Molecular Identification of Anopheles maculatus Complex from China / 中国寄生虫学与寄生虫病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To establish the molecular identification of five members in Anopheles maculatus complex from China. Methods Different rDNA-ITS2 regions of An. maculatus complex were sequenced and analyzed. The species specific primers were designed, and PCR assay was used for the identification. Results The length and GC contents of ITS2 were 328 bp, 58.54% in An. pseudowillmori, 330 bp, 57.85% in An. maculatus, 337 bp, 59.05% in An. willmori, 334 bp, 58.68% in An. dravidicus, and 338 bp, 57.69% in An. sawadwongporni, respectively. The intra-species ITS2 sequences were conservative. The ranges of divergence level among five members were from 9.7% to 18.9% . Five distinct specific fragments were amplified by PCR assay using five species specific primers and 5. 8S primer. The length was 119, 186, 231, 327 and 406 bp respectively. Conclusion The diagnostic PCR assay based on ITS2 divergence to distinguish five members of An. maculatus complex was simple and reliable.