Density-dependent enhanced replication of a densovirus in Wolbachia-infected Aedes cells is associated with production of piRNAs and higher virus-derived siRNAs

Virology. 2019 Feb:528:89-100. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.12.006. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Abstract

The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis has been shown to restrict a range of RNA viruses in Drosophila melanogaster and transinfected dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Here, we show that Wolbachia infection enhances replication of Aedes albopictus densovirus (AalDNV-1), a single stranded DNA virus, in Aedes cell lines in a density-dependent manner. Analysis of previously produced small RNAs of Aag2 cells showed that Wolbachia-infected cells produced greater absolute abundance of virus-derived short interfering RNAs compared to uninfected cells. Additionally, we found production of virus-derived PIWI-like RNAs (vpiRNA) produced in response to AalDNV-1 infection. Nuclear fractions of Aag2 cells produced a primary vpiRNA signature U1 bias whereas the typical "ping-pong" signature (U1 - A10) was evident in vpiRNAs from the cytoplasmic fractions. This is the first report of the density-dependent enhancement of DNA viruses by Wolbachia. Further, we report the generation of vpiRNAs in a DNA virus-host interaction for the first time.

Keywords: Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus; Densovirus; Mosquito; RNAi; Short interfering RNA; Wolbachia; piRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / cytology
  • Aedes / microbiology*
  • Aedes / virology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cytoplasm / virology
  • DNA Replication
  • Densovirus / physiology*
  • Host Microbial Interactions*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Virus Replication*
  • Wolbachia / physiology

Substances

  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA, Viral