About
Dengue viruses (DENVs) and their main mosquito vector Aedes aegypti are responsible for the most rapidly advancing arboviral disease of humans. Mosquito susceptibility to DENV infection is a quantitative trait that varies between and within species, however the genes that make mosquitoes resistant or susceptible to DENV in nature have remained elusive. This project aims to elucidate the genetic basis of DENV resistance/susceptibility in Ae. aegypti using genome-wide gene mapping and functional validation by genetic engineering. It will take advantage of the natural resistance phenotype of a wild-type Ae. aegypti strain previously isolated from Bakoumba, Gabon. Partners of the project combine expertise in quantitative genetics and mosquito genetic engineering. Knowledge generated by this research will contribute to advance our understanding of antiviral mechanisms of insects, which is essential to the development of novel strategies to fight emerging arboviral diseases.
