Evolution of Blood-Feeding, Non-Blood-Feeding, and Mixed Populations of Wyeomyia smithii

Location

Presentation- College of Science and Mathematics

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis Presentation (Archived)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. William Irby

Faculty Mentor Email

.

Presentation Year

2021

Start Date

26-4-2021 12:00 AM

End Date

30-4-2021 12:00 AM

Keywords

Georgia Southern University, Honors Symposium, Presentation

Description

Wyeomyia smithii, commonly called pitcher-plant mosquitoes, are distributed throughout the eastern portion of North America following the distribution of Sarracenia purpurea, or purple pitcher plant. Wyeomyia smithii is an interesting species of mosquito because there are populations that consist of only blood-feeding mosquitoes (Florida), some with only non-blood-feeding mosquitoes (North Carolina), and populations that consist of both (Georgia). This study will focus on finding these genetic differences between Wyeomyia smithii and other species of blood-feeding mosquitoes. The genes from Wyeomyia smithii will be compared to similar genes in other species of mosquitoes to see if there are distinct differences in the proteins the genes code for. This comparison will indicate if the blood-feeding behavior is simply based on the level of gene expression, or if there is a genetic variation that influences the behavioral change.

This research is significant because it is important to see how exactly mosquitoes are evolving as the climate is evolving. If Wyeomyia smithii has shifted more towards biting as the climate has changed, then other species of mosquitoes may also be evolving in this direction. This research can be further applied to see how all mosquito populations are evolving throughout the world. Blood-borne illnesses that use mosquitoes as vectors kill millions of people every year and this research can be applied to populations of mosquitoes that do spread these deadly diseases.

Academic Unit

College of Science and Mathematics

Comments

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Apr 26th, 12:00 AM Apr 30th, 12:00 AM

Evolution of Blood-Feeding, Non-Blood-Feeding, and Mixed Populations of Wyeomyia smithii

Presentation- College of Science and Mathematics

Wyeomyia smithii, commonly called pitcher-plant mosquitoes, are distributed throughout the eastern portion of North America following the distribution of Sarracenia purpurea, or purple pitcher plant. Wyeomyia smithii is an interesting species of mosquito because there are populations that consist of only blood-feeding mosquitoes (Florida), some with only non-blood-feeding mosquitoes (North Carolina), and populations that consist of both (Georgia). This study will focus on finding these genetic differences between Wyeomyia smithii and other species of blood-feeding mosquitoes. The genes from Wyeomyia smithii will be compared to similar genes in other species of mosquitoes to see if there are distinct differences in the proteins the genes code for. This comparison will indicate if the blood-feeding behavior is simply based on the level of gene expression, or if there is a genetic variation that influences the behavioral change.

This research is significant because it is important to see how exactly mosquitoes are evolving as the climate is evolving. If Wyeomyia smithii has shifted more towards biting as the climate has changed, then other species of mosquitoes may also be evolving in this direction. This research can be further applied to see how all mosquito populations are evolving throughout the world. Blood-borne illnesses that use mosquitoes as vectors kill millions of people every year and this research can be applied to populations of mosquitoes that do spread these deadly diseases.