Evolution of resistance under insecticide selection pressure in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera, Culicidae) from Martinique

Susceptibility of mosquito vectors of the city of Praia, Cabo Verde, to Temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis

Many vector-borne diseases circulate in the Republic of Cabo Verde. These include malaria during the colonization of the archipelago by the Portuguese explorers and several arboviruses such as yellow fever (now eradicated), dengue and zika.

To control these vector-borne diseases, an integrated vector control program was implemented. The main targeted mosquito vectors are Aedes aegypti and Anopheles arabiensis, and in a lesser extent the potential arbovirus vector Culex pipiens s.l. The main control strategy is focused on mosquito aquatic stages using diesel oil and Temephos. This latter has been applied in Cabo Verde since 1979. Its continuous use was followed by the emergence of resistance in mosquito populations.

We investigated the current susceptibility to Temephos of the three potential mosquito vectors of Cabo Verde through bioassays tests. Our results showed various degrees of susceptibility with 24h post-exposure mortality rates ranging from 43.1% to 90.9% using WHO diagnostic doses. A full susceptibility was however observed with Bacillus thurigiensis var israelensis with mortality rates from 99.6% to 100%.

Potential Risks Associated with Japanese Encephalitis Prevalence in Shandong Province, China

Japanese encephalitis (JE), which is caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), is a zoonotic, vector-borne neurotropic disease that remains a major cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. JEV is spread to humans through mosquitoes, and its primary transmission vector is Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Mosquitoes were sampled from three collection sites: Hanzhuang town in Weishan County, Taibai Lake in Jining city, and Dongping Lake in Shandong Province, China. Pyrethroid insecticide resistance bioassays were conducted using adult mosquitoes. Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and C. pipiens pallens populations in Hanzhuang town and Dongping Lake showed resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, and populations in Taibai Lake showed incipient resistance. Coquillettidia ochracea populations in Hanzhuang town presented resistance as well, while in Taibai Lake, resistance was incipient. A total of 16,711 mosquitoes were collected, identified, and divided into 346 pools for JEV testing. Cx. tritaeniorhynchus had the advantage of being a local mosquito species. Overall, 31 (22.96) of the 135 pools of Cx. Tritaeniorhynchus were positive for JEV. The overall maximum likelihood estimates of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, C. pipiens pallens, and Cq. ochracea indicated pooled infection rates of 5.29/1000 mosquitoes (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.67-7.42), 1.60/1000 mosquitoes (95% CI = 0.82-2.85), and 6.39/1000 mosquitoes (95% CI = 0.39-32.23), respectively. There were no significant differences in the pooled infection rates between the districts. The resistance to pyrethroids has increased the difficulty in controlling the mosquito vectors, especially JEV-positive mosquitoes. Given the changes in the JEV transmission vectors, the spatial and temporal diversity and the dynamic variety of mosquito species, insecticide resistance and global warming have the potential to facilitate the transmission of JE to humans.

Resistance status to deltamethrin pyrethroid of Culex pipiens pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) collected from three districts of Tunisia

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to determine the susceptibility status of Culex pipiens pipiens populations against deltamehtrin insecticide.

METHODS

Larvae of Culex pipiens pipiens were collected from three breeding places in Northern and Southern Tunisia between 2003 and 2005. Early third and late fourth instars were tested against deltamethrin pyrethroid insecticide. Cross-resistance with DDT resistance was evaluated in studied samples to estimate the role of target site insensitivity and two synergists including piperonyl butoxide (Pb) and S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) were used to estimate the role of detoxification enzymes.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that the level of deltamehtrin resistance ranged from 0.67 to 31.4. We also showed the non-involvement of kdr resistance in pyrethroid resistance and no cross-resistance with DDT resistance was detected in all studied populations including the most resistant one. Synergists study on the resistant population (sample # 1) showed the involvement of CYP450 in the recorded resistance to the deltamethrin insecticide.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained from this study should be considered in the current control programs to combat mosquitoes in Tunisia.

Evidence for multiple-insecticide resistance in urban Aedes albopictus populations in southern China

BACKGROUND

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is an invasive mosquito that has become an important vector of chikungunya, dengue and Zika viruses. In the absence of specific antiviral therapy or a vaccine, vector management is the sole method available for reducing Aedes-induced disease morbidity. Determining the resistance status of Ae. albopictus to insecticides and exploring the resistance mechanisms is essential for future vector control planning.

METHODS

Aedes albopictus larvae and pupae were sampled from six sites (two sites each from urban, suburban and rural) in Guangzhou. The resistance bioassays were conducted against Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti): deltamethrin, propoxur and malathion for larvae; and deltamethrin, DDT, propoxur and malathion for adults. P450 monooxygenase (P450s), glutathione S-transferase (GSTs) and carboxylesterase (COEs) activities of adult mosquitoes were measured. Mutations at the knockdown resistance (kdr) gene were analyzed, and the association between kdr mutations and phenotypic resistance was tested.

RESULTS

Adult bioassays revealed varied susceptibility against DDT, deltamethrin and propoxur in the six Ae. albopictus populations. Significantly lower mortality rates were found in urban populations than suburban and rural populations. Urban mosquito populations showed resistance against DDT, deltamethrin and propoxur, while one rural population was resistant to DDT. All populations tested were susceptible to malathion. Larval bioassays results indicated that all populations of Ae. albopictus were sensitive to the larvicide Bti and malathion. Resistance to deltamethrin and propoxur was common in larval populations. The F1534S and F1534 L mutations were found to be significantly associated with deltamethrin resistance. Biochemical assays indicated elevated detoxification enzyme activities in the field mosquito populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Aedes albopictus populations in Guangzhou, especially in urban areas, have developed resistance to the commonly used insecticides, primarily DDT and deltamethrin. This finding calls for resistance management and developing counter measures to mitigate the spread of resistance.

The evolutionary fate of heterogeneous gene duplications: A precarious overdominant equilibrium between environment, sublethality and complementation

Gene duplications occur at a high rate. Although most appear detrimental, some homogeneous duplications (identical gene copies) can be selected for beneficial increase in produced proteins. Heterogeneous duplications, which combine divergent alleles of a single locus, are seldom studied due to the paucity of empirical data. We investigated their role in an ongoing adaptive process at the ace-1 locus in Culex pipiens mosquitoes. We assessed the worldwide diversity of the ace-1 alleles (single-copy, susceptible S and insecticide-resistant R, and duplicated D that pair one S and one R copy), analysed their phylogeography and measured their fitness to understand their early dynamics using population genetics models. It provides a coherent and comprehensive evolutionary scenario. We show that D alleles are present in most resistant populations and display a higher diversity than R alleles (27 vs. 4). Most appear to result from independent unequal crossing-overs between local single-copy alleles, suggesting a recurrent process. Most duplicated alleles have a limited geographic distribution, probably resulting from their homozygous sublethality (HS phenotype). In addition, heterozygotes carrying different HS D alleles showed complementation, indicating different recessive lethal mutations. Due to mosaic insecticide control practices, balancing selection (overdominance) plays a key role in the early dynamics of heterogeneous duplicated alleles; it also favours a high local polymorphism of HS D alleles in natural populations (overdominance reinforced by complementation). Overall, our study shows that the evolutionary fate of heterogeneous duplications (and their long-term role) depends on finely balanced selective pressures due to the environment and to their genomic structure.

Profiles of Amino Acids and Acylcarnitines Related with Insecticide Exposure in Culex quinquefasciatus (Say)

Culex quinquefasciatus Say is a vector of many pathogens of humans, and both domestic and wild animals. Personal protection, reduction of larval habitats, and chemical control are the best ways to reduce mosquito bites and, therefore, the transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens. Currently, to reduce the risk of transmission, the pyrethroids, and other insecticide groups have been extensively used to control both larvae and adult mosquitoes. In this context, amino acids and acylcarnitines have never been associated with insecticide exposure and or insecticide resistance. It has been suggested that changes in acylcarnitines and amino acids profiles could be a powerful diagnostic tool for metabolic alterations. Monitoring these changes could help to better understand the mechanisms involved in insecticide resistance, complementing the strategies for managing this phenomenon in the integrated resistance management. The purpose of the study was to determine the amino acids and acylcarnitines profiles in larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus after the exposure to different insecticides. Bioassays were performed on Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae exposed to the diagnostic doses (DD) of the insecticides chlorpyrifos (0.001 μg/mL), temephos (0.002 μg/mL) and permethrin (0.01 μg/mL). In each sample, we analyzed the profile of 12 amino acids and 31 acylcarnitines by LC-MS/MS. A t-test was used to determine statistically significant differences between groups and corrections of q-values. Results indicates three changes, the amino acids arginine (ARG), free carnitine (C0) and acetyl-carnitine (C2) that could be involved in energy production and insecticide detoxification. We confirmed that concentrations of amino acids and acylcarnitines in Cx. quinquefasciatus vary with respect to different insecticides. The information generated contributes to understand the possible mechanisms and metabolic changes occurring during insecticide exposure.

An ace-1 gene duplication resorbs the fitness cost associated with resistance in Anopheles gambiae, the main malaria mosquito

Widespread resistance to pyrethroids threatens malaria control in Africa. Consequently, several countries switched to carbamates and organophophates insecticides for indoor residual spraying. However, a mutation in the ace-1 gene conferring resistance to these compounds (ace-1(R) allele), is already present. Furthermore, a duplicated allele (ace-1(D)) recently appeared; characterizing its selective advantage is mandatory to evaluate the threat. Our data revealed that a unique duplication event, pairing a susceptible and a resistant copy of the ace-1 gene spread through West Africa. Further investigations revealed that, while ace-1(D) confers less resistance than ace-1(R), the high fitness cost associated with ace-1(R) is almost completely suppressed by the duplication for all traits studied. ace-1 duplication thus represents a permanent heterozygote phenotype, selected, and thus spreading, due to the mosaic nature of mosquito control. It provides malaria mosquito with a new evolutionary path that could hamper resistance management.

Pyrethroid resistance in Culex pipiens mosquitoes

Mosquitoes within the Culex pipiens complex are widely distributed and important in the transmission of many human diseases. Insecticides, pyrethroids in particular, remain a mainstay for control of these important vectors. In this paper we review what is known about the levels, mechanisms and fitness costs of pyrethroid resistance in Cx. pipiens. Pyrethroid resistance in Cx. pipiens is a global problem, and resistance ratios of up to 7000-fold have been found in larvae of field collected mosquitoes. However, there is considerable variation between populations, indicating significant geographic heterogeneity of the resistance. The two major mechanisms of resistance to pyrethroids in Culex are mutations in Vssc (target site insensitivity) and overexpression of cytochrome P450(s) (increased detoxification). The most frequently reported Vssc mutation is L1014F (i.e. kdr), which has been found throughout the world. The L1014S mutation has been found in Cx. p. pallens from Japan and China, and in Cx. p. pipiens from China. The L1014C mutation has only been reported for Cx. p. pipens molestus from China and the V1016G mutation has only been reported from Saudi Arabia. Studies on the P450s of Cx. pipiens have identified several that are overexpressed (measured as transcript levels) in pyrethroid resistant strains. CYP9M10 is consistently overexpressed in pyrethroid resistant Cx. pipiens from at least seven countries, suggesting this P450 might be of global importance in resistance. Both CYP9M10-mediated pyrethroid resistance and kdr have fitness costs in the absence of insecticides under certain environmental conditions. Research needs and future directions are discussed.

GENE-dosage effects on fitness in recent adaptive duplications: ace-1 in the mosquito Culex pipiens

Gene duplications have long been advocated to contribute to the evolution of new functions. The role of selection in their early spread is more controversial. Unless duplications are favored for a direct benefit of increased expression, they are likely detrimental. In this article, we investigated the case of duplications favored because they combine already functionally divergent alleles. Their gene-dosage/fitness relations are poorly known because selection may operate on both overall expression and duplicates relative dosage. Using the well-documented case of Culex pipiens resistance to insecticides, we compared strains with various ace-1 allele combinations, including two duplicated alleles carrying both susceptible and resistant copies. The overall protein activity was nearly additive, but, surprisingly, fitness correlated better with the relative proportion of susceptible and resistant copies rather than any absolute measure of activity. Gene dosage is thus crucial, duplications stabilizing a "heterozygote" phenotype. It corroborates the view that these were favored because they fix a permanent heterosis, thereby solving the irreducible trade-off between resistance and synaptic transmission. Moreover, we showed that the contrasted successes of the two duplicated alleles in natural populations depend on genetic changes unrelated to ace-1, confirming the probable implication of recessive sublethal mutations linked to structural rearrangements in some duplications.

Multiple insecticide resistances in the disease vector Culex p. quinquefasciatus from Western Indian Ocean

Several mosquito-borne diseases affect the Western Indian Ocean islands. Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus is one of these vectors and transmits filariasis, Rift Valley and West Nile viruses and the Japanese encephalitis. To limit the impact of these diseases on public health, considerable vector control efforts have been implemented since the 50s, mainly through the use of neurotoxic insecticides belonging to Organochlorines (OC), Organophosphates (OP) and pyrethroids (PYR) families. However, mosquito control failures have been reported on site, and they were probably due to the selection of resistant individuals in response to insecticide exposure. In this study, we used different approaches to establish a first regional assessment of the levels and mechanisms of resistance to various insecticides. Bioassays were used to evaluate resistance to various insecticides, enzyme activity was measured to assess the presence of metabolic resistances through elevated detoxification, and molecular identification of known resistance alleles was investigated to determine the frequency of target-site mutations. These complementary approaches showed that resistance to the most used insecticides families (OC, OP and PYR) is widespread at a regional scale. However, the distribution of the different resistance genes is quite heterogeneous among the islands, some being found at high frequencies everywhere, others being frequent in some islands and absent in others. Moreover, two resistance alleles displayed clinal distributions in Mayotte and La Réunion, probably as a result of a heterogeneous selection due to local treatment practices. These widespread and diverse resistance mechanisms reduce the capacity of resistance management through classical strategies (e.g. insecticide rotation). In case of a disease outbreak, it could undermine the efforts of the vector control services, as only few compounds could be used. It thus becomes urgent to find alternatives to control populations of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus in the Indian Ocean.

Development of permethrin resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus Say in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The resistance status towards permethrin among the laboratory strain, the permethrin-selected strain and four field strains of Culex quinquefasciatus collected in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was determined using three standard laboratory methods: WHO larval bioassay, WHO adult bioassay and biochemical microplate assay. Cx. quinquefasciatus permethrin-selected strain larvae were the least susceptible to permethrin with a resistance ratio of 47.28-folds, whereas all field strain larvae of the same species were tolerant to permethrin with resistance ratios of more than 3-folds. In contrast, in adult stage, the permethrin exposed permethrin-selected strain (resistance ratio = 1.27) was found to be more susceptible to permethrin than all permethrin-exposed field strains (resistance ratios = 2.23-2.48). Complete mortalities for all strains of Cx. quinquefasciatus adults proved the effectiveness of the synergist; piperonyl butoxide (PBO). For the biochemical microplate assay, the reduction of the mean optical density of elevated oxidase activity of three field strains upon exposure to PBO confirmed the association between oxidase activity and permethrin tolerance. On the other hand, irregular patterns of the mean optical density of elevated oxidase activity in the laboratory strain, permethrin-selected strain and Jalan Fletcher strain illustrated the gene variation within these mosquito colonies as well as the involvement of other enzyme activities in the permethrin resistance occurred.

Global spread and genetic variants of the two CYP9M10 haplotype forms associated with insecticide resistance in Culex quinquefasciatus Say

Insecticide resistance develops as a genetic factor (allele) conferring lower susceptibility to insecticides proliferates within a target insect population under strong positive selection. Intriguingly, a resistance allele pre-existing in a population often bears a series of further adaptive allelic variants through new mutations. This phenomenon occasionally results in replacement of the predominating resistance allele by fitter new derivatives, and consequently, development of greater resistance at the population level. The overexpression of the cytochrome P450 gene CYP9M10 is associated with pyrethroid resistance in the southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Previously, we have found two genealogically related overexpressing CYP9M10 haplotypes, which differ in gene copy number (duplicated and non-duplicated). The duplicated haplotype was derived from the non-duplicated overproducer probably recently. In the present study, we investigated allelic series of CYP9M10 involved in three C. quinquefasciatus laboratory colonies recently collected from three different localities. Duplicated and non-duplicated overproducing haplotypes coexisted in African and Asian colonies indicating a global distribution of both haplotype lineages. The duplicated haplotypes both in the Asian and African colonies were associated with higher expression levels and stronger resistance than non-duplicated overproducing haplotypes. There were slight variation in expression level among the non-duplicated overproducing haplotypes. The nucleotide sequences in coding and upstream regions among members of this group also showed a little diversity. Non-duplicated overproducing haplotypes with relatively higher expression were genealogically closer to the duplicated haplotypes than the other non-duplicated overproducing haplotypes, suggesting multiple cis-acting mutations before duplication.

Novel AChE inhibitors for sustainable insecticide resistance management

Resistance to insecticides has become a critical issue in pest management and it is particularly chronic in the control of human disease vectors. The gravity of this situation is being exacerbated since there has not been a new insecticide class produced for over twenty years. Reasoned strategies have been developed to limit resistance spread but have proven difficult to implement in the field. Here we propose a new conceptual strategy based on inhibitors that preferentially target mosquitoes already resistant to a currently used insecticide. Application of such inhibitors in rotation with the insecticide against which resistance has been selected initially is expected to restore vector control efficacy and reduce the odds of neo-resistance. We validated this strategy by screening for inhibitors of the G119S mutated acetylcholinesterase-1 (AChE1), which mediates insensitivity to the widely used organophosphates (OP) and carbamates (CX) insecticides. PyrimidineTrione Furan-substituted (PTF) compounds came out as best hits, acting biochemically as reversible and competitive inhibitors of mosquito AChE1 and preferentially inhibiting the mutated form, insensitive to OP and CX. PTF application in bioassays preferentially killed OP-resistant Culex pipiens and Anopheles gambiae larvae as a consequence of AChE1 inhibition. Modeling the evolution of frequencies of wild type and OP-insensitive AChE1 alleles in PTF-treated populations using the selectivity parameters estimated from bioassays predicts a rapid rise in the wild type allele frequency. This study identifies the first compound class that preferentially targets OP-resistant mosquitoes, thus restoring OP-susceptibility, which validates a new prospect of sustainable insecticide resistance management.

Differences in development, glycogen, and lipid content associated with cytochrome P450-mediated permethrin resistance in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Insecticide resistance in populations of mosquitoes is an escalating problem that can directly affect disease prevalence. Determining the fitness associated with an insecticide resistance mechanism (allele) will provide for greater understanding of the evolution of resistance, and help inform effective vector management programs. Previously, a population cage experiment in which the alleles of two highly related strains of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Say) SLAB (susceptible) and ISOP450 (permethrin resistant because of cytochrome P450-mediated detoxification) were placed in direct competition in the absence of insecticide revealed that the P450 resistance allele frequency decreased over time. In the current study, SLAB and ISOP450 development, mortality and energetic resources derived from glycogen, other sugars and lipids were measured to identify biological parameters that might explain the previously observed fitness cost. SLAB exhibited shorter egg-to-adult female development time and larger body size when reared in groups when compared with ISOP450. ISOP450 female adults provided 20% sugar water lived longer than 20% sugar water fed females of the SLAB strain. No significant differences in larval development time, larval mortality, pupal stage duration time, pupal mortality, longevity of male and female adults provided with distilled water and males provided sugar water were found between the strains. The caloric content from glycogen and lipids were significantly higher in SLAB relative to ISOP450 in adults. The slower female emergence time and smaller body size when reared in groups combined with lower energy reserves (glycogen and lipids) associated with the resistance allele (in ISOP450) are likely fitness costs associated with the resistance allele of P450-mediated detoxification.

The effect of three environmental conditions on the fitness of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-mediated permethrin resistance in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus

BACKGROUND

The evolution of insecticide resistance and persistence of resistance phenotypes are influenced by the fitness of resistance alleles in the absence of insecticide pressure. Experimental determination of fitness is difficult, but fitness can be inferred by measuring changes in allele frequencies in appropriate environments. We conducted allele competition experiments by crossing two highly related strains of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. One strain (ISOP450) was permethrin resistant (due to P450-mediated detoxification) and one was a susceptible strain. Allele and genotype frequencies were examined for 12 generations under three environmental conditions: standard laboratory, temephos exposure (an insecticide to which the P450 detoxification mechanism in ISOP450 confers no resistance and which is commonly used in mosquito control programs) and cold temperature stress (mimics the colder temperatures within the habitat of this mosquito).

RESULTS

A fitness cost was inferred for the P450 mechanism in the standard laboratory environment. A greater cost was associated with the temephos exposed environment, suggesting the temephos placed an additional stress on the P450 resistant mosquitoes. No observed cost was associated with the P450 resistance locus in the cold temperature environment, but there was a significant heterozygote advantage. In all environments the fitness of the resistant homozygotes was the lowest.

CONCLUSION

The cytochrome P450-mediated permethrin detoxification resistance in Cx. p. quinquefasciatus can have an associated fitness cost in the absence of permethrin, relative to a susceptible allele. The strength of the cost varies depending on the environmental conditions. P450-mediated resistance is expected to decrease over time if the permethrin application is relaxed and to decrease at an even faster rate if permethrin is replaced with temephos. Additionally, these results indicate that a P450 resistance allele can persist (especially in heterozygotes) in colder temperatures and could potentially be carried into the Culex pipiens hybrid zone.

Multiplicative interaction between the two major mechanisms of permethrin resistance, kdr and cytochrome P450-monooxygenase detoxification, in mosquitoes

Epistasis is the nonadditive interaction between different loci which contribute to a phenotype. Epistasis between independent loci conferring insecticide resistance is important to investigate as this phenomenon can shape the rate that resistance evolves and can dictate the level of resistance in the field. The evolution of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes is a growing and world-wide problem. The two major mechanisms that confer resistance to permethrin in Culex mosquitoes are target site insensitivity (i.e. kdr) and enhanced detoxification by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. Using three strains of mosquitoes, and crosses between these strains, we assessed the relative contribution of the two independent loci conferring permethrin resistance, individually and when present together. We found that for all genotype combinations tested, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus exhibited multiplicative interactions between kdr and P450 detoxification, whether the resistance alleles were homozygous or heterozygous. These results provide a basis for further analysis of the evolution and maintenance of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes.

Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in Culex pipiens pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) from Tunisia

Resistance toward 2 pyrethroïd insecticides (permethrin and deltamethrin), and an organochloric one (DDT) was analyzed in 18 samples of Culex pipiens pipiens common mosquitoes collected from different Tunisian areas between March 2002 and November 2005. Bioassays were performed over different larvae samples. The recorded mortalities, after 24h exposure to increased doses of insecticides, were compared to those obtained on a susceptible reference strain (S-LAB). All samples were resistant to permethrin. However, a large variation in the tolerance to this insecticide was observed between samples. Resistance ratio levels at LC50 (RR50) for the analyzed samples were ranged from 1.5 to 9092 folds. For deltamethrin, 14 among 17 studied samples were resistant. RR50, in the resistant samples, were ranged from 3 to 453 folds. Resistance to the two tested pyrethroids and DDT were correlated. The use of synergists showed that the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases had a major contribution to the permethrin and deltamethrin resistance and that the esterases (and/or glutathione-S-transferases) had only a minor contribution. Results were discussed in relation to resistance mechanisms and mosquito's control.

Forty years of erratic insecticide resistance evolution in the mosquito Culex pipiens

One view of adaptation is that it proceeds by the slow and steady accumulation of beneficial mutations with small effects. It is difficult to test this model, since in most cases the genetic basis of adaptation can only be studied a posteriori with traits that have evolved for a long period of time through an unknown sequence of steps. In this paper, we show how ace-1, a gene involved in resistance to organophosphorous insecticide in the mosquito Culex pipiens, has evolved during 40 years of an insecticide control program. Initially, a major resistance allele with strong deleterious side effects spread through the population. Later, a duplication combining a susceptible and a resistance ace-1 allele began to spread but did not replace the original resistance allele, as it is sublethal when homozygous. Last, a second duplication, (also sublethal when homozygous) began to spread because heterozygotes for the two duplications do not exhibit deleterious pleiotropic effects. Double overdominance now maintains these four alleles across treated and nontreated areas. Thus, ace-1 evolution does not proceed via the steady accumulation of beneficial mutations. Instead, resistance evolution has been an erratic combination of mutation, positive selection, and the rearrangement of existing variation leading to complex genetic architecture.

Adaptation is not always a straightforward process, and often results from natural selection tinkering with available variation. We present in this study just such a tortuous natural selection pathway, which allows the mosquito Culex pipiens to resist organophosphorous insecticides. In the Montpellier area, following the use of insecticide to control mosquito populations, a high-resistance allele of the insecticide target enzyme appeared. But this allele also displayed strong deleterious side effects. Recently, several duplicated haplotypes began to spread in natural population that put in tandem a susceptible and a resistant allele. We show that the duplicated haplotypes actually display reduced side effects compared to the resistant allele when in the heterozygous state, but also new and strong costs in the homozygote. This pattern leads to an unexpected equilibrium between four different alleles across treated and nontreated areas. The story of resistance in C. pipiens is indeed far from a slow progression toward a “perfect” adaptation. Rather, selection for resistance to insecticide is a long process of trial and error leading to an uncommon genetic architecture.

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

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.

On the worldwide spread of an insecticide resistance gene: a role for local selection

Adaptation occurs by gene replacement (or transient balanced polymorphism). Replacement may be caused by selection (local or global) and/or genetic drift among alleles. In addition, historical events may blur the respective effects of selection and drift during the course of replacement. We address the relative importance of these processes in the evolution of insecticide resistance genes in the mosquito Culex pipiens. The resistance allele, Ester2, has a broad geographic distribution compared to the other resistance alleles. To distinguish between the different processes explaining this distribution, we reviewed the literature and analysed updated data from the Montpellier area of southern France. Overall, our data indicate that Ester2 prevails over other Ester resistance alleles in moderately treated areas. Such conditions are common and favour the hypothesis of selection acting at a local level. This places an emphasis on the importance of ecological conditions during the evolution of resistance. Finally, we highlight that historical events have contributed to its spread in some areas.