Caracterização genética do complexo Anopheles albitarsis (Diptera: Culicidae), utilizando genes mitocondriais e nuclear

Abstract

Anopheles albitarsis is a species complex involved in the transmission of malaria in South America. This complex comprises five species formally named (Anopheles albitarsis s.s., Anopheles marajoara, Anopheles deaneorum, Anopheles janconnae, Anopheles oryzalimnetes) and four others have not yet been formally named (Anopheles albitarsis F, Anopheles albitarsis G, Anopheles albitarsis H and Anopheles albitarsis I). The objective was to characterize and complement the taxonomic status of the An. Albitarsis complex, through the mitochondrial genes COI (584 bp) and ND5 (387 bp), and the ribosomal DNA subunit 28 (603 bp) of specimens collected in areas of the Amazon, Midwest and Southeast Brazil. The K2P genetic distance method was implemented for the COI and ND5 genes. Of the 134 sequences generated for the COI gene, 28 haplotypes were identified, being 98 sequences of the ND5 gene, 21 haplotypes; of 84 sequences from the 28S region, 5 haplotypes. Comparative analysis (BLASTn) of the COI and ND5 haplotypes genes confirmed six spicies of the albitarsis complex (An. albitarsis s.s., An. marajoara, An. deaneorum, An. oryzalimnetes, An. albitarsis G and An. albitarsis H). However, like the ND5 gene, the 28S gene showed stop codon regions, and in the comparative analysis (BLASTn) all 28S haplotypes showed 57% Query cover with An. marajoara, An. albitarsis s.s. and An. oryzalimnetes still, 100% Query cover with An. albimanus, probably meaning a pseudogenic region inherited by An. albitarsis s.l. of the common ancestor between the two species. The genetic divergence between the groups identified ranged from 0.19 to 0.42 (COI) and from 0.034 to 0.67 (ND5). Two probable lineages were detected within An. marajoara and An. albitarsis G. The interspecific averages of the An. marajoara I, An. marajoara II, An. albitarsis GI and An. albitarsis G II new lineages were 2.6%, 2.7%, 3.1% and 3.2%, respectively. The NJ, MV and IB cladograms analysis revealed six monophyletic groups with support values from 66% to 100%. The lineages within An. marajoara and An. albitarsis G obtained support data that ranged from 66% (IB) to 100% (IB). Anopheles albitarsis s.s., which is a typical of cold regions, was captured in the State of Acre, Brazil, which has an equatorial climate. In this sense, it is necessary to capture a larger sample number of this mosquito, in the same locations used in the presente work, and in other adjacente locations, to accurately confirm its occurrence in the North of South America region. In addition, to make new captures of An. marajoara and An. albitarsis G, in the referred State of Amazonas, for the best investigation of the evolutionary lineages of both species, in the State. The results obtained from this work contributed to a better update and understanding of the distribution of species of the An. albitarsis complex.