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2023
SC Weng, I Antoshechkin, E Marois, O Akbari
Efficient Sex Separation by Exploiting Differential Alternative Splicing of a Dominant Marker in Aedes aegypti Journal Article
In: PLoS Genetics, 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Aedes aegypti, Introns, larvae, M3i, marois, mosquitoes, pupae, rna sequencing, transcriptome analyses
@article{nokey,
title = {Efficient Sex Separation by Exploiting Differential Alternative Splicing of a Dominant Marker in Aedes aegypti},
author = {Weng SC and Antoshechkin I and Marois E and Akbari O},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011065},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1011065},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-11-27},
urldate = {2023-11-27},
journal = {PLoS Genetics},
abstract = {Only female mosquitoes consume blood giving them the opportunity to transmit deadly human pathogens. Therefore, it is critical to remove females before conducting releases for genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe a robust sex-sorting approach termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter) that exploits sex-specific alternative splicing of an innocuous reporter to ensure exclusive dominant male-specific expression. Using SEPARATOR, we demonstrate reliable sex selection from early larval and pupal stages in Aedes aegypti, and use a Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) to demonstrate scalable high-throughput sex-selection of first instar larvae. Additionally, we use this approach to sequence the transcriptomes of early larval males and females and find several genes that are sex-specifically expressed. SEPARATOR can simplify mass production of males for release programs and is designed to be cross-species portable and should be instrumental for genetic biocontrol interventions.},
keywords = {Aedes aegypti, Introns, larvae, M3i, marois, mosquitoes, pupae, rna sequencing, transcriptome analyses},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Only female mosquitoes consume blood giving them the opportunity to transmit deadly human pathogens. Therefore, it is critical to remove females before conducting releases for genetic biocontrol interventions. Here we describe a robust sex-sorting approach termed SEPARATOR (Sexing Element Produced by Alternative RNA-splicing of A Transgenic Observable Reporter) that exploits sex-specific alternative splicing of an innocuous reporter to ensure exclusive dominant male-specific expression. Using SEPARATOR, we demonstrate reliable sex selection from early larval and pupal stages in Aedes aegypti, and use a Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) to demonstrate scalable high-throughput sex-selection of first instar larvae. Additionally, we use this approach to sequence the transcriptomes of early larval males and females and find several genes that are sex-specifically expressed. SEPARATOR can simplify mass production of males for release programs and is designed to be cross-species portable and should be instrumental for genetic biocontrol interventions.
2020
Aguiar ERGR, de Almeida JPP, Queiroz LR, Oliveira LS, Olmo RP, de Faria IJDS, Imler JL, Gruber A, Matthews BJ, Marques JT
In: RNA, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 581-594, 2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: A. aegypti, Aedes aegypti, endogenous viral elements, EVE, flamenco locus, imler, M3i, Marques, piRNA, piRNAs, RNA Interference
@article{Aguiar_2020,
title = {A single unidirectional piRNA cluster similar to the flamenco locus is the major source of EVE-derived transcription and small RNAs in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes },
author = {ERGR Aguiar and JPP de Almeida and LR Queiroz and LS Oliveira and RP Olmo and IJDS de Faria and JL Imler and A Gruber and BJ Matthews and JT Marques},
url = {https://rnajournal.cshlp.org/content/26/5/581.long},
doi = {10.1261/rna.073965.119},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-29},
journal = {RNA},
volume = {26},
number = {5},
pages = {581-594},
abstract = {Endogenous viral elements (EVEs) are found in many eukaryotic genomes. Despite considerable knowledge about genomic elements such as transposons (TEs) and retroviruses, we still lack information about nonretroviral EVEs. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have a highly repetitive genome that is covered with EVEs. Here, we identified 129 nonretroviral EVEs in the AaegL5 version of the A. aegypti genome. These EVEs were significantly associated with TEs and preferentially located in repeat-rich clusters within intergenic regions. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis showed that most EVEs generated transcripts although only around 1.4% were sense RNAs. The majority of EVE transcription was antisense and correlated with the generation of EVE-derived small RNAs. A single genomic cluster of EVEs located in a 143 kb repetitive region in chromosome 2 contributed with 42% of antisense transcription and 45% of small RNAs derived from viral elements. This region was enriched for TE-EVE hybrids organized in the same coding strand. These generated a single long antisense transcript that correlated with the generation of phased primary PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). The putative promoter of this region had a conserved binding site for the transcription factor Cubitus interruptus, a key regulator of the flamenco locus in Drosophila melanogaster Here, we have identified a single unidirectional piRNA cluster in the A. aegypti genome that is the major source of EVE transcription fueling the generation of antisense small RNAs in mosquitoes. We propose that this region is a flamenco-like locus in A. aegypti due to its relatedness to the major unidirectional piRNA cluster in Drosophila melanogaster. },
keywords = {A. aegypti, Aedes aegypti, endogenous viral elements, EVE, flamenco locus, imler, M3i, Marques, piRNA, piRNAs, RNA Interference},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Endogenous viral elements (EVEs) are found in many eukaryotic genomes. Despite considerable knowledge about genomic elements such as transposons (TEs) and retroviruses, we still lack information about nonretroviral EVEs. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have a highly repetitive genome that is covered with EVEs. Here, we identified 129 nonretroviral EVEs in the AaegL5 version of the A. aegypti genome. These EVEs were significantly associated with TEs and preferentially located in repeat-rich clusters within intergenic regions. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis showed that most EVEs generated transcripts although only around 1.4% were sense RNAs. The majority of EVE transcription was antisense and correlated with the generation of EVE-derived small RNAs. A single genomic cluster of EVEs located in a 143 kb repetitive region in chromosome 2 contributed with 42% of antisense transcription and 45% of small RNAs derived from viral elements. This region was enriched for TE-EVE hybrids organized in the same coding strand. These generated a single long antisense transcript that correlated with the generation of phased primary PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). The putative promoter of this region had a conserved binding site for the transcription factor Cubitus interruptus, a key regulator of the flamenco locus in Drosophila melanogaster Here, we have identified a single unidirectional piRNA cluster in the A. aegypti genome that is the major source of EVE transcription fueling the generation of antisense small RNAs in mosquitoes. We propose that this region is a flamenco-like locus in A. aegypti due to its relatedness to the major unidirectional piRNA cluster in Drosophila melanogaster.
2018
Olmo RP, Ferreira AGA, Izidoro-Toledo TC, Aguiar ERGR, de Faria IJS, de Souza KPR, Osório KP, Kuhn L, Hammann P, de Andrade EG, Todjro YM, Rocha MN, Leite THJF, Amadou SCG, Armache JN, Paro S, de Oliveira CD, Carvalho FD, Moreira LA, Marois E, Imler JL, Marques JT
Control of dengue virus in the midgut of Aedes aegypti by ectopic expression of the dsRNA-binding protein Loqs2 Journal Article
In: Nature Microbiology, vol. 3, no. 12, pp. 1385-1393, 2018.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Aedes aegypti, Dengue, imler, M3i, marois, Marques, Zika
@article{Olmo_2018,
title = {Control of dengue virus in the midgut of Aedes aegypti by ectopic expression of the dsRNA-binding protein Loqs2 },
author = {RP Olmo and AGA Ferreira and TC Izidoro-Toledo and ERGR Aguiar and IJS de Faria and KPR de Souza and KP Osório and L Kuhn and P Hammann and EG de Andrade and YM Todjro and MN Rocha and THJF Leite and SCG Amadou and JN Armache and S Paro and CD de Oliveira and FD Carvalho and LA Moreira and E Marois and JL Imler and JT Marques},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-018-0268-6},
doi = {10.1038/s41564-018-0268-6},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-10-29},
journal = {Nature Microbiology},
volume = {3},
number = {12},
pages = {1385-1393},
abstract = {Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes. In the insect vector, the small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is an important antiviral mechanism against DENV. However, it remains unclear when and where the siRNA pathway acts during the virus cycle. Here, we show that the siRNA pathway fails to efficiently silence DENV in the midgut of Aedes aegypti although it is essential to restrict systemic replication. Accumulation of DENV-derived siRNAs in the midgut reveals that impaired silencing results from a defect downstream of small RNA biogenesis. Notably, silencing triggered by endogenous and exogenous dsRNAs remained effective in the midgut where known components of the siRNA pathway, including the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding proteins Loquacious and r2d2, had normal expression levels. We identified an Aedes-specific paralogue of loquacious and r2d2, hereafter named loqs2, which is not expressed in the midgut. Loqs2 interacts with Loquacious and r2d2 and is required to control systemic replication of DENV and also Zika virus. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Loqs2 in the midgut of transgenic mosquitoes is sufficient to restrict DENV replication and dissemination. Together, our data reveal a mechanism of tissue-specific regulation of the mosquito siRNA pathway controlled by Loqs2. },
keywords = {Aedes aegypti, Dengue, imler, M3i, marois, Marques, Zika},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes. In the insect vector, the small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is an important antiviral mechanism against DENV. However, it remains unclear when and where the siRNA pathway acts during the virus cycle. Here, we show that the siRNA pathway fails to efficiently silence DENV in the midgut of Aedes aegypti although it is essential to restrict systemic replication. Accumulation of DENV-derived siRNAs in the midgut reveals that impaired silencing results from a defect downstream of small RNA biogenesis. Notably, silencing triggered by endogenous and exogenous dsRNAs remained effective in the midgut where known components of the siRNA pathway, including the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding proteins Loquacious and r2d2, had normal expression levels. We identified an Aedes-specific paralogue of loquacious and r2d2, hereafter named loqs2, which is not expressed in the midgut. Loqs2 interacts with Loquacious and r2d2 and is required to control systemic replication of DENV and also Zika virus. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Loqs2 in the midgut of transgenic mosquitoes is sufficient to restrict DENV replication and dissemination. Together, our data reveal a mechanism of tissue-specific regulation of the mosquito siRNA pathway controlled by Loqs2.
