LINKAGE RELATIONSHIPS AND CHROMOSOME ASSIGNMENT OF FOUR ESTERASE LOCI IN THE MOSQUITO ANOPHELES ALBIMANUS

Sharanjit S. Vedbrat 1 and Gregory S. Whitt 2

1 Department of Genetics, 515 Morrill Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
2 Department of Development, 515 Morrill Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801

Although anopheline mosquitoes are important vectors of malaria, their genetic makeup has not yet been extensively investigated. The present studies concentrate on the genetic basis of esterases in Anopheles albimanus . Nine zones of esterase activity have been resolved by gel electrophoresis. Four of these esterases: EST-2, EST-4, EST-6, and EST-8 are present throughout all developmental stages and also possess allelic variation. Mass matings were carried out with homozygous males and females heterozygous for two or more loci. The analyses of progeny from single egg batches revealed that the four esterase systems mentioned above are encoded in separate loci with codominant alleles. Analyses of two-point and three-point crosses have indicated the following linkage relationship: Est-8 –– 12% –– Est-4 –– 22% –– Est-2 –– 9% –– Est-6. The assignment of this linkage group to chromosome 3 has been accomplished by the use of a Y-2 chromosome translocation.

Submitted on June 13, 1975
Revised on October 30, 1975