TY - JOUR
T1 - Mosquito-Bacteria Symbiosis
T2 - The Case of Anopheles gambiae and Asaia
AU - Damiani, Claudia
AU - Ricci, Irene
AU - Crotti, Elena
AU - Rossi, Paolo
AU - Rizzi, Aurora
AU - Scuppa, Patrizia
AU - Capone, Aida
AU - Ulissi, Ulisse
AU - Epis, Sara
AU - Genchi, Marco
AU - Sagnon, N'Fale
AU - Faye, Ingrid
AU - Kang, Angray
AU - Chouaia, Bessem
AU - Whitehorn, Cheryl
AU - Moussa, Guelbeogo W.
AU - Mandrioli, Mauro
AU - Esposito, Fulvio
AU - Sacchi, Luciano
AU - Bandi, Claudio
AU - Daffonchio, Daniele
AU - Favia, Guido
N1 - Funding Information:
I.R. was funded by “Compagnia di San Paolo” in the context of the Italian Malaria Network.
Funding Information:
E.C. and P.R. benefited of travel grant from the COST Action FA0701 and support from the Swedish Research Council to I.F. and A.K.
Funding Information:
The project was supported by the Firb-Ideas (grant RBID082MLZ) and Prin 2007 (grant 2007PK2HB7_002), both from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), and by the EU-FP7 Capacities-Infrastructure 2008 (grant 228421) to G.F.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The symbiotic relationship between Asaia, an α-proteobacterium belonging to the family Acetobacteriaceae, and mosquitoes has been studied mainly in the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. Thus, we have investigated the nature of the association between Asaia and the major Afro-tropical malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. We have isolated Asaia from different wild and laboratory reared colonies of A. gambiae, and it was detected by PCR in all the developmental stages of the mosquito and in all the specimens analyzed. Additionally, we have shown that it localizes in the midgut, salivary glands and reproductive organs. Using recombinant strains of Asaia expressing fluorescent proteins, we have demonstrated the ability of the bacterium to colonize A. gambiae mosquitoes with a pattern similar to that described for A. stephensi. Finally, fluorescent in situ hybridization on the reproductive tract of females of A. gambiae showed a concentration of Asaia at the very periphery of the eggs, suggesting that transmission of Asaia from mother to offspring is likely mediated by a mechanism of egg-smearing. We suggest that Asaia has potential for use in the paratransgenic control of malaria transmitted by A. gambiae.
AB - The symbiotic relationship between Asaia, an α-proteobacterium belonging to the family Acetobacteriaceae, and mosquitoes has been studied mainly in the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. Thus, we have investigated the nature of the association between Asaia and the major Afro-tropical malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. We have isolated Asaia from different wild and laboratory reared colonies of A. gambiae, and it was detected by PCR in all the developmental stages of the mosquito and in all the specimens analyzed. Additionally, we have shown that it localizes in the midgut, salivary glands and reproductive organs. Using recombinant strains of Asaia expressing fluorescent proteins, we have demonstrated the ability of the bacterium to colonize A. gambiae mosquitoes with a pattern similar to that described for A. stephensi. Finally, fluorescent in situ hybridization on the reproductive tract of females of A. gambiae showed a concentration of Asaia at the very periphery of the eggs, suggesting that transmission of Asaia from mother to offspring is likely mediated by a mechanism of egg-smearing. We suggest that Asaia has potential for use in the paratransgenic control of malaria transmitted by A. gambiae.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77958064295&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00248-010-9704-8
DO - 10.1007/s00248-010-9704-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 20571792
AN - SCOPUS:77958064295
SN - 0095-3628
VL - 60
SP - 644
EP - 654
JO - Microbial ecology
JF - Microbial ecology
IS - 3
ER -
