@article{fdi:010055973,
  title = {{A}daptation to aridity in the malaria mosquito {A}nopheles gambiae : chromosomal inversion polymorphism and body size influence resistance to desiccation},
  author = {{F}ouet, {C}aroline and {G}ray, {E}. and {B}esansky, {N}. {J}. and {C}ostantini, {C}arlo},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{C}hromosomal inversions are thought to confer a selective advantage in alternative habitats by protecting co-adapted alleles from recombination. {T}he frequencies of two inversions (2{L}a and 2{R}b) of the afro-tropical malaria mosquito {A}nopheles gambiae change gradually along geographical clines, increasing in frequency with degree of aridity. {S}uch clines can result from gene flow and local selection acting upon alternative karyotypes along the cline, suggesting that these inversions may be associated with tolerance to xeric conditions. {S}ince water loss represents a major challenge in xeric habitats, it can be supposed that genes inside these inversions are involved in water homeostasis. {T}o test this hypothesis, we compared the desiccation resistance of alternative karyotypes from a colonised 2{R}b/2{L}a polymorphic population of {A}. gambiae from {C}ameroon. {T}he strain included only the molecular form {S}, one of the genetic units marking incipient speciation in this taxon. {D}ay-old mosquitoes of both sexes were assayed individually for time to death in a dry environment and the karyotype of each was determined post-mortem using molecular diagnostic assays for each inversion. {I}n agreement with expectations based on their eco-geographical distribution, we found that 2{L}a homokaryotypes survived significantly longer (1.3 hours) than the other karyotypes. {H}owever, there was weak support for the effect of 2{R}b on desiccation resistance. {L}arger mosquitoes survived longer than smaller ones. {M}edian survival of females was greater than males, but the effect of sex on desiccation resistance was weakly supported, indicating that differential survival was correlated to differences between sexes in average size. {W}e found weak evidence for a heterotic effect of 2{L}a karyotype on size in females. {T}hese results support the notion that genes located inside the 2{L}a inversion are involved in water balance, contributing towards local adaptation of {A}. gambiae to xeric habitats, beyond the adaptive value conferred by a larger body size.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {O}ne},
  volume = {7},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {e34841},
  ISSN = {1932-6203},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pone.0034841},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055973},
}