Molecular Characterisation of Cytochrome Oxidase I and Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 Fragments of Culiseta longiareolata.

Abstract

Among the mosquitoes, Culiseta longiareolata plays a notable role in the transmission of avian malaria, tularemia and arboviral diseases, including West Nile fever. We conducted this study to characterise the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fragments of Cs. longiareolata in northwestern Iran to determine the classification status of this species. The COI and ITS2 fragments from six populations of Cs. longiareolata were amplified, sequenced and analysed. For phylogenetic analysis, the evolutionary history was estimated using the Tamura-Nei-based Maximum Likelihood approach. Thirteen sequences (six for ITS2 and seven for COI) from six populations of Cs. longiareolata were acquired and deposited into the GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the COI sequences from the current study cluster together with the same species from other parts of the world. Moreover, the ITS2 sequences of the current study and sequences retrieved from the GenBank, despite intraspecies variation, fall into a distinct clade with acceptable bootstrap values. Notable genetic variations were observed between various Cs. longiareolata populations based on the evaluations of ITS2 and COI fragments. By conducting such studies, the exact classification status of this species can be determined.