Microbiome Shifts Impact the Interactions between tRNA Modification and Mosquito Biology

Abstract

Record ID: 183

Award(s): Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Poster

Abstract: Mosquito-borne diseases pose significant global health risks, necessitating that understanding mosquito biology is critical to developing effective control strategies. Aedes aegypti is an important carrier of many arboviruses and requires its microbiome for development and fitness. Recent research has explored manipulating the microbiome to manage mosquito populations; however, the role of transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications in the context of mosquito-microbiome interactions remains unexplored. Changes in tRNA,  which are essential for protein production, profoundly affect host health. Chemical modifications to tRNA are critical for their function, and specific modifications depend on micronutrients provided by the microbiome. This study examined the impact of limiting the mosquito microbiome to E. coli mutants (∆tgt and ∆queA) that lack the necessary genes to produce the tRNA modification queuosine (Q) on mosquito growth and development.  We hypothesize that changes in the microbiome through the E. coli variants that cannot produce Q will yield noticeable differences in larval behavior and phenotype. Our observations indicate that lower levels of Q from the mosquito's microbiome correlate with deficiencies in pigmentation during the larval stage, supported by transcriptional changes. Behavioral differences in relation to predator-pray interactions were noted in the mosquito larvae. This indicates a link between microbiome composition, tRNA modifications, and observable phenotypic traits in Aedes aegypti. Altogether, these studies highlight the significance of the microbiome on mosquito biology in relation to tRNA function and suggest a novel target for mosquito control mechanisms.