The digestive system of most animals including mosquitoes contains communities of microbes referred to as the gut microbiota. An estimated 3500 species of mosquitoes (family Culicidae) exist worldwide. Several mosquito species also vector pathogens that cause severe disease in humans and other vertebrates. The most abundant microbes in the mosquito gut are bacteria, while culture and sequence based approaches over the last ten years provide information on community acquisition, diversity and richness. In contrast, understanding of how different mosquito species acquire their gut microbiota and the functions of the gut microbiota in mosquito biology is more limited. In this presentation I summarize recent progress in the field with emphasis on findings from our laboratory.
Results/Conclusions
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that mosquitoes predominantly acquire their gut microbiota anew each generation from the environment. Exceptions to environmental acquisition include certain species of bacteria that are present in the reproductive tracts of adult mosquitoes that are potentially transmitted vertically. Experimental studies identify differences among species in gut community composition while identifying interactions between gut community members and the gut environment in shaping community composition of the microbiota. Results further identify two key functions for the gut microbiota in mosquito biology. First, most if not all mosquitoes require a gut microbiota for development. Second, the gut microbiota influences vector competency. Insights into mechanisms underlying the roles of the gut microbiota in development and vector competency will be briefly discussed.