Identification of mosquito bloodmeals using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b gene sequences.
Primer pairs were designed and protocols developed to selectively amplify segments of vertebrate mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and cytochrome b (Cyt b) mtDNA from the bloodmeals of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). The protocols use two pairs of nested COI primers and one pair of Cyt b primers to amplify short segments of DNA. Resultant sequences are then compared with sequences in GenBank, using the BLAST function, for putative host identification. Vertebrate DNA was amplified from 88% of our sample of 162 wild-caught, blood-fed mosquitoes from Oregon, U.S.A. and GenBank BLAST searches putatively identified 98% of the amplified sequences, including one amphibian, seven mammalian and 14 avian species. Criteria and caveats for putative identification of bloodmeals are discussed.
Townzen
J S
JS
Environmental Sciences Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. townzenj@gmail.com
Brower
A V Z
AV
Judd
D D
DD
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000235:genetics; D009033:Culicidae / Q000502:physiology*; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011898:Ranidae / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D021122:Protein Subunits; D004247:DNA; D045303:Cytochromes b; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV