title: Comparative analysis of the circadian rhythm genesperiodandtimelessinCulex pipiensLinnaeus, 1758 (Diptera, Culicidae).
abstract: Nucleotide sequences of the circadian rhythm genes,periodandtimeless, were studied for the first time in mosquitoesCulex pipiensLinnaeus, 1758. In this work we evaluated variations of the studied genome fragments for the two forms ofCulex pipiens(forma "pipiens" - mosquitoes common for aboveground habitats, forma "molestus" - underground mosquitoes). We comparedCulex pipiensfrom Russia with transatlanticCulex pipiensand subtropicalCulex quinquefasciatusSay, 1823. Our results show that intraspecies variability is higher for the geneperiodthan for the genetimeless. The revealed substitutions in nucleotide sequences and especially in amino acid sequences grouped the individuals of the two forms into distinct clusters with high significance. The detected fixed amino acid substitutions may appear essential for functioning of the circadian rhythm proteins inCulex pipiens, and may be correlated with adaptations of the taxa within the groupCulex pipiens. Our results suggest that natural selection favors fixed mutations and the decrease in diversity of the genesperiodandtimelessin mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens f. "molestus" compared with the Culex pipiens f. "pipiens", is probably correlated with adaptive features of Culex pipiens f. "molestus". The studied genome regions may be considered as promising molecular-genetic markers for identification, population and phylogenetic analysis of similar species and forms of theCulex pipienscomplex.
authors.affiliation: Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Gubkin str., 3, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Shaikevich
authors.affiliation: Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Novogireevskaya 3a, Moscow, 111123 Russia.
authors.forename: Ludmila S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.affiliation: Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Novogireevskaya 3a, Moscow, 111123 Russia.
authors.forename: Marina V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Fyodorova
keywords: Culex pipiens; circadian rhythm genes; natural selection; period; timeless