI, 75252 Paris, France
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Gaye A, Fall C, Faye O, Dupont-Rouzeyrol M, Ndiaye EH, Diallo D, de Andrade Zanotto PM, Dia I, Weaver SC, Diallo M. Assessment of the Risk of Exotic Zika Virus Strain Transmission by Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from Senegal Compared to a Native Strain. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8020130. [PMID: 36828546 PMCID: PMC9966738 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8020130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) shows an enigmatic epidemiological profile in Africa. Despite its frequent detection in mosquitoes, few human cases have been reported. This could be due to the low infectious potential or low virulence of African ZIKV lineages. This study sought to assess the susceptibility of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus to ZIKV strains from Senegal, Brazil, and New Caledonia. Vertical transmission was also investigated. Whole bodies, legs/wings and saliva samples were tested for ZIKV by real-time PCR to estimate infection, dissemination and transmission rates as well as the infection rate in the progeny of infected female A. aegypti. For A. aegypti, the Senegalese strain showed at 15 days post-exposure (dpe) a significantly higher infection rate (52.43%) than the Brazilian (10%) and New Caledonian (0%) strains. The Brazilian and Senegalese strains were disseminated but not detected in saliva. No A. aegypti offspring from females infected with Senegalese and Brazilian ZIKV strains tested positive. No infection was recorded for C. quinquefasciatus. We observed the incompetence of Senegalese A. aegypti to transmit ZIKV and the C. quinquefasciatus were completely refractory. The effect of freezing ZIKV had no significant impact on the vector competence of Aedes aegypti from Senegal, and vertical transmission was not reported in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alioune Gaye
- Pole de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +221-776050296; Fax: +221-338399210
| | - Cheikh Fall
- Pole de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
- Pole de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
| | - Oumar Faye
- Pole de Virologie, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
| | - Myrielle Dupont-Rouzeyrol
- URE Dengue et Arboviroses, Institut Pasteur de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur, BP 61, CEDEX, 98845 Noumea, New Caledonia
| | - El Hadji Ndiaye
- Pole de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
| | - Diawo Diallo
- Pole de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
| | | | - Ibrahima Dia
- Pole de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
| | - Scott C. Weaver
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Mawlouth Diallo
- Pole de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, 36, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar BP 220, Senegal
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Behnia M, Bradfute SB. The Host Non-Coding RNA Response to Alphavirus Infection. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020562. [PMID: 36851776 PMCID: PMC9967650 DOI: 10.3390/v15020562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are important human and animal pathogens that can cause a range of debilitating symptoms and are found worldwide. These include arthralgic diseases caused by Old-World viruses and encephalitis induced by infection with New-World alphaviruses. Non-coding RNAs do not encode for proteins, but can modulate cellular response pathways in a myriad of ways. There are several classes of non-coding RNAs, some more well-studied than others. Much research has focused on the mRNA response to infection against alphaviruses, but analysis of non-coding RNA responses has been more limited until recently. This review covers what is known regarding host cell non-coding RNA responses in alphavirus infections and highlights gaps in the knowledge that future research should address.
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Insect-Specific Chimeric Viruses Potentiated Antiviral Responses and Inhibited Pathogenic Alphavirus Growth in Mosquito Cells. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0361322. [PMID: 36511715 PMCID: PMC9927327 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03613-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Most alphaviruses are transmitted by mosquito vectors and infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, with a few exceptions. Eilat virus (EILV) in this genus is characterized by a host range restricted to mosquitoes. Its chimeric viruses have been developed as safe and effective vaccine candidates and diagnostic tools. Here, we investigated the interactions between these insect-specific viruses (ISVs) and mosquito cells, unveiling their potential roles in determining vector competence and arbovirus transmission. By RNA sequencing, we found that these ISVs profoundly modified host cell gene expression profiles. Two EILV-based chimeras, consisting of EILV's nonstructural genes and the structural genes of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) or Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), namely, EILV/CHIKV (E/C) and EILV/VEEV (E/V), induced more intensive transcriptome regulation than parental EILV and activated different antiviral mechanisms in host cells. We demonstrated that E/C robustly promoted antimicrobial peptide production and E/V strongly upregulated the RNA interference pathway components. This also highlighted the intrinsic divergences between CHIKV and VEEV, representatives of the Old World and New World alphaviruses. In contrast, EILV triggered a limited antiviral response. We further showed that initial chimera infections efficiently inhibited subsequent pathogenic alphavirus replication, especially in the case of E/V infection, which almost prevented VEEV and Sindbis virus (SINV) superinfections. Altogether our study provided valuable information on developing ISVs as biological control agents. IMPORTANCE Mosquito-borne alphaviruses can cause emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, posing a considerable threat to human and animal health worldwide. However, no specific antivirals or commercial vaccines are currently available. Therefore, it is vital to develop biological control measures to contain virus transmission. Insect-specific EILV and its chimeras are supposed to induce superinfection exclusion owing to the close phylogenetical relationship with pathogenic alphaviruses. These viruses might also, like bacterial symbionts, modulate mosquito hosts' vector competence for arboviruses. However, little is known about the responses of mosquitoes or mosquito cells to ISV infections. Here, we found that EILV barely elicited antiviral defenses in host cells, while its chimeras, namely, E/C and E/V, potentiated the responses via different mechanisms. Furthermore, we showed that initial chimera infections could largely inhibit subsequent pathogenic alphavirus infections. Taken together, our study proposed insect-specific chimeras as a promising candidate for developing biological control measures against pathogenic alphaviruses.
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11
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The Involvement of Atlastin in Dengue Virus and Wolbachia Infection in Aedes aegypti and Its Regulation by aae-miR-989. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0225822. [PMID: 36165808 PMCID: PMC9603060 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02258-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-shaping atlastin proteins (ATLs) have been demonstrated to play a functional role during flavivirus replication in mammalian cells. For dengue virus (DENV), atlastin is required in the formation of the replication organelles and RNA replication, virion assembly, production of the infectious virus particles, and trafficking or directing the association of vesicle packets with furin. Here, we investigated the involvement of atlastin in DENV replication in the mosquito Aedes aegypti and explored the possibility of its manipulation by the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia to interfere with DENV replication. Results showed the expression of Ae. aegypti atlastin gene (AaATL) was upregulated in DENV-infected Aag2 cells, and its silencing led to reduced DENV replication. Contrary to our assumption that AaATL could be downregulated by Wolbachia, we did not find evidence for that in Wolbachia-infected cell lines, but this was the case in mosquitoes. Further, silencing AaATL did not have any effect on Wolbachia density. Our results also suggest that aae-miR-989 miRNA negatively regulates AaATL. The oversupply of the miRNA mimic led to reduced DENV replication consistent with the positive role of AaATL in DENV replication. Overall, the results favor AaATL's involvement in DENV replication; however, there is no support that the protein is involved in Wolbachia-mediated DENV inhibition. In addition, the results contribute to discerning further possible overlapping functions of ATLs in mosquitoes and mammalian cells. IMPORTANCE Atlastin is a protein associated with the endoplasmic reticulum and has been shown to play a role in replication of flaviviruses in mammalian cells. This study aimed to investigate the role of mosquito Aedes aegypti atlastin (AaATL) in dengue virus replication and maintenance of Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium, in the mosquito. Our results suggest that AaATL facilitates dengue virus replication in mosquito cells, considering silencing the gene led to reductions in virus replication and virion production. Further, AaATL was found to be regulated by a mosquito microRNA, aae-miR-989. Despite an effect on dengue virus, AaATL silencing did not affect Wolbachia replication and maintenance in mosquito cells. The results shed light on the role of atlastins in mosquito-pathogen interactions and their overlapping roles in mosquito and mammalian cells.
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12
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Avila-Bonilla RG, Salas-Benito JS. Interactions of host miRNAs in the flavivirus 3´UTR genome: From bioinformatics predictions to practical approaches. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:976843. [PMID: 36310869 PMCID: PMC9606609 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.976843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family includes important viruses, such as Dengue, Zika, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, Yellow fever, Saint Louis encephalitis, and Usutu viruses. They are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks, and they can infect humans, causing fever, encephalitis, or haemorrhagic fever. The treatment resources for these diseases and the number of vaccines available are limited. It has been discovered that eukaryotic cells synthesize small RNA molecules that can bind specifically to sequences present in messenger RNAs to inhibit the translation process, thus regulating gene expression. These small RNAs have been named microRNAs, and they have an important impact on viral infections. In this review, we compiled the available information on miRNAs that can interact with the 3’ untranslated region (3’UTR) of the flavivirus genome, a conserved region that is important for viral replication and translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gamaliel Avila-Bonilla
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Rodolfo Gamaliel Avila-Bonilla, ; Juan Santiago Salas-Benito,
| | - Juan Santiago Salas-Benito
- Laboratorio de Biomedicina Moleculart 3, Maestría en Ciencias en Biomedicina Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Rodolfo Gamaliel Avila-Bonilla, ; Juan Santiago Salas-Benito,
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13
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Foo ACY, Lafont BAP, Mueller GA. Expanding the Antiviral Potential of the Mosquito Lipid-transfer Protein AEG12 Against SARS-CoV-2 Using Hydrophobic Antiviral Ligands. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:2555-2565. [PMID: 35891619 PMCID: PMC9353291 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The mosquito protein AEG12 encompasses a large (~ 3800 Å3) hydrophobic cavity which binds and delivers unsaturated fatty acids into biological membranes, allowing it to lyse cells and neutralize a wide range of enveloped viruses. Herein, the lytic and antiviral activities are modified with non‐naturally occurring lipid ligands. We generated novel AEG12 complexes in which the endogenous fatty acid ligands were replaced with hydrophobic viral inhibitors. The resulting compounds modulated cytotoxicity and infectivity against SARS‐CoV‐2, potentially reflecting additional mechanisms of action beyond membrane destabilization. These studies provide valuable insight into the design of novel broad‐spectrum antiviral therapeutics centred on the AEG12 protein scaffold as a delivery vehicle for hydrophobic therapeutic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Y Foo
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Bernard A P Lafont
- SARS-CoV-2 Virology Core, Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Geoffrey A Mueller
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
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14
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Henderson C, Brustolin M, Hegde S, Dayama G, Lau N, Hughes GL, Bergey C, Rasgon JL. Transcriptomic and small RNA response to Mayaro virus infection in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010507. [PMID: 35763539 PMCID: PMC9273063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arboviral pathogen in the genus Alphavirus that is circulating in South America with potential to spread to naïve regions. MAYV is also one of the few viruses with the ability to be transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles, as well as the typical arboviral transmitting mosquitoes in the genus Aedes. Few studies have investigated the infection response of Anopheles mosquitoes. In this study we detail the transcriptomic and small RNA responses of An. stephensi to infection with MAYV via infectious bloodmeal at 2, 7, and 14 days post infection (dpi). 487 unique transcripts were significantly regulated, 78 putative novel miRNAs were identified, and an siRNA response is observed targeting the MAYV genome. Gene ontology analysis of transcripts regulated at each timepoint shows a number of proteases regulated at 2 and 7 dpi, potentially representative of Toll or melanization pathway activation, and repression of pathways related to autophagy and apoptosis at 14 dpi. These findings provide a basic understanding of the infection response of An. stephensi to MAYV and help to identify host factors which might be useful to target to inhibit viral replication in Anopheles mosquitoes. Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a mosquito-borne Alphavirus responsible for outbreaks in South America and the Caribbean. In this study we infected Anopheles stephensi with MAYV and sequenced mRNA and small RNA to understand how MAYV infection impacts gene transcription and the expression of small RNAs in the mosquito vector. Genes involved with innate immunity and signaling pathways related to cell death are regulated in response to MAYV infection of An. stephensi, we also discovered novel miRNAs and describe the expression patterns of miRNAs, siRNAs, and piRNAs following bloodmeal ingestion. These results suggest that MAYV does induce a molecular response to infection in its mosquito vector species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Henderson
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Marco Brustolin
- Unit of Entomology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Shivanand Hegde
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Gargi Dayama
- School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nelson Lau
- School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Grant L. Hughes
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Bergey
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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Antiviral RNAi Mechanisms to Arboviruses in Mosquitoes: microRNA Profile of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from Grenada, West Indies. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne arboviruses, such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus and yellow fever virus, impose a tremendous cost on the health of populations around the world. As a result, much effort has gone into the study of the impact of these viruses on human infections. Comparatively less effort, however, has been made to study the way these viruses interact with mosquitoes themselves. As ingested arboviruses infect their midgut and subsequently other tissue, the mosquito mounts a multifaceted innate immune response. RNA interference, the central intracellular antiviral defense mechanism in mosquitoes and other invertebrates can be induced and modulated through outside triggers (small RNAs) and treatments (transgenesis or viral-vector delivery). Accordingly, modulation of this facet of the mosquito’s immune system would thereby suggest a practical strategy for vector control. However, this requires a detailed understanding of mosquitoes’ endogenous small RNAs and their effects on the mosquito and viral proliferation. This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the mosquito’s immune system along with novel data describing miRNA profiles for Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasiatus in Grenada, West Indies.
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16
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Fiorillo C, Yen PS, Colantoni A, Mariconti M, Azevedo N, Lombardo F, Failloux AB, Arcà B. MicroRNAs and other small RNAs in Aedes aegypti saliva and salivary glands following chikungunya virus infection. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9536. [PMID: 35681077 PMCID: PMC9184468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito saliva facilitates blood feeding through the anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of its proteins. However, the potential contribution of non-coding RNAs to host manipulation is still poorly understood. We analysed small RNAs from Aedes aegypti saliva and salivary glands and show here that chikungunya virus-infection triggers both the siRNA and piRNA antiviral pathways with limited effects on miRNA expression profiles. Saliva appears enriched in specific miRNA subsets and its miRNA content is well conserved among mosquitoes and ticks, clearly pointing to a non-random sorting and occurrence. Finally, we provide evidence that miRNAs from Ae. aegypti saliva may target human immune and inflammatory pathways, as indicated by prediction analysis and searching for experimentally validated targets of identical human miRNAs. Overall, we believe these observations convincingly support a scenario where both proteins and miRNAs from mosquito saliva are injected into vertebrates during blood feeding and contribute to the complex vector-host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Fiorillo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases - Division of Parasitology, "Sapienza" University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Pei-Shi Yen
- Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Institute Pasteur, 25 rue Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Alessio Colantoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, "Sapienza" University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Mariconti
- Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Institute Pasteur, 25 rue Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Nayara Azevedo
- Genomics Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fabrizio Lombardo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases - Division of Parasitology, "Sapienza" University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Arboviruses and Insect Vectors Unit, Institute Pasteur, 25 rue Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Bruno Arcà
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases - Division of Parasitology, "Sapienza" University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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17
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Kumar D, Downs LP, Embers M, Flynt AS, Karim S. Identification of microRNAs in the Lyme Disease Vector Ixodes scapularis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5565. [PMID: 35628370 PMCID: PMC9141961 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs involved in many biological processes, including the immune pathways that control bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections. Pathogens probably modify host miRNAs to facilitate successful infection, so they might be useful targets for vaccination strategies. There are few data on differentially expressed miRNAs in the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis after infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the United States. Small RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis were used to identify and validate differentially expressed I. scapularis salivary miRNAs. Small RNA-seq yielded 133,465,828 (≥18 nucleotides) and 163,852,135 (≥18 nucleotides) small RNA reads from Borrelia-infected and uninfected salivary glands for downstream analysis using the miRDeep2 algorithm. As such, 254 miRNAs were identified across all datasets, 25 of which were high confidence and 51 low confidence known miRNAs. Further, 23 miRNAs were differentially expressed in uninfected and infected salivary glands: 11 were upregulated and 12 were downregulated upon pathogen infection. Gene ontology and network analysis of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs predicted roles in metabolic, cellular, development, cellular component biogenesis, and biological regulation processes. Several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including sphingolipid metabolism; valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation; lipid transport and metabolism; exosome biogenesis and secretion; and phosphate-containing compound metabolic processes, were predicted as targets of differentially expressed miRNAs. A qRT-PCR assay was utilized to validate the differential expression of miRNAs. This study provides new insights into the miRNAs expressed in I. scapularis salivary glands and paves the way for their functional manipulation to prevent or treat B. burgdorferi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (D.K.); (A.S.F.)
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA;
| | - Latoyia P. Downs
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA;
| | - Monica Embers
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
| | - Alex Sutton Flynt
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (D.K.); (A.S.F.)
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA;
| | - Shahid Karim
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (D.K.); (A.S.F.)
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA;
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18
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Cai W, Pan Y, Cheng A, Wang M, Yin Z, Jia R. Regulatory Role of Host MicroRNAs in Flaviviruses Infection. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:869441. [PMID: 35479613 PMCID: PMC9036177 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.869441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA that affect mRNA abundance or translation efficiency by binding to the 3′UTR of the mRNA of the target gene, thereby participating in multiple biological processes, including viral infection. Flavivirus genus consists of small, positive-stranded, single-stranded RNA viruses transmitted by arthropods, especially mosquitoes and ticks. The genus contains several globally significant human/animal pathogens, such as Dengue virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus, Yellow fever virus, Tick-borne encephalitis virus, and Tembusu virus. After flavivirus invades, the expression of host miRNA changes, exerting the immune escape mechanism to create an environment conducive to its survival, and the altered miRNA in turn affects the life cycle of the virus. Accumulated evidence suggests that host miRNAs influence flavivirus replication and host–virus interactions through direct binding of viral genomes or through virus-mediated host transcriptome changes. Furthermore, miRNA can also interweave with other non-coding RNAs, such as long non-coding RNA and circular RNA, to form an interaction network to regulate viral replication. A variety of non-coding RNAs produced by the virus itself exert similar function by interacting with cellular RNA and viral RNA. Understanding the interaction sites between non-coding RNA, especially miRNA, and virus/host genes will help us to find targets for antiviral drugs and viral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Cai
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhong Pan
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Anchun Cheng,
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhongqiong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Research Center of Avian Disease, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
- Renyong Jia,
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19
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Kumar D, Alburaki M, Tahir F, Goblirsch M, Adamczyk J, Karim S. An Insight Into the microRNA Profile of the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the Primary Vector of Honey Bee Deformed Wing Virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:847000. [PMID: 35372101 PMCID: PMC8966896 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.847000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The remarkably adaptive mite Varroa destructor is the most important honey bee ectoparasite. Varroa mites are competent vectors of deformed wing virus (DWV), and the Varroa-virus complex is a major determinant of annual honey bee colony mortality and collapse. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 22-24 nucleotide non-coding RNAs produced by all plants and animals and some viruses that influence biological processes through post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Knowledge of miRNAs and their function in mite biology remains limited. Here we constructed small RNA libraries from male and female V. destructor using Illumina's small RNA-Seq platform. A total of 101,913,208 and 91,904,732 small RNA reads (>18 nucleotides) from male and female mites were analyzed using the miRDeep2 algorithm. A conservative approach predicted 306 miRNAs, 18 of which were upregulated and 13 downregulated in female V. destructor compared with males. Quantitative real-time PCR validated the expression of selected differentially-expressed female Varroa miRNAs. This dataset provides a list of potential miRNA targets involved in regulating vital Varroa biological processes and paves the way for developing strategies to target Varroa and their viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Mohamed Alburaki
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Faizan Tahir
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Michael Goblirsch
- Southern Horticultural Research Unit, USDA ARS, Poplarville, MS, United States
| | - John Adamczyk
- Southern Horticultural Research Unit, USDA ARS, Poplarville, MS, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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20
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Dayama G, Bulekova K, Lau NC. Extending and Running the Mosquito Small RNA Genomics Resource Pipeline. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2509:341-352. [PMID: 35796973 PMCID: PMC10100135 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2380-0_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Mosquito Small RNA Genomics (MSRG) resource is a repository of analyses on the small RNA transcriptomes of mosquito cell cultures and somatic and gonadal tissues. This resource allows for comparing the regulation dynamics of small RNAs generated from transposons and viruses across mosquito species. This chapter covers the procedures to set up the MSRG resource pipeline as a new installation by detailing the necessary collection of genome reference and annotation files and lists of microRNAs (miRNAs) hairpin sequences, transposon repeats consensus sequences, and virus genome sequences. Proper execution of the MSRG resource pipeline yields outputs amenable to biologists to further analyze with desktop and spreadsheet software to gain insights into the balance between arthropod endogenous small RNA populations and the proportions of virus-derived small RNAs that include Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and endogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gargi Dayama
- Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Boston University Bioinformatics Program, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katia Bulekova
- Boston University Research Computing Services, Information Services and Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nelson C Lau
- Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Boston University Bioinformatics Program, Boston, MA, USA.
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21
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Viglietta M, Bellone R, Blisnick AA, Failloux AB. Vector Specificity of Arbovirus Transmission. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:773211. [PMID: 34956136 PMCID: PMC8696169 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.773211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 25% of human infectious diseases are vector-borne diseases (VBDs). These diseases, caused by pathogens shared between animals and humans, are a growing threat to global health with more than 2.5 million annual deaths. Mosquitoes and ticks are the main vectors of arboviruses including flaviviruses, which greatly affect humans. However, all tick or mosquito species are not able to transmit all viruses, suggesting important molecular mechanisms regulating viral infection, dissemination, and transmission by vectors. Despite the large distribution of arthropods (mosquitoes and ticks) and arboviruses, only a few pairings of arthropods (family, genus, and population) and viruses (family, genus, and genotype) successfully transmit. Here, we review the factors that might limit pathogen transmission: internal (vector genetics, immune responses, microbiome including insect-specific viruses, and coinfections) and external, either biotic (adult and larvae nutrition) or abiotic (temperature, chemicals, and altitude). This review will demonstrate the dynamic nature and complexity of virus–vector interactions to help in designing appropriate practices in surveillance and prevention to reduce VBD threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Viglietta
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Bellone
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Adrien Albert Blisnick
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Unit of Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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22
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Transgenic refractory Aedes aegypti lines are resistant to multiple serotypes of dengue virus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23865. [PMID: 34903766 PMCID: PMC8668939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03229-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The areas where dengue virus (DENV) is endemic have expanded rapidly, driven in part by the global spread of Aedes species, which act as disease vectors. DENV replicates in the mosquito midgut and is disseminated to the mosquito’s salivary glands for amplification. Thus, blocking virus infection or replication in the tissues of the mosquito may be a viable strategy for reducing the incidence of DENV transmission to humans. Here we used the mariner Mos1 transposase to create an Aedes aegypti line that expresses virus-specific miRNA hairpins capable of blocking DENV replication. These microRNA are driven by the blood-meal-inducible carboxypeptidase A promoter or by the polyubiquitin promoter. The transgenic mosquitoes exhibited significantly lower infection rates and viral titers for most DENV serotypes 7 days after receiving an infectious blood meal. The treatment was also effective at day 14 post infection after a second blood meal had been administered. In viral transmission assay, we found there was significantly reduced transmission in these lines. These transgenic mosquitoes were effective in silencing most of the DENV genome; such an approach may be employed to control a dengue fever epidemic.
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23
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Xie X, Zeng J. Neuroimmune Evasion of Zika Virus to Facilitate Viral Pathogenesis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:662447. [PMID: 34765564 PMCID: PMC8577791 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.662447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), which preferentially targets neural stem and progenitor cells (NSCs) especially in developing brain, is causally associated with fetal microcephaly, intrauterine retardation, and other congenital malformations in humans. However, there are, so far, no effective drugs and vaccines against ZIKV epidemics, warranting an enhanced understanding of ZIKV biology. Immune response is essential for neuronal cells to combat viral invasion. In turn, neurotropic ZIKV has developed a complex strategy of neuroimmune evasion to facilitate viral pathogenesis, especially developmental impairment in embryonic brain. Here, we review not only overall knowledge of ZIKV-related immune responses, but also current advances in our understanding of immune evasion in ZIKV infection. We also review several specific mechanisms underlying ZIKV protein-mediated immune evasion for viral pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochun Xie
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology-The Chinese University of Hong Kong (KIZ-CUHK) Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jianxiong Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology-The Chinese University of Hong Kong (KIZ-CUHK) Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming National High-level Biosafety Research Center for Non-Human Primates, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic and Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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24
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Öhlund P, Hayer J, Hesson JC, Blomström AL. Small RNA Response to Infection of the Insect-Specific Lammi Virus and Hanko Virus in an Aedes albopictus Cell Line. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112181. [PMID: 34834988 PMCID: PMC8620693 DOI: 10.3390/v13112181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated antiviral immunity is believed to be the primary defense against viral infection in mosquitoes. The production of virus-specific small RNA has been demonstrated in mosquitoes and mosquito-derived cell lines for viruses in all of the major arbovirus families. However, many if not all mosquitoes are infected with a group of viruses known as insect-specific viruses (ISVs), and little is known about the mosquito immune response to this group of viruses. Therefore, in this study, we sequenced small RNA from an Aedes albopictus-derived cell line infected with either Lammi virus (LamV) or Hanko virus (HakV). These viruses belong to two distinct phylogenetic groups of insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFVs). The results revealed that both viruses elicited a strong virus-derived small interfering RNA (vsiRNA) response that increased over time and that targeted the whole viral genome, with a few predominant hotspots observed. Furthermore, only the LamV-infected cells produced virus-derived Piwi-like RNAs (vpiRNAs); however, they were mainly derived from the antisense genome and did not show the typical ping-pong signatures. HakV, which is more distantly related to the dual-host flaviviruses than LamV, may lack certain unknown sequence elements or structures required for vpiRNA production. Our findings increase the understanding of mosquito innate immunity and ISFVs' effects on their host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pontus Öhlund
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-18-672-409
| | - Juliette Hayer
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU-Global Bioinformatics Centre, P.O. Box 7023, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Jenny C. Hesson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 582, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Anne-Lie Blomström
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7028, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
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25
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Zhu C, Jiang Y, Zhang Q, Gao J, Li C, Li C, Dong Y, Xing D, Zhang H, Zhao T, Guo X, Zhao T. Vector competence of Aedes aegypti and screening for differentially expressed microRNAs exposed to Zika virus. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:504. [PMID: 34579782 PMCID: PMC8477552 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted to humans primarily by Aedes aegypti. Previous studies on Ae. aegypti from Jiegao (JG) and Mengding (MD) in Yunnan province, China have shown that these mosquitoes are able to transmit ZIKV to their offspring through vertical transmission, indicating that these two Ae. aegypti strains pose a potential risk for ZIKV transmission. However, the vector competence of these two Ae. aegypti strains to ZIKV has not been evaluated and the molecular mechanisms influencing vector competence are still unclear. Methods Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from JG and MD were orally infected with ZIKV, and the infection rate (IR), dissemination rate (DR), transmission rate (TR) and transmission efficiency (TE) of these two mosquito strains were explored to evaluate their vector competence to ZIKV. On 2, 4 and 6 days post-infection (dpi), the small RNA profiles between ZIKV-infected and non-infected Ae. aegypti midgut and salivary gland tissues were compared to gain insights into the molecular interactions between ZIKV and Ae. aegypti. Results There were no significant differences in the IR, DR, TR and TE between the two Ae. aegypti strains (P > 0.05). However, ZIKV RNA appeared 2 days earlier in saliva of the JG strain, which indicated a higher competence of the JG strain to transmit ZIKV. Significant differences in the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles between ZIKV-infected and non-infected Ae. aegypti were found in the 2-dpi libraries of both the midgut and salivary gland tissues from the two strains. In addition, 27 and 74 miRNAs (|log2 fold change| > 2) were selected from the miRNA expression profiles of ZIKV-infected and non-infected midgut and salivary gland tissues from the JG and MD strains, respectively. Conclusions Our results provide novel insights into the ZIKV–mosquito interactions and build a foundation for future research on how miRNAs regulate the vector competence of mosquitoes to this arbovirus. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05007-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunling Zhu
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guangxi International Zhuang Medicine Hospital, Nanning, 530201, Guangxi, China
| | - Yuting Jiang
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Qianghui Zhang
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Chaojie Li
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Chunxiao Li
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Yande Dong
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Dan Xing
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Hengduan Zhang
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Teng Zhao
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Xiaoxia Guo
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Tongyan Zhao
- Department of Vector Biology and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Vector Borne and Natural Focus Infectious Diseases, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China.
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26
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Parry R, James ME, Asgari S. Uncovering the Worldwide Diversity and Evolution of the Virome of the Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081653. [PMID: 34442732 PMCID: PMC8398489 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, and Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, are the most significant vectors of dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses globally. Studies examining host factors that control arbovirus transmission demonstrate that insect-specific viruses (ISVs) can modulate mosquitoes’ susceptibility to arbovirus infection in both in vivo and in vitro co-infection models. While research is ongoing to implicate individual ISVs as proviral or antiviral factors, we have a limited understanding of the composition and diversity of the Aedes virome. To address this gap, we used a meta-analysis approach to uncover virome diversity by analysing ~3000 available RNA sequencing libraries representing a worldwide geographic range for both mosquitoes. We identified ten novel viruses and previously characterised viruses, including mononegaviruses, orthomyxoviruses, negeviruses, and a novel bi-segmented negev-like group. Phylogenetic analysis suggests close relatedness to mosquito viruses implying likely insect host range except for one arbovirus, the multi-segmented Jingmen tick virus (Flaviviridae) in an Italian colony of Ae. albopictus. Individual mosquito transcriptomes revealed remarkable inter-host variation of ISVs within individuals from the same colony and heterogeneity between different laboratory strains. Additionally, we identified striking virus diversity in Wolbachia infected Aedes cell lines. This study expands our understanding of the virome of these important vectors. It provides a resource for further assessing the ecology, evolution, and interaction of ISVs with their mosquito hosts and the arboviruses they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhys Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Maddie E James
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.E.J.); (S.A.)
| | - Sassan Asgari
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.E.J.); (S.A.)
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27
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Interactions of the Insect-Specific Palm Creek Virus with Zika and Chikungunya Viruses in Aedes Mosquitoes. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081652. [PMID: 34442731 PMCID: PMC8402152 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Palm Creek virus (PCV) is an insect-specific flavivirus that can interfere with the replication of mosquito-borne flaviviruses in Culex mosquitoes, thereby potentially reducing disease transmission. We examined whether PCV could interfere with arbovirus replication in Aedes (Ae.) aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, major vectors for many prominent mosquito-borne viral diseases. We infected laboratory colonies of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus with PCV to evaluate infection dynamics. PCV infection was found to persist to at least 21 days post-infection and could be detected in the midguts and ovaries. We then assayed for PCV-arbovirus interference by orally challenging PCV-infected mosquitoes with Zika and chikungunya viruses. For both arboviruses, PCV infection had no effect on infection and transmission rates, indicating limited potential as a method of intervention for Aedes-transmitted arboviruses. We also explored the hypothesis that PCV-arbovirus interference is mediated by the small interfering RNA pathway in silico. Our findings indicate that RNA interference is unlikely to underlie the mechanism of arbovirus inhibition and emphasise the need for empirical examination of individual pairs of insect-specific viruses and arboviruses to fully understand their impact on arbovirus transmission.
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28
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Perdomo HD, Hussain M, Parry R, Etebari K, Hedges LM, Zhang G, Schulz BL, Asgari S. Human blood microRNA hsa-miR-21-5p induces vitellogenin in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2021; 4:856. [PMID: 34244602 PMCID: PMC8270986 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02385-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito vectors transmit various diseases through blood feeding, required for their egg development. Hence, blood feeding is a major physiological event in their life cycle, during which hundreds of genes are tightly regulated. Blood is a rich source of proteins for mosquitoes, but also contains many other molecules including microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we found that human blood miRNAs are transported abundantly into the fat body tissue of Aedes aegypti, a key metabolic center in post-blood feeding reproductive events, where they target and regulate mosquito genes. Using an artificial diet spiked with the mimic of an abundant and stable human blood miRNA, hsa-miR-21-5p, and proteomics analysis, we found over 40 proteins showing differential expression in female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes after feeding. Of interest, we found that the miRNA positively regulates the vitellogenin gene, coding for a yolk protein produced in the mosquito fat body and then transported to the ovaries as a protein source for egg production. Inhibition of hsa-miR-21-5p followed by human blood feeding led to a statistically insignificant reduction in progeny production. The results provide another example of the involvement of small regulatory molecules in the interaction of taxonomically vastly different taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo D. Perdomo
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Mazhar Hussain
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Rhys Parry
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Kayvan Etebari
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Lauren M. Hedges
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Guangmei Zhang
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Benjamin L. Schulz
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
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29
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Spadar A, Phelan JE, Benavente ED, Campos M, Gomez LF, Mohareb F, Clark TG, Campino S. Flavivirus integrations in Aedes aegypti are limited and highly conserved across samples from different geographic regions unlike integrations in Aedes albopictus. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:332. [PMID: 34174947 PMCID: PMC8235865 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04828-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are the main vectors of many viruses, e.g. dengue and Zika, which affect millions of people each year and for which there are limited treatment options. Understanding how Aedes mosquitoes tolerate high viral loads may lead to better disease control strategies. Elucidating endogenous viral elements (EVEs) within vector genomes may give exploitable biological insights. Previous studies have reported the presence of a large number of EVEs in Aedes genomes. Here we investigated if flavivirus EVEs are conserved across populations and different Aedes species by using ~ 500 whole genome sequence libraries from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, sourced from colonies and field mosquitoes across continents. We found that nearly all flavivirus EVEs in the Ae. aegypti reference genome originate from four separate putative viral integration events, and that they are highly conserved across geographically diverse samples. By contrast, flavivirus EVEs in the Ae. albopictus reference genome originate from up to nine distinct integration events and show low levels of conservation, even within samples from narrow geographical ranges. Our analysis suggests that flaviviruses integrated as long sequences and were subsequently fragmented and shuffled by transposable elements. Given that EVEs of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus belong to different phylogenetic clades and have very differing levels of conservation, they may have different evolutionary origins and potentially different functional roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Spadar
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jody E Phelan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ernest Diez Benavente
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Monica Campos
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Lara Ferrero Gomez
- Unidade de Ciências da Natureza, da Vida e do Ambiente, Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde, Praia, Cabo Verde
| | - Fady Mohareb
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Bedford, UK
| | - Taane G Clark
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Susana Campino
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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30
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Reyes JIL, Suzuki Y, Carvajal T, Muñoz MNM, Watanabe K. Intracellular Interactions Between Arboviruses and Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:690087. [PMID: 34249780 PMCID: PMC8261290 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.690087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is inherently susceptible to arboviruses. The geographical expansion of this vector host species has led to the persistence of Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya human infections. These viruses take advantage of the mosquito’s cell to create an environment conducive for their growth. Arboviral infection triggers transcriptomic and protein dysregulation in Ae. aegypti and in effect, host antiviral mechanisms are compromised. Currently, there are no existing vaccines able to protect human hosts from these infections and thus, vector control strategies such as Wolbachia mass release program is regarded as a viable option. Considerable evidence demonstrates how the presence of Wolbachia interferes with arboviruses by decreasing host cytoskeletal proteins and lipids essential for arboviral infection. Also, Wolbachia strengthens host immunity, cellular regeneration and causes the expression of microRNAs which could potentially be involved in virus inhibition. However, variation in the magnitude of Wolbachia’s pathogen blocking effect that is not due to the endosymbiont’s density has been recently reported. Furthermore, the cellular mechanisms involved in this phenotype differs depending on Wolbachia strain and host species. This prompts the need to explore the cellular interactions between Ae. aegypti-arboviruses-Wolbachia and how different Wolbachia strains overall affect the mosquito’s cell. Understanding what happens at the cellular and molecular level will provide evidence on the sustainability of Wolbachia vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerica Isabel L Reyes
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.,Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Yasutsugu Suzuki
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Thaddeus Carvajal
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.,Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Sciences and Environmental Research (CENSER), De La Salle University, Metro Manila, Philippines
| | - Maria Nilda M Muñoz
- Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Sciences and Environmental Research (CENSER), De La Salle University, Metro Manila, Philippines.,Research and Development Extension, Cagayan State University, Tuguegarao City, Philippines
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.,Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.,Biological Control Research Unit, Center for Natural Sciences and Environmental Research (CENSER), De La Salle University, Metro Manila, Philippines
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31
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Xu TL, Sun YW, Feng XY, Zhou XN, Zheng B. Development of miRNA-Based Approaches to Explore the Interruption of Mosquito-Borne Disease Transmission. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:665444. [PMID: 34235091 PMCID: PMC8256169 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.665444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA or miR)-based approaches to interrupt the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases have been explored since 2005. A review of these studies and areas in which to proceed is needed. In this review, significant progress is reviewed at the level of individual miRNAs, and miRNA diversification and relevant confounders are described in detail. Current miRNA studies in mosquitoes include four steps, namely, identifying miRNAs, validating miRNA-pathogen interactions, exploring action mechanisms, and performing preapplication investigations. Notably, regarding the Plasmodium parasite, mosquito miRNAs generally bind to mosquito immunity- or development-related mRNAs, indirectly regulating Plasmodium infection; However, regarding arboviruses, mosquito miRNAs can bind to the viral genome, directly modifying viral replication. Thus, during explorations of miRNA-based approaches, researchers need select an ideal miRNA for investigation based on the mosquito species, tissue, and mosquito-borne pathogen of interest. Additionally, strategies for miRNA-based approaches differ for arboviruses and protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tie-Long Xu
- Evidence-Based Medicine Research Center, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China.,National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Wen Sun
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Yu Feng
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China.,School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China.,School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zheng
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shanghai, China.,School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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32
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An Aedes aegypti-Derived Ago2 Knockout Cell Line to Investigate Arbovirus Infections. Viruses 2021; 13:v13061066. [PMID: 34205194 PMCID: PMC8227176 DOI: 10.3390/v13061066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are known as important vectors of many arthropod-borne (arbo)viruses causing disease in humans. These include dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses. The exogenous small interfering (si)RNA (exo-siRNA) pathway is believed to be the main antiviral defense in arthropods, including mosquitoes. During infection, double-stranded RNAs that form during viral replication and infection are cleaved by the enzyme Dicer 2 (Dcr2) into virus-specific 21 nt vsiRNAs, which are subsequently loaded into Argonaute 2 (Ago2). Ago2 then targets and subsequently cleaves complementary RNA sequences, resulting in degradation of the target viral RNA. Although various studies using silencing approaches have supported the antiviral activity of the exo-siRNA pathway in mosquitoes, and despite strong similarities between the siRNA pathway in the Drosophila melanogaster model and mosquitoes, important questions remain unanswered. The antiviral activity of Ago2 against different arboviruses has been previously demonstrated. However, silencing of Ago2 had no effect on ZIKV replication, whereas Dcr2 knockout enhanced its replication. These findings raise the question as to the role of Ago2 and Dcr2 in the control of arboviruses from different viral families in mosquitoes. Using a newly established Ago2 knockout cell line, alongside the previously reported Dcr2 knockout cell line, we investigated the impact these proteins have on the modulation of different arboviral infections. Infection of Ago2 knockout cell line with alpha- and bunyaviruses resulted in an increase of viral replication, but not in the case of ZIKV. Analysis of small RNA sequencing data in the Ago2 knockout cells revealed a lack of methylated siRNAs from different sources, such as acute and persistently infecting viruses-, TE- and transcriptome-derived RNAs. The results confirmed the importance of the exo-siRNA pathway in the defense against arboviruses, but highlights variability in its response to different viruses and the impact the siRNA pathway proteins have in controlling viral replication. Moreover, this established Ago2 knockout cell line can be used for functional Ago2 studies, as well as research on the interplay between the RNAi pathways.
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Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV; Flaviviridae) is a devastating virus transmitted to humans by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. The interaction of the virus with the mosquito vector is poorly known. The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated interruption or activation of immunity-related genes in the Toll, IMD, JAK-STAT, and short interfering RNA (siRNA) pathways did not affect ZIKV infection in A. aegypti. Transcriptome-based analysis indicated that most immunity-related genes were upregulated in response to ZIKV infection, including leucine-rich immune protein (LRIM) genes. Further, there was a significant increment in the ZIKV load in LRIM9-, LRIM10A-, and LIRM10B-silenced A. aegypti, suggesting their function in modulating viral infection. Further, gene function enrichment analysis revealed that viral infection increased global ribosomal activity. Silencing of RpL23 and RpL27, two ribosomal large subunit genes, increased mosquito resistance to ZIKV infection. In vitro fat body culture assay revealed that the expression of RpL23 and RpL27 was responsive to the Juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathway. These two genes were transcriptionally regulated by JH and its receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met) complex. Silencing of Met also inhibited ZIKV infection in A. aegypti. This suggests that ZIKV enhances ribosomal activity through JH regulation to promote infection in mosquitoes. Together, these data reveal A. aegypti immune responses to ZIKV and suggest a control strategy that reduces ZIKV transmission by modulating host factors. IMPORTANCE Most flaviviruses are transmitted between hosts by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes. Since therapeutics or vaccines are lacking for most mosquito-borne diseases, reducing the mosquito vector competence is an effective way to decrease disease burden. We used high-throughput sequencing technology to study the interaction between mosquito Aedes aegypti and ZIKV. Leucine-rich immune protein (LRIM) genes were involved in the defense in response to viral infection. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi) silencing of RpL23 and RpL27, two JH-regulated ribosomal large subunit genes, suppressed ZIKV infection in A. aegypti. These results suggest a novel control strategy that could block the transmission of ZIKV.
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miRNAs of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus 1762) conserved in six orders of the class Insecta. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10706. [PMID: 34021209 PMCID: PMC8139948 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90095-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti L. is the most important vector of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, Mayaro, and yellow fever, which impact millions of people's health per year. MicroRNA profile has been described in some mosquito species as being important for biological processes such as digestion of blood, oviposition, sexual differentiation, insecticide resistance, and pathogens dissemination. We identified the miRNAs of Ae. aegypti females, males and eggs of a reference insecticide susceptible strain New Orleans and compared them with those other insects to determine miRNA fingerprint by new-generation sequencing. The sequences were analyzed using data mining tools and categorization, followed by differential expression analysis and conservation with other insects. A total of 55 conserved miRNAs were identified, of which 34 were of holometabolous insects and 21 shared with hemimetabolous insects. Of these miRNAs, 32 had differential expression within the stages analyzed. Three predominant functions of miRNA were related to embryonic development regulation, metamorphosis, and basal functions. The findings of this research describe new information on Ae. aegypti physiology which could be useful for the development of new control strategies, particularly in mosquito development and metamorphosis processes.
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Ahmed W, Neelakanta G, Sultana H. Tetraspanins as Potential Therapeutic Candidates for Targeting Flaviviruses. Front Immunol 2021; 12:630571. [PMID: 33968023 PMCID: PMC8097176 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.630571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetraspanin family of proteins participates in numerous fundamental signaling pathways involved in viral transmission, virus-specific immunity, and virus-mediated vesicular trafficking. Studies in the identification of novel therapeutic candidates and strategies to target West Nile virus, dengue and Zika viruses are highly warranted due to the failure in development of vaccines. Recent evidences have shown that the widely distributed tetraspanin proteins may provide a platform for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In this review, we discuss the diversified and important functions of tetraspanins in exosome/extracellular vesicle biology, virus-host interactions, virus-mediated vesicular trafficking, modulation of immune mechanism(s), and their possible role(s) in host antiviral defense mechanism(s) through interactions with noncoding RNAs. We also highlight the role of tetraspanins in the development of novel therapeutics to target arthropod-borne flaviviral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqas Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Girish Neelakanta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Hameeda Sultana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
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36
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Marconcini M, Pischedda E, Houé V, Palatini U, Lozada-Chávez N, Sogliani D, Failloux AB, Bonizzoni M. Profile of Small RNAs, vDNA Forms and Viral Integrations in Late Chikungunya Virus Infection of Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes. Viruses 2021; 13:553. [PMID: 33806250 PMCID: PMC8066115 DOI: 10.3390/v13040553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is contributing to the (re)-emergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). To gain insights into the molecular underpinning of viral persistence, which renders a mosquito a life-long vector, we coupled small RNA and whole genome sequencing approaches on carcasses and ovaries of mosquitoes sampled 14 days post CHIKV infection and investigated the profile of small RNAs and the presence of vDNA fragments. Since Aedes genomes harbor nonretroviral Endogenous Viral Elements (nrEVEs) which confers tolerance to cognate viral infections in ovaries, we also tested whether nrEVEs are formed after CHIKV infection. We show that while small interfering (si)RNAs are evenly distributed along the full viral genome, PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs mostly arise from a ~1000 bp window, from which a unique vDNA fragment is identified. CHIKV infection does not result in the formation of new nrEVEs, but piRNAs derived from existing nrEVEs correlate with differential expression of an endogenous transcript. These results demonstrate that all three RNAi pathways contribute to the homeostasis during the late stage of CHIKV infection, but in different ways, ranging from directly targeting the viral sequence to regulating the expression of mosquito transcripts and expand the role of nrEVEs beyond immunity against cognate viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Marconcini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Elisa Pischedda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Vincent Houé
- Arbovirus and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; (V.H.); (A.-B.F.)
| | - Umberto Palatini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Nabor Lozada-Chávez
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Davide Sogliani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
| | - Anna-Bella Failloux
- Arbovirus and Insect Vectors Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; (V.H.); (A.-B.F.)
| | - Mariangela Bonizzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.M.); (E.P.); (U.P.); (N.L.-C.); (D.S.)
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37
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Foo ACY, Thompson PM, Chen SH, Jadi R, Lupo B, DeRose EF, Arora S, Placentra VC, Premkumar L, Perera L, Pedersen LC, Martin N, Mueller GA. The mosquito protein AEG12 displays both cytolytic and antiviral properties via a common lipid transfer mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2019251118. [PMID: 33688047 PMCID: PMC7980415 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2019251118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito protein AEG12 is up-regulated in response to blood meals and flavivirus infection though its function remained elusive. Here, we determine the three-dimensional structure of AEG12 and describe the binding specificity of acyl-chain ligands within its large central hydrophobic cavity. We show that AEG12 displays hemolytic and cytolytic activity by selectively delivering unsaturated fatty acid cargoes into phosphatidylcholine-rich lipid bilayers. This property of AEG12 also enables it to inhibit replication of enveloped viruses such as Dengue and Zika viruses at low micromolar concentrations. Weaker inhibition was observed against more distantly related coronaviruses and lentivirus, while no inhibition was observed against the nonenveloped virus adeno-associated virus. Together, our results uncover the mechanistic understanding of AEG12 function and provide the necessary implications for its use as a broad-spectrum therapeutic against cellular and viral targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Y Foo
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Peter M Thompson
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Shih-Heng Chen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Ramesh Jadi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Brianna Lupo
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Eugene F DeRose
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Simrat Arora
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Victoria C Placentra
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Lakshmanane Premkumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Lalith Perera
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Lars C Pedersen
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Negin Martin
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
| | - Geoffrey A Mueller
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709;
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38
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Cheng L, Liu WL, Tsou YT, Li JC, Chien CH, Su MP, Liu KL, Huang YL, Wu SC, Tsai JJ, Hsieh SL, Chen CH. Transgenic Expression of Human C-Type Lectin Protein CLEC18A Reduces Dengue Virus Type 2 Infectivity in Aedes aegypti. Front Immunol 2021; 12:640367. [PMID: 33767710 PMCID: PMC7985527 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.640367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The C-type lectins, one family of lectins featuring carbohydrate binding domains which participate in a variety of bioprocesses in both humans and mosquitoes, including immune response, are known to target DENV. A human C-type lectin protein CLEC18A in particular shows extensive glycan binding abilities and correlates with type-I interferon expression, making CLEC18A a potential player in innate immune responses to DENV infection; this potential may provide additional regulatory point in improving mosquito immunity. Here, we established for the first time a transgenic Aedes aegypti line that expresses human CLEC18A. This expression enhanced the Toll immune pathway responses to DENV infection. Furthermore, viral genome and virus titers were reduced by 70% in the midgut of transgenic mosquitoes. We found significant changes in the composition of the midgut microbiome in CLEC18A expressing mosquitoes, which may result from the Toll pathway enhancement and contribute to DENV inhibition. Transgenic mosquito lines offer a compelling option for studying DENV pathogenesis, and our analyses indicate that modifying the mosquito immune system via expression of a human immune gene can significantly reduce DENV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lie Cheng
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.,Tropical Medicine Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Liang Liu
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ting Tsou
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Chiuan Li
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hao Chien
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Matthew P Su
- Department of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kun-Lin Liu
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Lang Huang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Cheng Wu
- National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Jin Tsai
- Tropical Medicine Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shie-Liang Hsieh
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hong Chen
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.,National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
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39
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Tikhe CV, Dimopoulos G. Mosquito antiviral immune pathways. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 116:103964. [PMID: 33301792 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of a large number of viral pathogens. In recent years, increased urbanization and climate change has expanded the range of many vector mosquitoes. The lack of effective medical interventions has made the control of mosquito-borne viral diseases very difficult. Understanding the interactions between the mosquito immune system and viruses is critical if we are to develop effective control strategies against these diseases. Mosquitoes harbor multiple conserved immune pathways that curb invading viral pathogens. Despite the conservation of these pathways, the activation and intensity of the mosquito immune response varies with the mosquito species, tissue, and the infecting virus. This article reviews major conserved antiviral immune pathways in vector mosquitoes, their interactions with invading viral pathogens, and how these interactions restrict or promote infection of these medically important viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay V Tikhe
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, United States.
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, United States.
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40
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Ma Q, Srivastav SP, Gamez S, Dayama G, Feitosa-Suntheimer F, Patterson EI, Johnson RM, Matson EM, Gold AS, Brackney DE, Connor JH, Colpitts TM, Hughes GL, Rasgon JL, Nolan T, Akbari OS, Lau NC. A mosquito small RNA genomics resource reveals dynamic evolution and host responses to viruses and transposons. Genome Res 2021; 31:512-528. [PMID: 33419731 PMCID: PMC7919454 DOI: 10.1101/gr.265157.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Although mosquitoes are major transmission vectors for pathogenic arboviruses, viral infection has little impact on mosquito health. This immunity is caused in part by mosquito RNA interference (RNAi) pathways that generate antiviral small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). RNAi also maintains genome integrity by potently repressing mosquito transposon activity in the germline and soma. However, viral and transposon small RNA regulatory pathways have not been systematically examined together in mosquitoes. Therefore, we developed an integrated mosquito small RNA genomics (MSRG) resource that analyzes the transposon and virus small RNA profiles in mosquito cell cultures and somatic and gonadal tissues across four medically important mosquito species. Our resource captures both somatic and gonadal small RNA expression profiles within mosquito cell cultures, and we report the evolutionary dynamics of a novel Mosquito-Conserved piRNA Cluster Locus (MCpiRCL) made up of satellite DNA repeats. In the larger culicine mosquito genomes we detected highly regular periodicity in piRNA biogenesis patterns coinciding with the expansion of Piwi pathway genes. Finally, our resource enables detection of cross talk between piRNA and siRNA populations in mosquito cells during a response to virus infection. The MSRG resource will aid efforts to dissect and combat the capacity of mosquitoes to tolerate and spread arboviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qicheng Ma
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Satyam P Srivastav
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Stephanie Gamez
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Gargi Dayama
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Fabiana Feitosa-Suntheimer
- Department of Microbiology and the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Edward I Patterson
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca M Johnson
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Erik M Matson
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Alexander S Gold
- Department of Microbiology and the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Douglas E Brackney
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - John H Connor
- Department of Microbiology and the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Tonya M Colpitts
- Department of Microbiology and the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Grant L Hughes
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Tony Nolan
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Omar S Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Nelson C Lau
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
- Boston University Genome Science Institute and the National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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41
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A Review: Aedes-Borne Arboviral Infections, Controls and Wolbachia-Based Strategies. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9010032. [PMID: 33435566 PMCID: PMC7827552 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses (Arboviruses) continue to generate significant health and economic burdens for people living in endemic regions. Of these viruses, some of the most important (e.g., dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever virus), are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes. Over the years, viral infection control has targeted vector population reduction and inhibition of arboviral replication and transmission. This control includes the vector control methods which are classified into chemical, environmental, and biological methods. Some of these control methods may be largely experimental (both field and laboratory investigations) or widely practised. Perceptively, one of the biological methods of vector control, in particular, Wolbachia-based control, shows a promising control strategy for eradicating Aedes-borne arboviruses. This can either be through the artificial introduction of Wolbachia, a naturally present bacterium that impedes viral growth in mosquitoes into heterologous Aedes aegypti mosquito vectors (vectors that are not natural hosts of Wolbachia) thereby limiting arboviral transmission or via Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which naturally harbour Wolbachia infection. These strategies are potentially undermined by the tendency of mosquitoes to lose Wolbachia infection in unfavourable weather conditions (e.g., high temperature) and the inhibitory competitive dynamics among co-circulating Wolbachia strains. The main objective of this review was to critically appraise published articles on vector control strategies and specifically highlight the use of Wolbachia-based control to suppress vector population growth or disrupt viral transmission. We retrieved studies on the control strategies for arboviral transmissions via arthropod vectors and discussed the use of Wolbachia control strategies for eradicating arboviral diseases to identify literature gaps that will be instrumental in developing models to estimate the impact of these control strategies and, in essence, the use of different Wolbachia strains and features.
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Zhang X, Raikhel AS. Hormonal regulation of microRNA expression dynamics in the gut of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. RNA Biol 2020; 18:1682-1691. [PMID: 33317406 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2020.1864181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti is an obligatory blood feeder and a major arboviral disease vector, evoking severe public health concerns worldwide. In adult female mosquitoes, the gut is critical for blood digestion and pathogen entry. We aimed for a systematic exploration of microRNA expression dynamics in the gut during the gonadotrophic cycle. Small RNA libraries were constructed from female mosquito gut tissues at five time points. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering revealed three expression clusters (early, mid and late) peaking at sequential time points - 24, 48 and 72 h posteclosion. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified at 24 h post-blood meal (PBM). Depletions of Methoprene-tolerant [Met; the juvenile hormone (JH) receptor] and Ecdysone receptor [EcR; the receptor to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E)] were performed using dsRNA to these genes to investigate impacts on microRNA expressions. Our results suggest that Met-mediated signalling downregulates miRNA expression from the early cluster and upregulates that from the late cluster. EcR signalling either up- or downregulated miRNA levels at 24 h PBM, indicating a differential effect of this receptor in miRNA gene expression. Furthermore, miR-281, which is the most abundant miRNA in the gut tissue, is induced and repressed by Met- and EcR-mediated signalling, respectively. Systematic depletion using synthetic antagomir and phenotype examinations indicate that miR-281 is obligatory for the normal progression of blood digestion, ovarian development and reproduction. Collectively, this study unveils expression dynamics of microRNAs in the female gut tissue during the gonadotrophic cycle and demonstrates that they are affected by JH and 20E signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufeng Zhang
- Department of Entomology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Alexander S Raikhel
- Department of Entomology and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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43
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Harsh S, Eleftherianos I. Flavivirus Infection and Regulation of Host Immune and Tissue Homeostasis in Insects. Front Immunol 2020; 11:618801. [PMID: 33329613 PMCID: PMC7733989 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.618801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sneh Harsh
- Infection and Innate Immunity Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
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44
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Gamez S, Srivastav S, Akbari OS, Lau NC. Diverse Defenses: A Perspective Comparing Dipteran Piwi-piRNA Pathways. Cells 2020; 9:E2180. [PMID: 32992598 PMCID: PMC7601171 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals face the dual threat of virus infections hijacking cellular function and transposons proliferating in germline genomes. For insects, the deeply conserved RNA interference (RNAi) pathways and other chromatin regulators provide an important line of defense against both viruses and transposons. For example, this innate immune system displays adaptiveness to new invasions by generating cognate small RNAs for targeting gene silencing measures against the viral and genomic intruders. However, within the Dipteran clade of insects, Drosophilid fruit flies and Culicids mosquitoes have evolved several unique mechanistic aspects of their RNAi defenses to combat invading transposons and viruses, with the Piwi-piRNA arm of the RNAi pathways showing the greatest degree of novel evolution. Whereas central features of Piwi-piRNA pathways are conserved between Drosophilids and Culicids, multiple lineage-specific innovations have arisen that may reflect distinct genome composition differences and specific ecological and physiological features dividing these two branches of Dipterans. This perspective review focuses on the most recent findings illuminating the Piwi/piRNA pathway distinctions between fruit flies and mosquitoes, and raises open questions that need to be addressed in order to ameliorate human diseases caused by pathogenic viruses that mosquitoes transmit as vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Gamez
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; (S.G.); (O.S.A.)
| | - Satyam Srivastav
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703, USA;
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA; (S.G.); (O.S.A.)
| | - Nelson C. Lau
- Department of Biochemistry and Genome Science Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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45
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Zeng J, Dong S, Luo Z, Xie X, Fu B, Li P, Liu C, Yang X, Chen Y, Wang X, Liu Z, Wu J, Yan Y, Wang F, Chen JF, Zhang J, Long G, Goldman SA, Li S, Zhao Z, Liang Q. The Zika Virus Capsid Disrupts Corticogenesis by Suppressing Dicer Activity and miRNA Biogenesis. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 27:618-632.e9. [PMID: 32763144 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) causes microcephaly and disrupts neurogenesis. Dicer-mediated miRNA biogenesis is required for embryonic brain development and has been suggested to be disrupted upon ZIKV infection. Here we mapped the ZIKV-host interactome in neural stem cells (NSCs) and found that Dicer is specifically targeted by the capsid from ZIKV, but not other flaviviruses, to facilitate ZIKV infection. We identified a capsid mutant (H41R) that loses this interaction and does not suppress Dicer activity. Consistently, ZIKV-H41R is less virulent and does not inhibit neurogenesis in vitro or corticogenesis in utero. Epidemic ZIKV strains contain capsid mutations that increase Dicer binding affinity and enhance pathogenicity. ZIKV-infected NSCs show global dampening of miRNA production, including key miRNAs linked to neurogenesis, which is not observed after ZIKV-H41R infection. Together these findings show that capsid-dependent suppression of Dicer is a major determinant of ZIKV immune evasion and pathogenesis and may underlie ZIKV-related microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiong Zeng
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shupeng Dong
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhifei Luo
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiaochun Xie
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bishi Fu
- Department of Paediatrics, Medical Research Institute, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengrong Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Yang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenshan Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Youzhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Fu Chen
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Long
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Steven A Goldman
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shitao Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Zhen Zhao
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Qiming Liang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Research Center of Translational Medicine, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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46
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Tng PYL, Carabajal Paladino L, Verkuijl SAN, Purcell J, Merits A, Leftwich PT, Fragkoudis R, Noad R, Alphey L. Cas13b-dependent and Cas13b-independent RNA knockdown of viral sequences in mosquito cells following guide RNA expression. Commun Biol 2020; 3:413. [PMID: 32737398 PMCID: PMC7395101 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are vectors of the RNA viruses chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue that currently have no specific therapeutic treatments. The development of new methods to generate virus-refractory mosquitoes would be beneficial. Cas13b is an enzyme that uses RNA guides to target and cleave RNA molecules and has been reported to suppress RNA viruses in mammalian and plant cells. We investigated the potential use of the Prevotella sp. P5-125 Cas13b system to provide viral refractoriness in mosquito cells, using a virus-derived reporter and a CHIKV split replication system. Cas13b in combination with suitable guide RNAs could induce strong suppression of virus-derived reporter RNAs in insect cells. Surprisingly, the RNA guides alone (without Cas13b) also gave substantial suppression. Our study provides support for the potential use of Cas13b in mosquitoes, but also caution in interpreting CRISPR/Cas data as we show that guide RNAs can have Cas-independent effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Ying Lei Tng
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | | | - Sebald Alexander Nkosana Verkuijl
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Jessica Purcell
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Andres Merits
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, Tartu, 50411, Estonia
| | - Philip Thomas Leftwich
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Rennos Fragkoudis
- Arbovirus Pathogenesis, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK
- The University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Rob Noad
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Luke Alphey
- Arthropod Genetics, The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, GU24 0NF, UK.
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47
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Ross River Virus Provokes Differentially Expressed MicroRNA and RNA Interference Responses in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes. Viruses 2020; 12:v12070695. [PMID: 32605094 PMCID: PMC7412335 DOI: 10.3390/v12070695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are globally distributed and predominately transmitted by mosquitoes. Aedes species are common vectors for the clinically important alphaviruses-Chikungunya, Sindbis, and Ross River (RRV) viruses-with Aedes aegypti also being a vector for the flaviviruses dengue, Yellow Fever, and Zika viruses. Ae. aegypti was putatively implicated in the large 1979-1980 South Pacific Islands outbreak of RRV-the leading cause of arboviral disease in Australia today. The RNA interference (RNAi) defense response in mosquitoes involves a number of small RNAs, with their kinetics induced by alphaviruses being poorly understood, particularly at the tissue level. We compared the small RNA profiles between RRV-infected and noninfected Ae. aegypti midgut and fat body tissues at 2, 6, and 12 days post-inoculation (dpi). RRV induced an incremental RNAi response, yielding short interfering and P-element-induced-wimpy-testis (PIWI)-interacting RNAs. Fourteen host microRNAs were differentially expressed due to RRV with the majority in the fat body at 2 dpi. The largely congruent pattern of microRNA regulation with previous reports for alphaviruses and divergence from those for flaviviruses suggests a degree of conservation, whereas patterns of microRNA expression unique to this study provide novel insights into the tissuespecific hostvirus attributes of Ae. aegypti responses to this previously unexplored oldworld alphavirus.
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48
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Ferreira PG, Tesla B, Horácio ECA, Nahum LA, Brindley MA, de Oliveira Mendes TA, Murdock CC. Temperature Dramatically Shapes Mosquito Gene Expression With Consequences for Mosquito-Zika Virus Interactions. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:901. [PMID: 32595607 PMCID: PMC7303344 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne flaviviruses are emerging threats to human health. For successful transmission, the virus needs to efficiently enter mosquito cells and replicate within and escape several tissue barriers while mosquitoes elicit major transcriptional responses to flavivirus infection. This process will be affected not only by the specific mosquito-pathogen pairing but also by variation in key environmental variables such as temperature. Thus far, few studies have examined the molecular responses triggered by temperature and how these responses modify infection outcomes, despite substantial evidence showing strong relationships between temperature and transmission in a diversity of systems. To define the host transcriptional changes associated with temperature variation during the early infection process, we compared the transcriptome of mosquito midgut samples from mosquitoes exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) and non-exposed mosquitoes housed at three different temperatures (20, 28, and 36°C). While the high-temperature samples did not show significant changes from those with standard rearing conditions (28°C) 48 h post-exposure, the transcriptome profile of mosquitoes housed at 20°C was dramatically different. The expression of genes most altered by the cooler temperature involved aspects of blood-meal digestion, ROS metabolism, and mosquito innate immunity. Further, we did not find significant differences in the viral RNA copy number between 24 and 48 h post-exposure at 20°C, suggesting that ZIKV replication is limited by cold-induced changes to the mosquito midgut environment. In ZIKV-exposed mosquitoes, vitellogenin, a lipid carrier protein, was most up-regulated at 20°C. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the temperature-triggered transcriptional changes in Aedes aegypti and can be used to further define the molecular mechanisms driven by environmental temperature variation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Blanka Tesla
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Elvira Cynthia Alves Horácio
- René Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laila Alves Nahum
- René Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Promove College of Technology, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Melinda Ann Brindley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | | | - Courtney Cuinn Murdock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Center for Emerging and Global Tropical Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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49
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Avila-Bonilla RG, Yocupicio-Monroy M, Marchat LA, Pérez-Ishiwara DG, Cerecedo-Mercado DA, Del Ángel RM, Salas-Benito JS. miR-927 has pro-viral effects during acute and persistent infection with dengue virus type 2 in C6/36 mosquito cells. J Gen Virol 2020; 101:825-839. [PMID: 32478656 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) is an important flavivirus that is transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes, where it can establish a persistent infection underlying vertical and horizontal transmission. However, the exact mechanism of persistent DENV infection is not well understood. Recently miR-927 was found to be upregulated in C6/36-HT cells at 57 weeks of persistent infection (C6-L57), suggesting its participation during this type of infection. The aim of this study was to determine the role of miR-927 during infection with DENV type 2. The results indicate an overexpression of miR-927 in C6-L57 cells and acutely infected cells according to the time of infection and the m.o.i. used. The downregulation of miR-927 in C6-L57 cells results in a reduction of both viral titre and viral genome copy number. The overexpression of miR-927 in C6-L40 and C6/36 cells infected at an m.o.i. of 0.1 causes an increase in both viral titre and viral genome copy number, suggesting a pro-viral activity of miR-927. In silico prediction analysis reveals target mRNAs for miR-927 are implicated in post-translational modifications (SUMO), translation factors (eIF-2B), the innate immune system (NKIRAS), exocytosis (EXOC-2), endocytosis (APM1) and the cytoskeleton (FLN). The expression levels of FLN were the most affected by both miR-927 overexpression and inhibition, and FLN was determined to be a direct target of miR-927 by a dual-luciferase gene reporter assay. FLN has been associated with the regulation of the Toll pathway and either overexpression or downregulation of miR-927 resulted in expression changes of antimicrobial peptides (Cecropins A and G, and Defensin D) involved in the Toll pathway response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Gamaliel Avila-Bonilla
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias en Biotecnología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico
| | - Martha Yocupicio-Monroy
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo 290, Del Valle, Mexico City CP 03100, Mexico
| | - Laurence A Marchat
- Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias en Biotecnología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico
| | - David Guillermo Pérez-Ishiwara
- Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias en Biotecnología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico
| | - Doris Atenea Cerecedo-Mercado
- Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias en Biotecnología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico
| | - Rosa María Del Ángel
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City CP 07360, Mexico
| | - Juan Santiago Salas-Benito
- Programa Institucional de Biomedicina Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias en Biotecnología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera 249, La Escalera-Ticomán, Mexico City CP 07320, Mexico
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50
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Leonetti P, Miesen P, van Rij RP, Pantaleo V. Viral and subviral derived small RNAs as pathogenic determinants in plants and insects. Adv Virus Res 2020; 107:1-36. [PMID: 32711727 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The phenotypic manifestations of disease induced by viruses and subviral infectious entities are the result of complex molecular interactions between host and viral factors. The viral determinants of the diseased phenotype have traditionally been sought at the level of structural or non-structural proteins. However, the discovery of RNA silencing mechanisms has led to speculations that determinants of the diseased phenotype are caused by viral nucleic acid sequences in addition to proteins. RNA silencing is a gene regulation mechanism conserved within eukaryotic kingdoms (with the exception of some yeast species), and in plants and insects it also functions as an antiviral mechanism. Non-coding RNAs of viral origin, ranging in size from 21 to 24 nucleotides (viral small interfering RNAs, vsiRNAs) accumulate in virus-infected tissues and organs, in some cases to comparable levels as the entire complement of host-encoded small interfering RNAs. Upon incorporation into RNA-induced silencing complexes, vsiRNAs can mediate cleavage or induce translational inhibition of nucleic acid targets in a sequence-specific manner. This review focuses on recent findings that suggest an increased complexity of small RNA-based interactions between virus and host. We mainly address plant viruses, but where applicable discuss insect viruses as well. Prominence is given to studies that have indisputably demonstrated that vsiRNAs determine diseased phenotype by either carrying sequence determinants or, indirectly, by altering host-gene regulatory pathways. Results from these studies suggest biotechnological applications, which are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Leonetti
- Department of Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, CNR, Bari, Italy
| | - Pascal Miesen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald P van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Vitantonio Pantaleo
- Department of Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, CNR, Bari, Italy..
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