Abstract :
This investigation was conducted to detect genetic variations between male and female Cx. pipiens pipiens during different feeding stages using DD-PCR technique. Salivary glands were collected at 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 h post-sugar administration for both males and females, at 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 h post-blood meal, and post-oviposition for females. Unfed, starved and sugar-fed individuals were used as controls. DD-PCR technique was employed using 4 arbitrary primers separately. Several common bands were detected in all samples. Other hands were stage-specific. Many bands were up-regulated or down-regulated at different feeding stages. Our results showed the powerfulness of DD-PCR to discover changes of gene expression in salivary glands of male and female Cx. pipiens pipiens at different feeding stages. Sequencing of the differentially displayed bands would be very useful in the identification of the genes involved in the feeding process of mosquitoes.
Keyword :
Salivary glands; DD-PCR; Culex pipiens; feeding stages; blood-feeding