Open AccessSex-specific distribution and classification of Wolbachia infections and mitochondrial DNA haplogroups in Aedes albopictus from the Indo-Pacific
Author(s) -
Qiong Yang,
Jessica Chung,
Katie L. Robinson,
Thomas L. Schmidt,
Perran A. Ross,
Jiaxin Liang,
Ary A. Hoffmann
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010139
Subject(s) - aedes albopictus , biology , wolbachia , haplogroup , zoology , vector (molecular biology) , species complex , aedes , population , dengue fever , haplotype , aedes aegypti , phylogenetic tree , ecology , virology , genotype , genetics , larva , demography , host (biology) , gene , recombinant dna , sociology
The arbovirus vector Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) is common throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where most global dengue transmission occurs. We analysed population genomic data and tested for cryptic species in 160 Ae . albopictus sampled from 16 locations across this region. We found no evidence of cryptic Ae . albopictus but found multiple intraspecific COI haplotypes partitioned into groups representing three Asian lineages: East Asia, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Papua New Guinea (PNG), Vanuatu and Christmas Island shared recent coancestry, and Indonesia and Timor-Leste were likely invaded from East Asia. We used a machine learning trained on morphologically sexed samples to classify sexes using multiple genetic features and then characterized the w AlbA and w AlbB Wolbachia infections in 664 other samples. The w AlbA and w AlbB infections as detected by qPCR showed markedly different patterns in the sexes. For females, most populations had a very high double infection incidence, with 67% being the lowest value (from Timor-Leste). For males, the incidence of double infections ranged from 100% (PNG) to 0% (Vanuatu). Only 6 females were infected solely by the w AlbA infection, while rare uninfected mosquitoes were found in both sexes. The w AlbA and w AlbB densities varied significantly among populations. For mosquitoes from Torres Strait and Vietnam, the w AlbB density was similar in single-infected and superinfected ( w AlbA and w AlbB) mosquitoes. There was a positive association between w AlbA and w AlbB infection densities in superinfected Ae . albopictus . Our findings provide no evidence of cryptic species of Ae . albopictus in the region and suggest site-specific factors influencing the incidence of Wolbachia infections and their densities. We also demonstrate the usefulness of ddRAD tag depths as sex-specific mosquito markers. The results provide baseline data for the exploitation of Wolbachia -induced cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in dengue control.