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Genes tell the story of how the Asian tiger mosquito spread

Date:
August 22, 2019
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
Over the last 40 years, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has invaded every continent thanks to the transportation of its eggs via human trade and transportation. Researchers have now used the genomes of the mosquitoes to track the history of the invasion and expansion of the species through Albania, Italy, and Greece.
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Over the last 40 years, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has invaded every continent thanks to the transportation of its eggs via human trade and transportation. Researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have now used the genomes of the mosquitoes to track the history of the invasion and expansion of the species through Albania, Italy, and Greece

Ae. albopictus is native to Southeast Asia and was first recorded outside this area, in Albania, in 1979. It rapidly spread throughout Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Africa. This worldwide invasion was fostered by human activities including the transportation of desiccated eggs by global and local used tire trade. The widespread presence of this aggressive, day-rime biting mosquito in urban habitats represents an increasing public health risk.

In the new work, research groups coordinated by della Torre Alessandra of the University of Rome and Caccone Adalgisa from Yale University studied Ae. albopictus samples collected from ovitraps between May and October 2016 in nine sites across Italy, one in Ablania, and one in Greece. At least five ovitraps were used in each site, and after the eggs were collected, they were allowed to hatch and grow into adults. DNA was then extracted and sequenced.

The genetic data revealed that the expansion of the mosquito occurred thanks to multiple independent -- and likely ongoing -- invasions from both native and previously invaded areas. The researchers put together a complex story of genetic drift, isolation of some populations, adaptation to local environments, and range expansion. Overall, the results are consistent with a major role of human activities in the expansion of Ae. albopictus.

"Identifying the main source populations implicated in recurrent invasions, as well as main routes and means of passive dispersal, is not only an interesting exercise to better characterize one of the most successful animal invasions in history but may also contribute to understand, and possibly prevent, epidemiologically relevant processes, such as spreading of insecticide resistance," the researchers say.


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Journal Reference:

  1. Verena Pichler, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Beniamino Caputo, Paola Serini, Adalgisa Caccone, Alessandra della Torre. Complex interplay of evolutionary forces shaping population genomic structure of invasive Aedes albopictus in southern Europe. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2019; 13 (8): e0007554 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007554

Cite This Page:

PLOS. "Genes tell the story of how the Asian tiger mosquito spread." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 August 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190822141948.htm>.
PLOS. (2019, August 22). Genes tell the story of how the Asian tiger mosquito spread. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190822141948.htm
PLOS. "Genes tell the story of how the Asian tiger mosquito spread." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190822141948.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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