<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the
population genetic variation,
genetic diversity and phylogenesis of
Anopheles sinensis in
China.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>
Anopheles sinensis samples collected from Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Guizhou, and Yunnan Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with different geographical conditions between 2010 and 2012 were analyzed by
mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (
mtDNA-COI)
gene amplification and sequencing. Bioedit 7.0 and DnaSP 5.0
software was used to compare the
gene sequences and analyze the
population genetic structure, respectively. Arlequin 3.1 was used to calculate the genetic distance and
parameters of
population differentiation. The relationship between the geographic and genetic distances was analyzed using IBD Web Service. PHYLIP 3.6 was used to construct the
phylogenetic tree.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>
PCR amplification and sequencing was performed successfully for 6
Anopheles sinensis
populations containing 123
female mosquitoes. The length of
mtDNA-COI
gene fragment was 841 bp with an average A+T content of 71.2% and
G+C content of 28.8%. High
nucleotide diversity and genetic differentiation were observed among the
Anopheles sinensis
populations based on
mtDNA-COI
gene.
Analysis of the molecular variance revealed a greater variation between
populations than that within
populations with isolation by distance between the
populations. The
Anopheles sinensis
populations appeared to have undergone expansion, but the Yunnan
population constituted an isolated branch in the
phylogenetic tree.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>
mtDNA-COI can serve as the molecular marker to analyze
population genetic variation and phylogenesis of
Anopheles sinensis. The Yunnan
population shows a phylogenetic difference from the other
populations analyzed in this study.</p>