Sequencing and Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Brazilian Amazon Region

Andrelina Alves de Sousa; Ana Cecília Ribeiro Cruz; Fábio Silva da Silva; Sandro Patroca da Silva; Joaquim Pinto Nunes Neto; Maria Claudene Barros; Elmary da Costa Fraga; Iracilda Sampaio

doi:10.3390/insects14120938

Sequencing and Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Brazilian Amazon Region

Insects. 2023 Dec 11;14(12):938. doi: 10.3390/insects14120938.

Authors

Andrelina Alves de Sousa¹, Ana Cecília Ribeiro Cruz^{2

3}, Fábio Silva da Silva^{2

3}, Sandro Patroca da Silva², Joaquim Pinto Nunes Neto^{2

3}, Maria Claudene Barros⁴, Elmary da Costa Fraga⁴, Iracilda Sampaio⁵

Affiliations

¹ Post-Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Pará, Brazil.
² Evandro Chagas Institute (IEC/SVS/MS), Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil.
³ Post-Graduate Program in Parasite Biology in the Amazon, Center of Biological and Health Sciences, Pará State University, Belém 66095-662, Pará, Brazil.
⁴ Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology (GENBIMOL), Maranhão State University, Caxias 65604-380, Maranhão, Brazil.
⁵ Laboratory of Evolution, Institute of Coastal Studies, Federal University of Pará, Bragança 68600-000, Pará, Brazil.

Abstract

Aedes aegypti is a mosquito native to the African continent, which is now widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In many regions, it represents a major challenge to public health, given its role in the cycle of transmission of important arboviruses, such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. Considering the epidemiological importance of Ae. aegypti, the present study sequenced the partial mitochondrial genome of a sample collected in the municipality of Balsas, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, followed by High Throughput Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. The mitochondrial sequence obtained here was 15,863 bp long, and contained 37 functional subunits (thirteen PCGs, twenty-two tRNAs and two rRNAs) in addition to a partial final portion rich in A+T. The data obtained here contribute to the enrichment of our knowledge of the taxonomy and evolutionary biology of this prominent disease vector. These findings represent an important advancement in the understanding of the characteristics of the populations of northeastern Brazil and provide valuable insights into the taxonomy and evolutionary biology of this prominent disease vector.

Keywords: Culicidae; Legal Amazon; mtDNA; phylogeny; population genetics.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Programme for Academic Cooperation in Amazonia (public notice number 21/2018 PROCAD/AMAZONIA), process number 23038.005350/2018-78 and benefited from funding provided by the Brazilian Coordination for Higher Education Personnel Training (CAPES), grant number 88887.761304/2022-00, and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), grant numbers 314522/2021-2 to A.C.R.C. and 309916/2021-6 to I.S. This study was supported by the Maranhão State Foundation for Research and Scientific and Technological Development (FAPEMA: public notice number: 002/2019–Universal) through the acquisition of laboratory infrastructure. Publication of the manuscript was financed by PROPESP/UFPA (PAPQ).