Synthetic Homing Endonuclease Gene Drives to Revolutionise Aedes aegypti Biocontrol – Game Changer or Pipe Dream?
Synthetic Homing Endonuclease Gene Drives to Revolutionise Aedes aegypti Biocontrol – Game Changer or Pipe Dream?
Tags: Aedes, Gene drive synthetic, Vector controlJoshua X.D. Ang, Sebald A.N. Verkuijl, Michelle A.E. Anderson, Luke Alphey, Current Opinion in Insect Science, 2025.
The increasing burden of Aedes aegypti-borne diseases, particularly dengue, is a growing global concern, further exacerbated by climate change. Current control strategies have proven insufficient, necessitating novel approaches. Synthetic homing endonuclease gene (sHEG) drives represent one of the few emerging technologies with the potential to offer a cost-effective and equitable solution to this escalating public health challenge. However, despite multiple attempts, the homing efficiencies of Ae. aegypti sHEG systems lag behind those achieved in Anopheles mosquitoes. We discuss key insights from efforts to develop sHEGs in Ae. aegypti and highlight critical factors that may unlock further advances in this species.
