Genetic Loci Affecting Resistance to Human Malaria Parasites in a West African Mosquito Vector Population

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 298; no. 5591; pp. 213 - 216
• Main Authors: Niaré, Oumou, Markianos, Kyriacos, Volz, Jennifer, Oduol, Frederick, Touré, Abdoulaye, Bagayoko, Magaran, Sangaré, Djibril, Traoré, Sekou F., Wang, Rui, Blass, Claudia, Dolo, Guimogo, Bouaré, Madama, Kafatos, Fotis C., Kruglyak, Leonid, Touré, Yeya T., Vernick, Kenneth D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 04.10.2002; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Alleles; Animals; Anopheles - genetics; Anopheles - immunology; Anopheles - parasitology; Anopheles - physiology; Anopheles gambiae; Biological and medical sciences; Chromosome Mapping; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Drug resistance; Female; Females; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Insect; Genetic aspects; Genetic Linkage; Genetic loci; Genetic Markers; Genetic vectors; Genetics; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Genome; Genotype; Genotypes; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Infections; Insect Vectors - genetics; Insect Vectors - immunology; Insect Vectors - parasitology; Insect Vectors - physiology; Invertebrata; Karyotyping; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - transmission; Male; Mali; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Mosquitoes; Mosquitos; Nonparametric Statistics; Numbers; Oocysts; Oviposition; Parasites; Phenotype; Phenotypes; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - pathogenicity; Plasmodium falciparum - physiology; Scientific Concepts; Test Results; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Virulence; Mali; United States; Africa; Protozoa; Host parasite relation; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Insecta; Parasite; Parasitosis; Infection; Plasmodium falciparum; Sensitivity resistance; Anopheles gambiae; Gene; Arthropoda; Pathogenic; Culicidae; Ectoparasite; Invertebrata; Vector; Diptera
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1073420

Successful propagation of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum within a susceptible mosquito vector is a prerequisite for the transmission of malaria. A field-based genetic analysis of the major human malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, has revealed natural factors that reduce the transmission of P. falciparum. Differences in P. falciparum oocyst numbers between mosquito isofemale families fed on the same infected blood indicated a large genetic component affecting resistance to the parasite, and genome-wide scanning in pedigrees of wild mosquitoes detected segregating resistance alleles. The apparently high natural frequency of resistance alleles suggests that malaria parasites (or a similar pathogen) exert a significant selective pressure on vector populations.