Scholarly Literature
This is a database of scholarly literature that concentrates currently on natural and engineered selfish genetic elements (gene drives). The latest are shown here.
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Adult mosquito predation and potential impact on the sterile insect technique
Tags: Aedes, Ecology, Risk and safety, Sterile insect technique (SIT)N. S. Bimbilé Somda, H. Maïga, W. Mamai, T. Bakhoum, T. Wallner, S. B. Poda, H. Yamada and J. Bouyer, Scientific Reports, 12:2561. 2022.
The sterile insect technique is a promising environmentally friendly method for mosquito control. This technique involves releasing laboratory-produced sterile males into a target field site, and its effectiveness may be affected by the extent of adult mosquito predation. Sterile ...
C-type lectin 4 regulates broad-spectrum melanization-based refractoriness to malaria parasites
Tags: Anopheles, Genetic biocontrol, Malaria, Mosquitoes, Population modification/replacementM. L. Simões, Y. Dong, G. Mlambo and G. Dimopoulos, PLOS Biology, 20:e3001515. 2022.
Anopheles gambiae melanization-based refractoriness to the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has rarely been observed in either laboratory or natural conditions, in contrast to the rodent model malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei that can become completely melanized by ...
Mark-release-recapture experiment in Burkina Faso demonstrates reduced fitness and dispersal of genetically-modified sterile malaria mosquitoes
Tags: Africa, Gene drive synthetic, Genetically modified mosquitoes, Mosquito husbandry, Target malariaF. A. Yao, A.-A. Millogo, P. S. Epopa, A. North, F. Noulin, K. Dao, M. Drabo, C. Guissou, S. Kekele, M. Namountougou, R. K. Ouedraogo, L. Pare, N. Barry, R. Sanou, H. Wandaogo, R. K. Dabire, A. McKemey, F. Tripet and A. Diabaté, Nature Communications, 13:796. 2022.
Every year, malaria kills approximately 405,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of them children under the age of five years. In many countries, progress in malaria control has been threatened by the rapid spread of resistance to antimalarial drugs and insecticides. Novel ...
Quality Control Methods for Aedes albopictus Sterile Male Transportation
Tags: Aedes, Invasive species, Mosquito husbandry, Mosquitoes, Sterile insect technique (SIT)G. D. Mastronikolos, A. Kapranas, G. K. Balatsos, C. Ioannou, D. P. Papachristos, P. G. Milonas, A. Puggioli, I. Pajović, D. Petrić, R. Bellini, A. Michaelakis and N. T. Papadopoulos, Insects, 2022.
Genetic based mosquito control methods have been gaining ground in recent years for their potential to achieve effective suppression or replacement of vector populations without hampering environments or causing any public health risk. These methods require the mass rearing of ...
The spore killers, fungal meiotic driver elements
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Transmission distortion, Yeast and FungiA. A. Vogan, I. Martinossi-Allibert, S. L. Ament-Velásquez, J. Svedberg and H. Johannesson, Mycologia, 2022.
During meiosis, both alleles of any given gene should have equal chances of being inherited by the progeny. There are a number of reasons why, however, this is not the case, with one of the most intriguing instances presenting itself as the phenomenon of meiotic drive. Genes that ...
Gene-drive mosquitoes, a prospect for future malaria control
Tags: Africa, Anopheles, Gene drive synthetic, Malaria, Replicator/site directed nucleaseS. A. Monawwer, A. O. I. Alzubaidi, F. Yasmin, S. M. Q. Haimour, S. M. I. Shay and I. Ullah, Pan African Medical Journal, 41:2-6. 2022.
Despite major developments in malaria control over the past two decades, the disease continues to scourge the human population across the globe. Rising concerns such as insecticide resistance amongst vector mosquitoes are a cause of huge fear amongst healthcare providers and ...
Articulating ethical principles guiding Target Malaria’s engagement strategy
Tags: Ethics, Gene drive synthetic, Stakeholder engagement, Target malariaA. J. Roberts and D. Thizy, Malaria Journal, 21:35. 2022.
Progress in gene drive research has engendered a lively discussion about community engagement and the ethical standards the work hinges on. While there is broad agreement regarding ethical principles and established best practices for conducting clinical public health research, ...
Quality over quantity: unraveling the contributions to cytoplasmic incompatibility caused by two coinfecting Cardinium symbionts
Tags: Cytoplasmic incompatibility, Other Symbionts, WolbachiaM. R. Doremus, C. M. Stouthamer, S. E. Kelly, S. Schmitz-Esser and M. S. Hunter, Heredity, 2022.
Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is a common form of reproductive sabotage caused by maternally inherited bacterial symbionts of arthropods. CI is a two-step manipulation: first, the symbiont modifies sperm in male hosts which results in the death of fertilized, uninfected ...
piggyBac-based transgenic RNAi of serine protease 2 results in male sterility in Hyphantria cunea
Tags: Genetic biocontrol, Sterile insect technique (SIT)X. Li, Q. Liu, H. Bi, Y. Wang, X. Xu, W. Sun, Z. Zhang and Y. Huang, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 103726. 2022.
Fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, is a global invasive forest pest that causes serious damage to the economy and ecosystem of agriculture and forestry. Due to the extent of the problem and the difficulty of conventional chemical control, new technologies must be pursued, such as ...
Endosymbionts moderate constrained sex allocation in a haplodiploid thrips species in a temperature-sensitive way
Tags: Cytoplasmic incompatibility, Fruit fly, Selfish genetic elements, Sex distorter, WolbachiaA. Katlav, D. T. Nguyen, J. L. Morrow, R. N. Spooner-Hart and M. Riegler, Heredity, 9. 2022.
Maternally inherited bacterial endosymbionts that affect host fitness are common in nature. Some endosymbionts colonise host populations by reproductive manipulations (such as cytoplasmic incompatibility; CI) that increase the reproductive fitness of infected over uninfected ...
Assessing Aedes aegypti candidate genes during viral infection and Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking
Tags: Aedes, Arbovirus, Dengue, WolbachiaL. T. Sigle, M. Jones, M. Novelo, S. A. Ford, N. Urakova, K. Lymperopoulos, R. T. Sayre, Z. Xi, J. L. Rasgon and E. A. McGraw, Insect Molecular Biology, 2022.
Abstract One approach to control dengue virus transmission is the symbiont Wolbachia, that limits viral infection in mosquitoes. Despite plans for its widespread use in Aedes aegypti, Wolbachia's mode of action remains poorly understood. Many studies suggest that the mechanism is ...
Genetically engineered insects with sex-selection and genetic incompatibility enable population suppression
Tags: Fruit fly, Genetic biocontrol, Genetic incompatibilities, Incompatible insect technique, Sterile insect technique (SIT)A. Upadhyay, N. R. Feltman, A. Sychla, A. Janzen, S. R. Das, M. Maselko and M. Smanski, eLife, 11. 2022.
Engineered Genetic Incompatibility (EGI) is a method to create species-like barriers to sexual reproduction. It has applications in pest control that mimic Sterile Insect Technique when only EGI males are released. This can be facilitated by introducing conditional ...
A flavivirus-inducible gene expression system that modulates broad-spectrum antiviral activity against dengue and Zika viruses
Tags: Aedes, Dengue, Genetic biocontrol, Genetically modified mosquitoesS.-C. Weng, Y.-X. Zhou and S.-H. Shiao, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 142:103723. 2022.
Incidence of dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), two mosquito-borne flaviviruses, is increasing in large parts of the world. Vaccination and medication for these diseases are unsatisfactory. Here, we developed a novel antiviral approach, using a virus-inducible gene ...
Paternal transmission of the Wolbachia CidB toxin underlies cytoplasmic incompatibility
Tags: Culex, Cytoplasmic incompatibility, Fruit fly, Toxin-antidote, WolbachiaB. Horard, K. Terretaz, A. S. Gosselin-Grenet, H. Sobry, M. Sicard, F. Landmann and B. Loppin, Current Biology, 2022.
Wolbachia are widespread endosymbiotic bacteria that manipulate the reproduction of arthropods through a diversity of cellular mechanisms. In cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), a sterility syndrome originally discovered in the mosquito Culex pipiens, uninfected eggs fertilized by ...
Conditions for Investment in Genetic Biocontrol of Pest Vertebrates in Australia
Tags: Genetic biocontrol, Governance, Oceania, Risk and safety, Stakeholder engagementL. Carter, A. Mankad, S. Campbell, W. Ruscoe, K. P. Oh, P. R. Brown, M. Byrne, M. Tizard and T. Strive, Frontiers in Agronomy, 3. 2022.
Managing pest vertebrate species in Australia is a significant challenge for government, industry, research sectors and land-managers. Innovative tools such as genetic biocontrol offers decision-makers a potentially effective means of reducing the impact of pest species ...
Could Sterile Aedes albopictus Male Releases Interfere with Aedes aegypti Population in Reunion Island?
Tags: Aedes, Sterile insect technique (SIT)H. F. Andrianjakarivony, D. Damiens, L. Marquereau, B. Gaudillat, N. Habchi-Hanriot and L.-C. Gouagna, Insects, 13. 2022.
In Reunion Island, the feasibility of an Aedes albopictus control program using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is studied. Because, in some regions, Ae. albopictus is living in sympatry with Aedes aegypti, the impact of releasing millions of sterile male Ae. albopictus on ...
Self-limiting fall armyworm: a new approach in development for sustainable crop protection and resistance management
Tags: Genetic biocontrol, Moths, Oxitec, Sterile insect technique (SIT)C. E. Reavey, A. S. Walker, S. P. Joyce, L. Broom, A. Willse, K. Ercit, M. Poletto, Z. H. Barnes, T. Marubbi, B. J. Troczka, D. Treanor, K. Beadle, B. Granville, V. de Mello, J. Teal, E. Sulston, A. Ashton, L. Akilan, N. Naish, O. Stevens, N. Humphreys-Jo, BMC Biotechnology, 22:5. 2022.
Here, we describe the first germline transformation of the fall armyworm and the development of a genetically engineered male-selecting self-limiting strain, OX5382G, which exhibits complete female mortality in the absence of an additive in the larval diet. Laboratory experiments ...
Gene Drives in the U.K., U.S., and Australian Press (2015–2019): How a New Focus on Responsibility Is Shaping Science Communication
Tags: Ethics, Gene drive synthetic, Policy, Stakeholder engagementA. Stelmach, B. Nerlich and S. Hartley, Science Communication, 10755470211072245. 2022.
Gene drive is a controversial biotechnology for pest control. Despite a commitment from gene drive researchers to responsibility and the key role of the media in debates about science and technology, little research has been conducted on media reporting of gene drive. We employ ...
Monitoring Needs for Gene Drive Mosquito Projects: Lessons From Vector Control Field Trials and Invasive Species
Tags: Field trials, Gene drive synthetic, Genetic biocontrol, Invasive species, Oxitec, Population modification/replacement, Population suppression, WolbachiaG. Rašić, N. F. Lobo, E. H. Jeffrey Gutiérrez, C. H. Sánchez and J. M. Marshall, Frontiers in Genetics, 12:780327. 2022.
As gene drive mosquito projects advance from contained laboratory testing to semi-field testing and small-scale field trials, there is a need to assess monitoring requirements to: i) assist with the effective introduction of the gene drive system at field sites, and ii) detect ...
A gene drive does not spread easily in populations of the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor
Tags: Agriculture, Gene drive synthetic, Genetic biocontrol, Modeling, Other arthropods, Population suppressionN. R. Faber, A. B. Meiborg, G. R. McFarlane, G. Gorjanc and B. A. Harpur, Apidologie, 52:1112-1127. 2022.
Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are the most significant threat to beekeeping worldwide. They are directly or indirectly responsible for millions of colony losses each year. Beekeepers are somewhat able to control varroa populations through the use of physical and chemical ...

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