Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome
Using reverse genetics, we analyzed a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) isolate of the Indian Ocean lineage lacking direct repeat (DR) elements in the 3′ untranslated region, namely DR1a and DR2a. While this deletion mutant CHIKV-∆DR exhibited growth characteristics comparable to the wild-type virus in Baby...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/3/403 |
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| author | Yauhen Karliuk Anja vom Hemdt Janett Wieseler Martin Pfeffer Beate M. Kümmerer |
| author_facet | Yauhen Karliuk Anja vom Hemdt Janett Wieseler Martin Pfeffer Beate M. Kümmerer |
| author_sort | Yauhen Karliuk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using reverse genetics, we analyzed a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) isolate of the Indian Ocean lineage lacking direct repeat (DR) elements in the 3′ untranslated region, namely DR1a and DR2a. While this deletion mutant CHIKV-∆DR exhibited growth characteristics comparable to the wild-type virus in Baby Hamster Kidney cells, replication of the mutant was reduced in <i>Aedes albopictus</i> C6/36 and <i>Ae. aegypti</i> Aag2 cells. Using oral and intrathoracic infection of mosquitoes, viral infectivity, dissemination, and transmission of CHIKV-∆DR could be shown for the well-known CHIKV vectors <i>Ae. aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i>. Oral infection of <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Culex pipiens</i> mosquitoes with mutant or wild-type CHIKV showed very limited infectivity. Dissemination, transmission, and transmission efficiencies as determined via viral RNA in the saliva were slightly higher in <i>Ae. vexans</i> for the wild-type virus than for CHIKV-∆DR. However, both <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> allowed efficient viral replication after intrathoracic injection confirming that the midgut barrier is an important determinant for the compromised infectivity after oral infection. Transmission efficiencies were neither significantly different between <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> nor between wild-type and CHIKV-∆DR. With a combined transmission efficiency of 6%, both <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> might serve as potential vectors in temperate regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:40:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5df0832900145f39ffd69ba13dde484 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:40:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5df0832900145f39ffd69ba13dde4842023-12-03T12:25:22ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-03-0113340310.3390/v13030403Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the GenomeYauhen Karliuk0Anja vom Hemdt1Janett Wieseler2Martin Pfeffer3Beate M. Kümmerer4Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, GermanyInstitute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, GermanyUsing reverse genetics, we analyzed a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) isolate of the Indian Ocean lineage lacking direct repeat (DR) elements in the 3′ untranslated region, namely DR1a and DR2a. While this deletion mutant CHIKV-∆DR exhibited growth characteristics comparable to the wild-type virus in Baby Hamster Kidney cells, replication of the mutant was reduced in <i>Aedes albopictus</i> C6/36 and <i>Ae. aegypti</i> Aag2 cells. Using oral and intrathoracic infection of mosquitoes, viral infectivity, dissemination, and transmission of CHIKV-∆DR could be shown for the well-known CHIKV vectors <i>Ae. aegypti</i> and <i>Ae. albopictus</i>. Oral infection of <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Culex pipiens</i> mosquitoes with mutant or wild-type CHIKV showed very limited infectivity. Dissemination, transmission, and transmission efficiencies as determined via viral RNA in the saliva were slightly higher in <i>Ae. vexans</i> for the wild-type virus than for CHIKV-∆DR. However, both <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> allowed efficient viral replication after intrathoracic injection confirming that the midgut barrier is an important determinant for the compromised infectivity after oral infection. Transmission efficiencies were neither significantly different between <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> nor between wild-type and CHIKV-∆DR. With a combined transmission efficiency of 6%, both <i>Ae. vexans</i> and <i>Cx. pipiens</i> might serve as potential vectors in temperate regions.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/3/403chikungunya virusvector competence3′ untranslated regiondirect repeats<i>Aedes vexans</i><i>Culex pipiens</i> |
| spellingShingle | Yauhen Karliuk Anja vom Hemdt Janett Wieseler Martin Pfeffer Beate M. Kümmerer Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome Viruses chikungunya virus vector competence 3′ untranslated region direct repeats <i>Aedes vexans</i> <i>Culex pipiens</i> |
| title | Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome |
| title_full | Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome |
| title_fullStr | Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome |
| title_short | Characterization and Vector Competence Studies of Chikungunya Virus Lacking Repetitive Motifs in the 3′ Untranslated Region of the Genome |
| title_sort | characterization and vector competence studies of chikungunya virus lacking repetitive motifs in the 3 untranslated region of the genome |
| topic | chikungunya virus vector competence 3′ untranslated region direct repeats <i>Aedes vexans</i> <i>Culex pipiens</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/3/403 |
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