Exposure to West Nile Virus Increases Bacterial Diversity and Immune Gene Expression in Culex pipiens

Viruses

Steven D. Zink²  Greta A. Van Slyke²  Michael J. Palumbo³  Laura D. Kramer²  Alexander T. Ciota²  Robert B. Tesh¹  Bethany Bolling¹  Scott C. Weaver¹ 

[1] Griffin Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY 12159, USAGriffin Laboratory, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY 12159, USA;Wadsworth Center Bioinformatics Core, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12222, USA;

关键词: West Nile virus;    arbovirus;    microbiome;    Culex mosquitoes;    invertebrate immunity;   

DOI  :  10.3390/v7102886

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Complex interactions between microbial residents of mosquitoes and arboviruses are likely to influence many aspects of vectorial capacity and could potentially have profound effects on patterns of arbovirus transmission. Such interactions have not been well studied for West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) and Culex spp. mosquitoes. We utilized next-generation sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA bacterial genes derived from Culex pipiens Linnaeus following WNV exposure and/or infection and compared bacterial populations and broad immune responses to unexposed mosquitoes. Our results demonstrate that WNV infection increases the diversity of bacterial populations and is associated with up-regulation of classical invertebrate immune pathways including RNA interference (RNAi), Toll, and Jak-STAT (Janus kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription). In addition, WNV exposure alone, without the establishment of infection, results in similar alterations to microbial and immune signatures, although to a lesser extent. Multiple bacterial genera were found in greater abundance in WNV-exposed and/or infected mosquitoes, yet the most consistent and notable was the genus Serratia.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.