title: An allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay for the differentiation of members of the Anopheles culicifacies complex.
abstract: Anopheles culicifacies, the principal vector of malaria in India, is a complex of five cryptic species which are morphologically indistinguishable at any stage of life. In view of the practical difficulties associated with classical cytotaxonomic method for the identification of members of the complex, an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (ASPCR) assay targeted to the D3 domain of 28S ribosomal DNA was developed. The assay discriminates An. culicifacies species A and D from species B, C and E. The assay was validated using chromosomally identified specimens of An. culicifacies from different geographical regions of India representing different sympatric associations. The assay correctly differentiates species A and D from species B, C and E. The possible use of this diagnostic assay in disease vector control programmes is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Research Centre (ICMR), 22 Sham Nath Marg, Delhi 110 054, India. singh@mrcindia.org
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Geeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goswami
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raghavendra
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Subbarao
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D009033:Culicidae; D004247:DNA; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007194:India; D008288:Malaria / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA