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Genetics of mosquitoes

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Abstract

Beginning in the mid-1950s, much progress has been made in studying various aspects of the genetics of mosquitoes, particularly involving several species of three principal genera,Aedes, Culex andAnopheles, that transmit important human diseases. Here I discuss selected areas of research involving formal genetics; genome structure, organization and evolution at the interspecific and intraspecific level; and evolutionary genetics of theAedes scutellaris group. Information and insights gained from in-depth analyses of these areas, particularly transmission genetics, cytogenetics and genetics of chromosomal rearrangements, and of mutagen-induced sexual sterility, have proved invaluable for the development of the theory and evaluation of feasibility of genetic control of natural populations. As a result, mosquitoes represent some of the best studied taxa at various levels of genetic organization. Recent developments in molecular genetics offer exciting possibilities for extension of these concepts.

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  1. Karamjit S. Rai

    Present address: Department of Biological Science, University of Notre Dame, 2 Jaswant Singh Rai Nagar, P.O. Randhawa Masandan, 144004, Jalandhar, India

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    Karamjit S. Rai

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Karamjit, S.R. Genetics of mosquitoes. J. Genet. 78, 163–169 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02934462

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