Faculty Collaboration Database

A major genetic locus controlling natural Plasmodium falciparum infection is shared by East and West African Anopheles gambiae. Malar J 2007 Jul 06;6:87

Date

07/07/2007

Pubmed ID

17612409

Pubmed Central ID

PMC1936428

DOI

10.1186/1475-2875-6-87

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-34547621933 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   21 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Genetic linkage mapping identified a region of chromosome 2L in the Anopheles gambiae genome that exerts major control over natural infection by Plasmodium falciparum. This 2L Plasmodium-resistance interval was mapped in mosquitoes from a natural population in Mali, West Africa, and controls the numbers of P. falciparum oocysts that develop on the vector midgut. An important question is whether genetic variation with respect to Plasmodium-resistance exists across Africa, and if so whether the same or multiple geographically distinct resistance mechanisms are responsible for the trait.

METHODS: To identify P falciparum resistance loci in pedigrees generated and infected in Kenya, East Africa, 28 microsatellite loci were typed across the mosquito genome. Genetic linkage mapping was used to detect significant linkage between genotype and numbers of midgut oocysts surviving to 7-8 days post-infection.

RESULTS: A major malaria-control locus was identified on chromosome 2L in East African mosquitoes, in the same apparent position originally identified from the West African population. Presence of this resistance locus explains 75% of parasite free mosquitoes. The Kenyan resistance locus is named EA_Pfin1 (East Africa_ Plasmodium falciparum Infection Intensity).

CONCLUSION: Detection of a malaria-control locus at the same chromosomal location in both East and West African mosquitoes indicates that, to the level of genetic resolution of the analysis, the same mechanism of Plasmodium-resistance, or a mechanism controlled by the same genomic region, is found across Africa, and thus probably operates in A. gambiae throughout its entire range.

Author List

Riehle MM, Markianos K, Lambrechts L, Xia A, Sharakhov I, Koella JC, Vernick KD

Author

Michelle M. Riehle PhD Assistant Professor in the Microbiology and Immunology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Africa
Animals
Anopheles
Chromosome Mapping
Female
Genes, Insect
Genome, Insect
Genotype
Geography
Insect Vectors
Male
Phenotype
Plasmodium falciparum