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Identification of new Anopheles gambiae transcriptional enhancers using a cross‐species prediction approach
Author(s) -
Schember I.,
Halfon M. S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/imb.12705
Subject(s) - anopheles gambiae , enhancer , biology , genome , midgut , identification (biology) , transgene , gene , computational biology , anopheles , vector (molecular biology) , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , immunology , malaria , recombinant dna , botany , larva
The success of transgenic mosquito vector control approaches relies on well‐targeted gene expression, requiring the identification and characterization of a diverse set of mosquito promoters and transcriptional enhancers. However, few enhancers have been characterized in Anopheles gambiae to date. Here, we employ the SCRMshaw method we previously developed to predict enhancers in the A. gambiae genome, preferentially targeting vector‐relevant tissues such as the salivary glands, midgut and nervous system. We demonstrate a high overall success rate, with at least 8 of 11 (73%) tested sequences validating as enhancers in an in vivo xenotransgenic assay. Four tested sequences drive expression in either the salivary gland or the midgut, making them directly useful for probing the biology of these infection‐relevant tissues. The success of our study suggests that computational enhancer prediction should serve as an effective means for identifying A. gambiae enhancers with activity in tissues involved in malaria propagation and transmission.