Sodium channel point mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance in Chinese strains of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract Background Pesticide resistance due to sodium channel point mutations has been well documented in many mosquito species. Methods We tested the resistance of six, wild, Chinese populations of the mosquito Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus to deltamethrin and cyhalothrin. The full length of the sodium channel gene was cloned and sequenced from a pooled sample of mosquitoes from each population. Results Seven amino acid alterations were found (V250M, R436K, M943V, I973T, L1035F, L1035S and E1901D). Correlation between the frequencies of these mutations and the level of pesticide resistance (LC50) associated with them indicates that those at position L1035 (corresponding to position L1014F in the house fly, Musca domestica; GenBank Accession No.: X96668) are associated with resistance to deltamethrin and cyhalothrin. The frequency of the L1035F mutation was significantly correlated with resistance to deltamethrin (R2 = 0.536, P = 0.049) and cyhalothrin (R2 = 0.626, P = 0.030), and the combined frequency of the L1035F and L1035S mutations was significantly correlated with resistance to both deltamethrin (R2 = 0.661, P = 0.025), and cyhalothrin (R2 = 0.803, P = 0.008). None of the other mutations were correlated with either deltamethrin or cyhalothrin resistance. Interestingly, an HWE test indicated significant linkage between the M943V and I973T mutations (P