The influence of the larval microbiome on susceptibility to Zika virus is mosquito genotype dependent

Abstract

AbstractThe microbiome of the mosquitoAedes aegyptiis largely determined by the environment and influences mosquito susceptibility for arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Larval interactions with different bacteria can influence adultAe. aegyptireplication of arboviruses, but little is known about the role that mosquito host genetics play in determining how larval-bacterial interactions shapeAe aegyptisusceptibility to arboviruses. To address this question, we isolated single bacterial isolates and complex microbiomes fromAe. aegyptilarvae from various field sites in Senegal. Either single bacterial isolates or complex microbiomes were added to two different genetic backgrounds ofAe. aegyptiin a gnotobiotic larval system. Using 16S amplicon sequencing we show that similarities in bacterial community structures when given identical microbiomes between different genetic backgrounds ofAe. aegyptiwas dependent on the source microbiome, and the abundance of single bacterial taxa differed betweenAe. aegyptigenotypes. Using single bacterial isolates or the entire preserved complex microbiome, we tested the ability of specific microbiomes to drive differences in infection rates for Zika virus in different genetic backgrounds ofAe. aegypti. We observed that the proportion of Zika virus-infected adults was dependent on the interaction between the larval microbiome andAe. aegyptihost genetics. By using the larval microbiome as a component of the environment, these results demonstrate that interactions between theAe. aegyptigenotype and its environment can influence Zika virus infection. AsAe. aegyptiexpands and adapts to new environments under climate change, an understanding of how different genotypes interact with the same environment will be crucial for implementing arbovirus transmission control strategies.