The """"""""Asian tiger mosquito"""""""", Aedes albopictus, has recently invaded much of tropical, subtropical, and lower temperate latitudes around the globe. It is capable of transmitting at least 19 known pathogenic viruses. Efforts to understand the genetics of invasive populations have been frustrated for technical reason, not least of which is the highly abundant repetitive sequences in the genome of this mosquito. """"""""Next generation"""""""" DNA sequencing methodologies have recently been demonstrated to be able to overcome the complexity of such recalcitrant genomes. We propose here exploratory research that will demonstrate that these methodologies will (a) be able to overcome the technical problems and (b) provide hitherto unobtainable detailed information on the spread of this potentially very serious vector of viral diseases of both humans and livestock. Understanding the genetic relationships among populations allow analyses of the ability to transmit diseases, predict potential disease risk, and identify source localities of new introductions.
The """"""""Asian tiger mosquito"""""""", Aedes albopictus is a recently expanding vector capable of transmitting several;pathogenic viruses including dengue. Unlike most mosquitoes that spread human viral diseases, this species is capable of occupying temperate climes. We propose to develop next generation genetic technology to allow detailed study of this species to understand its invasiveness as well as allow for studies such as the genetic basis for competency to transmit pathogenic viruses, insecticide resistance, and ability to adapt to temperate regions.
