RNAi-based adaptive immunity in Aedes aegypti against arboviruses

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Esther Schnettler
• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens ; Virology ; Cell Biology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 497659464

Mosquitoes transmit pathogenic arthropod-borne (arbo)viruses, like Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika viruses, causing outbreaks in different parts of the world. It is hypothesized that the efficiency of virus transmission (vector competence) of a mosquito, dependents on its antiviral response. Mosquitoes (even of the same species) has been shown to differ in their antiviral response and thereby vector competence.The project investigates the hypothesis of an inheritable adaptive antiviral response in Ae. aegypti, that primes mosquitoes and thereby shapes the vector competence of mosquitoes (ability to transmit virus infection). This adaptive antiviral immune response in mosquitoes result from previous encounters with viruses and depends on the production of viral DNA and the RNAi machinery. For this, classical and molecular virology methods in combination with established knock out cell lines, silencing and next generation sequencing are employed. This combinational approach will enable us to investigate the hypothesis of an inheritable adaptive RNAi-dependent antiviral immune system in mosquitoes in detail and to identify differences as well as common features in this response for the main arbovirus families.Understanding the ability of mosquitoes to acquire and develop viral tolerance, specifically for arboviruses, will provide important insights into factors affecting viral infection and transmission by mosquitoes (vector competence). This knowledge may serve as promising targets for developing preventive approaches to control arbovirus outbreaks.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants