Molecular analysis of an odorant-binding protein gene in two sympatric species of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l.

• Main Authors: Ana Karina Kerche Dias, Luiz Guilherme Soares da Rocha Bauzer, Denise Borges dos Santos Dias, Alexandre Afranio Peixoto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2013-01-01
• Series: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
• Subjects: Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l.; odorant-binding proteins; leishmaniasis
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762013000900088&lng=en&tlng=en

Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. is the main vector of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) and occurs as a species complex. DNA samples from two Brazilian sympatric species that differ in pheromone and courtship song production were used to analyse molecular polymorphisms in an odorant-binding protein ( obp29 ) gene. OBPs are proteins related to olfaction and are involved in activities fundamental to survival, such as foraging, mating and choice of oviposition site. In this study, the marker obp29 was found to be highly polymorphic in Lu. longipalpis s.l. , with no fixed differences observed between the two species. A pairwise fixation index test indicated a moderate level of genetic differentiation between the samples analysed.