Complete genome of DENV2 isolated from mosquitoes in Mexico

Abstract

Dengue virus is the most prevalent arbovirus in Mexico, and although the diversity of this virus has been studied, the vast majority of sequences have been derived from viruses isolated from the human host. In this work, we aimed to sequence and to analyze DENVs derived from wild mosquitoes captured in Acapulco Guerrero, Mexico. We succeeded in determining three full genome sequences of such viruses and were able to compare them with other reported sequences from human and mosquito-derived DENVs. We found 15 nonsynonymous and 88 synonymous substitutions that were present more frequently in mosquito viruses than what would be expected by chance, although the limited number of genomes reported so far puts a constraint on the conclusions that can be derived from these analyses. Also, given the high depth of coverage attained in one of the genomes a variant analysis was carried out, finding 68 polymorphic sites in this genome. Interestingly, six of them corresponded to SNV that were detected as potentially differential between mosquitoes and humans, indicating that a that at least some positions may be maintained as polymorphic, which may facilitate host transmission.