The nanosd integral gene drive enables population modification of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

The modification of mosquito populations at scale through CRISPR-Cas9-mediated homing gene drives is a promising route for malaria vector control. Integral gene drives (IGDs) are designed to utilise the regulatory sequences of endogenous genes to reduce the size of the modification required for nuclease and effector expression. In this study, we describe the creation and characterisation of the nanos^d IGD, which targets and is inserted into the nanos gene of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, and show that it achieves high rates of gene drive (98.4% in females, 99.5% in males). We find that homozygous nanos^d females but not males show impaired fecundity and exhibit variable degrees of ovary underdevelopment. Transcriptomic analysis of ovaries points to decreased transcript levels of the nanos gene when harbouring Cas9 and changes to other fertility-related genes. As a minimal genetic modification, nanos^d does not induce widespread transcriptomic perturbations that would affect vector competence, and we show that its susceptibility to Plasmodium spp. and O’nyong nyong virus infection remains similar to wild-type mosquitoes. Importantly, we find that nanos^d propagates efficiently in caged mosquito populations and is maintained as a source of Cas9 after the emergence of drive-resistant alleles, whilst also mobilising a non-autonomous antiparasitic effector modification. The nanos^d gene drive shows promise as a genetic tool for malaria vector control via population modification, and we outline steps towards its further optimisation.