Mayaro Virus Infection Elicits an Innate Immune Response and Represses Autophagy in Anopheles stephensi

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a mosquito-borne Alphavirus responsible for outbreaks in South America and the Caribbean. In this study we infected Anopheles stephensi with MAYV and sequenced mRNA and small RNA to understand how MAYV infection impacts gene transcription and the expression of small RNAs in the mosquito vector. Genes involved with innate immunity and autophagy are regulated in response to MAYV infection of An. stephensi, we also discover novel miRNAs and describe their expression patterns following bloodmeal ingestion. These results suggest that MAYV does induce a molecular response to infection in its mosquito vector species and that MAYV may have mechanisms to evade the vector immune response. Overall design: 18 total samples are sequenced from 3 different time points, (2, 7, and 14 days post infection). 3 replicates are sequenced from each time point and for each treatment, Mayaro virus infected and uninfected control samples.Each sample has mRNA and small RNA fractions sequenced separately.