Identification of French Guiana anopheline mosquitoes by MALDI-TOF MS profiling using protein signatures from two body parts

Abstract

26 In French Guiana, the malaria, a parasitic infection transmitted by Anopheline mosquitoes, remains a 27 disease of public health importance. To prevent malaria transmission, the main effective way remains 28 Anopheles control. For an effective control, accurate Anopheles species identification is indispensable 29 to distinguish malaria vectors from non-vectors. Although, morphological and molecular methods are 30 largely used, an innovative tool, based on protein pattern comparisons, the Matrix Assisted Laser 31 Desorption / Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) profiling, emerged 32 this last decade for arthropod identification. However, the limited mosquito fauna diversity of 33 reference MS spectra remains one of the main drawback for it large usage. The aim of the present 34 study was then to create and to share reference MS spectra for the identification of French Guiana 35 Anopheline species. A total of eight distinct Anopheles species, among which four are malaria vectors, 36 were collected in 6 areas. To improve Anopheles identification, two body parts, legs and thoraxes, 37 were independently submitted to MS for the creation of respective reference MS spectra database 38 (DB). This study underlined that double checking by MS enhanced the Anopheles identification 39 confidence and rate of reliable classification. The sharing of this reference MS spectra DB should 40 made easier Anopheles species monitoring in endemic malaria area to help malaria vector control or 41 elimination programs. 42 43