Efficient population modification gene-drive rescue system in the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi

A. Adolfi, V. M. Gantz, N. Jasinskiene, H.-F. Lee, K. Hwang, E. A. Bulger, A. Ramaiah, J. B. Bennett, G. Terradas, J. J. Emerson, J. M. Marshall, E. Bier and A. A. James,  bioRxiv,  2020.08.02.233056. 2020.

The development of Cas9/gRNA-mediated gene-drive systems has bolstered the advancement of genetic technologies for controlling vector-borne pathogen transmission. These include population suppression approaches, genetic analogs of insecticidal techniques that reduce the number of vector insects, and population modification (replacement/alteration) approaches, which interfere with competence to transmit pathogens. We developed the first recoded gene-drive rescue system for population modification in the malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi, that relieves the load in females caused by integration of the drive into the kynurenine hydroxylase gene by rescuing its function. Non-functional resistant alleles are eliminated via a dominantly-acting maternal effect combined with slower-acting standard negative selection, and a functional resistant allele does not prevent drive invasion. Small cage trials show that single releases of gene-drive males robustly result in efficient population modification with ≥95% of mosquitoes carrying the drive within 5-11 generations over a range of initial release ratios.Competing Interest StatementV.M.G. and E.B. have an equity interest in Synbal, Inc. and Agragene, Inc., companies that may potentially benefit from the research results, and serve on both companies Scientific Advisory Board and on the Board of Directors of Synbal, Inc. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by the University of California, San Diego in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies.

 


More related to this:

Highly efficient Cas9-mediated gene drive for population modification of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles stephensi

Experimental population modification of the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi

Fighting malaria with gene-drive technology

Next-generation gene drive for population modification of the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae

Gene drive and resilience through renewal with next generation Cleave and Rescue selfish genetic elements