Role of Anopheles Mosquitoes in Cache Valley Virus Lineage Displacement, New York, USA.

Cache Valley virus (CVV) is a mosquitoborne virus that infects livestock and humans. We report results of surveillance for CVV in New York, USA, during 2000-2016; full-genome analysis of selected CVV isolates from sheep, horse, humans, and mosquitoes from New York and Canada; and phenotypic characterization of selected strains. We calculated infection rates by using the maximum-likelihood estimation method by year, region, month, and mosquito species. The highest maximum-likelihood estimations were for Anopheles spp. mosquitoes. Our phylogenetic analysis identified 2 lineages and found evidence of segment reassortment. Furthermore, our data suggest displacement of CVV lineage 1 by lineage 2 in New York and Canada. Finally, we showed increased vector competence of An. quadrimaculatus mosquitoes for lineage 2 strains of CVV compared with lineage 1 strains.

Reversion to ancestral Zika virus NS1 residues increases competence of Aedes albopictus.

Both mosquito species-specific differences and virus strain -specific differences impact vector competence. Previous results in our laboratory with individual populations of N. American mosquitoes support studies suggesting Aedes aegypti are more competent than Ae. albopictus for American Zika virus (ZIKV) strains and demonstrate that U.S. Ae. albopictus have higher competence for an ancestral Asian ZIKV strain. A982V, an amino acid substitution in the NS1 gene acquired prior to the American outbreak, has been shown to increase competence in Ae. aegypti. We hypothesized that variability in the NS1 could therefore contribute to species-specific differences and developed a reverse genetics system based on a 2016 ZIKV isolate from Honduras (ZIKV-WTic) to evaluate the phenotypic correlates of individual amino acid substitutions. In addition to A982V, we evaluated G894A, which was acquired during circulation in the Americas. Reversion of 982 and 894 to ancestral residues increased infectivity, transmissibility and viral loads in Ae. albopictus but had no effect on competence or replication in Ae. aegypti. In addition, while host cell-specific differences in NS1 secretion were measured, with significantly higher secretion in mammalian cells relative to mosquito cells, strain-specific differences in secretion were not detected, despite previous reports. These results demonstrate that individual mutations in NS1 can influence competence in a species-specific manner independent of differences in NS1 secretion and further indicate that ancestral NS1 residues confer increased competence in Ae. albopictus. Lastly, experimental infections of Ifnar1-/- mice demonstrated that these NS1 substitutions can influence viral replication in the host and, specifically, that G894A could represent a compensatory change following a fitness loss from A982V with some viral genetic backgrounds. Together these data suggest a possible role for epistatic interactions in ZIKV fitness in invertebrate and vertebrate hosts and demonstrate that strains with increased transmission potential in U.S. Ae. albopictus could emerge.

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Detection by Carbon Nanotube-Based Near-Infrared Nanosensors.

To effectively track and eliminate COVID-19, it is critical to develop tools for rapid and accessible diagnosis of actively infected individuals. Here, we introduce a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-based optical sensing approach toward this end. We construct a nanosensor based on SWCNTs noncovalently functionalized with ACE2, a host protein with high binding affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The presence of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein elicits a robust, 2-fold nanosensor fluorescence increase within 90 min of spike protein exposure. We characterize the nanosensor stability and sensing mechanism and passivate the nanosensor to preserve sensing response in saliva and viral transport medium. We further demonstrate that these ACE2-SWCNT nanosensors retain sensing capacity in a surface-immobilized format, exhibiting a 73% fluorescence turn-on response within 5 s of exposure to 35 mg/L SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles. Our data demonstrate that ACE2-SWCNT nanosensors can be developed into an optical tool for rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Benzyl isothiocyanate ameliorates high-fat/cholesterol/cholic acid diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through inhibiting cholesterol crystal-activated NLRP3 inflammasome in Kupffer cells.

Incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is increasing worldwide. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is central to the development of diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We investigated whether benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) ameliorates diet-induced NASH and the mechanisms involved. C57BL/6 J mice fed a high-fat diet containing cholesterol and cholic acid (HFCCD) and Kupffer cells stimulated with LPS and cholesterol crystals (CC) were studied. LPS/CC increased the expression of the active form of caspase 1 (p20) and the secretion of IL-1ß by Kupffer cells, and these changes were reversed by MCC950, an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor. LPS/CC-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1ß production were dose-dependently attenuated by BITC. BITC decreased cathepsin B release from lysosomes and binding to NLRP3 induced by LPS/CC. Compared with a normal diet, the HFCCD increased serum levels of ALT, AST, total cholesterol, and IL-1ß and hepatic contents of triglycerides and total cholesterol. BITC administration (0.1% in diet) reversed the increase in AST and hepatic triglycerides in the HFCCD group. Moreover, BITC suppressed lipid accumulation, macrophage infiltration, fibrosis, crown-like structure formation, and p20 caspase 1 and p17 IL-1ß expression in liver in the HFCCD group. These results suggest that BITC ameliorates HFCCD-induced steatohepatitis by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in Kupffer cells and may protect against diet-induced NASH.

Analyses of Coronavirus Assembly Interactions with Interspecies Membrane and Nucleocapsid Protein Chimeras.

UNLABELLED: The coronavirus membrane (M) protein is the central actor in virion morphogenesis. M organizes the components of the viral membrane, and interactions of M with itself and with the nucleocapsid (N) protein drive virus assembly and budding. In order to further define M-M and M-N interactions, we constructed mutants of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) in which all or part of the M protein was replaced by its phylogenetically divergent counterpart from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). We were able to obtain viable chimeras containing the entire SARS-CoV M protein as well as mutants with intramolecular substitutions that partitioned M protein at the boundaries between the ectodomain, transmembrane domains, or endodomain. Our results show that the carboxy-terminal domain of N protein, N3, is necessary and sufficient for interaction with M protein. However, despite some previous genetic and biochemical evidence that mapped interactions with N to the carboxy terminus of M, it was not possible to define a short linear region of M protein sufficient for assembly with N. Thus, interactions with N protein likely involve multiple linearly discontiguous regions of the M endodomain. The SARS-CoV M chimera exhibited a conditional growth defect that was partially suppressed by mutations in the envelope (E) protein. Moreover, virions of the M chimera were markedly deficient in spike (S) protein incorporation. These findings suggest that the interactions of M protein with both E and S protein are more complex than previously thought. IMPORTANCE: The assembly of coronavirus virions entails concerted interactions among the viral structural proteins and the RNA genome. One strategy to study this process is through construction of interspecies chimeras that preserve or disrupt particular inter- or intramolecular associations. In this work, we replaced the membrane (M) protein of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus with its counterpart from a heterologous coronavirus. The results clarify our understanding of the interaction between the coronavirus M protein and the nucleocapsid protein. At the same time, they reveal unanticipated complexities in the interactions of M with the viral spike and envelope proteins.

Dissection of amino-terminal functional domains of murine coronavirus nonstructural protein 3.

UNLABELLED: Coronaviruses, the largest RNA viruses, have a complex program of RNA synthesis that entails genome replication and transcription of subgenomic mRNAs. RNA synthesis by the prototype coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) is carried out by a replicase-transcriptase composed of 16 nonstructural protein (nsp) subunits. Among these, nsp3 is the largest and the first to be inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum. nsp3 comprises multiple structural domains, including two papain-like proteases (PLPs) and a highly conserved ADP-ribose-1″-phosphatase (ADRP) macrodomain. We have previously shown that the ubiquitin-like domain at the amino terminus of nsp3 is essential and participates in a critical interaction with the viral nucleocapsid protein early in infection. In the current study, we exploited atypical expression schemes to uncouple PLP1 from the processing of nsp1 and nsp2 in order to investigate the requirements of nsp3 domains for viral RNA synthesis. In the first strategy, a mutant was created in which replicase polyprotein translation initiated with nsp3, thereby establishing that complete elimination of nsp1 and nsp2 does not abolish MHV viability. In the second strategy, a picornavirus autoprocessing element was used to separate a truncated nsp1 from nsp3. This provided a platform for further dissection of amino-terminal domains of nsp3. From this, we found that catalytic mutation of PLP1 or complete deletion of PLP1 and the adjacent ADRP domain was tolerated by the virus. These results showed that neither the PLP1 domain nor the ADRP domain of nsp3 provides integral activities essential for coronavirus genomic or subgenomic RNA synthesis. IMPORTANCE: The largest component of the coronavirus replicase-transcriptase complex, nsp3, contains multiple modules, many of which do not have clearly defined functions in genome replication or transcription. These domains may play direct roles in RNA synthesis, or they may have evolved for other purposes, such as to combat host innate immunity. We initiated a dissection of MHV nsp3 aimed at identifying those activities or structures in this huge molecule that are essential to replicase activity. We found that both PLP1 and ADRP could be entirely deleted, provided that the requirement for proteolytic processing by PLP1 was offset by an alternative mechanism. This demonstrated that neither PLP1 nor ADRP plays an essential role in coronavirus RNA synthesis.

Recognition of the murine coronavirus genomic RNA packaging signal depends on the second RNA-binding domain of the nucleocapsid protein.

UNLABELLED: The coronavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein forms a helical ribonucleoprotein with the viral positive-strand RNA genome and binds to the principal constituent of the virion envelope, the membrane (M) protein, to facilitate assembly and budding. Besides these structural roles, N protein associates with a component of the replicase-transcriptase complex, nonstructural protein 3, at a critical early stage of infection. N protein has also been proposed to participate in the replication and selective packaging of genomic RNA and the transcription and translation of subgenomic mRNA. Coronavirus N proteins contain two structurally distinct RNA-binding domains, an unusual characteristic among RNA viruses. To probe the functions of these domains in the N protein of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), we constructed mutants in which each RNA-binding domain was replaced by its counterpart from the N protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Mapping of revertants of the resulting chimeric viruses provided evidence for extensive intramolecular interactions between the two RNA-binding domains. Through analysis of viral RNA that was packaged into virions we identified the second of the two RNA-binding domains as a principal determinant of MHV packaging signal recognition. As expected, the interaction of N protein with M protein was not affected in either of the chimeric viruses. Moreover, the SARS-CoV N substitutions did not alter the fidelity of leader-body junction formation during subgenomic mRNA synthesis. These results more clearly delineate the functions of N protein and establish a basis for further exploration of the mechanism of genomic RNA packaging. IMPORTANCE: This work describes the interactions of the two RNA-binding domains of the nucleocapsid protein of a model coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus. The main finding is that the second of the two domains plays an essential role in recognizing the RNA structure that allows the selective packaging of genomic RNA into assembled virions.

Functional analysis of the murine coronavirus genomic RNA packaging signal.

Coronaviruses selectively package genomic RNA into assembled virions, despite the great molar excess of subgenomic RNA species that is present in infected cells. The genomic packaging signal (PS) for the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) was originally identified as an element that conferred packaging capability to defective interfering RNAs. The MHV PS is an RNA structure that maps to the region of the replicase gene encoding the nonstructural protein 15 subunit of the viral replicase-transcriptase complex. To begin to understand the role and mechanism of action of the MHV PS in its native genomic locus, we constructed viral mutants in which this cis-acting element was altered, deleted, or transposed. Our results demonstrated that the PS is pivotal in the selection of viral genomic RNA for incorporation into virions. Mutants in which PS RNA secondary structure was disrupted or entirely ablated packaged large quantities of subgenomic RNAs, in addition to genomic RNA. Moreover, the PS retained its function when displaced to an ectopic site in the genome. Surprisingly, the PS was not essential for MHV viability, nor did its elimination have a severe effect on viral growth. However, the PS was found to provide a distinct selective advantage to MHV. Viruses containing the PS readily outcompeted their otherwise isogenic counterparts lacking the PS.

Aedes albopictus saliva contains a richer microbial community than the midgut.

BACKGROUND: Past findings demonstrate that arthropods can egest midgut microbiota into the host skin leading to dual colonization of the vertebrate host with pathogens and saliva microbiome. A knowledge gap exists on how the saliva microbiome interacts with the pathogen in the saliva. To fill this gap, we need to first define the microbial composition of mosquito saliva. METHODS: The current study aimed at analyzing and comparing the microbial profile of Aedes albopictus saliva and midgut as well as assessing the impact of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on the midgut and saliva microbial composition. Colony-reared Ae. albopictus strains were either exposed to ZIKV infectious or noninfectious bloodmeal. At 14 ays postinfection, the 16S V3-V4 hypervariable rRNA region was amplified from midgut and saliva samples and sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform. The relative abundance and diversity of midgut and saliva microbial taxa were assessed. RESULTS: We observed a richer microbial community in the saliva compared with the midgut, yet some of the microbial taxa were common in the midgut and saliva. ZIKV infection did not impact the microbial diversity of midgut or saliva. Further, we identified Elizabethkingia spp. in the Ae. albopictus saliva. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the microbial community of the Ae. albopictus saliva as well as the influence of ZIKV infection on the microbial composition of its midgut and saliva. The identification of Elizabethkingia spp., an emerging pathogen of global health significance, in Ae. albopictus saliva is of medical importance. Future studies to assess the interactions between Ae. albopictus saliva microbiome and ZIKV could lead to novel strategies for developing transmission barrier tools.

Systematic Myostatin Expression Screening Platform for Identification and Evaluation of Myogenesis-Related Phytogenic in Pigs.

Skeletal muscle growth in livestock impacts meat quantity and quality. Concerns arise because certain feed additives, like beta-agonists, may affect food safety. Skeletal muscle is a specialized tissue consisting of nondividing and multinucleated muscle fibers. Myostatin (MSTN), a protein specific to skeletal muscle, is secreted and functions as a negative regulator of muscle mass by inhibiting the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts. To enhance livestock muscle growth, phytogenic feed additives could be an alternative as they inhibit MSTN activity. The objective of this study was to establish a systematic screening platform using MSTN activity to evaluate phytogenics, providing scientific evidence of their assessment and potency. In this study, we established a screening platform to monitor myostatin promoter activity in rat L8 myoblasts. Extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (GUE), an oriental herbal medicine, was identified through this screening platform, and the active fractions of GUE were identified using a process-scale liquid column chromatography system. For in vivo study, GUE as a feed additive was investigated in growth-finishing pigs. The results showed that GUE significantly increased body weight, carcass weight, and lean content in pigs. Microbiota analysis indicated that GUE did not affect the composition of gut microbiota in pigs. In summary, this established rodent myoblast screening platform was used to identify a myogenesis-related phytogenic, GUE, and further demonstrated that the active fractions and compounds inhibited MSTN expression. These findings suggest a novel application for GUE in growth performance enhancement through modulation of MSTN expression. Moreover, this well-established screening platform holds significant potential for identifying and assessing a diverse range of phytogenics that contribute to the process of myogenesis.

Maintenance of a host-specific minority mutation in the West Nile virus NS3.

West Nile virus (WNV), the most prevalent arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) in the United States, is maintained in a cycle between Culex spp. mosquitoes and birds. Arboviruses exist within hosts and vectors as a diverse set of closely related genotypes. In theory, this genetic diversity can facilitate adaptation to distinct environments during host cycling, yet host-specific fitness of minority genotypes has not been assessed. Utilizing WNV deep-sequencing data, we previously identified a naturally occurring, mosquito-biased substitution, NS3 P319L. Using both cell culture and experimental infection in natural hosts, we demonstrated that this substitution confers attenuation in vertebrate hosts and increased transmissibility by mosquitoes. Biochemical assays demonstrated temperature-sensitive ATPase activity consistent with host-specific phenotypes. Together these data confirm the maintenance of host-specific minority variants in arbovirus mutant swarms, suggest a unique role for NS3 in viral fitness, and demonstrate that intrahost sequence data can inform mechanisms of host-specific adaptation.

Analysis of a crucial interaction between the coronavirus nucleocapsid protein and the major membrane-bound subunit of the viral replicase-transcriptase complex.

The coronavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein comprises two RNA-binding domains connected by a central spacer, which contains a serine- and arginine-rich (SR) region. The SR region engages the largest subunit of the viral replicase-transcriptase, nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3), in an interaction that is essential for efficient initiation of infection by genomic RNA. We carried out an extensive genetic analysis of the SR region of the N protein of mouse hepatitis virus in order to more precisely define its role in RNA synthesis. We further examined the N-nsp3 interaction through construction of nsp3 mutants and by creation of an interspecies N protein chimera. Our results indicate a role for the central spacer as an interaction hub of the N molecule that is partially regulated by phosphorylation. These findings are discussed in relation to the recent discovery that nsp3 forms a molecular pore in the double-membrane vesicles that sequester the coronavirus replicase-transcriptase.

Designer DNA nanostructures for viral inhibition.

Emerging viral diseases can substantially threaten national and global public health. Central to our ability to successfully tackle these diseases is the need to quickly detect the causative virus and neutralize it efficiently. Here we present the rational design of DNA nanostructures to inhibit dengue virus infection. The designer DNA nanostructure (DDN) can bind to complementary epitopes on antigens dispersed across the surface of a viral particle. Since these antigens are arranged in a defined geometric pattern that is unique to each virus, the structure of the DDN is designed to mirror the spatial arrangement of antigens on the viral particle, providing very high viral binding avidity. We describe how available structural data can be used to identify unique spatial patterns of antigens on the surface of a viral particle. We then present a procedure for synthesizing DDNs using a combination of in silico design principles, self-assembly, and characterization using gel electrophoresis, atomic force microscopy and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Finally, we evaluate the efficacy of a DDN in inhibiting dengue virus infection via plaque-forming assays. We expect this protocol to take 2-3 d to complete virus antigen pattern identification from existing cryogenic electron microscopy data, ~2 weeks for DDN design, synthesis, and virus binding characterization, and ~2 weeks for DDN cytotoxicity and antiviral efficacy assays.

In vitro and in vivo characterization of erythrosin B and derivatives against Zika virus.

Zika virus (ZIKV) causes significant human diseases without specific therapy. Previously we found erythrosin B, an FDA-approved food additive, inhibited viral NS2B-NS3 interactions, leading to inhibition of ZIKV infection in cell culture. In this study, we performed pharmacokinetic and in vivo studies to demonstrate the efficacy of erythrosin B against ZIKV in 3D mini-brain organoid and mouse models. Our results showed that erythrosin B is very effective in abolishing ZIKV replication in the 3D organoid model. Although pharmacokinetics studies indicated that erythrosin B had a low absorption profile, mice challenged by a lethal dose of ZIKV showed a significantly improved survival rate upon oral administration of erythrosin B, compared to vehicle control. Limited structure-activity relationship studies indicated that most analogs of erythrosin B with modifications on the xanthene ring led to loss or reduction of inhibitory activities towards viral NS2B-NS3 interactions, protease activity and antiviral efficacy. In contrast, introducing chlorine substitutions on the isobenzofuran ring led to slightly increased activities, suggesting that the isobenzofuran ring is well tolerated for modifications. Cytotoxicity studies indicated that all derivatives are nontoxic to human cells. Overall, our studies demonstrated erythrosin B is an effective antiviral against ZIKV both in vitro and in vivo.

Aedes Albopictus and Cache Valley virus: a new threat for virus transmission in New York State.

We report surveillance results of Cache Valley virus (CVV; Peribunyaviridae, Orthobunyavirus) from 2017 to 2020 in New York State (NYS). Infection rates were calculated using the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method by year, region, and mosquito species. The highest infection rates were identified among Anopheles spp. mosquitoes and we detected the virus in Aedes albopictus for the first time in NYS. Based on our previous Anopheles quadrimaculatus vector competence results for nine CVV strains, we selected among them three stains for further characterization. These include two CVV reassortants (PA and 15041084) and one CVV lineage 2 strain (Hu-2011). We analyzed full genomes, compared in vitro growth kinetics and assessed vector competence of Aedes albopictus. Sequence analysis of the two reassortant strains (PA and 15041084) revealed 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.3% divergence; and 1, 10, and 6 amino acid differences for the S, M, and L segments, respectively. We additionally found that the PA strain was attenuated in vertebrate (Vero) and mosquito (C6/36) cell culture. Furthemore, Ae. albopictus mosquitoes are competent vectors for CVV Hu-2011 (16.7-62.1% transmission rates) and CVV 15041084 (27.3-48.0% transmission rates), but not for the human reassortant (PA) isolate, which did not disseminate from the mosquito midgut. Together, our results demonstrate significant phenotypic variability among strains and highlight the capacity for Ae. albopictus to act as a vector of CVV.

Evolved variants of the membrane protein can partially replace the envelope protein in murine coronavirus assembly.

The coronavirus small envelope (E) protein plays a crucial, but poorly defined, role in the assembly of virions. To investigate E protein function, we previously generated E gene point mutants of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) that were defective in growth and assembled virions with anomalous morphologies. We subsequently constructed an E gene deletion (ΔE) mutant that was only minimally viable. The ΔE virus formed tiny plaques and reached optimal infectious titers many orders of magnitude below those of wild-type virus. We have now characterized highly aberrant viral transcription patterns that developed in some stocks of the ΔE mutant. Extensive analysis of three independent stocks revealed that, in each, a faster-growing virus harboring a genomic duplication had been selected. Remarkably, the net result of each duplication was the creation of a variant version of the membrane protein (M) gene that was situated upstream of the native copy of the M gene. Each different variant M gene encoded an expressed protein (M*) containing a truncated endodomain. Reconstruction of one variant M gene in a ΔE background showed that expression of the M* protein markedly enhanced the growth of the ΔE mutant and that the M* protein was incorporated into assembled virions. These findings suggest that M* proteins were repeatedly selected as surrogates for the E protein and that one role of E is to mediate interactions between transmembrane domains of M protein monomers. Our results provide a demonstration of the capability of coronaviruses to evolve new gene functions through recombination.

Accessory protein 5a is a major antagonist of the antiviral action of interferon against murine coronavirus.

The type I interferon (IFN) response plays an essential role in the control of in vivo infection by the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). However, in vitro, most strains of MHV are largely resistant to the action of this cytokine, suggesting that MHV encodes one or more functions that antagonize or evade the IFN system. A particular strain of MHV, MHV-S, exhibited orders-of-magnitude higher sensitivity to IFN than prototype strain MHV-A59. Through construction of interstrain chimeric recombinants, the basis for the enhanced IFN sensitivity of MHV-S was found to map entirely to the region downstream of the spike gene, at the 3' end of the genome. Sequence analysis revealed that the major difference between the two strains in this region is the absence of gene 5a from MHV-S. Creation of a gene 5a knockout mutant of MHV-A59 demonstrated that a major component of IFN resistance maps to gene 5a. Conversely, insertion of gene 5a, or its homologs from related group 2 coronaviruses, at an upstream genomic position in an MHV-A59/S chimera restored IFN resistance. This is the first demonstration of a coronavirus gene product that can protect that same virus from the antiviral state induced by IFN. Neither protein kinase R, which phosphorylates eukaryotic initiation factor 2, nor oligoadenylate synthetase, which activates RNase L, was differentially activated in IFN-treated cells infected with MHV-A59 or MHV-S. Thus, the major IFN-induced antiviral activities that are specifically inhibited by MHV, and possibly by other coronaviruses, remain to be identified.

Experimental Evolution of West Nile Virus at Higher Temperatures Facilitates Broad Adaptation and Increased Genetic Diversity.

West Nile virus (WNV, Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus introduced to North America in 1999. Since 1999, the Earth's average temperature has increased by 0.6 °C. Mosquitoes are ectothermic organisms, reliant on environmental heat sources. Temperature impacts vector-virus interactions which directly influence arbovirus transmission. RNA viral replication is highly error-prone and increasing temperature could further increase replication rates, mutation frequencies, and evolutionary rates. The impact of temperature on arbovirus evolutionary trajectories and fitness landscapes has yet to be sufficiently studied. To investigate how temperature impacts the rate and extent of WNV evolution in mosquito cells, WNV was experimentally passaged 12 times in Culex tarsalis cells, at 25 °C and 30 °C. Full-genome deep sequencing was used to compare genetic signatures during passage, and replicative fitness was evaluated before and after passage at each temperature. Our results suggest adaptive potential at both temperatures, with unique temperature-dependent and lineage-specific genetic signatures. Further, higher temperature passage was associated with significantly increased replicative fitness at both temperatures and increases in nonsynonymous mutations. Together, these data indicate that if similar selective pressures exist in natural systems, increases in temperature could accelerate emergence of high-fitness strains with greater phenotypic plasticity.

Zika virus and temperature modulate Elizabethkingia anophelis in Aedes albopictus.

BACKGROUND: Vector-borne pathogens must survive and replicate in the hostile environment of an insect's midgut before successful dissemination. Midgut microbiota interfere with pathogen infection by activating the basal immunity of the mosquito and by synthesizing pathogen-inhibitory metabolites. METHODS: The goal of this study was to assess the influence of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and increased temperature on Aedes albopictus midgut microbiota. Aedes albopictus were reared at diurnal temperatures of day 28 °C/night 24 °C (L) or day 30 °C/night 26 °C (M). The mosquitoes were given infectious blood meals with 2.0 × 108 PFU/ml ZIKV, and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on midguts at 7 days post-infectious blood meal exposure. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrate that Elizabethkingia anophelis albopictus was associated with Ae. albopictus midguts exposed to ZIKV infectious blood meal. We observed a negative correlation between ZIKV and E. anophelis albopictus in the midguts of Ae. albopictus. Supplemental feeding of Ae. albopictus with E. anophelis aegypti and ZIKV resulted in reduced ZIKV infection rates. Reduced viral loads were detected in Vero cells that were sequentially infected with E. anophelis aegypti and ZIKV, dengue virus (DENV), or chikungunya virus (CHIKV). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the influence of ZIKV infection and temperature on the Ae. albopictus microbiome along with a negative correlation between ZIKV and E. anophelis albopictus. Our results have important implications for controlling vector-borne pathogens.

Zika Virus Infection Results in Biochemical Changes Associated With RNA Editing, Inflammatory and Antiviral Responses in Aedes albopictus.

Rapid and significant range expansion of both the Zika virus (ZIKV) and its Aedes vector species has resulted in the declaration of ZIKV as a global health threat. Successful transmission of ZIKV by its vector requires a complex series of interactions between these entities including the establishment, replication and dissemination of the virus within the mosquito. The metabolic conditions within the mosquito tissues play a critical role in mediating the crucial processes of viral infection and replication and represent targets for prevention of virus transmission. In this study, we carried out a comprehensive metabolomic phenotyping of ZIKV infected and uninfected Ae. albopictus by untargeted analysis of primary metabolites, lipids and biogenic amines. We performed a comparative metabolomic study of infection state with the aim of understanding the biochemical changes resulting from the interaction between the ZIKV and its vector. We have demonstrated that ZIKV infection results in changes to the cellular metabolic environment including a significant enrichment of inosine and pseudo-uridine (Ψ) levels which may be associated with RNA editing activity. In addition, infected mosquitoes demonstrate a hypoglycemic phenotype and show significant increases in the abundance of metabolites such as prostaglandin H2, leukotriene D4 and protoporphyrinogen IX which are associated with antiviral activity. These provide a basis for understanding the biochemical response to ZIKV infection and pathology in the vector. Future mechanistic studies targeting these ZIKV infection responsive metabolites and their associated biosynthetic pathways can provide inroads to identification of mosquito antiviral responses with infection blocking potential.