C-Type Lectins Link Immunological and Reproductive Processes in Aedes aegypti
Hsing-Han Li,
Yu Cai,
Jian-Chiuan Li,
Matthew P. Su,
Wei-Liang Liu,
Lie Cheng,
Shu-Jen Chou,
Guann-Yi Yu,
Horng-Dar Wang,
Chun-Hong Chen
Affiliations
Hsing-Han Li
Institution of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan; National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan
Yu Cai
Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117558, Singapore
Jian-Chiuan Li
National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan
Matthew P. Su
Department of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
Wei-Liang Liu
National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan
Lie Cheng
National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan
Shu-Jen Chou
Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
Guann-Yi Yu
National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan
Horng-Dar Wang
Institution of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
Chun-Hong Chen
National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan; National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 350401, Taiwan; Corresponding author
Summary: Physiological trade-offs between mosquito immune response and reproductive capability can arise due to insufficient resource availability. C-type lectin family members may be involved in these processes. We established a GCTL-3−/− mutant Aedes aegypti using CRISPR/Cas9 to investigate the role of GCTL-3 in balancing the costs associated with immune responses to arboviral infection and reproduction. GCTL-3−/− mutants showed significantly reduced DENV-2 infection rate and gut commensal microbiota populations, as well as upregulated JAK/STAT, IMD, Toll, and AMPs immunological pathways. Mutants also had significantly shorter lifespans than controls and laid fewer eggs due to defective germ line development. dsRNA knock-down of Attacin and Gambicin, two targets of the AMPs pathway, partially rescued this reduction in reproductive capabilities. Upregulation of immune response following GCTL-3 knock-out therefore comes at a cost to reproductive fitness. Knock-out of other lectins may further improve our knowledge of the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying reproduction-immunity trade-offs in mosquitoes.
