Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) whole body bacterial symbionts raw sequence reads

Mosquitoes, like many other insects, rely on endosymbionts to grow and develop. Many endosymbionts are transmitted from parent to offspring, while others are acquired from the insect’s environment and diet. We used next generation 454 pyrosequencing to discern the whole-body microbiome of the medically important mosquito species Culex quinquefasciatus in various larval stadia and following exposure to common pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) found in wastewater from water treatment facilities. These findings illuminate the complexity of the microbiome of C. quinquefasciatus and may have implications for more effective control strategies.