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

描述（申请人提供）：亚洲虎蚊白纹伊蚊（Aedes albopictus, Skuse）是登革热的重要媒介，也是黄热病、基孔肯雅病毒和多种北美本土脑炎病毒的有效传播媒介。在过去的20年里，这种侵略性的咬人蚊子从其亚洲原产范围迅速传播到全球，最近它参与了疾病暴发，这是一个突出的公共卫生问题。光周期性介导的卵滞育是白纹伊蚊和其他医学相关蚊子在温带环境中生存和传播的关键生态特征。本研究计划的长期目标是严格定义白纹伊蚊光周期滞育的分子基础，作为基于破坏这一关键生态适应开发新型媒介控制形式的基础。本课题的近期目标是完成以下三个具体目标：1)应用基于Illumina测序的新型基因分型方法构建白纹伊蚊基因组高密度连锁图谱。该高密度连锁图谱除了为白纹伊蚊滞育反应控制基因组区域的鉴定提供平台外，还将为白纹伊蚊基因组序列的组装提供重要资源。2)利用白纹伊蚊滞育反应的数量性状位点（QTL）定位，确定控制白纹伊蚊光周期滞育的基因组区域。3)通过对滞育和非滞育成年雌性进行转录组测序，鉴定作为滞育程序一部分的差异表达基因。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结合结果将使我们能够识别控制滞育反应的特定基因。除了为开发新形式的媒介控制提供基础外，本提案中描述的研究将迅速推进对与滞育相关的一系列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.