Establishment of a Culex tarsalis cell line and its permissiveness to arbovirus infection

Authors: Schirtzinger, Erin; Jasperson, Dane; Swanson, Dustin; Mitzel, Dana; Drolet, Barbara; RICHT, JUERGEN - Kansas State University; Wilson, William - Bill

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/25/2022
Publication Date: 10/19/2022
Citation: Schirtzinger, E.E., Jasperson, D.C., Swanson, D.A., Mitzel, D.N., Drolet, B.S., Richt, J.A., Wilson, W.C. 2022. Establishment of a Culex tarsalis cell line and its permissiveness to arbovirus infection. Journal of Medical Entomology. 60(1):239-244. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjac155.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjac155

Interpretive Summary: Mosquitoes transmit a number of pathogens such as viruses and parasites. A cell line was developed from a species known to transmit a variety of viruses such as West Nile and Rift Valley fever viruses. The ability various viruses have to replicate in this cell line was demonstrated. This provides scientist with a new laboratory tool to study these mosquito-borne pathogens.

Technical Abstract: The CxTar cell line was established from Culex tarsalis Coquillette embryonated eggs and cultured in supplemented Schneider’s insect medium at 27°C. The cell line is heterogeneous, composed predominantly of small, round cells and spindle-shaped cells with a doubling time of approximately 52-60 hours. The identity of the cell line was verified as Culex tarsalis by sequencing of cytochrome oxidase I and the cells were found to be free of contaminating cells, bacteria, fungi, and mycoplasma. The permissiveness of CxTar cells to arbovirus infection was investigated with five arbovirus strains from four viral families. All virus strains were able to infect and replicate within CxTar cells.