We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Population genomics and geographic dispersal in Chagas disease vectors: Landscape drivers and evidence of possible adaptation to the domestic setting.
- Authors
Hernandez-Castro, Luis E.; Villacís, Anita G.; Jacobs, Arne; Cheaib, Bachar; Day, Casey C.; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Yumiseva, Cesar A.; Bacigalupo, Antonella; Andersson, Björn; Matthews, Louise; Landguth, Erin L.; Costales, Jaime A.; Llewellyn, Martin S.; Grijalva, Mario J.
- Abstract
Accurate prediction of vectors dispersal, as well as identification of adaptations that allow blood-feeding vectors to thrive in built environments, are a basis for effective disease control. Here we adopted a landscape genomics approach to assay gene flow, possible local adaptation, and drivers of population structure in Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, an important vector of Chagas disease. We used a reduced-representation sequencing technique (2b-RADseq) to obtain 2,552 SNP markers across 272 R. ecuadoriensis samples from 25 collection sites in southern Ecuador. Evidence of high and directional gene flow between seven wild and domestic population pairs across our study site indicates insecticide-based control will be hindered by repeated re-infestation of houses from the forest. Preliminary genome scans across multiple population pairs revealed shared outlier loci potentially consistent with local adaptation to the domestic setting, which we mapped to genes involved with embryogenesis and saliva production. Landscape genomic models showed elevation is a key barrier to R. ecuadoriensis dispersal. Together our results shed early light on the genomic adaptation in triatomine vectors and facilitate vector control by predicting that spatially-targeted, proactive interventions would be more efficacious than current, reactive approaches. Author summary: Re-infestation of recently insecticide-treated houses by wild/secondary triatomine, their potential adaptation to this new environment and capabilities to geographically disperse across multiple human communities jeopardise sustainable Chagas disease control. This is the first study in Chagas disease vectors that identifies genomic regions possibly linked to adaptations to the built environment and describes landscape drivers for accurate prediction of geographic dispersal. We sampled multiple domestic and wild Rhodnius ecuadoriensis population pairs across a mountainous terrain in southern Ecuador. We evidenced that triatomine movement from forest to built enviroments does occur at a high rate. In these highly connected population pairs we detected loci possibly linked to local adaptation among the genomic makers we evaluated and in doing so we pave the way for future triatomine genomic research. We highlighted that current haphazardous vector control in the zone will be hindered by reinfestation of triatomines from the forest. Instead, we recommend frequent and spatially-targeted vector control and provided a landacape genomic model that identifies highly connected and isolated triatomine populations to facilitate efficient vector control.
- Subjects
ECUADOR; CHAGAS' disease; DISEASE vectors; GENOMICS; BUILT environment; VECTOR control; INSECTICIDES
- Publication
PLoS Genetics, 2022, Vol 18, Issue 2, p1
- ISSN
1553-7390
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.pgen.1010019