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1. Parasitism of Aedes albopictus by Ascogregarina taiwanensis lowers its competitive ability against Aedes triseriatus

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04581-0  

   Stump, Emma; Childs, Lauren M.; Walker, Melody (December 2021, Parasites & Vectors)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Background Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases such as dengue, malaria and La Crosse virus that significantly impact the human population. When multiple mosquito species are present, the competition between species may alter population dynamics as well as disease spread. Two mosquito species, Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus , both inhabit areas where La Crosse virus is found. Infection of Aedes albopictus by the parasite Ascogregarina taiwanensis and Aedes triseriatus by the parasite Ascogregarina barretti can decrease a mosquito’s fitness, respectively. In particular, the decrease in fitness of Aedes albopictus occurs through the impact of Ascogregarina taiwanensis on female fecundity, larval development rate, and larval mortality and may impact its initial competitive advantage over Aedes triseriatus during invasion. Methods We examine the effects of parasitism of gregarine parasites on Aedes albopictus and triseriatus population dynamics and competition with a focus on when Aedes albopictus is new to an area. We build a compartmental model including competition between Aedes albopictus and triseriatus while under parasitism of the gregarine parasites. Using parameters based on the literature, we simulate the dynamics and analyze the equilibrium population proportion of the two species. We consider the presence of both parasites and potential dilution effects. Results We show that increased levels of parasitism in Aedes albopictus will decrease the initial competitive advantage of the species over Aedes triseriatus and increase the survivorship of Aedes triseriatus . We find Aedes albopictus is better able to invade when there is more extreme parasitism of Aedes triseriatus . Furthermore, although the transient dynamics differ, dilution of the parasite density through uptake by both species does not alter the equilibrium population sizes of either species. Conclusions Mosquito population dynamics are affected by many factors, such as abiotic factors (e.g. temperature and humidity) and competition between mosquito species. This is especially true when multiple mosquito species are vying to live in the same area. Knowledge of how population dynamics are affected by gregarine parasites among competing species can inform future mosquito control efforts and help prevent the spread of vector-borne disease. 

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2. Recovering wastewater RNA for virome sequencing by systematically optimized tangential-flow ultrafiltration and Nanotrap microbiome particles

   https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00777-25  

   Segelhurst, Emily; Bard, Jonathan E; Gallo, Sydney; Huang, Vicky; Pohlman, Alyssa; Yergeau, Donald A; Surtees, Jennifer A; Bradley, Ian M; Ye, Yinyin (August 2025, Applied and Environmental Microbiology)

   Elkins, Christopher A (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Municipal wastewater harbors diverse RNA viruses, which are responsible for many emerging and reemerging diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Although genomic sequencing can be a high-throughput approach for profiling the RNA virome in wastewater, wastewater processing methods often influence sequencing outcomes. Here, we systematically evaluated two wastewater processing methods, tangential-flow ultrafiltration (TFF) and Nanotrap Microbiome A Particles, for detecting the target RNA virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via amplicon sequencing and characterizing the RNA virome using whole-transcriptome shotgun sequencing. Our results from paired comparison tests showed that the TFF and Nanotrap methods recovered similar SARS-CoV-2 variants at the lineage level (analysis of similarity [ANOSIM]R= −0.012,P= 0.874). Optimizing automated procedures for the Nanotrap method and concentration factors for the TFF method was critical for achieving high-depth and high-breadth coverage of the target virus genome. Notably, the two methods enriched distinct RNA viromes from the same wastewater samples (ANOSIMR= 0.260,P= 0.002), with TFF samples showing 22-fold and 7-fold higher relative abundances ofReoviridaeandCoronaviridae, respectively. These differences are likely due to the distinct virus concentration mechanisms employed by each method, which are influenced by liquid-solid partitioning of virus particles and interactions of viral surface proteins with ligands. Our findings underscore the importance of optimizing wastewater processing methods for genomic monitoring and have implications for broader environmental applications.IMPORTANCEWastewater genomic sequencing is an emerging technology for tracking viral infections within communities. However, different methods for concentrating viruses and extracting nucleic acids can influence the recoveries of RNA virome from wastewater. An in-depth understanding of virus concentration mechanisms and their impact on sequencing data quality and bioinformatic output would be critical to guide method selection and optimization. Specifically, this study systematically evaluated tangential-flow ultrafiltration and Nanotrap microbiome particles for their application to sequence SARS-CoV-2 and whole RNA virome from wastewater. Both methods yielded high-quality sequencing data for amplicon sequencing of SARS-CoV-2, but their outcomes diverged in the recovered RNA virome. We identified RNA viruses that are preferentially recovered by each of these two methods and proposed considerations of method selection for future studies of wastewater RNA virome. 

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3. Higher West Nile Virus Infection in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes From Lower Income Neighborhoods in Urban Baltimore, MD

   https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa262  

   Rothman, Sarah E; Jones, Jennifer A; LaDeau, Shannon L; Leisnham, Paul T (December 2020, Journal of Medical Entomology)

   Andreadis, Theodore (Ed.)

   Abstract The temperate United States has experienced increasing incidence of mosquito-borne diseases. Recent studies conducted in Baltimore, MD have demonstrated a negative relationship between abundances of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex mosquitoes and mean neighborhood income level, but have not looked at the presence of pathogens. Mosquitoes collected from five socioeconomically variable neighborhoods were tested for infection by West Nile, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in 2015 and 2016, and again from four of the neighborhoods in 2017. Minimum infection rates of pooled samples were compared among neighborhoods for each year, as well as among individual blocks in 2017. West Nile virus was detected in both Ae. albopictus and Culex pools from all neighborhoods sampled in 2015 and 2017. No infected pools were detected in any year for chikungunya or Zika viruses, and none of the target viruses were detected in 2016. Infection rates were consistently higher for Culex than for Ae. albopictus. Minimum infection rate was negatively associated with mean neighborhood income for both species in 2015. Although earlier work has shown a positive association between block-level abandonment and mosquito abundance, no association was detected in this study. Still, we demonstrate that viral infection in mosquito pools can differ substantially across adjacent urban neighborhoods that vary by income. Though trap security and accessibility often inform city sampling locations, detecting and managing arboviral risk requires surveillance across neighborhoods that vary in socioeconomics, including lower income areas that may be less accessible and secure but have higher infection rates. 

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4. High microbial diversity, functional redundancy, and prophage enrichment support the success of the yellow pencil coral, Madracis mirabilis, in Curaçao’s coral reefs

   https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.01208-25  

   Wallace, Bailey A; Varona, Natascha S; Stiffler, Alexandra K; Vermeij, Mark_J A; Silveira, Cynthia (October 2025, mSystems)

   Adriaenssens, Evelien M (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Coral reefs have undergone extensive coral loss and shifts in community composition worldwide. Despite this, some coral species appear naturally more resistant, such asMadracis mirabilis(hereinMadracis).Madracishas emerged as the dominant hard coral in Curaçao, comprising 26% of coral cover in reefs that declined by 78% between 1973 and 2015. Although life history traits and competitive mechanisms contribute toMadracis’s success, these factors alone may not fully explain it, as other species with similar traits have not shown comparable success. Here, we investigated the potential role of microbial communities in the success ofMadracison Curaçao reefs by leveraging a low-bias bacterial and viral enrichment method for metagenomic sequencing of coral samples, resulting in 77 unique bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes and 2,820 viral genomic sequences. Our analyses showed thatMadracis-associated bacterial and viral communities are 12% and 20% richer than the communities of five sympatric coral species combined. TheMadracis-associated bacterial community was dominated byRuegeriaandSphingomonas, genera that have previously been associated with coral health, defense against pathogens, and bioremediation. These communities also displayed higher functional redundancy, which is often associated with ecological resilience. The viral community exhibited a 50% enrichment of proviruses relative to other corals. These proviruses had the genomic capacity to laterally transfer genes involved in antibiotic resistance, central metabolism, and oxidative stress responses, potentially enhancing the adaptive capacity of theMadracismicrobiome and contributing toMadracis’s success on Curaçao’s reefs. IMPORTANCEUnderstanding why some coral species persist and thrive while most are in fast decline is critical.Madracis mirabilisis increasingly dominant on degraded reefs in Curaçao, yet the role of microbial communities in its success remains underexplored. This study highlights the potential role ofMadracis-associated bacterial and viral communities in supporting coral resilience and competitive success. By identifying key microbial partners and viral genes that may enhance host stress tolerance and defense against pathogens, we broaden the understanding of how the coral holobiont contributes to species persistence under environmental stress. These insights are valuable for predicting key microbial community players in reef interactions and may inform microbiome-based strategies to support coral conservation and restoration. 

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5. Host-Environment Interplay Shapes Fungal Diversity in Mosquitoes

   https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00646-21  

   Tawidian, Patil; Coon, Kerri L.; Jumpponen, Ari; Cohnstaedt, Lee W.; Michel, Kristin (October 2021, mSphere)

   Young, Vincent B. (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Mosquito larvae encounter diverse assemblages of bacteria (i.e., “microbiota”) and fungi in the aquatic environments that they develop in. However, while a number of studies have addressed the diversity and function of microbiota in mosquito life history, relatively little is known about mosquito-fungus interactions outside several key fungal entomopathogens. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) metabarcode markers to provide the first simultaneous characterization of the fungal communities in field-collected Aedes albopictus larvae and their associated aquatic environments. Our results reveal unprecedented variation in fungal communities among adjacent but discrete larval breeding habitats. Our results also reveal a distinct fungal community assembly in the mosquito gut versus other tissues, with gut-associated fungal communities being most similar to those present in the environment where larvae feed. Altogether, our results identify the environment as the dominant factor shaping the fungal community associated with mosquito larvae, with no evidence of environmental filtering by the gut. These results also identify mosquito feeding behavior and fungal mode of nutrition as potential drivers of tissue-specific fungal community assembly after environmental acquisition. IMPORTANCE The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus , is the dominant mosquito species in the United States and an important vector of arboviruses of major public health concern. One aspect of mosquito control to curb mosquito-borne diseases has been the use of biological control agents such as fungal entomopathogens. Recent studies also demonstrate the impact of mosquito-associated microbial communities on various mosquito traits, including vector competence. However, while much research attention has been dedicated to understanding the diversity and function of mosquito-associated bacterial communities, relatively little is known about mosquito-associated fungal communities. A better understanding of the factors that drive fungal community diversity and assembly in mosquitoes will be essential for future efforts to target mosquito-associated bacteria and fungi for mosquito and mosquito-borne disease control. 

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