The genetic basis of diapause in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

描述（由申请人提供）：亚洲虎蚊白纹伊蚊（Skuse）是登革热的重要媒介，也有效传播黄热病、基孔肯雅病毒和多种北美本土脑炎病毒。在过去的20年中，这种攻击性的叮咬人的蚊子从其原产地亚洲范围迅速传播到全球地球仪，最近参与疾病爆发，这是一个突出的公共卫生问题。光周期介导的卵滞育是一个重要的生态学特性，它决定了A.白纹伊蚊和其他医学相关的蚊子栖息在温带环境中，并在广泛的地理范围内传播。本研究计划的长期目标是严格定义光周期滞育的分子基础。白纹伊蚊作为一个基础，开发新形式的病媒控制的基础上破坏这一关键的生态适应。本研究的近期目标是完成以下三个具体目标：1）应用基于Illumina测序的基因分型新方法构建A.白纹伊蚊基因组除了提供一个平台，以确定基因组区域控制滞育反应在A。albopictus的高密度连锁图谱也将为A.白纹伊蚊基因组序列2)确定控制A光周期滞育的基因组区域。白纹伊蚊滞育反应的数量性状基因座（QTL）定位。3)通过对滞育和非滞育成年雌性进行转录组测序，鉴定滞育程序中差异表达的基因。我们预测，差异表达的转录本将映射到滞育QTL，因此QTL定位和转录组测序的综合结果将使我们能够确定控制滞育反应的特定基因。除了为开发新形式的病媒控制提供基础外，本提案中描述的研究将迅速推进对与滞育相关的广泛基本生理过程的分子基础的理解，并为更广泛的研究界建立丰富的基因组资源数据库。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), is an important vector of dengue fever and also efficiently transmits yellow fever, chikungunya virus and multiple native North American encephalitis viruses. The rapid spread of this aggressive human-biting mosquito from its native Asian range across the globe during the last 20 years and its recent involvement in disease outbreaks represents an outstanding public health concern. Photoperiodically mediated egg diapause is a pivotal ecological trait central to the ability of A. albopictus and other medically relevant mosquitoes to inhabit temperate environments and spread across broad geographic ranges. The long-term goal of this research program is to rigorously define the molecular basis of photoperiodic diapause in A. albopictus as a foundation for developing novel forms of vector control based on the disruption of this critical ecological adaptation. The immediate goal of this proposal is to complete the following three specific aims: 1) To apply a novel genotyping approach based on Illumina sequencing to construct a high-density linkage map of the A. albopictus genome. In addition to providing a platform to identify genomic regions controlling the diapause response in A. albopictus, this high-density linkage map will also provide an important resource for assembly of the A. albopictus genome sequence. 2) To identify genome regions controlling photoperiodic diapause in A. albopictus using quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of the diapause response. 3) To identify genes that are differentially expressed as part of the diapause program by performing transcriptome sequencing of diapause and non-diapause adult females. We predict that differentially expressed transcripts will map to diapause QTL, so that the combined results of QTL mapping and transcriptome sequencing will enable us to identify specific genes controlling the diapause response. In addition to providing a foundation for developing novel forms of vector control, the research described in this proposal will rapidly advance understanding of the molecular bases of a wide range of fundamental physiological processes associated with diapause as well as establishing a rich database of genomic resources for the broader research community.