title: Molecular differentiation of three closely related members of the mosquito species complex, Anopheles moucheti, by mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA polymorphism.
abstract: Distinction between members of the equatorial Africa malaria vector Anopheles moucheti (Evans) s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae) has been based mainly on doubtful morphological features. To determine the level of genetic differentiation between the three morphological forms of this complex, we investigated molecular polymorphism in the gene encoding for mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase b (CytB) and in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2). The three genomic regions revealed sequence differences between the three morphological forms similar in degree to the differences shown previously for members of other anopheline species groups or complexes (genetic distance d = 0.047-0.05 for CytB, 0.084-0.166 for ITS1 and 0.03-0.05 for ITS2). Using sequence variation in the ITS1 region, we set up a diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rapid and reliable identification of each subspecies within the An. moucheti complex. Specimens of An. moucheti s.l. collected in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and Nigeria were successfully identified, demonstrating the general applicability of this technique.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit 016, Institute of Research for Development (Unité de Recherche 016, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement [IRD]), Montpellier, France. pierre.kengne@mpl.ird.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kengne
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antonio-Nkondjio
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Awono-Ambene
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Awolola
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fontenille
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV