Shifting climates, shifting microbes: environmental determinants of the Anopheles microbiome and impact on malaria transmission

Malaria transmission dynamics are governed by complex tripartite interactions between the Anopheles mosquito, the Plasmodium parasite, and the vector’s gut microbiota, all mediated by the mosquito’s innate immune system. Although global malaria control is increasingly hindered by drug and insecticide resistance, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding how climate shifts and environmental variations impact vector competence. While most experimental research relies on static laboratory conditions (typically fixed at 27 °C and 75-80% relative humidity), mosquitoes in nature experience continuous diurnal and seasonal environmental fluctuations that alter their physiology, immune responses, and microbiome. Here, we focus on how these environmental shifts likely influence the efficacy and translational success of innovative, microbial-based control strategies, including paratransgenesis, Wolbachia -based interventions, and microbial larvicides. By examining how climate-driven variations impact both the mosquito-microbiota-parasite system and the performance of biocontrol tools, we bridge ecological and molecular perspectives to identify the current understanding of how shifting environments influence the mosquito microbiome and microbial-based tools. We highlight the critical need to integrate dynamic climatic regimes into upstream laboratory evaluations to ensure future malaria control tools remain resilient in a global changing climate.