Virome profiling of Culex tarsalis through small RNA-seq: A challenge of suboptimal samples.

ABSTRACT: Viral infections in mosquitoes trigger the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, a key antiviral defense mechanism that generates virus-derived small RNAs (vsRNAs). Given the natural enrichment of vsRNAs during infection and their stability, small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) has emerged as a powerful tool for virome characterization. Culex tarsalis is a widely distributed mosquito species in North America and is an important vector of West Nile virus (WNV). Previous studies have shown that co-infection with insect-specific viruses (ISVs) can modulate WNV replication in Cx. tarsalis, highlighting the importance of characterizing the virome of this species. Here, we investigated the virome of Cx. tarsalis populations across 5 states of the Western United States using sRNA-seq. We analyzed samples f

SUBMITTER: Manzano-Alvarez J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12591400 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature