Featured Publications
Cytoskeleton‐associated gelsolin responds to the midgut distention process in saline meal‐fed Aedes aegypti and affects arbovirus dissemination from the midgut
Cui Y, Megawati D, Lin J, Rehard D, Grant D, Liu P, Jurkevich A, Reid W, Mooney B, Franz A. Cytoskeleton‐associated gelsolin responds to the midgut distention process in saline meal‐fed Aedes aegypti and affects arbovirus dissemination from the midgut. The FASEB Journal 2024, 38: e23764. PMID: 39042395, PMCID: PMC11268798, DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302684rr.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsApoptotic signalingHost factorsInduction of apoptosisIncreased induction of apoptosisBlood meal ingestionDifferentially expressed proteinsActin filamentsCytoskeleton modulationTime course analysisSecondary tissuesBasal laminaStable knockoutTissue distentionAedes aegyptiMosquito linesFunctional studiesVertebrate hostsSynthesized virionsMosquito midgutMidgut escape barrierCourse analysisGelsolinSurrounding basal laminaMidgutMidgut tissueHeterogeneity of midgut cells and their differential responses to blood meal ingestion by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Cui Y, Franz AWE. Heterogeneity of midgut cells and their differential responses to blood meal ingestion by the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Insect Biochemistry And Molecular Biology 2020, 127: 103496. PMID: 33188922, PMCID: PMC7739889, DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103496.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIntestinal stem cellsBlood meal ingestionMosquito midgutSingle-nucleus RNA sequencingCell type clustersCell typesVisceral muscle cellsNutrient absorptionCell type compositionHuman pathogenic parasitesNumerous mosquito speciesEC-like cellsBlood meal digestionEnteroendocrine cellsAedes aegyptiBlood-feeding behaviorMeal ingestionCellular homeostasisCellular diversityGenetic compatibilityHematophagous insectsFemale midgutTranscriptional profilesBlood digestionRNA sequencingJuvenile hormone regulates Aedes aegypti Krüppel homolog 1 through a conserved E box motif
Cui Y, Sui Y, Xu J, Zhu F, Palli SR. Juvenile hormone regulates Aedes aegypti Krüppel homolog 1 through a conserved E box motif. Insect Biochemistry And Molecular Biology 2014, 52: 23-32. PMID: 24931431, PMCID: PMC4143451, DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.05.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsE-box motifAaKr-h1Aag-2Juvenile hormoneJH inductionBox motifCanonical E-box motifKrüppel homolog 1 geneMolecular mechanismsBasic helix-loop-helix domainJH response elementLoop-helix domainHelix-loop-helix domainKrüppel homolog 1JH IIICDNA ends (RACE) methodHomolog 1 geneJH actionJH regulationHelix domainRNAi studiesRapid amplificationPhysiological processesReporter assaysCritical nucleotides
2024
Salp14 epitope-based mRNA vaccination induces early recognition of a tick bite
Cui Y, Cibichakravarthy B, Tang X, Alameh M, Dwivedi G, Weissman D, Fikrig E. Salp14 epitope-based mRNA vaccination induces early recognition of a tick bite. Vaccine 2024, 42: 126304. PMID: 39236403, PMCID: PMC11416896, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126304.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTick bite siteGuinea pigsMRNA-LNPMRNA vaccinesBite siteImmunized guinea pigsTiters of IgGIxodes scapularis ticksDevelopment of erythemaLipid nanoparticlesSkin of guinea pigsI. scapularisTicksErythemaHistamine activityPigsTick bitesCarboxyl terminusRepeated exposureExposure of animalsAmino acidsSalivary proteinsVaccineMRNAGuineaZika virus exists in enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells of the Aedes aegypti midgut
Chen T, Raduwan H, Marín-López A, Cui Y, Fikrig E. Zika virus exists in enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells of the Aedes aegypti midgut. IScience 2024, 27: 110353. PMID: 39055935, PMCID: PMC11269924, DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110353.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAedes aegypti midgutEnteroendocrine cellsSingle-cell RNA sequencingIntestinal stem cellsVirus infectionPathogen interactionsExpressed genesRNA sequencingCopy numberTranscriptomic changesFunctional studiesInfected cellsZika virus infectionEnteroendocrineBlood digestionRNA copy numberCellular levelCell processesGenesMidgutPotential targetCell clustersCellsEnterocytesViral infectionAn atlas of human vector-borne microbe interactions reveals pathogenicity mechanisms
Hart T, Sonnert N, Tang X, Chaurasia R, Allen P, Hunt J, Read C, Johnson E, Arora G, Dai Y, Cui Y, Chuang Y, Yu Q, Rahman M, Mendes M, Rolandelli A, Singh P, Tripathi A, Ben Mamoun C, Caimano M, Radolf J, Lin Y, Fingerle V, Margos G, Pal U, Johnson R, Pedra J, Azad A, Salje J, Dimopoulos G, Vinetz J, Carlyon J, Palm N, Fikrig E, Ring A. An atlas of human vector-borne microbe interactions reveals pathogenicity mechanisms. Cell 2024, 187: 4113-4127.e13. PMID: 38876107, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCell invasionHost-microbe interactionsArthropod-borne pathogensHost sensingMicrobe interactionsTranscriptional regulationLyme disease spirocheteMicrobial interactionsExtracellular proteinsMicrobial pathogenesisEpidermal growth factorTissue colonizationEnvironmental cuesBacterial selectivityIntracellular pathogensPutative interactionsNext-generation therapeuticsPathogensFunctional investigationsInteractomeVector-borne diseasesImmune evasionPathogenic mechanismsStrainUnmet medical needA cell atlas of the adult female Aedes aegypti midgut revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing
Wang S, Huang Y, Wang F, Han Q, Ren N, Wang X, Cui Y, Yuan Z, Xia H. A cell atlas of the adult female Aedes aegypti midgut revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing. Scientific Data 2024, 11: 587. PMID: 38839790, PMCID: PMC11153528, DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03432-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSingle-cell RNA sequencingFat body cellsRNA sequencingSingle-cell levelHemocyte cellsEnteroendocrine cellsVisceral musclesSingle-nucleus resolutionTranscriptome of AeMosquito midgutAedes aegypti midgutMidgut transcriptomeBlood meal digestionCell atlasCardia cellsArbovirus infectionMeal digestionNutrient absorptionMidgut cellsMidgutBody cellsCell clustersPrimary vectorSequenceCellsmosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae
Arora G, Tang X, Cui Y, Yang J, Chuang Y, Joshi J, Sajid A, Dong Y, Cresswell P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. mosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae. BMC Genomics 2024, 25: 42. PMID: 38191283, PMCID: PMC10775533, DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09887-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGerm cell developmentAnopheles gambiaeCell developmentOvarian developmentReductase-like proteinWild-type mosquitoesPlasmodium life cycleBiological controlGrowth genesEssential regulatorRNA sequencingA. gambiaeGenesGambiaeAltered expressionImpaired ovarian developmentMosquito vectorsLife cycleMosquitoesImmune activationPlasmodium infectionTranscriptomeOogenesisRegulatorProteinmRNA vaccination of rabbits alters the fecundity, but not the attachment, of adult Ixodes scapularis
Matias J, Cui Y, Lynn G, DePonte K, Mesquita E, Muramatsu H, Alameh M, Dwivedi G, Tam Y, Pardi N, Weissman D, Fikrig E. mRNA vaccination of rabbits alters the fecundity, but not the attachment, of adult Ixodes scapularis. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 496. PMID: 38177212, PMCID: PMC10766947, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50389-6.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Metabolomic changes associated with acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis
Cui Y, Matias J, Tang X, Cibichakravarthy B, DePonte K, Wu M, Fikrig E. Metabolomic changes associated with acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis. Ticks And Tick-borne Diseases 2023, 15: 102279. PMID: 37972499, DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102279.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGuinea pigsHydroxyphenyllactic acidMetabolome of serumGroups of miceTyrosine metabolic pathwayTick biteImmune responseControl animalsIxodes scapularisTick salivaI. scapularisMiceInduction of componentsMetabolomic changesMortalityNitisinoneMolecular mechanismsAnimalsMetabolism pathwaysTyrosine degradationPigsTyrosine metabolism pathwayMetabolic pathwaysScapularisMetabolomeAdiponectin in the mammalian host influences ticks’ acquisition of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia
Tang X, Cao Y, Booth C, Arora G, Cui Y, Matias J, Fikrig E. Adiponectin in the mammalian host influences ticks’ acquisition of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia. PLOS Biology 2023, 21: e3002331. PMID: 37862360, PMCID: PMC10619873, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002331.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdipocyte-derived hormoneBite siteAdiponectin-deficient miceInfiltration of neutrophilsTick bite sitePro-inflammatory responseWild-type animalsIxodes scapularis ticksIL-1βVascular leakageHistamine releaseTick biteAdiponectinInfectious diseasesLyme disease agentBlood feeding arthropodsBorrelia burgdorferiScapularis ticksAnimal infectious diseasesBlood feedingB. burgdorferi survivalHuman bloodHormonePathogen acquisitionMammalian hostsBulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing highlight immune pathways induced in individuals during an Ixodes scapularis tick bite
Tang X, Lynn G, Cui Y, Cerny J, Arora G, Tomayko M, Craft J, Fikrig E. Bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing highlight immune pathways induced in individuals during an Ixodes scapularis tick bite. Infection And Immunity 2023, 91: e00282-23. PMID: 37846980, PMCID: PMC10652856, DOI: 10.1128/iai.00282-23.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRNA sequencingSingle-nucleus RNA sequencingBulk RNA sequencingInterleukin-17 signalingPlatelet activation pathwaysLaboratory guinea pigsSnRNA-seqHippo signalingIndividual genesPeripheral bloodTick biteAdaptive immunityAnti-tick vaccinesGuidance pathwayImmune pathwaysNew biomarkersHost responseGuinea pigsHematophagous arthropodsHost defenseCell adhesionTick attachmentNovel insightsTick feedingPhysiological consequencesSpecific mRNA lipid nanoparticles and acquired resistance to ticks
Matias J, Cui Y, Tang X, Sajid A, Arora G, Wu M, DePonte K, Muramatsu H, Tam Y, Narasimhan S, Pardi N, Weissman D, Fikrig E. Specific mRNA lipid nanoparticles and acquired resistance to ticks. Vaccine 2023, 41: 4996-5002. PMID: 37407406, PMCID: PMC10530371, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.06.081.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
A tick C1q protein alters infectivity of the Lyme disease agent by modulating interferon γ
Tang X, Arora G, Matias J, Hart T, Cui Y, Fikrig E. A tick C1q protein alters infectivity of the Lyme disease agent by modulating interferon γ. Cell Reports 2022, 41: 111673. PMID: 36417869, PMCID: PMC9909562, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111673.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIdentification of the extracellular metallo-endopeptidases ADAM and ADAMTS in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti
Herd C, Yu X, Cui Y, Franz A. Identification of the extracellular metallo-endopeptidases ADAM and ADAMTS in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Insect Biochemistry And Molecular Biology 2022, 148: 103815. PMID: 35932972, PMCID: PMC11149919, DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103815.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMosquito Aedes aegyptiVertebrate hostsSecondary tissuesYellow fever mosquito Aedes aegyptiCustom-made antibodiesProtein domain structureBloodmeal ingestionExtra-cellular matrix remodelingAedes aegyptiOvarian tissueHuman ADAM10Human orthologExpression profilingTranscriptional activityFunctional specificityTransient silencingMidgut epitheliumIngestion/digestionDependent endopeptidasesFemale reproductionBasal laminaMidgutMidgut structureMosquito tissuesSame time pointsCellular diversity and gene expression profiles in the male and female brain of Aedes aegypti
Cui Y, Behura SK, Franz AWE. Cellular diversity and gene expression profiles in the male and female brain of Aedes aegypti. BMC Genomics 2022, 23: 119. PMID: 35144549, PMCID: PMC8832747, DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08327-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFemale brainMedulla neuronsCell clustersDimorphic behaviorsCell typesBrain cell typesSingle-nucleus RNA sequencingMonoaminergic neuronsProjection neuronsMosquito brainMale brainNeuronsKenyon cellsBrainYellow feverCell atlasCellular compositionGene expression profilesFemale mosquitoesGliaMosquito vectorsType compositionType proportionsRNA sequencingAdult males
2020
Analysis of blood-induced Anopheles gambiae midgut proteins and sexual stage Plasmodium falciparum interaction reveals mosquito genes important for malaria transmission
Cui Y, Niu G, Li VL, Wang X, Li J. Analysis of blood-induced Anopheles gambiae midgut proteins and sexual stage Plasmodium falciparum interaction reveals mosquito genes important for malaria transmission. Scientific Reports 2020, 10: 14316. PMID: 32868841, PMCID: PMC7459308, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71186-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMidgut proteinsCandidate genesStage parasitesGene expression profilesMosquito genesUnique genesMalaria transmissionInsect cellsMosquito proteinsSexual stage parasitesGene productsAsexual stage parasitesKnockdown assaysP. falciparum invasionProtein sequencesPlasmodium invasionAnopheles gambiaeSecretory proteinsExpression profilesMosquito midgutParasite invasionGenesCell lysatesMosquito susceptibilityProteinQuantitative Proteomic Analysis of Chikungunya Virus-Infected Aedes aegypti Reveals Proteome Modulations Indicative of Persistent Infection
Cui Y, Liu P, Mooney BP, Franz AWE. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Chikungunya Virus-Infected Aedes aegypti Reveals Proteome Modulations Indicative of Persistent Infection. Journal Of Proteome Research 2020, 19: 2443-2456. PMID: 32375005, PMCID: PMC7419016, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerine-type endopeptidasesMetabolism related pathwaysQuantitative proteomic analysisFunctional enrichment analysisChikungunya virusRibosome biogenesisLabel-free quantificationRNA machineryNonpathogenic relationshipsNovel proteinProteome modulationProteomic analysisVesicular transportEnrichment analysisCHIKV infectionOxidative phosphorylationBiological pathwaysRelated pathwaysMass spectrometry dataPresence of CHIKVProteinMosquito samplesProteomeOral acquisitionMolecular interactions
2019
Zika Virus Dissemination from the Midgut of Aedes aegypti is Facilitated by Bloodmeal-Mediated Structural Modification of the Midgut Basal Lamina
Cui Y, Grant DG, Lin J, Yu X, Franz AWE. Zika Virus Dissemination from the Midgut of Aedes aegypti is Facilitated by Bloodmeal-Mediated Structural Modification of the Midgut Basal Lamina. Viruses 2019, 11: 1056. PMID: 31739432, PMCID: PMC6893695, DOI: 10.3390/v11111056.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZika virusMidgut basal laminaBasal laminaDengue 4 virusDissemination patternsSame mosquito speciesMeal ingestionZIKV infectionZIKV disseminationInfectious bloodmealHuman pathogenic virusesChikungunya virusInfected mosquitoesViral titersVirus disseminationMosquito midgutSalivary glandsFive daysBloodmeal digestionBloodmeal ingestionIngestionVirusMidgut infectionIncreased numberKey tissues
2015
Chitosan, Carbon Quantum Dot, and Silica Nanoparticle Mediated dsRNA Delivery for Gene Silencing in Aedes aegypti: A Comparative Analysis
Das S, Debnath N, Cui Y, Unrine J, Palli SR. Chitosan, Carbon Quantum Dot, and Silica Nanoparticle Mediated dsRNA Delivery for Gene Silencing in Aedes aegypti: A Comparative Analysis. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2015, 7: 19530-19535. PMID: 26291176, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b05232.Peer-Reviewed Original Research