NEW GENE-ENZYME SYSTEM INANOPHELES ATROPARVUS:OCCURRENCEAND FREQUENCIES OF FOUR ALLELES AT THE EST6 LOCUS

Abstract

Four isoallelic molecular variants of a protein having esterase activity (Esterase 6) have been detected in adults belonging to our laboratory strain of Anopheles atroparvus. From the random combination of the four alleles coding for Esterase6 (Est6^S, Est6^I1, Est6^I1, Est6^F), 10 different phenotypes (genotypes) can be obtained. The observed gene frequencies, found by screening 134 individuals randomly sampled from the strain, have been found in agreement with the expected ones, assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The observed amount of segregation present in a locus of a laboratory strain and the operative value that should be given to this kind of formal genetics in mosquitoes is discussed.