Strain-specific pathogenicity and subversion of phenoloxidase activity in the mosquito Aedes aegypti by members of the fungal entomopathogenic genus Isaria

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 9896 - 12
• Main Authors: Ramirez, José L., Muturi, Ephantus J., Dunlap, Christopher, Rooney, Alejandro P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.07.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 38/39; 38/71; 38/77; 38/90; 631/326/193/2542; 631/326/193/2544; 631/326/193/2545; Aedes - immunology; Aedes - metabolism; Aedes - microbiology; Aedes aegypti; Animals; Cordyceps - genetics; Cordyceps - pathogenicity; Dengue fever; Female; Gene Expression; Host-Pathogen Interactions - genetics; Host-Pathogen Interactions - immunology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immune response; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - immunology; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Insecticides; Isaria; Melanization; Monophenol Monooxygenase - genetics; Monophenol Monooxygenase - metabolism; Mosquito Control; Mosquito Vectors - microbiology; Mosquitoes; multidisciplinary; Pathogenicity; Pathogens; Pesticide resistance; Phenoloxidase; Phylogeny; Public health; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Species Specificity; Survival Rate; Transcription; Virulence; Yellow fever
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28210-6

Development of alternative vector control strategies are becoming more pressing given the rapid evolution of insecticide resistance and the rise of vector borne pathogens affecting public health such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Fungal-based biopesticides are promising alternatives to synthetic insecticides because they are ecofriendly and are highly effective at infecting insects through contact. This study evaluated the susceptibility of the yellow fever mosquito Ae . aegypti to a range of entomopathogenic fungal strains from the genus Isaria . We observed a diverse variation in the virulence of the Isaria strains tested, with two strains showing high pathogenicity towards adult mosquitoes. Mosquito susceptibility to fungal infection was further corroborated through the molecular quantification of fungal loads and the transcript evaluation of a fungal-specific pathogen recognition molecule in the mosquito body. Moreover, quantitative analysis of transcript abundance coupled with enzymatic assays revealed strain-specific subversion of the melanization cascade, an important immune response component. Our study contributes critical insights for a better understanding of fungal-mosquito interactions.