Delineating the Role of Aedes aegypti ABC Transporter Gene Family during Mosquito Development and Arboviral Infection via Transcriptome Analyses

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Abstract
Aedes aegypti acts as a vector for several arboviral diseases that impose a major socio-economic burden. Moreover, the absence of a vaccine against these diseases and drug resistance in mosquitoes necessitates the development of new control strategies for vector-borne diseases. ABC transporters that play a vital role in immunity and other cellular processes in different organisms may act as non-canonical immune molecules against arboviruses, however, their role in mosquito immunity remains unexplored. This study comprehensively analyzed various genetic features of putative ABC transporters and classified them into A-H subfamilies based on their evolutionary relationships. Existing RNA-sequencing data analysis indicated higher expression of cytosolic ABC transporter genes (E & F Subfamily) throughout the mosquito development, while members of other subfamilies exhibited tissue and time-specific expression. Furthermore, comparative gene expression analysis from the microarray dataset of mosquito infected with dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses revealed 31 commonly expressed ABC transporters suggesting a potentially conserved transcriptomic signature of arboviral infection. Among these, only a few transporters of ABCA, ABCC and ABCF subfamily were upregulated, while most were downregulated. This indicates the possible involvement of ABC transporters in mosquito immunity.
Funding Information
  • Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India ((Grant No. BT/PR8758/AGR/36/744/2013))
  • Indian Council of Medical Research (F/41/2018-ECD-II)
  • European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO STF_8336)

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