Abstract
BackgroundMolecular techniques are invaluable for investigation on the biodiversity of Anopheles mosquitoes. This study aimed at investigating the spatial-genetic variations among Anopheles mosquitoes from different areas of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as deciphering evolutionary relationships of the local Anopheles mosquitoes with the mosquitoes from neighbouring countries using the anopheline ITS2 rDNA gene.MethodsMosquitoes were collected, identified, dissected to check infection status, and DNA extraction was performed for PCR with primers targeting the ITS2 rDNA region. Sequencing was done and phylogenetic tree was constructed to study the evolutionary relationship among Anopheles mosquitoes within Peninsular Malaysia, as well as across the Asian region.ResultsA total of 133 Anopheles mosquitoes consisting of six different species were collected from eight different locations across Peninsular Malaysia. Of these, 65 ITS2 rDNA sequences were obtained. The ITS2 rDNA amplicons of the studied species were of different sizes. One collected species, Anopheles sinensis, shows two distinct pools of population in Peninsular Malaysia, suggesting evolvement of geographic race or allopatric speciation.ConclusionAnopheles mosquitoes from Peninsular Malaysia show close evolutionary relationship with the Asian anophelines. Nevertheless, genetic differences due to geographical segregation can be seen. Meanwhile, some Anopheles mosquitoes in Peninsular Malaysia show vicariance, exemplified by the emergence of distinct cluster of An. sinensis population.
Highlights
Molecular techniques are invaluable for investigation on the biodiversity of Anopheles mosquitoes
This study aimed at characterizing the ITS2 ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences of several Anopheles mosquitoes in Peninsular Malaysia, as well as investigating the spatial-genetic variations among Anopheles mosquitoes from different areas of Peninsular Malaysia
In total, 133 Anopheles mosquitoes consisting of six different species were collected from eight different locations across Peninsular Malaysia (Figure 1, Additional file 1: Table S1)
Summary
Molecular techniques are invaluable for investigation on the biodiversity of Anopheles mosquitoes. Molecular technique provides a powerful tool for effective investigation on the population dynamics of mosquitoes It enables more detailed understanding on the relationships between the vectorial capacity, genetic makeup and geographical origin for a particular species of Anopheles, more detailed and precise taxonomy, as well as evolutionary studies [6,7,8,9,10]. Various gene markers have been selected for such study purposes Gene sequences such as Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 and 2 (ITS1 & 2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II (COI & COII), and D3 (28S rDNA) are helpful in species identification and phylogenetic analyses [10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25]. There is a need to fill this knowledge gap for better understanding on biodiversity of Anopheles in this region based on ITS2 rDNA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
