Horizontal Gene Transfer From Endosymbiotic Bacteria (Wolbachia) in Aedes aegypti Populations From Coastal Nigeria and Its Implications for Vector Competence and Biological Control

Wolbachia endosymbiont infections in mosquitoes are being exploited globally for biological control of arboviral diseases, as certain Wolbachia strains suppress dengue and Zika replication in mosquito hosts. The natural prevalence of Wolbachia in Nigerian Ae. aegypti populations, and the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer events from Wolbachia to the mosquito genome, remain uninvestigated despite their critical relevance to any planned Wolbachia-based biocontrol program in the country. This study investigates the prevalence of natural Wolbachia infections, screens for nuclear Wolbachia DNA insertions, and assesses their functional effects on vector competence in Ae. aegypti from six coastal cities in Nigeria, spanning Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Rivers, and Cross River states. Molecular screening using wsp and 16S rRNA PCR will determine infection prevalence. Whole-genome sequencing of 80 individuals will identify nuclear Wolbachia insertions by comparative genomic analysis. Vector competence for dengue serotype 2 will be measured in Wolbachia-positive and negative isofemale lines. Cytoplasmic incompatibility crosses will characterize fitness effects of natural infections. This research makes an original contribution by characterizing the natural Wolbachia landscape in Nigerian Ae. aegypti, a prerequisite for evaluating the feasibility and safety of releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes for arboviral disease control. Keywords: Wolbachia, Aedes aegypti, horizontal gene transfer, vector competence, arboviral biocontrol