Molecular analysis of multiple cytochrome P450 genes from the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae.

Cytochrome P450s are a superfamily of haemoproteins, important in the metabolism of endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. As a first step to elucidating the role of this family in insecticide resistance in the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, we have cloned and mapped multiple P450 genes. Sixteen cDNAs encoding full-length P450s were cloned and physically mapped to the mosquito's polytene chromosomes. Fourteen of these encode putative CYP6 proteins and two encode P450s belonging to the CYP9 class. Eighteen new A. gambiae Cyp4 P450 genes were identified using degenerate PCR primers, cDNAs were detected for ten and in situ locations for thirteen members of this gene family.