Combining transinfected Wolbachia and a genetic sexing strain to control Aedes albopictus in laboratory-controlled conditions

The global expansion of Aedes albopictus has stimulated the development of environmental-friendly methods aiming at controlling disease transmission through the suppression of natural vector populations. Sterile male release programs are currently being deployed worldwide, and are challenged by the availability of an efficient sex separation that can be achieved mechanically at the pupal stage and/or by artificial intelligence at the adult stage, or through genetic sexing, which allows separating males and females at an early development stage. In this study, we combined the genetic sexing strain (GSS) previously established based on the linkage of dieldrin resistance to the male locus with a Wolbachia transinfected line. For this, we introduced either the wPip-I or the wPip-IV strain from Culex pipiens in an asymbiotic-Wolbachia-free Ae. albopictus line. We then measured the penetrance of CI and life history traits of both transinfected lines, selected the wPip-IV line, and combined it..., Crossing experiments and effect of male age on CI intensity (data file \"CI expression of Wolbachia transinfected lines in Aedes albopictus\" and \"Effect of male age on CI intensity\"
To evaluate CI penetrance in both transinfected lines, we performed reciprocal en masse crosses using two laboratory lines (S-Run and asymbiotic). We then confirmed the CI pattern observed crossing individuals of both transinfected lines with field mosquitoes from 6 localities of Reunion Island (for which F0 were used for crosses). Crosses involved 2-5 day-old virgin females and males (20 from each sex) in 15x15x15 cm cages (Bugdorm, Taiwan). Three replicates were performed for each crossing experiment. Females were given a blood meal 48 hours after mating and eggs were collected 5 days later. After 7 days of drying, eggs were allowed to hatch for 48 hours and the number of hatched and unhatched eggs was counted.
We used the same protocol to quantify the effect of aging on sterility: males from both transinfe..., , # Combining transinfected Wolbachia and a genetic sexing strain to control *Aedes albopictus* in laboratory-controlled conditions

## Datasets included:

1\) CI expression of Wolbachia transinfected lines in *Aedes albopictus*

* Different crosses were performed to quantify the cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI): variable \"crosses (malexfemale)\"
* The number of hatched and unhatched eggs and the hatch rate (%) observed in these crosses: variable \"nb of eggs\", \"nb of hatched eggs\", \"nb of unhatched eggs\", \"hatch rate (%)\"
* The percentage of CI and the corrected CI observed in these crosses: variable \"CI (%)\", \"CIcorr (%)\"
* When the CIcorr was not calculated, \"NA\" was indicated

2\) Effect of male age on CI intensity

* Different crosses were performed to quantify the male age effect on cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI): variable \"crosses\"
* The different ages of males tested: variable \"age of male\"
* The number of hatched, unhatched eggs and the hatch rate (%) observed in th...