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Remarkable diversity of intron-1 of the para voltage-gated sodium channel gene in an Anopheles gambiae/Anopheles coluzzii hybrid zone

Santolamazza, Federica, Caputo, Beniamino, Nwakanma, Davis C, Fanello, Caterina, Petrarca, Vincenzo, Conway, David J, Weetman, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5820-1388, Pinto, Joao, Mancini, Emiliano and della Torre, Alessandra (2015) 'Remarkable diversity of intron-1 of the para voltage-gated sodium channel gene in an Anopheles gambiae/Anopheles coluzzii hybrid zone'. Malaria Journal, Vol 14, e9.

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Abstract

Background

Genomic differentiation between Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii - the major malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa - is localized into large “islands” toward the centromeres of chromosome-X and the two autosomes. Linkage disequilibrium between these genomic islands was first detected between species-specific polymorphisms within ribosomal DNA genes (IGS-rDNA) on the X-chromosome and a single variant at position 702 of intron 1 (Int-1702) of the para Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel (VGSC) gene on chromosome arm 2 L. Intron-1 sequence data from West and Central Africa revealed two clearly distinct and species-specific haplogroups, each characterized by very low polymorphism, which has been attributed to a selective sweep. The aim of this study was to analyse Int-1 sequence diversity in A. gambiae and A. coluzzii populations from the Far-West of their range, in order to assess whether this selective-sweep signature could persist in a zone of high interspecific hybridization.

Methods

A 531 bp region of VGSC Int-1 was sequenced in 21 A. coluzzii, 31 A. gambiae, and 12 hybrids from The Gambia and Guinea Bissau, located within the Far-West geographical region, and in 53 A. gambiae s.l. samples from the rest of the range.

Results

Far-West samples exhibit dramatic Int-1 polymorphism, far higher within each country than observed throughout the rest of the species range. Moreover, patterning of haplotypes within A. coluzzii confirms previous evidence of a macro-geographic subdivision into a West and a Central African genetic cluster, and reveals a possible genetic distinction of A. coluzzii populations from the Far-West.

Conclusions

The results suggest a relaxation of selective pressures acting across the VGSC gene region in the hybrid zone. Genetic differentiation in the Far-West could be attributable to a founder effect within A. coluzzii, with subsequent extensive gene flow with secondarily-colonizing A. gambiae, potentially yielding a novel insight on the dynamic processes impacting genetic divergence of these key malaria vectors.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/14/1/9
Subjects: QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 470 Genetic structures
QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 500 Genetic phenomena
QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 515 Anopheles
WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria
Faculty: Department: Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-014-0522-1
Depositing User: Carmel Bates
Date Deposited: 05 Aug 2015 08:33
Last Modified: 07 Sep 2019 13:07
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/5260

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