The constitutive ribosomal gene
rp49 is frequently used as an endogenous control in
Drosophila gene expression experiments. Using the degenerate primer PCR technique we have cloned a fragment homologous to this gene in
Anopheles aquasalis
Curry, a Neotropical vector of malaria. In addition, based on this first sequence, a new primer was designed, which allowed the isolation of fragments of
rp49 in two other species,
Aedes aegypti
(Linnaeus) and
Culex quinquefasciatus
Say, suggesting that it could be used to clone fragments of this gene in a number of other mosquito species. Primers were also designed to specifically amplify
rp49 cDNA fragments in
An. aquasalis and
Ae. aegypti, showing that
rp49 could be used as a good constitutive control in gene expression studies of these and other vectorially important mosquito species.
