BACTERIAL SYMBIONTS IMPACTING THE BIOLOGY AND VECTORIAL COMPETENCE OF MOSQUITOES

of environmental adaptation and resistance to insecticides has been proposed, however the mechanisms by which these processes occur are still unclear. Our group at the University of Camerino, in recent years has focused predominantly on the characterization of the contribution that symbionts offer to thermal adaptation and insecticide resistance to the host mosquito, thus identifying symbiotic bacteria of different mosquito species which seem to reveal a role in both mechanisms. In fact, the exposure of mosquitoes of the Aedes (Ae. albopictus, Ae. koreicus, Ae. japonicus), Culex (Cx. pipiens) and Anopheles (An. stephensi) genera to different temperatures has made it possible to identify some bacterial species that seem to allow tolerance to low or high temperatures. Similarly, the analysis of mosquitoes resistant or sensitive to pyrethroids has allowed us to identify potential bacteria that play a role in resistance mechanisms. We have identified a pyrethroid hydrolase potentially underlying these mechanisms. The relevant research in progress will be presented in detail.