Population structure of Wolbachia and cytoplasmic introgression in a complex of mosquito species.

BACKGROUND: The maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia often acts as a subtle parasite that manipulates insect reproduction, resulting potentially in reproductive isolation between host populations. Whilst distinct Wolbachia strains are documented in a group of evolutionarily closely related mosquitoes known as the Culex pipiens complex, their impact on mosquito population genetics remains unclear. To this aim, we developed a PCR-RFLP test that discriminates the five known Wolbachia groups found in this host complex. We further examined the Wolbachia genetic diversity, the variability in the coinherited host mitochondria and their partitioning among members of the Cx. pipiens complex, in order to assess the impact of Wolbachia on host population structure. RESULTS: There was a strong association between Wolbachia and mitochondrial haplotypes indicating a stable co-transmission in mosquito populations. Despite evidence that members of the Cx. pipiens complex are genetically distinct on the basis of nuclear DNA, the association of Wolbachia and mtDNA with members of the Cx. pipiens complex were limited. The Wolbachia wPip-I group, by far the most common, was associated with divergent Cx. pipiens members, including Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. pipiens pipiens form pipiens and Cx. pipiens pipiens form molestus. Four other wPip groups were also found in mosquito populations and all were shared between diverse Cx. pipiens members. CONCLUSION: This data overall supports the hypothesis that wPip infections, and their allied mitochondria, are associated with regular transfers between Cx. pipiens members rather than specific host associations. Overall, this is suggestive of a recent and likely ongoing cytoplasmic introgression through hybridization events across the Cx. pipiens complex.

Comparative analysis of the circadian rhythm genes period and timeless in Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera, Culicidae).

Nucleotide sequences of the circadian rhythm genes, period and timeless, were studied for the first time in mosquitoes Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758. In this work we evaluated variations of the studied genome fragments for the two forms of Culex pipiens (forma "pipiens" - mosquitoes common for aboveground habitats, forma "molestus" - underground mosquitoes). We compared Culex pipiens from Russia with transatlantic Culex pipiens and subtropical Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823. Our results show that intraspecies variability is higher for the gene period than for the gene timeless. The revealed substitutions in nucleotide sequences and especially in amino acid sequences grouped the individuals of the two forms into distinct clusters with high significance. The detected fixed amino acid substitutions may appear essential for functioning of the circadian rhythm proteins in Culex pipiens, and may be correlated with adaptations of the taxa within the group Culex pipiens. Our results suggest that natural selection favors fixed mutations and the decrease in diversity of the genes period and timeless in mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens f. "molestus" compared with the Culex pipiens f. "pipiens", is probably correlated with adaptive features of Culex pipiens f. "molestus". The studied genome regions may be considered as promising molecular-genetic markers for identification, population and phylogenetic analysis of similar species and forms of the Culex pipiens complex.

Genetic diversity of Culex pipiens mosquitoes in distinct populations from Europe: contribution of Cx. quinquefasciatus in Mediterranean populations.

BACKGROUND: Mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens complex are cosmopolitan, and important vectors of neglected tropical diseases, such as arbovirosis and lymphatic filariasis. Among the complex taxa, Cx. pipiens (with two forms pipiens and molestus) and Cx. quinquefasciatus are the most ubiquitous mosquitoes in temperate and tropical regions respectively. Mosquitoes of this taxa lack of morphological differences between females, but have frank behavioral and physiological differences and have different trophic preferences that influence their vectorial status. Hybridization may change the vectorial capacity of these mosquitoes, increasing vector efficiency and medical importance of resulting hybrids. METHODS: Culex pipiens s.l. from 35 distinct populations were investigated by the study of mtDNA, symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, nuclear DNA and flanking region of microsatellite CQ11 polymorphism using PCR with diagnostic primers, RFLP analysis and sequencing. RESULTS: Six different mitochondrial haplotypes were revealed by sequencing of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and three different Wolbachia (wPip) groups were identified. A strong association was observed between COI haplotypes/groups, wPip groups and taxa; haplogroup A and infection with wPipII appear to be typical for Cx. pipiens form pipiens, haplotype D and infection with wPipIV for form molestus, while haplogroup E, characteristic of Cx. quinquefasciatus, were correlated with wPipI and found in Cx. pipiens sl. from coastal regions of Southern Europe and Mediterranean region. Analysis of microsatellite locus and nuclear DNA revealed hybrids between Cx. pipiens form pipiens and form molestus, as well as between Cx. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus, in Mediterranean populations, as opposed to Northern Europe. Phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences yielded a tree topology that supported the RFLP analysis with significant bootstrap values for haplotype D and haplogroup E. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular identification provides the first evidence of the presence of hybrids between Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. pipiens as well as cytoplasmic introgression of Cx. quinquefasciatus into Cx. pipiens as a result of hybridization events in coastal regions of Southern Europe and Mediterranean region. Together with observed hybrids between pipiens and molestus forms, these findings point to the presence of hybrids in these areas, with consequent higher potential for disease transmission.