Evolution of mosquito-virus interactions: range expansions, viral coinfections and mosquito behaviour

我的实验室里有三个研究重点。 (1)分类和系统学我们将研究两种蚊子入侵加拿大的情况，即白纹伊蚊(亚洲虎蚊)和埃及伊蚊(黄热病蚊子)，利用DNA序列追踪现有种群和新种群的系统发育关系。我们还将对库蚊属的8种蚊子进行修订，以确定它们之间的关系；这些信息对于了解东部马脑炎病毒的传播是必要的。 (2)行为生态学早先关于喂食糖对食血双翅目昆虫的影响的研究表明，蜜露糖粉可以增强飞行能力，并可能保护蚊子免受一些原生动物的感染。相比之下，花蜜粉可能会增强卵黄生成，这可能会导致鸡蛋产量增加。我们的目标是研究蜜露和花蜜餐对蚊子寿命和繁殖力的影响。随后将进行选择性实验，确定蚊子的性别、年龄、大小、交配状态和/或感染状态是否会影响摄入的糖粉类型。 (3)疾病传播除了正在进行的媒介能力研究以确定哪些蚊子能够传播哪些病毒外，我们还对两种相同病毒株以及两种不同病毒的双重感染的影响感兴趣。我们打算研究寨卡病毒、马亚罗病毒，最终研究登革热病毒和黄热病病毒。混合感染和重叠感染的研究将首先在细胞培养中进行，然后在布罗克带有Insecary的遏制级别3实验室中的活体感染蚊子中进行。

There are three research foci in my lab. (1) TAXONOMY and SYSTEMATICS We will be studying the incursions of two mosquito species into Canada, namely Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger mosquito) and Aedes aegypti (Yellow Fever mosquito), by tracing the phylogenetic relationships of established and novel populations using DNA sequences. We will also undertake a revision of 8 species in the mosquito genus Culiseta to determine how they are related to one another; such information is necessary for understanding the transmission of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus. (2) BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY Earlier work on the effects of sugar-feeding among the blood-feeding Diptera has suggested that honeydew sugar meals offer enhanced flight capabilities and may protect mosquitoes from some protozoan infections. In contrast, nectar meals may offer enhanced vitellogenesis which presumably leads to increased egg production. We aim to examine the effects of honeydew vs. nectar meals on longevity and fecundity in mosquitoes. This will be followed by choice experiments in which we determine whether the gender, age, size, mating status and/or infection status of mosquitoes influences the type of sugar-meal ingested. (3) DISEASE TRANSMISSION In addition to ongoing vector competence studies to determine which mosquitoes are able to transmit which viruses, we are interested in the effects of dual infection with two strains of the same virus as well as with two different viruses. We intend to study Zika virus, Mayaro virus and eventually Dengue virus and Yellow Fever virus. Co-infection and superinfection studies will be done in cell culture first and then in live, infected mosquitoes in Brock's Containment Level 3 Lab with Insectary.