Genome‐wide and expression‐profiling analyses suggest the main cytochrome P450 genes related to pyrethroid resistance in the malaria vector, Anopheles sinensis (Diptera Culicidae)

BACKGROUND Anopheles sinensis is one of the major malaria vectors. However, pyrethroid resistance in An. sinensis is threatening malaria control. Cytochrome P450‐mediated detoxification is an important pyrethroid resistance mechanism that has been unexplored in An. sinensis. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the An. sinensis P450 gene superfamily with special attention to their role in pyrethroid resistance using bioinformatics and molecular approaches. RESULTS Our data revealed the presence of 112 individual P450 genes in An. sinensis, which were classified into four major clans (mitochondrial, CYP2, CYP3 and CYP4), 18 families and 50 subfamilies. Sixty‐seven genes formed nine gene clusters, and genes within the same cluster and the same gene family had a similar gene structure. Phylogenetic analysis showed that most of An. sinensis P450s (82/112) had very close 1: 1 orthology with Anopheles gambiae P450s. Five genes (AsCYP6Z2, AsCYP6P3v1, AsCYP6P3v2, AsCYP9J5 and AsCYP306A1) were significantly upregulated in three pyrethroid‐resistant populations in both RNA‐seq and RT‐qPCR analyses, suggesting that they could be the most important P450 genes involved in pyrethroid resistance in An. sinensis. CONCLUSION Our study provides insight on the diversity of An. sinensis P450 superfamily and basis for further elucidating pyrethroid resistance mechanism in this mosquito species. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. P450 detoxification is an important pyrethroid resistance mechanism. The article presents a comprehensive analysis of An. sinensis P450 gene family with special attention on P450s related to pyrethroid resistance.