Abstract
A new approach for dengue control has been proposed that relies on life-shortening strains of the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis to modify mosquito population age structure and reduce pathogen transmission. Previously we reported the stable transinfection of the major dengue vector Aedes aegypti with a life-shortening Wolbachia strain (wMelPop-CLA) from the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we report a further characterization of the phenotypic effects of this virulent Wolbachia infection on several life-history traits of Ae. aegypti. Minor costs of wMelPop-CLA infection for pre-imaginal survivorship, development and adult size were found. However, we discovered that the wMelPop-CLA infection dramatically decreased the viability of desiccated Ae. aegypti eggs over time. Similarly, the reproductive fitness of wMelPop-CLA infected Ae. aegypti females declined with age. These results reveal a general pattern associated with wMelPop-CLA induced pathogenesis in this mosquito species, where host fitness costs increase during aging of both immature and adult life-history stages. In addition to influencing the invasion dynamics of this particular Wolbachia strain, we suggest that the negative impact of wMelPop-CLA on embryonic quiescence may have applied utility as a tool to reduce mosquito population size in regions with pronounced dry seasons or in regions that experience cool winters.
Highlights
Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue viruses throughout the tropics, is a mosquito species that has strong associations with human habitation [1]
Prior to application in a field setting, a thorough understanding of any fitness effects that occur in wMelPop-CLA infected mosquitoes is required to accurately model infection dynamics and the impact of wMelPopCLA on Ae. aegypti populations. To further characterize this novel symbiosis and identify any fitness parameters likely to influence its spread throughout mosquito populations, we examined the phenotypic effects of wMelPop-CLA infection on several life-history traits across embryonic, pre-imaginal and adult stages of Ae. aegypti
A virulent strain of the vertically-inherited bacterium Wolbachia pipientis from the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster has been established in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti as part of a biological strategy for dengue control
Summary
The primary vector of dengue viruses throughout the tropics, is a mosquito species that has strong associations with human habitation [1]. Control of dengue has been complicated by an inability to eradicate Ae. aegypti from urban environments and implement sustained vector control programs [2]. These challenges have highlighted the critical need for new approaches to curb a worldwide resurgence in dengue activity [3]. The second mechanism relies on the ability of some Wolbachia strains to interfere with the ability of RNA viruses to form productive infections in insects [9,10] and potentially modulate the vector competence of Ae. aegypti for dengue viruses
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