Genetic Diversity and Molecular Characterization of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) In North-Central Nigeria Using Ribosomal DNA ITS2 and Mitochondrial 16S-DNA Sequences
Main Article Content
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of various life-threatening diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever etc. Their close proximity to human habitations allows ease for disease transmission. They have been identified by key morphological tools like their wings, legs, bristles etc. but closely related species are difficult to identify based on morphology. Molecular tools have, therefore, been employed to help with the more accurate identification. This study was aimed at identifying and characterizing different mosquito species in five different states in North-Central Nigeria using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and mitochondrial 16S rDNA regions. Mosquito larvae were collected from stagnant water in breeding places at each collection site in North-central Nigeria. Morphological identification was carried out using standard keys. DNA extraction was performed using EZNA extraction kit. PCR amplification of ribosomal ITS2 and mitochondrial 16S-rDNA gene regions were carried out. The PCR amplicons were sequenced using primers initially used for the PCR. Sequence data were aligned in MEGA 6.0 using ClustalW multiple alignment feature and then compared with GenBank databases for similarity. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the ITS2 region was able to distinguish two mosquito subfamilies; Anophelinae and Culicinae as well as differentiate between and amongst Culex and Aedes species. However, it was unable to effectively distinguish between the two different species of Anopheles sequenced. Mitochondrial 16S rRNA marker was also able to distinguish the two mosquito subfamilies. It efficiently identified and differentiated Culex, Aedes and Anopheles mosquito species sequenced in this study. This study concludes that heterogeneity among Nigerian populations of Anopheles mosquitoes of may likely impact malaria vector control programs. We recommend the combination of nuclear and mitochondrial markers for effective and reliable phylogenetic study and determination of evolutionary relationship among mosquito species.
Downloads
Article Details
How to Cite
References
Collins LE, Blackwell A. The biology of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes and their potential as biocontrol'agents. Biocontrol News and Information. 2000;21(4):105N-16N.
Calderaro A, Piccolo G, Gorrini C, Rossi S, Montecchini S, DellfAnna ML, et al. Accurate identification of the six human Plasmodium spp. causing imported malaria, including Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium knowlesi. Malaria Journal. 2013;12(1):321.
Forattini O. Culicidologia Medica: Identificacao, Biologia. Epidemiologia Sao Paulo: Editora da Universidade de Sao Paulo. 2002;2:864.
Molina-Cruz A, Lehmann T, Knockel J. Could culicine mosquitoes transmit human malaria? Trends in parasitology. 2013;29(11):530-7.
Afolabi OJ, Akinneye JOa, Igiekhume AMA. Identification, abundance, and diversity of mosquitoes in Akure South Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria. . The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology. 2019;80(1):39-45.
Oduola AO, Olojede JB, Oyewole IO, Otubanjo OA, Awolola TS. Abundance and diversity of Anopheles species (Diptera: Culicidae) associated with malaria transmission in human dwellings in rural and urban communities in Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria. Parasitology research. 2013;112(10):3433-9.
Ayorinde AF, Oboh BO, Otubanjo OA. Differentiation of some populations of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in three areas of Lagos State, Nigeria, using wing morphometry. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 2016;36(4):171-6.
Ndo C, Antonio-Nkondjio C, Cohuet A, Ayala D, Kengne P, Morlais I, et al. Population genetic structure of the malaria vector Anopheles nili in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria journal. 2010;9(1):161.
Yazdi F, Nikookar SH, Mahmoud F, Ahmad AE. Diversity and specie composition of mosquitoes (Culicidae: Diptera) in Noor County, Northern Iran. Tropical biomedicine 2017;34(1):14-21.
Yang L, Tan Z, Wang D, Xue L, Guan M, Huang Ta, et al. Species identification through mitochondrial rDNA genetic analysis. Sci Rep. 2014;4:4089.
Gajapathy K, Jude PJ, Goodacre SL, Peiris LB, Ramasamy R, Surendran SN. Molecular characterization of the malaria vector Anopheles barbirostris van der Wulp in Sri Lanka. Parasites & vectors. 2014;7(1):1-5.
Kronefeld M, Dittmann M, Zielke D, Werner D, Kampen H. Molecular confirmation of the occurrence in Germany of Anopheles daciae (Diptera, Culicidae). Parasit Vectors. 2012;5:250.
Kohli R, Monika Sa, Sudarshan C. DNA Fingerprinting and Phylogenetics of Five Species of Genus Culex Using ITS2 Sequence (Diptera: Culicidae). Caryologia. 2011;64(1):3-9.
Nicolescu G, Linton YM, Vladimirescu A, Howard TM, Harbach RE. Mosquitoes of the Anopheles maculipennis group (Diptera: Culicidae) in Romania, with the discovery and formal recognition of a new species based on molecular and morphological evidence. Bull Ent Res. 2004;94:525-35.
Linton Y, Smith L, Koliopoulos G, Samanidou-Voyadjoglou A, Zounos A, Harbach RE. Morphological and molecular characterization of Anopheles (Anopheles) maculipennis Meigen, type species of the genus and nominotypical member of the Maculipennis complex. Syst Entomol 2003;28 39-55.
Shouche YS, Patole MS. Sequence analysis of mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene fragment from seven mosquito species. Journal of Biosciences. 2000;25(4):361-6.
Kirchgatter K, de Oliveira Guimaraes L, Hugo Yanez Trujillano H, Rafael Arias F, Caceres AG, de Castro Duarte AMR, et al. Phylogeny of Anopheles (Kerteszia)(Diptera: Culicidae) Using Mitochondrial Genes. Insects. 2020;11(5):324.
Laurito M, Ayala AM, Almiron WR, Gardenal CN. Molecular identification of two Culex (Culex) species of the neotropical region (Diptera: Culicidae). PloS one. 2017;12(2):e0173052.
Oshaghi M, Shemshad K, Yaghobi-Ershadi M, Pedram M, Vatandoost H, Abaie M, et al. Genetic structure of the malaria vector Anopheles superpictus in Iran using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI and COII) and morphologic markers: a new species complex? Acta tropica. 2007;101(3):241-8.
Oshaghi M, Yaaghoobi F, Abaie M. Pattern of mitochondrial DNA variation between and within Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) biological forms suggests extensive gene flow. Acta tropica. 2006;99(2-3):226-33.
Fanello C, Santolamazza F, Della Torre A. Simultaneous identification of species and molecular forms of the Anopheles gambiae complex by PCR]RFLP. Medical and veterinary entomology. 2002;16(4):461-4.
Goswami G, Raghavendra K, Nanda N, Gakhar S, Subbarao SK. PCR-RFLP of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II and ITS2 of ribosomal DNA: markers for the identification of members of the Anopheles culicifacies complex (Diptera: Culicidae). Acta Tropica. 2005;95(2):92-9.
Havill NP, Foottit RG, von Dohlen CD. Evolution of host specialization in the Adelgidae (Insecta: Hemiptera) inferred from molecular phylogenetics. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution. 2007;44(1):357-70.
Walton C, Somboon P, OfLoughlin SM, Zhang S, Harbach RE, Linton YM, et al. Genetic diversity and molecular identification of mosquito species in the Anopheles maculatus group using the ITS2 region of rDNA. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2007;7:93-102.
Weitzel T, Gauch Ca, Becker N. Identification of Anopheles daciae in Germany through ITS2 sequencing. Parasitol Res. 2012;111:2431-8.
Ajamma YU, Mararo E, Omondi D, Onchuru T, Muigai AW, Masiga D, et al. Rapid and high throughput molecular identification of diverse mosquito species by high resolution melting analysis. F1000Research. 2016;5.
Sharma AK, Mendki MJ, Tikar SN, Chandel K, Sukumaran D, Parashar BD, et al. Genetic variability in geographical populations of Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) from India based on random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. Acta Trop. 2009;112(1):71-6.
Ashraf HM, Zahoor MK, Nasir S, Majeed HN, Zahoor S. Genetic analysis of Aedes aegypti using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers from dengue outbreaks in Pakistan. Journal of arthropod-borne diseases. 2016;10(4):546.
Wang CL, Zhou XG, Li SJ, Schwinghammer M, Scharf M, Buczkowski Ga, et al. Survey and identification of termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Indiana. Ann Entomol Soc Am. 2009;102:1029-36.
Becker N, Petri. D, Zgomba M, Boase C, Madon M, Dahl C, et al. Mosquitoes and their control. 2010. Heidelberg: Springer.
Beaty BJ, Marquardt WC. The biology of disease vectors: University Press of Colorado; 1996.
Lehane M. Biology of blood sucking insects. Herper Collins Academic, London, 288 p. 1991.
Gillies M, Coetzee M. A supplement to the Anophelinae of Africa South of the Sahara. Publ S Afr Inst Med Res. 1987;55:1-143.
Khoshdel-Nezamiha F, Vatandoost H, Oshaghi MA, Azari-Hamidian S, Mianroodi RA, Dabiri F, et al. Molecular characterization of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Northwestern Iran by using rDNA-ITS2. Japanese journal of infectious diseases. 2016;69(4):319-22.
Aigbodion Fa, Uyi O. Temporal distribution of and habitat diversification by some mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) species in Benin City, Nigeria. Journal of Entomology. 2013; 10 (1): 13 -23.
Weeraratne TC, Surendran SN, Parakrama K, S. H. P. DNA barcoding of morphologically characterized mosquitoes belonging to the subfamily Culicinae from Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vectors. 2018;11(1).
Wilkerson RC, Reinert JF, Li C. Ribosomal DNA ITS2 sequences differentiate six species in the Anopheles crucians complex (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. 2004;41:392-401.
Brown W, George M, Wilson A. Rapid evolution of animal mitochondrial DNA. Genetics. 1979;76:1967-71.