Viral infections continue to be the bane of human medicine, often with minimal options for treatment. Of particular concern are arboviruses, or viruses transmitted by an arthropod vector, such as a mosquito. Recently, Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito borne arbovirus, has emerged as a major threat to public health in many parts of the world. It is unknown what protein(s) ZIKV uses to bind to and infect cells within its mosquito vector. The receptor used by ZIKV to bind to and infect human cells has been identified as the tyrosine kinase receptor family Axl. A homolog of the Axl gene is not present within the mosquito genome. However, genes for the Down-Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule family members (DSCAMs) found within multiple mosquito species share key functional modular ectodomains with the human Axl gene. Here, we extracted total RNA from Culex and Aedes species of mosquitos, reverse transcribed the RNA into cDNA and then cloned the mosquito DSCAM cDNA with the highest homology to human Axl into a eukaryotic expression vector. The vector will then be transfected into a mammalian cell line void of human DSCAM and human Axl expression to determine if the mosquito DSCAM molecule is expressed as a surface protein. Finally, we will determine if ZIKV is capable of binding to the mammalian cell line that now expresses the mosquito DSCAM protein. This project will allow us to learn if ZIKV is capable of binding to the mosquito DSCAM protein. In turn, this information could lead to the possibility that the mosquito DSCAM protein allows infection by ZIKV as well. Ultimately, this research could assist vaccine development for Zika, or lead to treatments that could block ZIKA from infecting its mosquito vector.
Support or Funding Information
University of Southern Maine’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
lt;pgt;lt;span style="font-size: 1em; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;"gt;University of Southern Maineamp;rsquo;s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programlt;/spangt;lt;brgt;lt;/pgt;
