Transinfection of bed bug (Cimex hemipterus) wolbachia into dengue vector mosquito (Aedes aegypti) by microinjection

Abstract

Wolbachia symbionts are gram negative obligated intracellular α-proteobacterium that infect diverse of arthropod species and some filarial nematodes. They are capable to induce a variety of reproductive abnormalities in their hosts including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). This is the first report of Wolbachia transinfection across the insect Order. Wolbachia F-supergroup from naturally infected bed bug (Cimex hemipterus) was microinjected into Aedes aegypti mosquito. The maximum transmission efficiency of Wolbachia was found in the first generation (G₁) (55.55%, n = 45). At the time of this report, transinfected lines of total 10 generations post-injection are stably infected. Incomplete CI expression was found in G₂ and G₄ of transinfected mosquitoes. It is conclude that transinfection of Wolbachia from Cimex hemipterus into Aedes aegypti could be used as a novel tool for gene-driving system in genetically manipulated mosquitoes by suppression or replacement of vector populations.