Jenna Rashid | 2025 I.S. Symposium

Name: Jenna Rashid
Title: Transmission Routes and Possible Endogenization of Culicine-Associated Z Virus in Aedes japonicus Mosquitoes Located in Wooster, Ohio, USA
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisors: Ferdinand Nanfack Minkeu; James West

Insect-specific viruses (ISVs) are harmless to humans and other vertebrates because they cannot attach to or replicate their DNA/RNA in vertebrate cells. This host restriction confines ISVs to arthropods, such as insects, ticks, and mosquitoes. Advances in genomics and sequencing technologies have enabled the discovery of several ISVs. However, little is known about the transmission routes, dissemination, and endogenization in mosquitoes. This project assessed the vertical transmission and potential endogenization of the “Culicine-associated Z virus” or CAZV, an ISV belonging to the genus Entomobirnavirus within the Birnaviridae family. CAZV contains bi-segmented RNA that could be integrated into the genomes of mosquitoes, highlighting the significance of endogenous viral elements (EVEs), which are important for mosquito antiviral immunity and viral persistence in mosquito populations. During the summer of 2024, we captured live mosquitoes around Wooster, Ohio, USA, using mosquito traps and performed a series of laboratory experiments, including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing, to determine the vertical transmission routes, possible integration into the hosts’ genomes, and dissemination in Aedes japonicus mosquitoes. Our results revealed an intraembryonic route of CAZV and a high prevalence, suggesting long-term persistence. This persistence is exemplified by DNA forms in both adults and larvae. The dissemination analysis showed the presence of CAZV in several tissues, indicating persistence in primary and secondary tissues. In addition to multiple tissues, CAZV is present in at least three mosquito genera. Future studies should confirm the integration of CAZV using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Posted in Symposium 2025 on May 1, 2025.