Mosquito symbionts: perspectives in diseases control.

It is well accepted that the symbiotic relationships insects have established with several microorganisms have had a key role in their evolutionary success. Bacterial symbiosis is also prevalent in insect vectors, and numerous studies have sought to decrypt the basic mechanisms of the host– symbiont relationships and develop ways to control vector borne diseases. ‘Symbiotic control’ that uses symbiotic microorganisms to control insect pests or reduce vector competence, seems particularly promising. Three such approaches currently at the cutting edge are: i) the disruption of microbial symbionts required by insect pests; ii) the manipulation of symbionts that can express anti-pathogen molecules within the host; and iii) the introduction of endogenous microbes that affect life-span and vector capacity of the new hosts in insect populations. I will present new advancement in the field of mosquito symbiosis with particular regards to the interactions between mosquitoes and bacteria of the genus Asaia.