Detection of Target Site Mutations in the Acetylcholinesterase and Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel in Field Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus From Southern Sichuan Region of China

J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2023 Mar 1;39(1):57-60. doi: 10.2987/22-7093.

Abstract

Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus are 2 dominant disease vectors in Neijiang City, Sichuan Province, China. Although there is evidence of confirmed resistance against insecticides in mosquito vectors, nothing is known about the existing insecticide resistance-conferring mutations in Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchu in this region so far. In this study, the G119S mutation in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was detected in Cx. quinquefasciatus at a very low frequency (0.9%) with no resistant homozygotes being observed. Two resistance mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) (L1014F and L1014S) were found in Cx. quinquefasciatus with frequencies of 88.7% and 8.3%, respectively. By contrast, the AChE F455W mutation was found to be fixed (with a frequency of 100%) in 3 of the 5 studied populations, with an overall frequency being 98.1%. In addition, 1 resistance-conferring VGSC mutation (L1014F) was detected with an overall frequency of 15.2% in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus. These results indicate that the well-recognized insecticide resistance-conferring mutations in both AChE and VGSC are present in the 2 Culex species in Neijiang. The contrasting patterns in the frequency of resistance alleles indicate that species-customized strategies of insecticide resistance management should be considered for the 2 species.

Keywords: AChE F455W; AChE G119S; VGSC L1014F; VGSC L1014S; insecticide resistance.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / genetics
  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • China
  • Culex* / genetics
  • Insecticide Resistance / genetics
  • Insecticides* / pharmacology
  • Mutation
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels* / genetics

Substances

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Insecticides
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels