Phylogeny and molecular taxonomy of the Rhodniini derived from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences.

Abstract

Abstract. Eleven species of Rhodnius and one of Psammolestes were compared by DNA sequence analysis of fragments of the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA (mtlsurRNA), the mitochondrial cytochrome b (mtCytb), and the D2 variable region of the 28S nuclear RNA (D2), totaling 1,429 base pairs. The inferred phylogeny, using Triatoma infestans as an outgroup, revealed two main clades within the Rhodniini-one, including the prolixus group of species (Rhodnius prolixus, Rhodnius robustus, Rhodnius neglectus, and Rhodnius nasutus) together with Rhodnius domesticus and Rhodnius neivai, and the other comprising two groups formed by Rhodnius pictipes plus Rhodnius brethesi, and Rhodnius ecuadoriensis plus Rhodnius pallescens. Psammolestes tertius appeared most closely related to the prolixus group. The analysis strongly supports the validity of R. robustus as a species distinct from others of the prolixus group, but suggests higher genetic structuring of R. robustus populations compared to the other species. Although R. robustus has been found naturally infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, the fact that it is apparently entirely sylvatic and unable to establish in homes suggests that it is of no great importance as a Chagas disease vector in humans.

Molecular research and the control of Chagas disease vectors

“…Similarly, several populations of R. prolixus (Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Brazil) were found to have virtually identical mt cyt b haplotypes, suggesting recent, artificial dispersal of synanthropic forms (Monteiro et al 2000. This conclusion is also supported by metric and RAPD analyses (Dujardin et al 1998a).…”

“…The placement of P. megistus and Dipetalogaster maxima was uncertain, but both were nested well within Triatoma, an indication of the paraphyletic nature of this genus. Monteiro et al (2000) assessed the relationships among several species of Rhodniini, including Rhodnius and Psammolestes. Results confirmed the paraphyly of Rhodnius, with Psammolestes appearing closer to the prolixus clade than this was to the pictipes clade.…”

Identification and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata

“…DNA markers such as genomic or mitochondrial DNA sequence features and DNA microsatellites are highly useful for analyzing genetic variations among various triatomine taxa (Garcia and Powell, 1998;Lyman et al, 1999;Monteiro et al, 2000;Dotson and Beard, 2001;Marcilla et al, 2001;Monteiro et al, 2001). While mitochondrial DNA sequence polymorphism is very useful for distinguishing differences among similar species and among populations of the same species from different geographic locations Monteiro et al, 2001), it lacks the sensitivity to detect very subtle differences that frequently exist among very recently diverged populations.…”

Estructura poblacional y variabilidad genética de Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) procedente de diferentes áreas geográficas de Colombia

“…Los resultados obtenidos por la técnica de RAPD para las poblaciones domiciliadas concuerdan con lo reportado en estudios anteriores realizados por morfometría y patrones isoenzimáticos, en los cuales se demuestra que aunque R. prolixus presenta baja variabilidad genética, se observan algunas diferencias significativas entre poblaciones locales y otras variantes geográficas (25)(26)(27)(28); otros estudios realizados por medio de análisis de secuencias de ADN mitocondrial y ADN nuclear reportan resultados similares a los obtenidos por medio de las otras técnicas, mostrando que R. prolixus es una especie muy homogénea genéticamente (29)(30)(31)(32); sin embargo en ninguno de estos estudios se incluyen las poblaciones silvestres colombianas recientemente reportadas e incluidas en el presente estudio, razón por la cual encontramos una variabilidad genética moderada entre las poblaciones silvestres y las domiciliadas.…”