Johanna E. Fraser , Jyotika Taneja De Bruyne , Iñaki Iturbe-Ormaetxe, Justin Stepnell, Rhiannon L. Burns, Heather A. Flores, Scott L. O’Neill
Novel Wolbachia-transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes possess diverse fitness and vector competence phenotypes
PLOS Pathogens
This study examines the generation of three new mosquito lines infected with the Wolbachia strains wMelCS, wRi and wPip. Each line induced cytoplasmic incompatibility and was effectively maternally transmitted, as required for rapid spread through uninfected mosquito populations. Each Wolbachia strain was also found to reside in the salivary glands; a key tissue involved in viral transmission.
Perhaps most importantly, wMelCS inhibited dengue virus replication and dissemination in mosquitoes following an infectious blood meal or intrathoracic injection, providing a similar level of protection as that described for wMel. wMelCS therefore warrants further investigation as a potential release strain in future field trials.