Decoding mosquito-virus interactions: from classical genetics to multi-omics

Arbovirus transmission by mosquitoes remains a major global health concern. A clearer understanding of the molecular mechanisms enabling mosquitoes to acquire and transmit these pathogens (i.e., their vector competence) is crucial for developing more effective control strategies. This review focuses on Aedes aegypti and dengue virus, highlighting the diverse approaches, ranging from foundational forward genetics to high-throughput omics and advanced reverse genetics, used over the past decades to discover mosquito molecular factors underlying vector competence. We discuss the progress and limitations of these research methods and emphasize next-generation techniques that have the potential to transform our understanding of mosquito-arbovirus interactions. These novel approaches offer promising avenues for describing within-vector infection dynamics, predicting infection outcomes, and developing targeted tools for vector-oriented control of mosquito-borne diseases.