Symbiosis in mosquitoes and its role in vector control

Abstract

Many insects have established a symbiotic relationship with microorganisms they harbour either externally on their body or intracellular within their gut. Insects such as bugs, aphids or triatomines feed on sub-optimal diets due to their restriction to a particular living environment and the symbionts harboured in their body help them to synthesize and make up for other nutritional requirements lacking in their food. Mosquito also has an association with vast array of symbiotic bacteria in its gut. Adult mosquito is attracted to pool water with high bacteria load for oviposition while the bacteria later serve as source of food for the mosquito larvae. With bacteria being indispensable for normal larval growth in Aedes and Culex species, mosquito and other insects either fail to develop to full maturity or are unable to transmit diseases that are lethal to human or livestock when they are raised under sterile conditions. This paper reviews symbiosis in mosquitoes and its application under the following subtopics: ( 1 ) isolation and identification of bacteria from mosquito (aposymbiotic insect), (2)acquisition and transmission of symbionts, (3) localization of symbionts, and it also discusses potential application of genetically transformed symbionts in control of mosquitoes and insect borne diseases like malaria, etc. Key words: Mosquito; Symbiosis; Bacteria; Vector control; Genetic modification