Chikungunya-Wolbachia interplay in Aedes albopictus

Insect Mol Biol. 2008 Dec;17(6):677-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2008.00842.x.

Abstract

A severe Chikungunya (CHIK) outbreak recently hit several countries of the Indian Ocean. On La Réunion Island, Aedes albopictus was incriminated as the major vector. This mosquito species is naturally co-infected with two distinct strains of the endosymbiont Wolbachia, namely wAlbA and wAlbB, which are increasingly attracting interest as potential tools for vector control. A PCR quantitative assay was developed to investigate Wolbachia/mosquito host interactions. We show that Wolbachia densities are slightly decreased in CHIK virus (CHIKV)-infected females. We measured the impact of CHIKV replication on a lysogenic virus: WO bacteriophage. Our data indicate that WO is sheltered by wAlbB, likely at a single copy per bacteria, and that CHIKV replication is not a physiological stress triggering WO entrance into the lytic cycle.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / microbiology*
  • Aedes / virology*
  • Animals
  • Bacteriophages / genetics*
  • Chikungunya virus / genetics*
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Female
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Insect Vectors*
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reunion
  • Sex Factors
  • Virus Replication / physiology
  • Wolbachia / genetics
  • Wolbachia / virology*

Substances

  • DNA Primers