title: Intragenomic rDNA ITS2 variation in the neotropical Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis complex (Diptera: Culicidae).
abstract: We cloned and sequenced the rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of 4 species belonging to the neotropical Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis complex, that is, A. albitarsis; A. albitarsis B; Anopheles marajoara, a proven malaria vector; and Anopheles deaneorum, a suspected vector. Even though the ITS2 sequences of these species were very similar (< or =1.17% divergence), we found differences suitable for species identification and intragenomic variation of possible consequence in phylogenetic reconstruction. Variation came from 2 microsatellite regions and a number of indels and base substitutions. The existence of partially correlated subsets of clones in A. albitarsis is hypothesized either to be separate rDNA loci or to be semi-independently evolving portions of a single rDNA locus. No differences were found between males and females, suggesting that similar rDNA arrays exist on both the X and Y chromosomes. In addition, highly variant clones, possibly pseudogenes, were found in A. marajoara from Venezuela.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910-7500, USA.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wilkerson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D049750:Genome, Insect; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer