Significance

The importance of arthropod microbiota in the capacity of pathogens (including malaria and flaviviruses, among others) to persist in vectors and cause infection is just beginning to be appreciated. The influence of pathogens, either directly or indirectly, to manipulate vector microbiota for their own benefit, has not been described. In this study, we demonstrate that a pathogen can use an arthropod molecule to alter vector microbiota and enhance infection. We believe that this work will help others consider that pathogens are not passive microbes when they enter the arthropod vector but actively influence vector gene expression that can manipulate the local environment (in this case the microbiota) and facilitate pathogen infection of the vector.