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Title: Mosquitoes host communities of bacteria that are essential for development but vary greatly between local habitats
Abstract

Mosquitoes are insects of interest because several species vector disease‐causing pathogens to humans and other vertebrates. We previously reported that mosquitoes from long‐term laboratory cultures require living bacteria in their gut to develop, but development does not depend on particular species of bacteria. Here, we focused on three distinct but interrelated areas of study to better understand the role of bacteria in mosquito development by studying field and laboratory populations ofAedes aegypti,Aedes albopictusandCulex quinquefasciatusfrom the southeastern United States. Sequence analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons showed that bacterial community composition differed substantially in larvae from different collection sites, whereas larvae from the same site shared similarities. Although previously unknown to be infected byWolbachia, results also indicated thatAe. aegyptifrom one field site hosted a dual infection. Regardless of collection site or factors likeWolbachiainfection, however, each mosquito species required living bacteria in their digestive tract to develop. Results also identified several concerns in using antibiotics to eliminate the bacterial community in larvae in order to study its developmental consequences. Altogether, our results indicate that several mosquito species require living bacteria for development. We also hypothesize these species do not rely on particular bacteria because larvae do not reliably encounter the same bacteria in the aquatic habitats they develop in.

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NSF-PAR ID:
10246884
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley-Blackwell
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Molecular Ecology
Volume:
25
Issue:
22
ISSN:
0962-1083
Format(s):
Medium: X Size: p. 5806-5826
Size(s):
p. 5806-5826
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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