Vector control: Discovery of Wolbachia in malaria vectors

Wolbachia bacteria are being widely released for suppression of dengue transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Walker, Quek, Jeffries and colleagues present robust evidence natural infections in malaria-vectoring Anopheles mosquitoes, paving the way new Wolbachia-based interventions. represent a genus that live inside cytoplasm cells many arthropods inherited maternally through their hosts. They common dipteran insects including Drosophila In fact, they were first described mosquitoes from Culex. often have dramatic effects on hosts help to spread populations. For instance, some strains cause ‘cytoplasmic incompatibility’, whereby males carry embryo death females lack this strain. research published issue Current Biology, colleagues1Walker T. Quek S. C.L. Bandibabone J. Dhokiya V. Bamou R. Kristan M. Messenger L.A. Gidley A. Hornett E.A. et al.Stable high-density moucheti demeilloni mosquitoes.Curr. Biol. 2021; 31: 2310-2320Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (15) Google Scholar describe found malaria-vector This work represents an important step towards developing as possible tool control malaria transmission, both highlighting ability range be stably infected opening up potential impacts these (Figure 1). Novel been developed suppress populations vector infectious pathogen and/or reduce transmit pathogens example, male Culex carrying can into female fertility eventually crash target mosquito population2Crawford J.E. Clarke D.W. Criswell Desnoyer Cornel D. Deegan B. Gong K. Hopkins K.C. Howell P. Hyde J.S. al.Efficient production Wolbachia-infected aegypti enables large-scale wild populations.Nat. Biotechnol. 2020; 38: 482-492Crossref (96) Scholar,3Zheng X. Zhang Li Y. Yang C. Wu Liang Pan Hu L. Sun Q. al.Incompatible sterile insect techniques combined eliminate mosquitoes.Nature. 2019; 572: 56-61Crossref (236) Scholar. Furthermore, certain isolates interfere with viruses taken human blood when feed person virus. thereby transmission viral diseases between people long virus-blocking strain is at high proportion population. Through such approaches, programs dramatically reduced incidence trial locations4Nazni W.A. Hoffmann A.A. NoorAfizah Cheong Y.L. Mancini M.V. Golding N. Kamarul G.M. Arif M.A. Thohir H. NurSyamimi al.Establishment wAlbB Malaysian control.Curr. 29: 4241-4248Abstract (119) Scholar,5Indriani Tantowijoyo W. Rancès E. Andari Prabowo Yusdi Ansari Wardana Supriyati Nurhayati I. al.Reduced following deployments Yogyakarta, Indonesia: A quasi-experimental using controlled interrupted time series analysis.Gates Open Res. 4: 50Crossref (45) now also starting used other arboviral humans like chikungunya Zika, which belonging Aedes. There ongoing interest interventions beyond those These include well plant arthropod vectors. Not all Wolbachia, but transferred artificially species6Hughes G.L. Rasgon J.L. Transinfection: method investigate Wolbachia–host interactions arthropod-borne disease.Insect Mol. 2014; 23: 141-151Crossref (81) generate host useful characteristics disease control. variety novel generated transfers species, Recently, expanded agricultural pests. particular, has planthoppers rice; infection blocks virus causes cytoplasmic incompatibility allow it spread7Gong J.-T. T.-P. Zhou C.-Y. Zha S.-S. introduction plant-virus-inhibiting rice protection.Curr. 30: 4837-4845Abstract (32) Some vectors appear immune Wolbachia. Until recently, was thought Anopheles, responsible malaria, might particularly immune. may part due presence microbes outcompete Wolbachia8Hughes Dodson B.L. Johnson R.M. Murdock C.C. Tsujimoto Suzuki Patt Cui Nossa C.W. Barry al.Native microbiome impedes vertical mosquitoes.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 111: 12498-12503Crossref (142) The only stable transfer species involved albopictus called wAlbB9Bian G. Joshi Dong Lu Xu Dimopoulos Xi Z. invades stephensi induces refractoriness Plasmodium infection.Science. 2013; 340: 748-751Crossref (295) could invade laboratory reducing lacked impact parasites malaria9Bian However, An. transinfection not led field trials because provides partial blockage against Plasmodium. studies suggested even increase mosquitoes10Hughes Vega-Rodriguez Xue enhances rodent parasite berghei gambiae mosquitoes.Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2012; 78: 1491-1495Crossref (74) Scholar,11Murdock Blanford Hughes Thomas M.B. Temperature alters blocking Wolbachia.Sci. Rep. 3932Crossref (70) highlights need identify provide better related less effective occurs naturally equipped tackle until now, never convincingly shown occur mosquitoes12Kittayapong Baisley K.J. Baimai O’Neill S.L. Distribution diversity Southeast Asian (Diptera: Culicidae).J. Med. Entomol. 2000; 37: 340-345Crossref detected Baldini al.13Baldini F. Segata Pompon Marcenac Shaw W.R. Dabiré R.K. Diabaté Levashina Catteruccia Evidence gambiae.Nat. Commun. 5: 3985Crossref (102) use highly sensitive molecular assays. Several since claimed key vectors, drawn scepticism14Chrostek Gerth Is Wolbachia?.mBio. 10: e00784Crossref (28) Scholar,15Ross P.A. Callahan A.G. Jasper Afizah A.N. Nazni An elusive endosymbiont: Does aegypti?.Ecol. Evol. 1581-1591Crossref (31) reported low frequency density populations, showing DNA sequences. patterns inconsistent typical known resulted contamination samples artifacts. study, best yet Anopheles. two moucheti, one vector. contrast previous studies, convincing occurred frequencies within mosquito. had abundance microbiome, consistent study same species16Jeffries Lawrence G.G. Golovko Orsborne Spence Hurn Tantely L.M. Raharimalala F.N. al.Novel sub-Saharan Africa.Wellcome 2018; 3: 113Crossref (35) authors1Walker additional lines moucheti. Firstly, visualized ovaries, tissue critical maternal infection. Secondly, persisted across generations, suggesting transmission. Whole genome sequencing showed closely increasing likelihood contaminants material. It remains seen if discovered will turn out clear mediate infertility crosses uninfected carried challenging where swarming required mating. genes generating Drosophila17LePage D.P. Metcalf J.A. Bordenstein S.R. On Perlmutter J.I. Shropshire J.D. Layton E.M. Funkhouser-Jones L.J. Beckmann J.F. Prophage WO recapitulate enhance Wolbachia-induced incompatibility.Nature. 2017; 543: 243-247Crossref (228) strains. Moreover, suggests there incompatibility, leads spreading rapidly Drosophila18Turelli Rapid factor California Drosophila.Nature. 1991; 353: 440-442Crossref (471) If show release currently pursued Ae. albopictus3Zheng aegypti2Crawford hosts, released4Nazni test whether transinfected sufficient extent given controversy around more generally10Hughes Strong arboviruses Aedesis achieved (fromothermosquitoes Drosophila) does always occur19Moretti Yen P.S. Houé Lampazzi Desiderio Failloux A.B. Calvitti Combining sterility protection fight albopictus-borne viruses.PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 12: e0006626Crossref (22) Whether strongblockage unclear. wayforwardis attempt thenewAnopheles Ae.stephensi transinfections havebeen successful species9Bian program mediated replacing strain, obstacles overcome any deleterious fitness prevent invasion case wMelPop aegypti20Nguyen T.H. Le Nguyen T.Y. Vu S.N. Tran N.D. Vien Q.M. Bui H.T. Kutcher al.Field evaluation establishment Australia Vietnam control.Parasit. Vectors. 2015; 8: 563Crossref (125) Nevertheless, research1Walker support opens pathways suppression. Stable mosquitoesWalker al.Current BiologyApril 14, 2021In BriefWolbachia endosymbiotic bacterium Walker al. concrete near-complete genomes Full-Text Access