House from 6 PM up to 6 AM. Mosquitoes were then transferred in the cups, using a vacuum for the identification of anopheline species.Identification of Sibling Species and Infection RatesAll collected mosquitoes were first identified through morphological identification keys [20,21,22]. Female mosquitoes identified as An. gambiae sensu lato (Diptera: Culicidae) and An.funestus group were taken to CREC laboratory and stored at 220uC in Eppendorf tubes with silica gel for subsequent analyses. Heads and thoraces of An. funestus and An. gambiae s.l. were processed for detection of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) using ELISA technique as described [11,12]. Abdomen and legs were used for DNA extraction destined to molecular identification of sibling species using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as described previously [23,24].Plasmodium Genomic DNA Samples, Plasmid Clones and DNA StandardsMosquito’s homogenates of the head-thorax obtained from the preparation meant for ELISA-CSP (100 Anopheles gambiae and 100 Anopheles funestus) and stored at 220uC was later used for DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted from the homogenates using the DNeasyH Blood Tissue kit (Qiagen) as recommended by the manufacturer. The DNA was eluted in 100 mL and stored at 220uC. Plasmodium genomic DNAs of P. vivax, P. malariae or P. ovale and plasmids containing insert of the 18S gene of each of those species were kindly provided by Dr Stephanie Yanow at the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. For P.falciparum the 18S gene was amplified from 3D7 gDNA (MR4) using outer primers of the Nested PCR established by Snounou et al. [14,25], and cloned into the pGEM-T vector (Promega). The insert quality was verified by sequencing. In plasmid-mixing experiments where 1.102, 1.105, and 1.107 copies of one plasmid were mixed with similar copy numbers of the second plasmid, or 1.102 copies of one plasmid were mixed withReal-Time PCR Detection of Plasmodium in Mosquito1.103, 1.104, and 1.105 copy numbers of the second plasmid and used as the template for the real-time PCR. Cycle threshold (CT) values were based on duplicate samples. Plasmid copy number quantification was performed by the spectrophotometric analysis. For normalization purpose, GNE 390 specific primers were selected and the mosquito RS7 (ribosomal protein S7) gene was amplified from gDNA of Anopheles gambiae ss. The purified PCR product (396 bp) was quantified by spectrophotometric analysis and used in serial dilution standard.Real-time PCR Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium spp in MosquitoesGenus-specific and species-specific primers and probes for the gene encoding the small subunit (18S) of Plasmodium rRNA as reported by Shokoples et al [7] with modification reported by Diallo et al [26] (Table 1 shows 1527786 all oligonucleotide sequences used). (i) Monoplex real-time PCR. A mosquito housekeeping gene (ribosomal protein S7) was amplified as an internal control to RG 7422 supplier ensure that the DNA from the sample was successfully extracted and to later allow normalization when comparing different samples. PCRs were run in a final volume of 20 ml, consisting of 2 ml of DNA, 10 ml of SensiMix DNA kit (Quantace), and 300 nM of each primer. The protocol described by Dana et al. [27] allowed systematic and efficient amplification of the S7 gene in both mosquito. Reactions were run on a Rotor-Gene 6000TM (Corbett Research) using the cycling conditions of: 10 minutes at 95uC followed by 40 cycles o.House from 6 PM up to 6 AM. Mosquitoes were then transferred in the cups, using a vacuum for the identification of anopheline species.Identification of Sibling Species and Infection RatesAll collected mosquitoes were first identified through morphological identification keys [20,21,22]. Female mosquitoes identified as An. gambiae sensu lato (Diptera: Culicidae) and An.funestus group were taken to CREC laboratory and stored at 220uC in Eppendorf tubes with silica gel for subsequent analyses. Heads and thoraces of An. funestus and An. gambiae s.l. were processed for detection of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) using ELISA technique as described [11,12]. Abdomen and legs were used for DNA extraction destined to molecular identification of sibling species using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as described previously [23,24].Plasmodium Genomic DNA Samples, Plasmid Clones and DNA StandardsMosquito’s homogenates of the head-thorax obtained from the preparation meant for ELISA-CSP (100 Anopheles gambiae and 100 Anopheles funestus) and stored at 220uC was later used for DNA extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted from the homogenates using the DNeasyH Blood Tissue kit (Qiagen) as recommended by the manufacturer. The DNA was eluted in 100 mL and stored at 220uC. Plasmodium genomic DNAs of P. vivax, P. malariae or P. ovale and plasmids containing insert of the 18S gene of each of those species were kindly provided by Dr Stephanie Yanow at the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. For P.falciparum the 18S gene was amplified from 3D7 gDNA (MR4) using outer primers of the Nested PCR established by Snounou et al. [14,25], and cloned into the pGEM-T vector (Promega). The insert quality was verified by sequencing. In plasmid-mixing experiments where 1.102, 1.105, and 1.107 copies of one plasmid were mixed with similar copy numbers of the second plasmid, or 1.102 copies of one plasmid were mixed withReal-Time PCR Detection of Plasmodium in Mosquito1.103, 1.104, and 1.105 copy numbers of the second plasmid and used as the template for the real-time PCR. Cycle threshold (CT) values were based on duplicate samples. Plasmid copy number quantification was performed by the spectrophotometric analysis. For normalization purpose, specific primers were selected and the mosquito RS7 (ribosomal protein S7) gene was amplified from gDNA of Anopheles gambiae ss. The purified PCR product (396 bp) was quantified by spectrophotometric analysis and used in serial dilution standard.Real-time PCR Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium spp in MosquitoesGenus-specific and species-specific primers and probes for the gene encoding the small subunit (18S) of Plasmodium rRNA as reported by Shokoples et al [7] with modification reported by Diallo et al [26] (Table 1 shows 1527786 all oligonucleotide sequences used). (i) Monoplex real-time PCR. A mosquito housekeeping gene (ribosomal protein S7) was amplified as an internal control to ensure that the DNA from the sample was successfully extracted and to later allow normalization when comparing different samples. PCRs were run in a final volume of 20 ml, consisting of 2 ml of DNA, 10 ml of SensiMix DNA kit (Quantace), and 300 nM of each primer. The protocol described by Dana et al. [27] allowed systematic and efficient amplification of the S7 gene in both mosquito. Reactions were run on a Rotor-Gene 6000TM (Corbett Research) using the cycling conditions of: 10 minutes at 95uC followed by 40 cycles o.