Novel viruses in salivary glands of mosquitoes from sylvatic Cerrado, Midwestern Brazil

PLoS One. 2017 Nov 8;12(11):e0187429. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187429. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Viruses may represent the most diverse microorganisms on Earth. Novel viruses and variants continue to emerge. Mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals to humankind. This study aimed at identifying viral RNA diversity in salivary glands of mosquitoes captured in a sylvatic area of Cerrado at the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, Mato Grosso, Brazil. In total, 66 Culicinae mosquitoes belonging to 16 species comprised 9 pools, subjected to viral RNA extraction, double-strand cDNA synthesis, random amplification and high-throughput sequencing, revealing the presence of seven insect-specific viruses, six of which represent new species of Rhabdoviridae (Lobeira virus), Chuviridae (Cumbaru and Croada viruses), Totiviridae (Murici virus) and Partitiviridae (Araticum and Angico viruses). In addition, two mosquito pools presented Kaiowa virus sequences that had already been reported in South Pantanal, Brazil. These findings amplify the understanding of viral diversity in wild-type Culicinae. Insect-specific viruses may present a broader diversity than previously imagined and future studies may address their possible role in mosquito vector competence.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Brazil
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Culicidae / virology*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Genome, Viral
  • Geography
  • Phylogeny
  • Salivary Glands / virology*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Rede Pró-Centro Oeste de Biodiversidade Viral—CNPq processo 407817/2013-1. AZLP and MSC received Master's scholarships from Capes and CNPq, respectively. BMR receives an Scientific Productivity Grant from CNPq.