Assessment of Aedes Aegypti Transcriptional Repertoire in Response to Infection with Genetically Distinct Zika Virus Strains

Background: Past findings demonstrate that arbovirus mutations can improve viral fitness and enhance their replication and transmissibility resulting in epidemics. Knowledge gap exists on the specific mosquito proteins that are co-opted by the resulting viral mutants to enhance their replicative fitness and transmissibility. To fill this gap, we need to first delineate how different arboviral strains impacts the global transcription patterns of a mosquito host. Method: This thesis aimed at examining the transcriptome profile of the whole bodies of Mexican Aedes aegypti orally exposed to genetically distinct neotropics and old-world zika virus (ZIKV) strains. The transmissibility of the two ZIKV strains by the Mexican Ae. aegypti was examined. The transcriptome sequencing was performed on an Illumina MiSeq platform. The differentially regulated genes were assessed. Results: The Mexican Ae. aegypti were more susceptible to infection with the neotropical ZIKV than the old-world ZIKV strain. Oral exposure of the Mexican Ae. aegypti to neotropics ZIKV and not old-world ZIKV resulted in a significant suppression of antimicrobial peptides and immune related genes. Furthermore, old-world ZIKV was associated with a subdued expression of genes encoding proteins that are important for membrane translocation. Lastly, both the neotropics and old-world ZIKV strains infection resulted in an enriched ribosome biogenesis factor as well as ribosome proteins. Conclusion: Our present findings provide insights into genotype-by-genotype interactions between pathogen and host. The identification of mosquito host proteins manipulated by the different ZIKV strains is very interesting and, in the future, can open new avenues for development of novel therapeutic strategies.