West African Anopheles Gambiae Mosquitoes Harbor a Taxonomically Diverse Virome Including New Insect-Specific Flaviviruses, Mononegaviruses, and Totiviruses

Authors

Joseph R. Fauver, University of Nebraska Medical CenterFollow
Nathan D. Grubaugh, Colorado State University
Benjamin J. Krajacich, Colorado State University
James Weger-Lucarelli, Colorado State University
Steven M. Lakin, Colorado State University
Lawrence S. Fakoli, Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research
Fatorma K. Bolay, Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research
Joseph W. Diclaro, United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3
Kounbobr Roch Dabiré, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé
Brian D. Foy, Colorado State University
Doug E. Brackney, Colorado State University
Gregory D. Ebel, Colorado State University
Mark D. Stenglein, Colorado State University

Document Type

Article

Journal Title

Virology

Publication Date

2016

Volume

498

Abstract

Anopheles gambiae are a major vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Viruses that naturally infect these mosquitoes may impact their physiology and ability to transmit pathogens. We therefore used metagenomics sequencing to search for viruses in adult Anopheles mosquitoes collected from Liberia, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. We identified a number of virus and virus-like sequences from mosquito midgut contents, including 14 coding-complete genome segments and 26 partial sequences. The coding-complete sequences define new viruses in the order Mononegavirales, and the families Flaviviridae, and Totiviridae. The identification of a flavivirus infecting Anopheles mosquitoes broadens our understanding of the evolution and host range of this virus family. This study increases our understanding of virus diversity in general, begins to define the virome of a medically important vector in its natural setting, and lays groundwork for future studies examining the potential impact of these viruses on anopheles biology and disease transmission.

DOI Link

10.1016/j.virol.2016.07.031

ISSN

1096-0341

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Fauver, Joseph R.; Grubaugh, Nathan D.; Krajacich, Benjamin J.; Weger-Lucarelli, James; Lakin, Steven M.; Fakoli, Lawrence S.; Bolay, Fatorma K.; Diclaro, Joseph W.; Dabiré, Kounbobr Roch; Foy, Brian D.; Brackney, Doug E.; Ebel, Gregory D.; and Stenglein, Mark D., "West African Anopheles Gambiae Mosquitoes Harbor a Taxonomically Diverse Virome Including New Insect-Specific Flaviviruses, Mononegaviruses, and Totiviruses" (2016). Journal Articles: Epidemiology. 82.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_epidem_articles/82