Abstract
BackgroundGlobal concern over the rapid expansion of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and its vector competence has highlighted an urgent need to improve currently available population control methods, like the Sterile Insect Technique. Knowledge of the sex determination cascade is a prerequisite for the development of early-stage sexing systems. To this end, we have characterised the putative sex determination gene, Nix, in this species. In Aedes species the chromosome complement consists of three pairs of chromosomes. The sex determination alleles are linked to the smallest homomorphic chromosome.ResultsWe identified the male-specific chromosome 1 of Ae. albopictus that carries the putative male-determining gene Nix. We have also characterised the complete genomic sequence of the Nix gene which is composed of two exons and a short intron. The gene displays different levels of intron retention during development. Comparison of DNA sequences covering most of the Nix gene from individuals across the species range revealed no polymorphism.ConclusionsOur characterisation of the Nix gene in Ae. albopictus represents an initial step in the analysis of the sex determination cascade in this species. We found evidence of intron retention (IR) in Nix. IR might play a role in regulating the expression of Nix during development. Our results provide the basis for the development of new genetic control strategies.
Highlights
Global concern over the rapid expansion of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and its vector competence has highlighted an urgent need to improve currently available population control methods, like the Sterile Insect Technique
The complete Ae. albopictus Nix sequence was identified from a C6/36 cell line genome [23]. This complete sequence is almost identical to the Nix sequence that we independently identified in the Ae. albopictus Rimini strain and that we describe both cytologically and functionally in this paper
The male-specific chromosome 1 homologue contains a potential male determining sequence, Nix The protocol that we describe for sexing fourth-instar larvae facilitates the isolation and analysis of the male and female mitotic metaphase chromosome complements
Summary
Global concern over the rapid expansion of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and its vector competence has highlighted an urgent need to improve currently available population control methods, like the Sterile Insect Technique. Knowledge of the sex determination cascade is a prerequisite for the development of early-stage sexing systems. The global concern over the rapid expansion and the ability of Ae. albopictus to transmit infectious diseases has highlighted an urgent need to improve currently available population control methods [9]. These include the Sterile Insect Technique, which requires highly efficient early-stage sexing methods [10]. A better understanding of the sex determination mechanisms in Ae. albopictus would be of practical importance and would benefit evolutionary studies of sex-specific sequences
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