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MBE Advance Access originally published online on February 5, 2007
Molecular Biology and Evolution 2007 24(4):1056-1067; doi:10.1093/molbev/msm025
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Research Articles

Independent Duplications of the Acetylcholinesterase Gene Conferring Insecticide Resistance in the Mosquito Culex pipiens

Pierrick Labbé*,{dagger}, Arnaud Berthomieu*, Claire Berticat*, Haoues Alout*, Michel Raymond*, Thomas Lenormand{dagger} and Mylène Weill*

* Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (UMR CNRS 5554), University Montpellier II, Montpellier, France
{dagger} Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CNRS 5175), CNRS campus, Montpellier, France

E-mail: weill{at}isem.univ-montp2.fr.

Accepted for publication January 31, 2007.

Gene duplication is thought to be the main potential source of material for the evolution of new gene functions. Several models have been proposed for the evolution of new functions through duplication, most based on ancient events (Myr). We provide molecular evidence for the occurrence of several (at least 3) independent duplications of the ace-1 locus in the mosquito Culex pipiens, selected in response to insecticide pressure that probably occurred very recently (<40 years ago). This locus encodes the main target of several insecticides, the acetylcholinesterase. The duplications described consist of 2 alleles of ace-1, 1 susceptible and 1 resistant to insecticide, located on the same chromosome. These events were detected in different parts of the world and probably resulted from distinct mechanisms. We propose that duplications were selected because they reduce the fitness cost associated with the resistant ace-1 allele through the generation of persistent, advantageous heterozygosis. The rate of duplication of ace-1 in C. pipiens is probably underestimated, but seems to be rather high.

Key Words: insecticide resistance gene • duplication • mosquito • Culex pipiens • selection • ace-1

Manolo Gouy, Associate Editor


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