A Single Mutation in Chikungunya Virus Affects Vector Specificity and Epidemic Potential (original) (raw)
Figure 1
Effect of E1-A226V Mutation on CHIKV-GFP Viruses Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti Midgut Infectivity
Percent of orally infected Ae. albopictus (A, B) and Ae. aegypti (C, D) mosquitoes presented with blood meals containing various concentration of eGFP-expressing CHIK viruses. Serial 10-fold dilutions of viruses in the backbone of Reunion (LR-GFP-226V and LR-GFP-226A) (A, C) and 37997 (37997-GFP-226A and 37997-GFP-226V) (B, D) strains of CHIKV were made in L-15 medium followed by mixing the samples with defibrinated sheep blood. Mosquitoes were dissected at 7 dpi and eGFP expression in infected midguts was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. A mosquito was considered infected if at least one foci of eGFP-expressing cells was present in the midgut. The experiments were performed twice for each virus (I and II).