Evidence for subdivision within the M molecular form of Anopheles gambiae

  1. M. A. SLOTMAN1,
  2. F. TRIPET1,†,
  3. A. J. CORNEL2,
  4. C. R. MENESES1,
  5. Y. LEE3,
  6. L. J. REIMER1,
  7. T. C. THIEMANN1,
  8. E. FONDJO4,
  9. A. FOFANA5,
  10. S. F. TRAORÉ5,
  11. G. C. LANZARO1

Article first published online: 29 NOV 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03172.x

Issue

Molecular Ecology

Molecular Ecology

Volume 16, Issue 3, pages 639–649, February 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

SLOTMAN, M. A., TRIPET, F., CORNEL, A. J., MENESES, C. R., LEE, Y., REIMER, L. J., THIEMANN, T. C., FONDJO, E., FOFANA, A., TRAORÉ, S. F. and LANZARO, G. C. (2007), Evidence for subdivision within the M molecular form of Anopheles gambiae. Molecular Ecology, 16: 639–649. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.03172.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Entomology & Center for Vectorborne Diseases, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA,

  2. 2

    Department of Entomology & Center for Vectorborne Diseases, University of California Davis, Parlier, CA 93648, USA,

  3. 3

    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA,

  4. 4

    National Malaria Program, Ministry of Health, Yaoundé, PO Box 1857, Cameroon,

  5. 5

    Malaria Research Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mali, Bamako, PO Box 1805, Mali

  1. †

    Present address: Center for Applied Entomology and Parasitology, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK.

* Michel A. Slotman, Present address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. Fax: 203 4325176; E-mail: michel.slotman@yale.edu.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 JAN 2007
  2. Article first published online: 29 NOV 2006
  3. Received 30 July 2006; revision accepted 28 September 2006

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Keywords:

  • Anopheles gambiae;
  • chromosomal form;
  • incipient speciation;
  • inversions;
  • isolation;
  • molecular form

Abstract

The principal vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, Anopheles gambiae is subdivided into two molecular forms M and S. Additionally, several chromosomal forms, characterized by the presence of various inversion polymorphisms, have been described. The molecular forms M and S each contain several chromosomal forms, including the Savanna, Mopti and Forest forms. The M and S molecular forms are now considered to be the reproductive units within A. gambiae and it has recently been argued that a low recombination rate in the centromeric region of the X chromosome has facilitated isolation between these forms. The status of the chromosomal forms remains unclear however. Therefore, we studied genetic differentiation between Savanna S, Forest S, Forest M and Mopti M populations using microsatellites. Genetic differentiation between Savanna S and Forest S populations is very low (FST = 0.0053 ± 0.0049), even across large distances. In comparison, the Mopti M and Forest M populations show a relatively high degree of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.0406 ± 0.0054) indicating that the M molecular form may not be a single entity, but could be subdivided into at least two distinct chromosomal forms. Previously it was proposed that inversions have played a role in the origin of species within the A. gambiae complex. We argue that a possible subdivision within the M molecular form could be understood through this process, with the acquisition of inversions leading to the expansion of the M molecular form into new habitat, dividing it into two distinct chromosomal forms.

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