Functional constraints and evolutionary dynamics of the repeats in the rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 of members of the Anopheles barbirostris group.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Anopheles barbirostris group is widely distributed in Southeast Asia. Although seven species have been formally described, a molecular analysis of the rDNA ITS2 and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene suggests that the group includes species that are morphologically very similar or identical.We have previously shown that species in the Anopheles barbirostris Subgroup have an exceptionally large ITS2 (>1.5 kb), greater than in any other Anopheline group. However, the molecular processes responsible for generating such a large ITS2 have not previously been explored.

Methods

To determine the processes by which this large ITS2 is generated, we examined the sequence and secondary structure of the ITS2 of 51 specimens from five species of the Anopheles barbi

SUBMITTER: Paredes-Esquivel CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3994965 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature