A5101914403- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Malaria Research and Control
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Skin Protection and Aging
- Microbial Metabolism and Applications
- Dermatologic Treatments and Research
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine
- Energy and Environment Impacts
- Phytochemistry and Bioactivity Studies
- Transgenic Plants and Applications
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Systemic Sclerosis and Related Diseases
- Heat shock proteins research
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Studies on Chitinases and Chitosanases
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
Johns Hopkins University
2013-2025
University of Florida
2018-2021
Johns Hopkins Medicine
2021
Tulane University
2008-2018
Plasmodium and dengue virus, the causative agents of two most devastating vector-borne diseases, malaria dengue, are transmitted by important mosquito vectors, Anopheles gambiae Aedes aegypti, respectively. Insect-bacteria associations have been shown to influence vector competence for human pathogens through multi-faceted actions that include elicitation insect immune system, pathogen sequestration microbes, bacteria-produced anti-pathogenic factors. These influences make microbiota highly...
Genetic variation among Aedes aegypti populations can greatly influence their vector competence for human pathogens such as the dengue virus (DENV). While intra-species transcriptome differences remain relatively unstudied when compared to coding sequence polymorphisms, they also affect numerous aspects of mosquito biology. Comparative molecular profiling strain transcriptomes therefore provide valuable insight into regulation competence. We established a panel A. strains with varying levels...
Zika (ZIKV) and dengue viruses (DENV) are transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes. However, the molecular interactions between vector ZIKV remain largely unexplored. In this work, we further investigated tropism of in two different aegypti strains show that virus infection kinetics, tissue migration, susceptibility differ mosquito strains. We also compare transcriptome changes upon or DENV demonstrating 40% mosquito's midgut infection-responsive is virus-specific at seven days after...
Transmission of dengue virus (DENV) requires successful completion the infection cycle in Aedes aegypti vector, which is initiated midgut tissue after ingestion an infectious blood meal. While certain Ae. midgut-associated bacteria influence infection, little known about fungi (mycobiota), and how its members might susceptibility to DENV infection. We show that a Talaromyces (Tsp_PR) fungus, isolated from field-caught aegypti, render mosquito more permissive This modulation attributed...
Dengue virus (DENV) is the most prevalent and burdensome arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, against which there only a limited licensed vaccine no approved drug treatment. A Chromobacterium species, C. sp. Panama, isolated from midgut of A. aegypti able to inhibit DENV replication within mosquito in vitro. Here we show that Panama mediates its anti-DENV activity through secreted factors are proteinous nature. The inhibitory effect occurs prior attachment cells, attributed factor...
Dengue virus host factors (DENV HFs) that are essential for the completion of infection cycle in mosquito vector and vertebrate represent potent targets transmission blocking. Here we investigated whether known mammalian DENV HF inhibitors could influence arthropod A. aegypti. We evaluated potency bafilomycin (BAF; inhibitor vacuolar H+-ATPase (vATPase)), mycophenolic acid (MPA; inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH)), castanospermine (CAS; glucosidase), deoxynojirimycin (DNJ;...
Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging arbovirus belonging to the genus Flavivirus, is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. ZIKV infection can cause microcephaly of newborn babies and Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults. Because no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral treatment available for infection, most commonly used approach control spread suppression mosquito vector population. A novel proposed strategy block arthropod (arbovirus) transmission based on chemical inhibition However, only a few drugs...
Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus classified into four serotypes (DENV-1-4) that causes fever (DF), hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or shock syndrome (DSS). An estimated 390 million people are at risk for infection with DENV and there no effective vaccines therapeutics. We utilized RNA chromatography coupled quantitative mass spectrometry (qMS) to identify host binding proteins (RBPs) interact DENV-2 RNA. identified ERI3 (also PRNPIP PINT1), putative 3'-5' exonuclease, which...
We report a laboratory colony of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were experimentally able to salivate Zika virus (ZIKV, Flaviviridae; Flavivirus) at 16 days post infection (dpi). ZIKV RNA was detected in bodies and saliva deposited on filter paper cards with subsequent studies demonstrating the presence live saliva.
Abstract Inter-host transmission of pathogenic arboviruses such as dengue virus (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) requires systemic infection the mosquito vector. Successful initial viral entry proliferation in midgut cells followed by dissemination to secondary tissues eventual into salivary glands 1 . Lack arbovirus has been observed several Aedes aegypti strains 2 , but antiviral responses underlying this phenomenon are not yet fully understood. We report here that there is a rapid induction...
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are important vectors of viral diseases. Mosquito host factors play key roles in virus control and it has been suggested that dengue replication is regulated by Dnmt2-mediated DNA methylation. However, recent studies have shown Dnmt2 a tRNA methyltransferase Dnmt2-dependent methylomes lack defined methylation patterns, thus necessitating systematic re-evaluation the mosquito genome status. We now searched Ae. for candidate modification enzymes. This failed to reveal...
Since 1999, dengue outbreaks in the continental United States involving local transmission have occurred only episodically and Florida Texas. In Florida, these episodes appear to be coincident with increased introductions of virus into region through human travel migration from countries where disease is endemic. To date, U.S. public health response has been largely reactive, implementation comprehensive arbovirus surveillance advance predictable seasons, which would enable proactive...
Abstract Background The Anopheles gambiae heat shock cognate gene ( hsc70B ) encodes a constitutively expressed protein in the hsp70 family and it functions as molecular chaperone for folding. However, expression of can be further induced by certain stimuli such infection. We previously demonstrated that An. is during o'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) infection subsequently suppresses ONNV replication mosquito. To characterize inducibility , we cloned 2.6-kb region immediately 5' upstream starting...
Dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4) circulated in Aedes aegypti 2016 and 2017 Florida the absence of human index cases, compelling a full assessment local mosquito vector competence DENV-4 risk. To better understand transmission risk Florida, we used an expanded suite tests to measure compare competencies both established colony A. (Orlando strain [ORL]) field-derived from Collier County, FL, 2018 (COL) for Haitian field isolate laboratory (Philippines H241). We immediately noted that ORL...
Abstract RNA interference is widely used to analyze gene functions via phenotypic knockdown of target transcripts in mosquitoes, which transmit numerous mosquito‐borne diseases. Functional analysis mosquito genes indispensable understand and reduce transmission diseases mosquitoes. Intrathoracic injection double‐stranded (dsRNA) remains the simplest most customizable method mosquitoes for functional interest. However, achieving consistent effective by dsRNAi often elusive may require...
Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted by mosquitoes and a major public health concern. The study of innate mosquito defense mechanisms against DENV have revealed crucial roles for the Toll, Imd, JAK-STAT, RNAi pathways in mediating mosquito. Often overlooked such studies role intrinsic cellular that we hypothesize to work concert with classical immune affect organismal defense. Our understanding molecular interaction host cells limited, propose expand upon recent results from genome-scale,...
Laser microdissection microscopy (LMM) has potential as a research tool because it allows precise excision of target tissues or cells from complex biological specimen, and facilitates tissue-specific sample preparation. However, this method not been used in mosquito vectors to date. To end, we have developed an LMM isolate midgut RNA using Aedes aegypti. Total was isolated Ae. aegypti midguts that were either fresh-frozen fixed with histological fixatives. Generally, tissue sections are...
A Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak in Italy 2007 spread to include the islands of Caribbean and most Americas still circulates Europe Africa. Florida being close distance experienced a CHIKV 2014 continues have few travel-related cases each year. It is known that different environmental conditions regions can result genetic variation favor changes competence arbovirus. We evaluated vector Aedes aegypti for determined if there geographic component influences genes involved competence....
Abstract Dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4) circulated in Aedes aegypti 2016 and 2017 Florida the absence of human index cases, compelling a full assessment local mosquito vector competence DENV-4 risk. To better understand transmission risk Florida, we used an expanded suite tests to measure compare both established colony Ae. (Orlando strain [ORL]) field-derived from Collier County, 2018 (COL) for Haitian field isolate laboratory (Philippines H241). We immediately noted that ORL...