The virome of UK Culex pipiens mosquitoes and its effect on their competence as vectors of arboviruses

蚊媒病毒（虫媒病毒），如登革热和西尼罗河病毒，每年在全球造成数百万人感染。病毒组被定义为蚊子体内的病毒群落，包括昆虫特有的病毒。蚊子的微生物群和病毒组可以影响蚊子感染和传播这些虫媒病毒的能力，大约有10种昆虫特异性病毒被证明可以直接影响虫媒病毒。然而，在研究病毒体对能力的影响之前，需要从更多的位置和物种对病毒体进行测序。直到最近，病毒总体上是媒介生物学的一个研究不足的方面，对欧洲蚊子的研究仍然缺乏。英国有大约30种蚊子，其中包括在其他国家能够携带一系列虫媒病毒的大约9种。包括能传播西尼罗河病毒和辛德比斯病毒的淡色库蚊和激流库蚊。这些虫媒病毒目前没有在英国流行，主要是由于低温。然而，Usutu病毒已经可以在英国温暖的南部传播。据预测，到2050年，气候变化将使全球气温上升约1.7摄氏度，因此虫媒病毒在该国出现的可能性增加了。这是因为蚊子体内生长所需的温度更高，而且如果天气变暖，海外蚊子也会在英国存活。因此，越来越需要了解英国蚊子的病毒，以及它们在目前非虫媒病毒流行国家携带和传播虫媒病毒的能力。我的研究项目旨在：栖息地类型会影响病毒体变异吗？-病毒体是否在整个生命阶段得到维持？病毒群落结构是否会影响虫媒病毒在英国的传播潜力？本项目的研究目的是基础研究，希望为今后虫媒病毒控制方法的研究奠定基础。随着抑制虫媒病毒的isv的可能性被寻求作为一种病原体控制方法。这已经在细胞内细菌沃尔巴克氏体中被发现。此外，关于病毒在不同物种、栖息地、国家和病毒传播方法的多样性信息可用于预测虫媒病毒在英国的风险和传播。

T1 - Basic ResearchMosquito-borne viruses (arboviruses) such as Dengue and West Nile virus globally cause millions of infections every year. The virome is defined as the community of the viruses inside the mosquito including insect specific viruses. The mosquito's microbiome and virome can impact the mosquitoes' ability to become infected, and to transmit these arboviruses, with ~10 insect specific viruses shown to directly impact arboviruses. However, before the virome's effect on competence can be researched the virome needs to be sequenced from more locations and species. The virome in general is an under researched aspect of vector biology until relatively recently, and research on European mosquitoes is still lacking. The UK maintains ~30 species of mosquito including ~9 species capable of carrying a range of arboviruses in other countries. Including Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium which can vector West Nile virus and Sindbis virus. These arboviruses aren't currently endemic in the UK primarily due to the low temperature. However, Usutu virus can already circulate in the warmer South of the UK. As climate change is predicted to increase global temperatures by ~1.7'C by 2050, the possibility of arboviruses in this country increases. This is due to higher temperatures required for their growth in the mosquito as well as overseas mosquitoes surviving in the UK if it warmer. Therefore, an understanding of UK mosquitoes' virome, and their ability to carry and pass on arboviruses in currently non endemic countries will become increasingly needed. My research project aims to:- Will habitat type affect the virome variability ?- Is the virome maintained through life stage ? - Will virome community structure effect the transmission potential of arboviruses in UK ?The research aims in this project are basic research with the hope to be the base of future research in possible control methods for arboviruses. With the possibility of ISVs which supress arboviruses being pursued to as a pathogen control method. This has already been seen in the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia. As well as the information on the virome's variety across species, habitats, countries and virus transmission method could be used to predict arbovirus risk and spread in the UK.