Decoding the genome of the mosquito species Quinquefasciatus

Researchers at UC Riverside University are leading the way in a multi-year research project to find new, more effective remedies to treat certain diseases caused by West Nile virus and other infectious diseases. spread by midges.

In 2009, the United States had 720 patients infected with West Nile virus, a serious disease that could be transmitted through bite of midges, West Nile virus was first detected in infected birds. . West Nile virus is located in the salivary glands of mosquitoes, spread when mosquitoes bite and suck blood on people and animals.

To understand the genetic structure of mosquitoes and how mosquitoes spread viruses, an international team of scientists led by geneticists at The University of California, Riverside, USA , has decoded the genome of the mosquito species Quinquefasciatus.

Through this study, scientists hope to find the clues they need to determine the relevance, the role of midges in the transmission of West Nile virus, St Louis encephalitis, and worms only. Lymph and other infectious diseases spread through relatives of the midget species Quinquefasciatus. Insights into the mosquito's genetic genome are an important step in developing effective treatment strategies for the spread of pathogens.

Mosquitoes quinquefasciatus, taken by Kathy Keatley Garvey

Along with the decoding of the Anopheles gambiae mosquito genome for malaria transmission (2002), the Aedes aegypti mosquito species transmitted yellow fever and dengue fever (in 2007) and the midget Quinquefasciatus (in 2010). ), scientists have had three genomes of three genera of mosquitoes in hand, which are the main agents that spread deadly diseases. Now we have been able to compare and point out the contrast of all three mosquito genomes and identify the specific genotypes of each individual mosquito genus, as well as the common genotypes of mosquito relatives, According to Peter Arensburger, Bioinformatics specialist, the research student of equitization at the Center for Disease Vector Research and the Department of Entomology.

We now begin to identify specific genetic and dive genes of each genus of mosquitoes, which react to infection, which plays a very important role in developing strategies to prevent prevent transmission of West Nile virus and other infectious diseases. The results of this study were published in the October issue of Science.

Researchers report that the mosquito mosquito Quinquefasciatus, which has a genome size of 579 million nucleotides , has the genome of Anopheles gambiae, the genome size 278 million nucleotides and the genome size of Aedes aegypti. There are about 1,380,000,000 nucleotides. However, mosquitoes Quinquefasciatus has a higher genetic number of about 18,883 genes , while the Anopheles gambiae genetic number is 12,457 genes or Aedes aegypti and about 15,419 genes.

" We don't know why this is the case, " said Arensburger. "The mosquito mosquito Quinquefasciatus is widely distributed around the world, the same species is found in California and South Africa. It is possible that a large number of genes in this mosquito have helped it survive in many types of lips. live school . "

The researchers also reported that the genome of the mosquito mosquito Quinquefasciatus and the Aedes aegypti genome are more similar to the Anopheles gambiae genome.

" We coordinate with researchers from around the world to perform the genome sequence ", according to Atkinson, the lead author of the study and the principal investigator of the grant that UCR contributes to research. assist. " We cannot do this without the support of the specialized computer system we received from UCR's Institute for Integrative Genome Biology. It allows us to carry out extensive and complex analysis at right on campus, and gave us the confidence to complete the project . "

With more than 1,200 described species, midges are the most diverse and have a wide geographical distribution. Adult mosquitoes are 4 to 10 mm long, only females are capable of spreading the disease, such as West Nile virus, it is difficult to kill mosquitoes because mosquitoes and birds are mobile. , spread the disease quickly on a large scale.

West Nile virus first appeared in the United States in the summer of 1999. Since then it has been found in all 48 adjacent states.

Scientific research reports were written by researchers at Boston University, Massachusetts, USA and Iowa State University, USA focused on studying the genome of the Quinquefasciatus immunity. The paper explores why some of these genes are "upregulated" while others are "downregulated" in response to pathogens.

With the arrangement of the mosquito genome quinquefasciatus, researchers at UCR will focus on special genes, interested in efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases spread by mosquitoes. .

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Ho Duy Binh
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