Conclusion
This study identified a 4.3kb transposon-containing structural variant
on chromosome 2 within a cluster of cytochrome P450 genes in Ugandan and
Cameroonian populations of Anopheles funestus and showed it to
be: associated with pyrethroid resistance, associated with enhanced
expression of nearby P450 genes; rapidly evolving under strong selection
in Cameroon and is spreading westward in Africa. This study shows how
genetic variation, such as transposable elements, can contribute to
adaptive changes and be rapidly selected in the mosquitoes carrying
them. The molecular assay designed here will facilitate the detection
and tracking of the spread of this transposon-based resistance and help
assess its impact on control intervention and malaria transmission.