Abstract
ABSTRACTCulex quinquefasciatusplays an important role in transmission of vector-borne diseases of public health importance, including lymphatic filariasis (LF), as well as many arboviral diseases. Currently, efforts to tackleC. quinquefasciatusvectored diseases are based on either mass drug administration (MDA) for LF, or insecticide-based interventions. Widespread and intensive insecticide usage has resulted in increased resistance in mosquito vectors, includingC. quinquefasciatus. Herein, the transcriptome profile of Ugandan bendiocarb-resistantC. quinquefasciatuswas explored to identify candidate genes associated with insecticide resistance. Resistance to bendiocarb in exposed mosquitoes was marked, with 2.04% mortality following 1h exposure and 58.02% after 4h. Genotyping of the G119SAce-1target site mutation detected a highly significant association (p<0.0001; OR=25) between resistance andAce1-119S. However, synergist assays using the P450 inhibitor PBO or the esterase inhibitor TPP resulted in markedly increased mortality (to ≈80%), suggesting a role of metabolic resistance in the resistance phenotype. Using a novel, custom 60K whole-transcriptome microarray 16 genes significantly overexpressed in resistant mosquitoes were detected, with the P450Cyp6z18showing the highest differential gene expression (>8-fold increase vs unexposed controls). These results provide evidence that bendiocarb-resistance in UgandanC. quinquefasciatusis mediated by both target-site mechanisms and over-expression of detoxification enzymes.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory