My research interests focus on the interaction of arthropod-borne viruses [such as West Nile virus (WNV)] with their vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. This task is approached through the development of molecular tools for the identification of virally encoded determinants of vector competence, vertebrate pathogenesis as well as the use of viral expression systems for the identification and intervention of arboviral diseases in mosquitoes. Ongoing research conducted in my lab consists of an eclectic mixture of field biology, entomology, molecular biology and genetics. Current work in my laboratory has focused on the epidemiology of WNV and the specific identification of virally-encoded virulence determinants that result in increased virulence of WNV in birds. Recent work has combined both positive selection modeling and reverse genetic approaches for the identification of a specific mutation in the viral helicase of WNV associated with epizootic emergence through the increased replication in avian hosts. Studies ongoing in the laboratory are aimed at elucidating the pathophysiological factors leading to virulence such as differential tissue tropism, temperature constraints on viral replication as well as novel mechanisms for the development of live attenuated vaccine constructs. Please contact Dr. Brault at acbrault@ucdavis.edu for further information.
Recent Publications:
Brault, Aaron C., Huang, C.Y.-H., Langevin, Stan A., Kinney, Richard M., Bowen, R.A., Ramey, W.N., Panella, Nicholas A., Holmes, Edward C., Powers, Ann M., Miller and Barry R. 2007. A single positively selected West Nile viral helicase mutation confers increased virogenesis in American crows. Nature Genetics 39 (9): 1162-1166.
Reisen, W.K., Brault, Aaron C., Martinez, V.M., Fang, Y., Simmons, K., Omi-Olsen, E. and Lane, R.S. 2007. Ability of transstadially infected Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) to transmit West Nile virus to Song sparrows or Western Fence lizards. Journal of Medical Entomology 44(2) 320-327.
Kinney, Richard M., Huang, Claire Y.–H, Whitman, Melissa, Bowen, Richard A., Langevin, Stanley A., Miller, Barry R. and Brault, Aaron C. 2006. Avian virulence and thermostable replication of the North American strain of West Nile virus. Journal of General Virology 87 (12) 3611-3622.
Deardorff, Eleanor, Estrada-Franco, Jose G., Brault, Aaron C., Navarro-Lopez, Roberto, Campomanes-Cortes, Arturo, Paz-Ramirez, Pedro, Solis-Hernandez, Mario, Ramey, Wanichaya N., Davis, C. Todd, Beasley, David W.C., Tesh, Robert B., Barrett, Alan D.T. and Weaver, Scott C. 2006. Introductions and Distribution of West Nile Virus in Mexico. Emerging Infectious Diseases 12(2) 314-318.
Reisen, William K., Fang, Ying, Lothrop, H., Martinez, V., Wilson, J., O’Connor, P., Carney, R., Cahoon-Young, B., Shafii, M. and Brault, Aaron C. 2006. Over-wintering of West Nile virus in southern California. Journal of Medical Entomology 43 (2) 344-355.
Panella, Nicholas A., Burkhalter, Kristin L., Langevin, Stanley A., Brault, Aaron C., Nasci, Roger S., and Komar, Nicholas 2005. Rapid West Nile Antigen Detection. Emerging Infectious Diseases 11(10) 1633-1635.
Davis, C. Todd, Ebel, Gregory D., Lanciotti, Robert S., Brault, Aaron C., Guzman, Hilda, Siirin, Marina, Parsons, Ray E., Beasley, David W. C., Novak, Robert J., Elizondo-Quiroga, Darwin, Green, Emily N., Young, David S., Stark, Lillian M., Drebot, Michael A., Artsob, Harvey, Tesh, Robert B., Kramer, Laura D., Barrett, Alan D. T. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of North American West Nile virus isolates, 2001-2004: Evidence for the emergence of a dominant genotype. Virology 342 (1) 252-265.
Charrel, Remi N., Brault, Aaron C. , Gallian, P., Lemasson, J., Murgue, B., Murri, S., Zeller, H., Dechesse, R., de Micco, P., and de Lamballerie, X. 2003. Evolutionary Relationship between Old World West Nile Virus Strains: Evidence for Viral Gene Flow Between Africa , the Middle East and Europe . Virology 315(2) 381-388.
Brault, Aaron C. , Powers, Ann M, and Weaver, Scott C. 2002. Vector infection determinants of Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses reside within the E2 envelope glycoprotein. Journal of Virology 76(12) 6387-6392 .
Brault, Aaron C., Powers, Ann M, Holmes, Edward C., Woelk, C.H., and Weaver, Scott C. 2002. Positively charged amino acid substitutions in the E2 envelope glycoprotein are associated with the epizootic emergence of Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses. Journal of Virology 76(4): 1718-1730.
Brault, Aaron C., Powers, Ann M., Medina, Gladys, Wang, Eryu, Kang, Wenli, Salas, Rosalba A., De Siger, Julieta, and Weaver, Scott C. 2001. Potential Sources of the 1995 Venezuelan equine encephalitis subtype IC epidemic. Journal of Virology 75(13): 5823-5832.