Mosquito host barriers driving vector specificity for arbovirus transmission – ArboVEC

Anopheles mosquitoes are the vectors of human malaria and also the alphavirus O’nyong nyong (ONNV), currently in emergence in Africa. Aedes transmit many arboviruses such as dengue Zika, and chikungunya (CHIKV), currently causing pandemics. We will compare the antiviral mechanisms of the poor arbovirus vector Anopheles coluzzii, and the efficient arbovirus vector, Aedes aegypti, against ONNV and CHIKV. The results will reveal host restriction factors, indicate the level of risk that an arbovirus could shift between hosts to exploit a new vector, and identify new tools to impede arbovirus transmission. Aim 1) Functionally screen a curated candidate gene panel to identify factors underlying differential antiviral function in Anopheles and Aedes; Aim 2) Dissect the mechanisms of action of selected candidates from Aim 1, with particular focus on a putative antiviral immune protein complex; and Aim 3) Detect the function and viral molecular interactions of candidate host restriction factor Rasputin in Anopheles and Aedes.