Heat Sensitivity of wMel Wolbachia during Aedes aegypti Development

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016 Jul 26;10(7):e0004873. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004873. eCollection 2016 Jul.

Abstract

The wMel strain of Wolbachia bacteria is known to prevent dengue and Zika virus transmission in the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. Accordingly, the release of wMel-infected A. aegypti in endemic regions has been recommended by the World Health Organization as a potential strategy for controlling dengue and Zika outbreaks. However, the utility of this approach could be limited if high temperatures in the aquatic habitats where A. aegypti develop are detrimental to Wolbachia. We exposed wMel-infected A. aegypti eggs and larvae to fluctuating daily temperatures of 30-40°C for three, five, or seven days during their development. We found that Wolbachia levels in females emerging from heat treatments were significantly lower than in the controls that had developed at 20-30°C. Notably, seven days of high temperatures starting at the egg stage reduced Wolbachia levels in emerging females to less than 0.1% of the wMel control levels. However, after adult females returned to 20-30°C for 4-7 days, they experienced differing degrees of Wolbachia recovery. Our findings suggest that the spread of Wolbachia in wild A. aegypti populations and any consequent protection from dengue and Zika viruses might be limited in ecosystems that experience periods of extreme heat, but Wolbachia levels recover partially after temperatures return to normal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / growth & development*
  • Aedes / microbiology*
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • Insect Vectors / growth & development*
  • Insect Vectors / microbiology*
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / microbiology
  • Male
  • Wolbachia / genetics
  • Wolbachia / physiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy at the University of Miami, Florida, the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre (http://www.aidrc.org.au/), and by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (https://www.nsfgrfp.org/) under Grant No. 2015178889. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.