Dynamics of Aedes albopictus mosquito holobiont following microbiota disruption and temperature decrease

Recent studies highlighted the importance of endosymbionts in ecological processes of their insect hosts. The mosquito Aedes albopictus is a competent vector of several pathogens of medical importance. Even though the functional role of its microbiota still to be determined, recent studies pointed out their potential role in the mosquito biology. This species is a highly anthropogenic mosquito which also exhibits a strong ecological plasticity that increases its potential to colonize a wide range of climates and habitats. We have made the hypothesis that anthropogenic activities such as the use of antibiotics in agriculture and human medicine as well as climate change might affect the mosquito-associated bacterial community. To that end, we studied the temporal dynamics of the mosquito holobiont exposed to a temperature decrease by comparing antibiotic-treated and untreated mosquitoes. The results showed no effect of disturbances on mosquito survival. However, culture dependent and independent methods revealed important modifications in the abundance, diversity and composition of bacterial communities especially on the genera Elizabethkingia, Chryseobacterium and Wolbachia as well as an unclassified Bacteroidales. These results open new avenues to explore the mosquito microbiota response to anthropogenic alteration of the environment such as climate change and the broad use of antibiotics.