Abstract: Objective To study the population genetic variation, genetic diversity and phylogenesis of Anopheles sinensis in
China. Methods Anopheles sinensis samples collected from Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Guizhou, and Yunnan Provinces and
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with different geographical conditions between 2010 and 2012 were analyzed by
mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtDNA-COI) gene amplification and sequencing. Bioedit 7.0 and DnaSP
5.0 software was used to compare the gene sequences and analyze the population genetic structure, respectively. Arlequin 3.1
was used to calculate the genetic distance and parameters of population differentiation. The relationship between the
geographic and genetic distances was analyzed using IBD Web Service. PHYLIP 3.6 was used to construct the phylogenetic
tree. Results PCR amplification and sequencing was performed successfully for 6 Anopheles sinensis populations containing 123
female mosquitoes. The length of mtDNA-COI gene fragment was 841 bp with an average A+T content of 71.2% and G+C
content of 28.8%. High nucleotide diversity and genetic differentiation were observed among the Anopheles sinensis populations
based on mtDNA-COI gene. Analysis of the molecular variance revealed a greater variation between populations than that
within populations with isolation by distance between the populations. The Anopheles sinensis populations appeared to have
undergone expansion, but the Yunnan population constituted an isolated branch in the phylogenetic tree. Conclusion
mtDNA-COI can serve as the molecular marker to analyze population genetic variation and phylogenesis of Anopheles sinensis.
The Yunnan population shows a phylogenetic difference from the other populations analyzed in this study.