Historic DNA uncovers genetic effects of climate change and landscape alteration in two wild bee species

Malaria is a disease of global significance. Ongoing changes to the earth’s climate, antimalarial resistance, insecticide resistance, and socioeconomic decline test the resilience of malaria prevention programs. Museum insect specimens present an untapped resource for studying vector-borne pathogens, spurring the question: Do historical mosquito collections contain Plasmodium DNA, and, if so, can museum specimens be used to reconstruct the historical epidemiology of malaria? In this Perspective, we explore molecular techniques practical to pathogen prospecting, which, more broadly, we define as the science of screening entomological museum specimens for human, animal, or plant pathogens. Historical DNA and pathogen prospecting provide a means of describing the coevolution of human, vector, and parasite, informing the development of insecticides, diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

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Historic DNA uncovers genetic effects of climate change and landscape alteration in two wild bee species

Cited by 3 publications

References 112 publications

Population genetics of museum specimens indicate decreasing genetic resiliency: The case of two bumble bees of conservation concern

Population genetics of museum specimens indicate decreasing genetic resiliency: The case of two bumble bees of conservation concern

The use of pinned specimens helps uncover patterns of genetic differentiation and signatures of selection in a wild pollinator

Pathogen prospecting of museums: Reconstructing malaria epidemiology

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