Conserved motifs in the hypervariable domain of chikungunya virus nsP3 required for transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Giel P GöertzMarit LingemannCorinne GeertsemaMarleen H C Abma-HenkensChantal B F VogelsConstantianus J M KoenraadtMonique M van OersGorben P PijlmanPublished in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases (2018)
The P-rich motif in CHIKV nsP3 is dispensable for transmission by mosquitoes. A single FGDF motif is sufficient for infection and dissemination in mosquitoes, but duplicate FGDF motifs are required for the efficient infection from the mosquito saliva to a vertebrate host. These results contribute to understanding the dynamics of the alphavirus transmission cycle and may help the development of arboviral intervention strategies.