Subgenomic flavivirus RNA binds the mosquito DEAD/H-box helicase ME31B and determines Zika virus transmission by Aedes aegypti.

ABSTRACT: Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus predominantly transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and poses a global human health threat. All flaviviruses, including those that exclusively replicate in mosquitoes, produce a highly abundant, noncoding subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) in infected cells, which implies an important function of sfRNA during mosquito infection. Currently, the role of sfRNA in flavivirus transmission by mosquitoes is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that an sfRNA-deficient ZIKV (ZIKVΔSF1) replicates similar to wild-type ZIKV in mosquito cell culture but is severely attenuated in transmission by Ae. aegypti after an infectious blood meal, with 5% saliva-positive mosquitoes for ZIKVΔSF1 vs. 31% for ZIKV. Furthermore, viral titers in t

SUBMITTER: Goertz GP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6754610 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature