Genetics, Vol. 159, 211-218, September 2001, Copyright © 2001

Linear and Spatial Organization of Polytene Chromosomes of the African Malaria Mosquito Anopheles funestus

Igor V. Sharakhova, Maria V. Sharakhovaa, Charles M. Mbogob, Lizette L. Koekemoerc, and Guiyun Yana
a Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260,
b Kenya Medical Research Institute, Center for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi, Kenya
c South African Institute for Medical Research, Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Johannesburg 2000, Republic of South Africa

Corresponding author: Guiyun Yan, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260., gyan{at}acsu.buffalo.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: G. B. GOLDING

Anopheles funestus Giles is one of the major malaria vectors in Africa, but little is known about its genetics. Lack of a cytogenetic map characterized by regions has hindered the progress of genetic research with this important species. This study developed a cytogenetic map of An. funestus using ovarian nurse cell polytene chromosomes. We demonstrate an important application with the cytogenetic map for characterizing various chromosomal inversions for specimens collected from coastal Kenya. The linear and spatial organization of An. funestus polytene chromosomes was compared with the best-studied malaria mosquito, An. gambiae Giles. Comparisons of chromosome morphology between the two species have revealed that the most extensive chromosomal rearrangement occurs in pericentromeric heterochromatin of autosomes. Differences in pericentromeric heterochromatin types correlate with nuclear organization differences between An. funestus and An. gambiae. Attachments of chromosomes to the nuclear envelope strongly depend on the presence of diffusive ß-heterochromatin. Thus, An. funestus and An. gambiae exhibit species-specific characteristics in chromosome-linear and -spatial organizations.




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