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DMTV team's research is structured around two themes, with the main model being the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus and the microbial communities that define its microbiota. The originality of our research lies in our focus on previously neglected microorganisms.

Theme 1. Functional interactions between microbiota and mosquitoes

While the interactions between the tiger mosquito and the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia have been particularly well described, little attention has been paid to the rest of the microbiota. Through a holistic approach, the main objective of this theme is to identify the phenotypes induced by the microbiota (bacteria, yeasts, protozoa) on the biology of the mosquito.

More specifically, we are assessing the impact of microorganisms on mosquito development, survival, fecundity, nutrition and vectorial competence against certain arboviruses (DENV, CHIKV). We are also assessing whether and how the microbiota modifies mosquito behavior (trophic preferences, choice of sexual partner, choice of egg-laying sites, etc.).

We use different approaches to achieve this:

• Generation of mosquitoes with controlled microbiota (gnotobiotic mosquitoes) and comparison with axenic and conventional mosquitoes.
• Isotope marking (SIP-DNA, stable isotope DNA tracing) coupled with high-throughput sequencing.
• Measurement of mosquito activity using LAM (Locomotor Activity Monitor).
• Olfactometer selection tests.

We also use genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches to assess the molecular mechanisms behind multipartite interactions and identify candidate genes and/or biomarkers of these interactions.

 Theme 2. Impact of urbanization on mosquito holobionts

The main objective of this theme is to assess the impact of human activities on the colonization dynamics of the tiger mosquito in cities. In addition to the mosquito's genome per se, it has now been established that symbionts can help many insects adapt to their environment. By combining in situ observations (nature and degree of pollution of breeding sites, etc.) and experiments under controlled laboratory conditions, the goal is to assess the contribution of the microbiota to the mosquito's ecological plasticity and its ability to exploit anthropized environments.

Mosquitoes acquire a large fraction of their microbiota from the environment and use environmental microbial signals to adapt their behavior. We are therefore seeking to assess the consequences of urbanization (physico-chemical factors) on the environment in which mosquitoes evolve (microbial composition of breeding sites, flowers, etc.) and their influence on mosquito behavior. Chemical ecology approaches are developed via the laboratory's CESN Platform.