Sequencing of ITS2 from American Anopheles punctipennis mosquitoes.. Anopheles punctipennis its2 sequencing

In this study, we collected and sequenced ITS2 from 276 specimens of An. punctipennis in the eastern and midwestern United States. The analysis demonstrated a consistent sequence length and showed no indications of intragenomic variation between them based on ITS2 suggesting that An. punctipennis represents a single species in studied geographic location. In addition to ITS2 sequence-based molecular tool we developed a simple and robust Restriction Length Polymorphism approach for the species identification. In this study, An. punctipennis was found in urban, rural, and forest setting suggesting its potential broad role in pathogen transmission. Phylogeny based on ITS2 sequence comparison demonstrated the closed relationship of this species with other members of the Maculipennis group.