Sequence Homology and Tissue Tropism Determine Superinfection Exclusion of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti Mediated by an insect-specific Binjari-Zika Virus Chimera
It is demonstrated that incorporation of Zika virus prM and E proteins into the ISF backbone enhances infection of the mosquito midgut following oral exposure, which enables direct inhibition of ZIKV infection after a subsequent infectious blood meal, and defines a replication-dependent, tissue-specific mechanism of ISF-mediated protection.