Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen
The gut microbiome plays a major role in promoting organismal homeostasis. Mosquito microbiota influences various aspects of host physiology such as immunity, development and vector competence. Most studies addressing mosquito microbiota consist of microbial diversity profiling and rarely investigat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1649545/full |
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| author | Rim Wehbe Aline Karaki Zakaria Kambris |
| author_facet | Rim Wehbe Aline Karaki Zakaria Kambris |
| author_sort | Rim Wehbe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The gut microbiome plays a major role in promoting organismal homeostasis. Mosquito microbiota influences various aspects of host physiology such as immunity, development and vector competence. Most studies addressing mosquito microbiota consist of microbial diversity profiling and rarely investigate the effects of individual bacteria on host physiology. This remains an important gap of knowledge, especially since not all naturally occurring gut microbes are passive commensals. Here, we identify a pathogenic strain of Aeromonas hydrophila that causes mortality to both Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes upon ingestion. In addition, we show that A. hydrophila breaches the gut epithelium and gains access to the hemolymph. Parallel to gut damage, we detect a significant increase in the number of proliferative cells in the midguts of A. hydrophila fed mosquitoes. Moreover, we find that this bacterium induces a local immune response in the gut leading to the production of anti-microbial peptides. Finally, whole genome sequencing of the isolated strain revealed that it possesses an arsenal of virulence and resistance genes, which provides mechanistic insights into its mosquitocidal activity. This study reports a novel mosquito pathogen and highlights how a bacterial species inhabiting the gut can impact the host’s survival and homeostasis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c16e8b93614e4e098834d8e2d13c2e53 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2235-2988 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c16e8b93614e4e098834d8e2d13c2e532025-08-20T03:41:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882025-08-011510.3389/fcimb.2025.16495451649545Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogenRim WehbeAline KarakiZakaria KambrisThe gut microbiome plays a major role in promoting organismal homeostasis. Mosquito microbiota influences various aspects of host physiology such as immunity, development and vector competence. Most studies addressing mosquito microbiota consist of microbial diversity profiling and rarely investigate the effects of individual bacteria on host physiology. This remains an important gap of knowledge, especially since not all naturally occurring gut microbes are passive commensals. Here, we identify a pathogenic strain of Aeromonas hydrophila that causes mortality to both Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes upon ingestion. In addition, we show that A. hydrophila breaches the gut epithelium and gains access to the hemolymph. Parallel to gut damage, we detect a significant increase in the number of proliferative cells in the midguts of A. hydrophila fed mosquitoes. Moreover, we find that this bacterium induces a local immune response in the gut leading to the production of anti-microbial peptides. Finally, whole genome sequencing of the isolated strain revealed that it possesses an arsenal of virulence and resistance genes, which provides mechanistic insights into its mosquitocidal activity. This study reports a novel mosquito pathogen and highlights how a bacterial species inhabiting the gut can impact the host’s survival and homeostasis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1649545/fullmosquito pathogenmicrobiotagut damagecell proliferationinnate immunityAeromonas hydrophila |
| spellingShingle | Rim Wehbe Aline Karaki Zakaria Kambris Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology mosquito pathogen microbiota gut damage cell proliferation innate immunity Aeromonas hydrophila |
| title | Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| title_full | Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| title_fullStr | Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| title_short | Identification of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| title_sort | identification of an aeromonas hydrophila strain as a new mosquito pathogen |
| topic | mosquito pathogen microbiota gut damage cell proliferation innate immunity Aeromonas hydrophila |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1649545/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rimwehbe identificationofanaeromonashydrophilastrainasanewmosquitopathogen AT alinekaraki identificationofanaeromonashydrophilastrainasanewmosquitopathogen AT zakariakambris identificationofanaeromonashydrophilastrainasanewmosquitopathogen |