TOGAVIRUS--VECTOR INTERACTIONS

我们实验室最近的独特发现表明， 披膜病毒，东部马脑脊髓炎病毒，引起 其蚊媒的中肠中存在显著的细胞病理学， Culiseta melanura. 这一观察结果挑战了以前的信念 关于蚊子感染的良性性质， 虫媒病毒，并提出了潜在的机制，可能1） 促进病毒在蚊子体内的快速传播， 传播到脊椎动物，2）改变病毒基因库 在媒介感染期间。 使用光学和电子显微镜，我们建议进一步 评价披膜病毒诱导的载体病理学在HIV病毒-Cs中的作用。 melanura系统，以及在另一个医学上重要的 委内瑞拉马脑脊髓炎病毒，在其 地方病蚊媒，带尾库蚊。 这些研究将 确定披膜病毒感染对生物适应性的影响 包括血液消化、繁殖、宿主 寻找和长寿，并定义中肠之间的关系， 病理学和病毒在媒介中的传播。 使用 分子方法，我们将研究遗传组成， 虫媒病毒种群在不同阶段的快速和 持续性蚊子感染。 我们提出的研究，结合了经典的昆虫学 电子显微镜和分子生物学技术， 揭示虫媒病毒-载体协同进化的机制， 从而更好地了解披膜病毒的流行病学 疾病

Recent unique findings from our laboratory suggest that the togavirus, eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus, causes significant cytopathology in the midgut of its mosquito vector, Culiseta melanura. This observation challenges previous beliefs regarding the benign nature of mosquito infection with arboviruses, and suggests potential mechanisms which may 1) facilitate rapid virus dissemination within the mosquito and transmission to vertebrates, and 2) act to alter the virus gene pool during vector infection. Using light and electron microscopy, we propose to further evaluate togavirus-induced vector pathology in the EEE virus -Cs. melanura system, as well as in another medically important alphavirus, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, in its enzootic mosquito vector, Culex taeniopus. These studies will establish the effect of togavirus infection on the biological fitness of the mosquito, including blood digestion, reproduction, host seeking and longevity, and define the relationship between midgut pathology and virus dissemination in the vector. Using a molecular approach, we will examine the genetic composition of arbovirus populations over time during various stages of rapid and persistent mosquito infection. Our proposed research, which couples classical entomological techniques with electron microscopy and molecular biology, will reveal mechanisms of arbovirus-vector coevolution, which will lead to better understanding of the epidemiology of togaviral diseases.