Abstract: Objective To isolate, identify and analyze the sex-determining gene Transformer 2 (Aaetra2) of the major vector
mosquito Aedes aegypti. Methods tBLASTn program, RT-PCR and RACE methods were used to obtain the full-length cDNA of
Aaetra2. Multiple alignments of nucleotide and amino acid sequences were conducted, and the different domains in tra2
protein were indentified. RT-PCR of the total RNA extracted from different tissue from the mosquitoes in different
developmental stages was performed using specific primers. Results Two genes, namely Aaetra2-α and Aaetra2-β, were
identified in different supercontig locations. The multi-transcripts were expressed by means of alternative promoters or
terminators. The different domains in tra2 protein were defined as RS-rich N-terminal region, RNA recognition motif-RRM,
linker region, and RS-rich C-terminal region. Both Aaetra2-α and Aaetra2-β showed sustained expression throughout the
developmental stages of Ae.aegypti, and in all the tissues without a sex specificity. Conclusion Aaetra2 gene has multiple
isoforms and is mapped to multiple locations in the genome. Aaetra2 has conservative functional domains of the
sex-determining gene tra2. For Ae.agypti, Aaetra2 shows the potential as a new target for release of insects carrying a dominant
lethal (RIDL) technology based on transgenic mosquitoes.