Assessing connectivity despite high diversity in island populations of a malaria mosquito
Christina M. Bergey, Martin Lukindu, Rachel M. Wiltshire, Michael C. Fontaine, Jonathan K. Kayondo, Nora J. Besansky
Bergey et al (2019) Evolutionary Applications, 13 (2), 417-431. doi: 10.1111/eva.12878
PDF of preprint available from bioRxiv
Abstract: Documenting isolation is notoriously difficult for species with vast polymorphic populations. High proportions of shared variation impede estimation of connectivity, even despite leveraging information from many genetic markers. We overcome these impediments by combining classical analysis of neutral variation with assays of the structure of selected variation, demonstrated using populations of the principal African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Accurate estimation of mosquito migration is crucial for efforts to combat malaria. Modeling and cage experiments suggest that mosquito gene drive systems will enable malaria eradication, but establishing safety and efficacy requires identification of isolated populations in which to conduct field-testing. We assess Lake Victoria islands as candidate sites, finding one island 30 kilometers offshore is as differentiated from mainland samples as populations from across the continent. Collectively, our results suggest sufficient contemporary isolation of these islands to warrant consideration as field-testing locations and illustrate shared adaptive variation as a useful proxy for connectivity in highly polymorphic species.
Select Tweets:
New pub! We sequenced mosquitoes on Ugandan islands (???️?) and found surprisingly high pop structure, cool selection patterns. Many thanks to the people that let us collect mosquitoes from their homes before dawn during our island hopping! https://t.co/coEMgAuwVx pic.twitter.com/PNpaGX0DYM
— Christina Bergey (@bergeycm) October 11, 2019
A study of *Anopheles gambiae* mosquitos across Lake Victoria islands finds that mosquitos from one island 30 kilometers offshore are as differentiated from mainland samples as populations from across the continent https://t.co/Wj9Fq6ECAP pic.twitter.com/kQtLAeRf0Q
— NYCEP (@TheRealNYCEP) October 15, 2019
Preprint up! We sequence mosquitoes living on/near the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria, ID possible candidates for GM mosquito testing, find surprising patterns of selection. https://t.co/GF4FT6pq5d w/ @mlukindu @anfarauti @MikaFontaine1 et al. Thanks to @UVRIug @ndeckinstitute pic.twitter.com/JjAxDTv4eY
— Christina Bergey (@bergeycm) September 30, 2018
Really enjoying talking mosquitoes with the folks at #TropMed17, (especially Jonathan from @UVRIug!) Here's our poster on the genomics of selection in island mosquitoes. @ASTMH @ndeckinstitute @rmwiltshire pic.twitter.com/6UFPq2H6fA
— Christina Bergey (@bergeycm) November 8, 2017