Biology subjects

Multini, L. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Multini, L. C..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus populations in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Millions of United States residents live where arbovirus vectors like Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus are abundant, and the risk of local outbreaks is amplified by viruses introduced via infected travelers. This threat is well-established: West Nile virus is already endemic in most of the country, and locally acquired dengue outbreaks are occurring with an increasing frequency. Therefore, identifying temporal trends in mosquito abundance and areas conducive to their proliferation is essential for public health preparedness and response planning. This study aims to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus populations in Miami-Dade County, Florida. We analyzed eight years (2017-2024) of mosquito surveillance data from 308 mosquito traps operating across the county. We characterized the spatiotemporal distribution of female Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus and identified persistent areas of high mosquito abundance (hotspots) using local spatial analysis. A total of 399,418 Ae. aegypti and 1,250,879 Cx. quinquefasciatus were collected. The two species showed distinct and opposing seasonal patterns: Ae. aegypti abundance peaked during the summer wet season, whereas Cx. quinquefasciatus peaked in the winter dry season. Our analysis identified spatially consistent hotspots for both species, with some traps classified as hotspots in over half the years studied. The consistent seasonality of the two species and detection of hotspot areas across years provides operational value for long-term monitoring, evaluation of control interventions, and targeted resource allocation. As arboviruses continue to pose a public health risk in urban environments such as Miami-Dade County, the ability to anticipate and respond to vector population fluctuations is instrumental for effective prevention and control.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Establishment of Drosophila Intestinal Cell Lines.

The Drosophila intestine is a powerful model for stem cell dynamics and epithelial biology, yet no intestinal derived cell lines have been available until now. Here, we describe the establishment of Drosophila intestinal cell lines. The cell lines were derived from the embryonic intestine through specific RasV12 expression and show continuous proliferation and the ability to be frozen and re-thawed. Each derived cell line exhibited morphological and cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed their intestinal origin and cell populations with unique enriched signaling pathways. In addition, L15, one of the three lines, formed 3D spheroids that displayed epithelial polarity. Together, these lines provide an additional resource for studying intestinal development, epithelial organization, and pest management.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Gentrification influences mosquito community composition at neighborhood and county levels in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Gentrification is occurring across urban areas in the United States and poses threats to marginalized and vulnerable communities through displacement, disruption of social networks, and worsening health outcomes. Gentrification is both a social and environmental process, affecting socioecological factors responsible for driving mosquito abundance and community composition. Our study aims to investigate how gentrification in Miami-Dade County, Florida, affects the alpha and beta diversity of mosquito communities. We relied on data from the Miami-Dade County Mosquito Control Division from 2020 to 2024, paired with data from the American Community Survey, to analyze changes in mosquito community composition based on gentrification status. Our results show that gentrification, measured by changes in home value, age, race, and education, significantly affected mosquito richness and community composition at county and neighborhood levels. Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti, primary arbovirus vector species, were more abundant in gentrifying areas, representing 31% of community composition variation compared to non-gentrifying areas. These findings have important implications for improving mosquito-borne disease preparedness and response in urban settings.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

The influence of the larval microbiome on susceptibility to Zika virus is mosquito genotype dependent

The microbiome of the mosquito Aedes aegypti is largely determined by the environment and influences mosquito susceptibility for arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Larval interactions with different bacteria can influence adult Ae. aegypti replication of arboviruses, but little is known about the role that mosquito host genetics play in determining how larval-bacterial interactions shape Ae aegypti susceptibility to arboviruses. To address this question, we isolated single bacterial isolates and complex microbiomes from Ae. aegypti larvae from various field sites in Senegal. Either single bacterial isolates or complex microbiomes were added to two different genetic backgrounds of Ae. aegypti in a gnotobiotic larval system. Using 16S amplicon sequencing we show that similarities in bacterial community structures when given identical microbiomes between different genetic backgrounds of Ae. aegypti was dependent on the source microbiome, and the abundance of single bacterial taxa differed between Ae. aegypti genotypes. Using single bacterial isolates or the entire preserved complex microbiome, we tested the ability of specific microbiomes to drive differences in infection rates for Zika virus in different genetic backgrounds of Ae. aegypti. We observed that the proportion of Zika virus-infected adults was dependent on the interaction between the larval microbiome and Ae. aegypti host genetics. By using the larval microbiome as a component of the environment, these results demonstrate that interactions between the Ae. aegypti genotype and its environment can influence Zika virus infection. As Ae. aegypti expands and adapts to new environments under climate change, an understanding of how different genotypes interact with the same environment will be crucial for implementing arbovirus transmission control strategies.

microbiology↗