Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs

Vector-borne diseases pose major global health challenges, with mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and sand flies serving as key insect vectors. This review explores the genomic basis of hematophagy, reproduction, and vector competence across these species. Comparative analyses reveal significant differences...

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Main Authors: Lifeng Du, Jingwen Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-01-01
Series:Decoding Infection and Transmission
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294992402500014X
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author Lifeng Du
Jingwen Wang
author_facet Lifeng Du
Jingwen Wang
author_sort Lifeng Du
collection DOAJ
description Vector-borne diseases pose major global health challenges, with mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and sand flies serving as key insect vectors. This review explores the genomic basis of hematophagy, reproduction, and vector competence across these species. Comparative analyses reveal significant differences in genome size, transposable element content, chemosensory gene repertoires, immune pathways, and symbiotic associations. Mosquitoes possess large, transposable elements (TEs)-rich genomes and expanded antiviral gene families, supporting broad arbovirus transmission. Tsetse flies exhibit compact genomes with viviparous adaptations and obligate symbiosis aiding trypanosome transmission. Sand flies display streamlined genomes with species-specific immune responses and salivary factors that facilitate Leishmania infection. Kissing bugs, with moderate fecundity, lineage-specific immune adaptations, transmit Trypanosoma cruzi across species. These findings highlight how genomic architecture shapes vectorial capacity, offering insights for targeted disease control.
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publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Decoding Infection and Transmission
spelling doaj-art-3125a9791b924dc7b4ff24a39dfa002c2025-08-20T03:09:34ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Decoding Infection and Transmission2949-92402025-01-01310005310.1016/j.dcit.2025.100053Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugsLifeng Du0Jingwen Wang1State Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, Fudan University, School of Life Sciences, Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, Fudan University, School of Life Sciences, Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, Fudan University, School of Life Sciences, Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, PR ChinaVector-borne diseases pose major global health challenges, with mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and sand flies serving as key insect vectors. This review explores the genomic basis of hematophagy, reproduction, and vector competence across these species. Comparative analyses reveal significant differences in genome size, transposable element content, chemosensory gene repertoires, immune pathways, and symbiotic associations. Mosquitoes possess large, transposable elements (TEs)-rich genomes and expanded antiviral gene families, supporting broad arbovirus transmission. Tsetse flies exhibit compact genomes with viviparous adaptations and obligate symbiosis aiding trypanosome transmission. Sand flies display streamlined genomes with species-specific immune responses and salivary factors that facilitate Leishmania infection. Kissing bugs, with moderate fecundity, lineage-specific immune adaptations, transmit Trypanosoma cruzi across species. These findings highlight how genomic architecture shapes vectorial capacity, offering insights for targeted disease control.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294992402500014XGenomic featuresPathogenMosquitoTsetse flySand flyKissing bug
spellingShingle Lifeng Du
Jingwen Wang
Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
Decoding Infection and Transmission
Genomic features
Pathogen
Mosquito
Tsetse fly
Sand fly
Kissing bug
title Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
title_full Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
title_fullStr Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
title_full_unstemmed Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
title_short Genomic insights into disease vectors: Divergent evolution of mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sand flies and kissing bugs
title_sort genomic insights into disease vectors divergent evolution of mosquitoes tsetse flies sand flies and kissing bugs
topic Genomic features
Pathogen
Mosquito
Tsetse fly
Sand fly
Kissing bug
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294992402500014X
work_keys_str_mv AT lifengdu genomicinsightsintodiseasevectorsdivergentevolutionofmosquitoestsetsefliessandfliesandkissingbugs
AT jingwenwang genomicinsightsintodiseasevectorsdivergentevolutionofmosquitoestsetsefliessandfliesandkissingbugs