Keywords: Anopheles
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Effects of a blood-free mosquito diet on fitness and gonotrophic cycle parameters of laboratory reared Anopheles gambiae sensu strictoMosi, F.A., Rutha, I., Velez, R. et al., Parasites and Vectors, 17. 2024.
The current rise of new innovative tools for mosquito control, such as the release of transgenic mosquitoes carrying a dominant lethal gene and Wolbachia-based strategies, necessitates a massive production of mosquitoes in the insectary. However, currently laboratory rearing ... |
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Investigating the ecological role of malaria mosquitoesTalya D. Hackett, Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research, 2024.
A team of entomologists and ecologists at the University of Ghana have been working with colleagues from the University of Oxford and the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics at the University of Guelph on a groundbreaking project to investigate the potential ecological ... |
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Curing mosquitoes with genetic approaches for malaria controlMary Kefi, Victor Cardoso-Jaime, Sally A. Saab, George Dimopoulos, Trends in Parasitology, 2024.
Malaria remains a persistent global public health challenge because of the limitations of current prevention tools. The use of transgenic mosquitoes incapable of transmitting malaria, in conjunction with existing methods, holds promise for achieving elimination of malaria and ... |
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A Y chromosome-linked genome editor for efficient population suppression in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiaeIgnacio Tolosana, Katie Willis, Austin Burt, Matthew Gribble, Tony Nolan, Andrea Crisanti, Federica Bernardini, bioRxiv, 2024.
Genetic control – the deliberate introduction of genetic traits to control a pest or vector population – offers a powerful tool to augment conventional mosquito control tools that have been successful in reducing malaria burden but that are compromised by a range of ... |
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Genetically modified mosquitoes could one day end malariaAlexis Akwagyiram, Semafor, 2024.
Abdoulaye Diabaté, a scientist from Burkina Faso, is at the vanguard of efforts to eliminate malaria by editing the genetic makeup of male mosquitoes and releasing them in the wild to prevent the reproduction of female mosquito species that transmit malaria. The technique is ... |
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CRISPR-mediated germline mutagenesis for genetic sterilization of Anopheles gambiae malesSmidler, A.L., Marrogi, E., Kauffman, J. et al., Scientific Reports, 14. 2024.
Rapid spread of insecticide resistance among anopheline mosquitoes threatens malaria elimination efforts, necessitating development of alternative vector control technologies. Sterile insect technique (SIT) has been successfully implemented in multiple insect pests to suppress ... |
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Anti-CRISPR Anopheles mosquitoes inhibit gene drive spread under challenging behavioural conditions in large cagesD’Amato, R., Taxiarchi, C., Galardini, M. et al., Nature Communications, 15:952. 2024.
CRISPR-based gene drives have the potential to spread within populations and are considered as promising vector control tools. A doublesex-targeting gene drive was able to suppress laboratory Anopheles mosquito populations in small and large cages, and it is considered for field ... |
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A population modification gene drive targeting both Saglin and Lipophorin impairs Plasmodium transmission in Anopheles mosquitoesEmily I Green, Etienne Jaouen, Dennis Klug, Roenick Proveti Olmo, Amandine Gautier, Stéphanie Blandin, Eric Marois, eLife, 12. 2023.
Lipophorin is an essential, highly expressed lipid transport protein that is secreted and circulates in insect hemolymph. We hijacked the Anopheles coluzzii Lipophorin gene to make it co-express a single-chain version of antibody 2A10, which binds sporozoites of the malaria ... |
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Anopheles gambiae on remote islands in the Indian Ocean: origins and prospects for malaria elimination by genetic modification of extant populationsDitter, R.E., Campos, M., Crepeau, M.W. et al., Scientific Reports, 13. 2023.
The mosquito Anopheles gambiae s.s. is a primary malaria vector throughout sub-Saharan Africa including the islands of the Comoros archipelago (Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mayotte and Mohéli). These islands are located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in eastern Africa. ... |
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Bill Gates Talks Gene Drives, mRNA, and U.S.$40m in Science FundingN. Mlambo, allAfrica, 2023.
In 2003, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Grand Challenges initiative in order to find scientific solutions to these health challenges. Initially, the initiative focused on 14 scientific challenges including focusing on creating effective single-dose vaccines ... |
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Genetically modified mosquitoes will be ready by 2033 – scientistsD. Sekayinga, MONITOR, 2023.
The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVR[) has announced that genetically modified mosquitoes will be ready within a decade. Gene-drive mosquitoes are among the anti-malarial strategies the government under the Africa Target Malaria project has embarked on since 2016, to reduce ... |
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Expansions to the MGDrivE suite for simulating the efficacy of novel gene-drive constructs in the control of mosquito-borne diseasesJ. B. Bennett, S. L. Wu, P. R. Chennuri, K. M. Myles and M. L. Ndeffo-Mbah, BMC Research Notes, 16:258. 2023.
The MGDrivE (MGDrivE 1 and MGDrivE 2) modeling framework provides a flexible and expansive environment for testing the efficacy of novel gene-drive constructs for the control of mosquito-borne diseases. However, the existing model framework did not previously support several ... |
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The Gamble: Can Genetically Modified Mosquitoes End Disease?S. Nolen, New York Times, 2023.
The malaria situation in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation with a population of 200,000, epitomizes the current challenge in the global struggle against the disease. The country is among the world’s least developed, and it has depended on foreign aid to fight ... |
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Could a new gene-editing technique be a major breakthrough in the battle against malaria?B. Cottam, GEOGRAPHICAL, 2023.
The idea is that since female mosquitoes typically only mate once, the mass release of the sterile male mosquitoes should prevent wild females from producing future generations. Insect populations can and have already been successfully suppressed by the release of sterilised ... |
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Measuring the Impact of Genetic Heterogeneity and Chromosomal Inversions on the Efficacy of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Drives in Different Strains of Anopheles gambiaePescod, Poppy Bevivino, Giulia Anthousi, Amalia Shelton, Ruth Shepherd, Josephine Lombardo, Fabrizio Nolan, Tony, The CRISPR Journal, 2023.
The human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae is becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides, spurring the development of genetic control strategies. CRISPR-Cas9 gene drives can modify a population by creating double-stranded breaks at highly specific targets, triggering copying ... |
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Buzzing breakthrough: genetic engineering gives mosquito control an upgradeSivasubbu, Sridhar Scaria, Vinod, The Hindu, 2023.
Throughout human history, mosquitoes have constantly buzzed in the background of human existence, irritating us with their incessant bites and occasionally wreaking havoc by transmitting deadly diseases. The earliest known mosquitoes from the fossil record date back at least 70 ... |
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A synthetic biology approach to transgene expressionP. Leftwich, T. , J. Purcell, C. , M. Anderson, A. E. , R. Fragkoudis, S. Basu, G. Lycett, T. and L. Alphey, bioRxiv, 2023.08.31.555539. 2023.
The ability to control gene expression is pivotal in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. However, in most non-model and pest insect species, empirical evidence for predictable modulation of gene expression levels is lacking. This knowledge gap is critical for genetic ... |
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High-efficiency gene editing in Anopheles sinensis using ReMOT controlX.-l. Yang, X. Ling, Q. Sun, P.-p. Qiu, K. Xiang, u.-f. JHong, S.-l. He, J. Chen, X. Ding, H. Hu, Z.-b. He, C. Zhou, B. Chen and L. Qiao, bioRxiv, 2023.08.29.555096. 2023.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing provides an effective method for deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying mosquito development and mosquito-borne disease transmission, as well as for exploring genetic control strategies. However, delivering the Cas9 ribonucleoprotein ... |
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A recombinant Aspergillus oryzae fungus transmitted from larvae to adults of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes inhibits malaria parasite oocyst developmentL. Kianifard, A. M. Rafiqi, O. Akcakir, A. S. I. Aly, P. F. Billingsley and S. Uysal, Scientific Reports, 13:12177. 2023.
The control of malaria parasite transmission from mosquitoes to humans is hampered by decreasing efficacies of insecticides, development of drug resistance against the last-resort antimalarials, and the absence of effective vaccines. Herein, the anti-plasmodial transmission ... |
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How genetically modifying mosquitoes could strengthen the world’s war on malariaS. Oliver and J. Raman, The Conversation, 2023.
Mosquitoes can be genetically modified through two different technologies. The first method, paratransgenesis, involves infecting mosquitoes with bacteria that prevent them from transmitting malaria. This doesn’t harm the mosquito. It is important not to eliminate or harm ... |
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Single-cell profiling of Anopheles gambiae spermatogenesis defines the onset of meiotic silencing and premeiotic overexpression of the X chromosomeN. Page, C. Taxiarchi, D. Tonge, J. Kuburic, E. Chesters, A. Kriezis, K. Kyrou, L. Game, T. Nolan and R. Galizi, Commun Biol, 6:850. 2023.
Understanding development and genetic regulation in the Anopheles gambiae germline is essential to engineer effective genetic control strategies targeting this malaria mosquito vector. These include targeting the germline to induce sterility or using regulatory sequences to drive ... |
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British super mosquitoes being deployed to wipe out malaria from the planetJ. Lawton, Daily Star, 2023.
The Brit-made mosquitoes are all male and carry a special gene to prevent female offspring from surviving into adulthood.Only females bite and spread malaria. Released into the wild Oxitec’s genetically-modified males mate with wild females. All the female offspring then die. ... |
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Genetically modified Brit mosquitoes could stamp out malaria with Bill Gates’ backingK. Williams, Mirror, 2023.
British super mosquitoes could be deployed worldwide to eradicate malaria. Billionaire Bill Gates is backing the British effort to send the country’s mosquitoes across the world in an effort to stamp out the deadly disease. This would work because the super mozzies, created by ... |
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Bioinformatic and literature assessment of toxicity and allergenicity of a CRISPR-Cas9 engineered gene drive to control Anopheles gambiae the mosquito vector of human malariaA. Qureshi and J. B. Connolly, Malaria Journal, 22:234. 2023.
Population suppression gene drive is currently being evaluated, including via environmental risk assessment (ERA), for malaria vector control. One such gene drive involves the dsxFCRISPRh transgene encoding (i) hCas9 endonuclease, (ii) T1 guide RNA (gRNA) targeting the doublesex ... |
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A mosquito symbiont takes down malariaA. Taglialegna, Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2023.
Malaria, a parasitic infection transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, is globally prevalent. Control strategies for malaria include insecticides and antiparasitic drugs, which target the mosquito vector or the parasite in the human host, respectively. The effectiveness of these ... |
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Baker: New tools can change mosquitoes’ DNA, but should it be done?K. Baker, Fremont News Messenger, 2023.
Suppose Sauron — or perhaps Gandalf — were to offer you a magical golden ring with the power to rid the world of mosquitoes once and for all. And with their demise, to save countless human lives from the many diseases for which mosquitoes are the sole or primary vectors: ... |
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Malaria’s latest foe? Bacteria.M. Coulson, Johns Hopkins, 2023.
In a new paper published in Science, Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, PhD, professor emeritus in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and his colleagues, in collaboration with researchers at GSK Global Health Medicines R&D, show that a naturally occurring bacterium and a chemical it ... |
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A naturally occurring bacteria can stop the malaria parasite right in a mosquito’s gutA. Bhattacharya, Quartz, 2023.
Scientists at a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) research facility in Spain discovered that a strain of Delftia tsuruhatensis bacterium, named Tres Cantos 1 (TC1), inhibits the malaria parasite in mosquitoes, known as Plasmodium. Researchers suspected something was going on when the ... |
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Delftia tsuruhatensis TC1 symbiont suppresses malaria transmission by anopheline mosquitoesW. Huang, J. Rodrigues, E. Bilgo, J. R. Tormo, J. D. Challenger, C. De Cozar-Gallardo, I. Pérez-Victoria, F. Reyes, P. Castañeda-Casado, E. J. Gnambani, D. F. d. S. Hien, M. Konkobo, B. Urones, I. Coppens, A. Mendoza-Losana, L. Ballell, A. Diabate, T. S., Science, 381:533-540. 2023.
Malaria control demands the development of a wide range of complementary strategies. We describe the properties of a naturally occurring, non?genetically modified symbiotic bacterium, Delftia tsuruhatensis TC1, which was isolated from mosquitoes incapable of sustaining the ... |
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Microbe stops mosquitoes from harboring malaria parasiteC. Offord, Science, 2023.
Researchers have tried to use microbes to control mosquito-borne diseases before. The virus-fighting bacterium Wolbachia pipientis has shown particular promise against dengue fever in recent clinical trials and is already used in some areas of the world. But most methods for ... |
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Cost-effectiveness of Precision Guided SIT for Control of Anopheles gambiae in the Upper River Region, The GambiaG. William, R. Robyn, M. Agastya, M. S. C. Hector, S. Andrea, Z. David, G. I. Patrick, D. Umberto, Alessandro, M. M. John and A. Omar, bioRxiv, 2023.07.20.549762. 2023.
Precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) is an extremely promising vector control intervention that can reduce and potentially eliminate the unacceptable malaria burden, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Here we explore the cost effectiveness of using this approach in ... |
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Eliminating Malaria Vectors with Precision Guided Sterile MalesL. S. Andrea, A. A. Reema, J. P. James, L. C. Martha, C. Sanle, M. Agastya, M. S. C. Hector, A. Igor, M. M. John and S. A. Omar, bioRxiv, 2023.07.20.549947. 2023.
Controlling the principal African malaria vector, the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, is considered essential to curtail malaria transmission. However existing vector control technologies rely on insecticides, which are becoming increasingly ineffective. Sterile insect technique ... |
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Bukedi sub-region to receive new high-level malaria prevention technologyWatchdog Uganda, WATCHDOG, 2023.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni together with a group of scientists have agreed to start with Bukedi Sub-region as a pilot area for a new mosquito radiation sterilisation technology aimed at preventing malaria. “Let us start with the Bukedi Sub- region to pilot this method ... |
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Mosquitoes spread malaria. These researchers want them to fight it insteadG. Brumfiel, NPR, 2023.
Mosquitoes carry malaria, which kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. Now some researchers are trying to use genetic engineering to make the pesky insects into allies in the fight against the disease. The approach is a radical departure from traditional ways of ... |
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Engineered Gut Symbiotic Bacterium-Mediated RNAi for Effective Control of Anopheles Mosquito LarvaeJ. J. Ding, C. L. Cui, G. D. Wang, G. Wei, L. Bai, Y. F. Li, P. L. Sun, L. Dong, Z. C. Liu, J. Q. Yun, F. Li, K. Li, L. He and S. B. Wang, Microbiology Spectrum, 2023.
Anopheles mosquitoes are the primary vectors for the transmission of malaria parasites, which poses a devastating burden on global public health and welfare. The recent invasion of Anopheles stephensi in Africa has made malaria eradication more challenging due to its outdoor ... |
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CRISPR’d Mosquitoes With All-Male Offspring Could Help Eradicate MalariaV. B. Ramirez, Singuarity Hub, 2023.
Though at least one vaccine for malaria is in use, it remains one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Almost half of the world’s population lives in areas where malaria transmission occurs, and an estimated 619,000 people died of the disease in 2021. Worse yet, the vast ... |
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Dual effector population modification gene-drive strains of the African malaria mosquitoes, Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzziiR. Carballar-Lejarazú, Y. Dong, T. B. Pham, T. Tushar, R. M. Corder, A. Mondal, H. M. Sánchez C, H.-F. Lee, J. M. Marshall, G. Dimopoulos and A. A. James, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120:e2221118120. 2023.
Proposed genetic approaches for reducing human malaria include population modification, which introduces genes into vector mosquitoes to reduce or prevent parasite transmission. We demonstrate the potential of Cas9/guide RNA (gRNA)?based gene-drive systems linked to dual ... |
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Mosquitoes made immune to malaria could help stamp out the diseaseC. Wilson, NewScientist, 2023.
Mosquitoes have been gene edited so they are immune to the parasites that cause malaria. If released into the wild, the genetic modification should spread through a population of mosquitoes because it contains a sequence known as a “gene drive”, which means all the modified ... |
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Routes of Introduction of Anopheles gambiae Into Remote Islands in the Indian OceanR. E. Ditter, M. Campos, M. W. Crepeau, J. Pinto, A. Toilibou, Y. Amina, Y. Lee, A. J. Cornel and G. C. Lanzaro, 2023.
The malaria vector Anopheles gambiae s.s., is a primary malaria vector throughout sub-Saharan Africa including the islands of the Comoros archipelago (Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mayotte and Mohéli). These islands are located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in eastern ... |
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New Genetic Technology Developed to Halt Malaria-Spreading MosquitoesM. Aguilera, UC San Diego Today, 2023.
Fortunately, scientists are developing safe technologies to stop the transmission of malaria by genetically editing mosquitoes that spread the parasite that causes the disease. Researchers at the University of California San Diego led by Professor Omar Akbari’s laboratory have ... |
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A confinable female-lethal population suppression system in the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiaeA. L. Smidler, J. J. Pai, R. A. Apte, H. M. Sánchez C, R. M. Corder, E. Jeffrey Gutiérrez, N. Thakre, I. Antoshechkin, J. M. Marshall and O. S. Akbari, Science Advances, 9:eade8903. 2023.
Malaria is among the world?s deadliest diseases, predominantly affecting Sub-Saharan Africa and killing over half a million people annually. Controlling the principal vector, the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, as well as other anophelines, is among the most effective methods to ... |
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Malaria Cases In U.S. Trigger Unfounded Claims About Bill Gates, Mosquito ProjectB. Y. Lee, Forbes, 2023.
When the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert about finding four malaria cases in Florida and one malaria case in Texas, it created quite a buzz. After all, these were the first reported cases of people actually catching malaria in the U.S. since ... |
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CRISPR-mediated germline mutagenesis for genetic sterilization of Anopheles gambiae malesA. L. Smidler, D. G. Paton, G. M. Church, W. R. Shaw and F. Catteruccia, bioRxiv, 2023.06.13.544841. 2023.
Rapid spread of insecticide resistance among anopheline mosquitoes threatens malaria elimination efforts, necessitating development of alternative vector control technologies. Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been successfully implemented in multiple insect pests to suppress ... |
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Wolbachia -induced inhibition of O’nyong nyong virus in Anopheles mosquitoes is mediated by Toll signaling and modulated by cholesterolS. Pujhari, G. L. Hughes, N. Pakpour, Y. Suzuki and J. L. Rasgon, bioRxiv, 10.1101/2023.05.31.543096. 2023.Enhanced host immunity and competition for metabolic resources are two main competing hypotheses for the mechanism of Wolbachia -mediated pathogen inhibition in arthropods. Using an Anopheles mosquito - somatic Wolbachia infection - O'nyong nyong virus (ONNV) model, we ... |
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Defining transformation events for gene drive in species complexesJ. B. Connolly, IOBC-WPRS Bulletin, 163:8-20. 2023.
Engineered gene drives (EGDs) that allow the super-Mendelian inheritance of genetic traits could one day be used to reduce the vectorial capacity of Anopheles species that transmit human malaria in Africa. Many Anopheles species belong to complexes of closely related sibling ... |
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In The Face Of Nigerian Mosquito Nets, Westerners’ Gene Editing Offers HopeO. Onwumere, The Nigerian Voice, 2023.
In Nigeria, the utilization of mosquito nets is prevalent, while in the Western world, optimism is associated with the implementation of gene editing technology. In this article, ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE reports that malaria could soon be eradicated in Nigeria. According to US ... |
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First transgenic mosquito made in Africa by Transmission ZeroH. Dunning, Imperial College London, 2023.
Transmission Zero, a global scientific programme led by scientists at Imperial College London and the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) of Tanzania, in partnership with the Tanzanian National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), announces the generation of the first transgenic ... |
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Gene Drives Are ComingD. Lowe, Science, 2023.
Consider the “gene drive” idea - there are a lot of variations, but the general idea is that you introduce a genetic sequence into an organism that can bias (drive) its own inheritance into the next generation. This is a thumb-on-the-scale unnatural selection if ever there ... |
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Gene Drives: Target Malaria is underestimating the risksC. Then, Testbiotech, 2023.
The Target Malaria consortium has for several years been planning to conduct field trials using genetically engineered mosquitoes in Burkina Faso. The aim is to transfer artificial gene constructs, i. e. the so-called ‘X-shredder’, into wild populations of the mosquitoes. ... |
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Modeling Sustained Transmission of Wolbachia among Anopheles Mosquitoes: Implications for Malaria Control in HaitiD. Florez, A. J. Young, K. J. Bernabé, J. M. Hyman and Z. Qu, Trop Med Infect Dis, 8. 2023.
Wolbachia infection in Anopheles albimanus mosquitoes can render mosquitoes less capable of spreading malaria. We developed and analyzed a mechanistic compartmental ordinary differential equation model to evaluate the effectiveness of Wolbachia-based vector control strategies ... |
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Gene Drives and Vector-Borne Diseases: A Comparative Perspective Using Malaria as a Case StudyS. Todi, The Takshashila Institution, 2023.
Gene drives are an emerging technological application to reduce the prevalence of vector-borne diseases, crop pests, and non-native invasive species. This method for vector control is currently at the research stage, with parallel community engagement programmes being carried out ... |
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Gene Drives and Vector-Borne Diseases: A Comparative Perspective Using Malaria as a Case StudyS. Todi, The Takshashila Institution, 2023.
Gene drives are an emerging technological application to reduce the prevalence of vector-borne diseases, crop pests, and non-native invasive species. This method for vector control is currently at the research stage, with parallel community engagement programmes being carried out ... |
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Hybrid incompatibilities in the anopheles gambiae species complexA. Kriezis, Imperial College London, 2023.
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium which is responsible for approximately 400,000 deaths annually, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles gambiae species complex. While progress ... |
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Gene Drives Could Fight Malaria and Other Global Killers but Might Have Unintended ConsequencesM. Cobb, Scientific American, 2023.
Every year more than 600,000 people die from mosquito-transmitted malaria, most of them children under age five. Some insects that are disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, are currently expanding their range around the world, bringing new threats. Genetic engineering can fix this ... |
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Genetically modified mosquitoes … could CRISPR gene editing end malaria?D. Wells, SelectScience, 2022.
Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, malaria is currently affecting the lives of more than 200 million people.1 This results in over half a million deaths per year, with 80% of this mortality occurring in children under the age of 5.2 In addition to the tragic ... |
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Determining the landscape of resistance to gene drives in the malaria mosquitoI. Morianou, Imperial College London, 2022.
Gene drives are engineered selfish genetic elements with the potential to spread throughout entire insect populations for sustainable vector control. Recently, a gene drive was shown to eliminate caged populations of the malaria mosquito by targeting the highly conserved ... |
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A comprehensive overview of the existing microbial symbionts in mosquito vectors: An important tool for impairing pathogentransmissionV. Vandana, M. P. Kona, J. Kumar, O. P. Singh and K. C. Pandey, Experimental Parasitology, 243. 2022.
The emergence of drug-resistant parasites and/or insecticide-resistant mosquito vectors necessitates developing alternative tools that either supplement or replace the conventional malaria control strategies. Trans-infecting the mosquito vector with symbionts that can either ... |
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Combining transgenesis with paratransgenesis to fight malariaW. Huang, J. Vega-Rodriguez, C. Kizito, S.-J. Cha and M. Jacobs-Lorena, eLife, 11:e77584. 2022.
Malaria is among the deadliest infectious diseases, and Plasmodium, the causative agent, needs to complete a complex development cycle in its vector mosquito for transmission to occur. Two promising strategies to curb transmission are transgenesis, consisting of genetically ... |
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Target Malaria’s scientists are working to rid Africa of an ancient plagueD. Matthews, Vox, 2022.
This could very well be the last century in human history when people die from malaria. If and when we do eradicate the disease, the team at Target Malaria will probably deserve a big share of the credit. Their plan to use gene drive technology to wipe out species of mosquitoes ... |
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Driving down malaria transmission with engineered gene drivesW. T. Garrood, P. Cuber, K. Willis, F. Bernardini, N. M. Page and R. E. Haghighat-Khah, Frontiers in Genetics, 13. 2022.
The last century has witnessed the introduction, establishment and expansion of mosquito-borne diseases into diverse new geographic ranges. Malaria is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. Despite making great strides over the past few decades in reducing the burden of ... |
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Introgression of a synthetic sex ratio distortion transgene into different genetic backgrounds of Anopheles coluzziiP. Pollegioni, T. Persampieri, R. L. Minuz, A. Bucci, A. Trusso, S. Di Martino, C. Leo, M. Bruttini, M. Ciolfi, A. M. Waldvogel, F. Tripet, A. Simoni, A. Crisanti and R. Müller, Insect Molecular Biology, 2022.
The development of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM) and their subsequent field release offers innovative approaches for vector control of malaria. A non-gene drive self-limiting male-bias Ag(PMB)1 strain has been developed in a 47-year-old laboratory G3 strain of Anopheles ... |
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Anopheles homing suppression drive candidates exhibit unexpected performance differences in simulations with spatial structureS. E. Champer, I. K. Kim, A. G. Clark, P. W. Messer and J. Champer, eLife, 11:e79121. 2022.
Recent experiments have produced several Anopheles gambiae homing gene drives that disrupt female fertility genes, thereby eventually inducing population collapse. Such drives may be highly effective tools to combat malaria. One such homing drive, based on the zpg promoter ... |
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Research: Scientists Modify Mosquitoes That Can’t Spread MalariaN. Kharbanda, Onlymyhealth, 2022.
According to a research, scientists have found a way to genetically engineer mosquitoes with the capability to slow down the multiplication of malaria-causing parasites in their gut. This is an advance study, that can help in preventing the infecting of the disease in humans. The ... |
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Explained: How Scientists Are Genetically modifying Mosquitoes To Reduce MalariaAnonymous, Outlook, 2022.
he Delhi High Court on Friday asked the state government to inform it within two weeks of the proposal of increasing the fine amount in mosquito breeding cases. The court last year took suo moto cognizance of the issue of large-scale mosquito breeding in the city, resulting in ... |
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Malaria-free mosquito engineered by scientistsD. Davies, GHANA NEWS AGENCY, 2022.
Scientists have genetically modified the main malaria-carrying species of mosquito in sub-Saharan Africa to slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their gut, preventing transmission of the disease to humans. When the Anopheles gambiae takes a blood meal, it produces two ... |
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Justifying an Intentional Species Extinction: The Case of Anopheles gambiaeD. E. Callies and Y. Rohwer, Environmental Values, 31:193-210. 2022.
Each year, over 200 million people are infected with the malaria parasite, nearly half a million of whom succumb to the disease. Emerging genetic technologies could, in theory, eliminate the burden of malaria throughout the world by intentionally eradicating the mosquitoes that ... |
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How We’re Reducing Disease With Genetically Modified MosquitoesV. Wise, HealthMatch, 2022.
We all know mosquitoes as those annoying insects we swat away from our faces. They carry diseases, so we don’t want them anywhere near us. There are over 200 types of wild mosquitoes bugging us across America and the U.S. territories. Approximately 12 types can spread disease, ... |
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Scientists stunt parasite growth to tackle malariaRSS24.news, RSS24.NEWS, 2022.
Loss of life, loss of livlihoods and homelessness have already afflicted these flood marooned refugees in Pakistan. Now these living conditions means they also face sickness and and without protection malaria is a major threat. Health agencies try to protect people against ... |
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Scientists are manipulating the DNA of mosquitoes to fight the spread of malariaR. Min, EURONEWS.NEXT, 2022.
Scientists say they have managed to genetically modify mosquitoes so that they are unable to spread malaria, a disease that kills well over half a million people each year. The changes cause mosquitoes to live shorter lives, while the parasites inside them, which cause the fatal ... |
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Scientists engineer mosquitoes that cannot spread malariaJ. Dalton, Independen, 2022.
Scientists have engineered mosquitoes that cannot give humans malaria, saying their work could potentially eliminate the disease. Researchers at Imperial College London genetically modified the insects so that the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their guts was slowed. |
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Scientists Engineer Mosquitoes That Can’t Transmit MalariaC. Murez, US News, 2022.
The fight against malaria could hinge on genetically engineered mosquitoes that have something called "gene drive."Researchers from the Transmission: Zero team at Imperial College London report that they have engineered mosquitoes that slow the growth in their gut of the ... |
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Mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria engineered by scientists2022.Scientists have engineered mosquitoes that slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their gut, preventing transmission of the disease to humans The genetic modification causes mosquitoes to produce compounds in their guts that stunt the growth of parasites, meaning they ... |
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Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malariaS. Varshney, Gamacher Central, 2022.
Scientists have engineered mosquitoes that slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their gut, preventing transmission of the disease to humans. The genetic modification causes mosquitoes to produce compounds in their guts that stunt the growth of parasites, meaning they ... |
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Mosquitoes with honeybee DNA could tame malariaR. Blakely, The Times, 2022.
A new form of genetically engineered mosquito could reduce the spread of malaria in Africa, a study suggests. The addition of DNA from a honeybee and genetic material from the African clawed frog prompt the new mosquitoes to produce compounds to stunt the growth of the parasite ... |
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Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Prevented the Growth of Malaria-causing Parasites in Their GutP. Mozter, Nature World News 2022, 2022.
Abstract: Scientists have created mosquitoes that inhibit the development of malaria-causing parasites in their stomachs, therefore decreasing disease transmission to people. The genetic change allows mosquitoes to create substances in their intestines that inhibit parasite ... |
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Mosquitoes are being genetically modified so they can’t spread malariaM. Le Page, New Scientist, 2022.
Gene editing mosquitoes so they die before malaria parasites can develop inside them could stop the spread of the deadly parasite entirely, |
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Genetically-modified mosquitoes could ‘help wipe out malaria’S. Knapton, The Telegraph, 2022.
Mosquitoes that cannot spread malaria have been genetically engineered by British scientists, in a breakthrough that could help eliminate the disease. ... |
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Gene drive mosquitoes can aid malaria elimination by retarding Plasmodium sporogonic developmentHoermann, Astrid, Habtewold, Tibebu, Selvaraj, Prashanth, Del Corsano, Giuseppe, Capriotti, Paolo, Inghilterra, Maria Grazia, Kebede, Temesgen M., Christophides, George K. and Windbichler, Nikolai, Science Advances, 2022.
Gene drives hold promise for the genetic control of malaria vectors. The development of vector population modification strategies hinges on the availability of effector mechanisms impeding parasite development in transgenic mosquitoes. We augmented a midgut gene of the malaria ... |
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Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malariaImperial College London, Phys Org, 2022.
Scientists have engineered mosquitoes that slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their gut, preventing transmission of the disease to humans. The genetic modification causes mosquitoes to produce compounds in their guts that stunt the growth of parasites, meaning they ... |
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Life-history traits of a fluorescent Anopheles arabiensis genetic sexing strain introgressed into South African genomic backgroundN. L. Ntoyi, T. Mashatola, J. Bouyer, C. Kraupa, H. Maiga, W. Mamai, N. S. Bimbile-Somda, T. Wallner, D. O. Carvalho, G. Munhenga and H. Yamada, Malaria Journal, 21:12. 2022.
Background South Africa has set a mandate to eliminate local malaria transmission by 2023. In pursuit of this objective a Sterile Insect Technique programme targeting the main vector Anopheles arabiensis is currently under development. Significant progress has been made towards ... |
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What do we mean by “Target Organism” in Target Malaria’s gene drive research?J. B. Connolly, Target Malaria, 2022.
In the wild and in laboratory settings, sibling mosquito species can successfully mate to produce viable offspring, regardless of whether they are vectors or not. Importantly, females, but not males, of these offspring can be fertile. Nonetheless, the likelihood of finding such ... |
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Population replacement gene drive characteristics for malaria elimination in a range of seasonal transmission settings: a modelling studyS. Leung, N. Windbichler, E. A. Wenger, C. A. Bever and P. Selvaraj, Malaria Journal, 21:226. 2022.
BACKGROUND: Gene drives are a genetic engineering method where a suite of genes is inherited at higher than Mendelian rates and has been proposed as a promising new vector control strategy to reinvigorate the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Using an ... |
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Lack of robust evidence for a Wolbachia infection in Anopheles gambiae from Burkina FasoS. P. Sawadogo, D. A. Kabore, E. B. Tibiri, A. Hughes, O. Gnankine, S. Quek, A. Diabaté, H. Ranson, G. L. Hughes and R. K. Dabiré, Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2022.
The endosymbiont Wolbachia can have major effects on the reproductive fitness, and vectorial capacity of host insects and may provide new avenues to control mosquito-borne pathogens. Anopheles gambiae s.l is the major vector of malaria in Africa but the use of Wolbachia in this ... |
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Comprehensive characterization of a transgene insertion in a highly repetitive, centromeric region of Anopheles mosquitoesM. Vitale, C. Leo, T. Courty, N. Kranjc, J. B. Connolly, G. Morselli, C. Bamikole, R. E. Haghighat-Khah, F. Bernardini and S. Fuchs, Pathogens and Global Health, 2022.
The availability of the genomic sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae has in recent years sparked the development of transgenic technologies with the potential to be used as novel vector control tools. These technologies rely on genome editing that confer traits able ... |
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Novel gene drive based on eliciting piRNA biogenesis in insect pestsC. Henderson and B. Christina, Rutgers Research, 2022.
Rutgers researchers have developed a potential permanent solution to persistent pest control issues by developing a system for genetic modification which could reduce the transmission of vector borne diseases (like malaria) from their insect vectors, or to establish expression ... |
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A population modification gene drive targeting both Saglin and Lipophorin disables Plasmodium transmission in Anopheles mosquitoesE. I. Green, E. Jaouen, D. Klug, R. P. Olmo, A. Gautier, S. A. Blandin and E. Marois, bioRxiv, 2022.07.08.499187. 2022.
Lipophorin is an essential, highly expressed lipid transporter protein that is secreted and circulates in insect hemolymph. We hijacked the Anopheles gambiae Lipophorin gene to make it co-express a single-chain version of antibody 2A10, which binds sporozoites of the malaria ... |
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Larval mosquito management and risk to aquatic ecosystems: A comparative approach including current tactics and gene-drive Anopheles techniquesR. K. D. Peterson and M. G. Rolston, Transgenic Research, 2022.
Genetic engineering of mosquitoes represents a promising tactic for reducing human suffering from malaria. Gene-drive techniques being developed that suppress or modify populations of Anopheles gambiae have the potential to be used with, or even possibly obviate, microbial and ... |
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Sexual transmission of Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) leads to disseminated infection in mated femalesK. L. Werling, R. M. Johnson, H. C. Metz and J. L. Rasgon, Parasites and Vectors, 15:219. 2022.
Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) is an insect-specific, single-stranded DNA virus that infects An. gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), the major mosquito species responsible for transmitting malaria parasites throughout sub-Saharan Africa. AgDNV is a benign virus that is very ... |
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Testing non-autonomous antimalarial gene drive effectors using self-eliminating drivers in the African mosquito vector Anopheles gambiaeD. A. Ellis, G. Avraam, A. Hoermann, C. A. S. Wyer, Y. X. Ong, G. K. Christophides and N. Windbichler, PLOS Genetics, 18:e1010244. 2022.
Author summary Gene drive is a method that allows the genetic modification of entire populations of harmful organisms. Their application to tackle invasive species, agricultural pests or insect disease vectors has been suggested. For example, they could reduce the capacity of ... |
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Modifying mosquitoes to suppress disease transmission: Is the long wait over?J. R. Powell, Genetics, 2022.
For more than 50 years it has been a dream of medical entomologists and public health workers to control diseases like malaria and dengue fever by modifying, through genetics and other methods, the arthropods that transmit them to humans. A brief synopsis of the history of ... |
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Spatial modelling for population replacement of mosquito vectors at continental scaleN. J. Beeton, A. Wilkins, A. Ickowicz, K. R. Hayes and G. R. Hosack, PLOS Computational Biology, 18:e1009526. 2022.
Malaria is one of the deadliest vector-borne diseases in the world. Researchers are developing new genetic and conventional vector control strategies to attempt to limit its burden. Novel control strategies require detailed safety assessment to ensure responsible and successful ... |
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Wolbachia 16S rRNA haplotypes detected in wild Anopheles stephensi in eastern EthiopiaE. Waymire, S. Duddu, S. Yared, D. Getachew, D. Dengela, S. R. Bordenstein, M. Balkew, S. Zohdy, S. R. Irish and T. E. Carter, Parasites and Vectors, 15:178. 2022.
About two out of three Ethiopians are at risk of malaria, a disease caused by the parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Anopheles stephensi, an invasive vector typically found in South Asia and the Middle East, was recently found to be distributed across eastern ... |
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CRISPR/Cas9 mediates efficient site-specific mutagenesis of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) in the malaria vector Anopheles sinensisY. Wang, X. F. He, L. Qiao, Z. R. Yu, B. Chen and Z. B. He, Pest Management Science, 11. 2022.
BACKGROUND Anopheles sinensis is the most widely distributed mosquito species and is the main transmitter of Plasmodium vivax malaria in China. Most previous research has focused on the mechanistic understanding of biological processes in An. sinensis and novel ways of ... |
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Genetically altered mosquitoes to close gaps in malaria fightM. Murigi, People Daily, 2022.
In 2020, nearly 6.9 million cases of malaria and about 742 deaths were confirmed in Kenya according to the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey (KMIS) 2020. Although the number of reported infections declined from 10.9 million in 2018, the disease is still one of the main health ... |
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Wolbachia endosymbionts in two Anopheles species indicates independent acquisitions and lack of prophage elementsS. Quek, L. Cerdeira, C. L. Jeffries, S. Tomlinson, T. Walker, G. L. Hughes and E. Heinz, Microbial Genomics, 8. 2022.
Wolbachia is a genus of obligate bacterial endosymbionts that infect a diverse range of arthropod species as well as filarial nematodes, with its single described species, Wolbachia pipientis, divided into several ‘supergroups’ based on multilocus sequence typing. Wolbachia ... |
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New frontiers in vector controlWHO, World Health Organization, 2022.
Ever since Sir Ronald Ross discovered malaria parasites in an Anopheles mosquito in 1897, controlling insect vectors has played an increasingly important role in reducing the burden of the disease. For decades after World War II, indoor residual spraying (IRS) with insecticides ... |
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Cas9-mediated maternal-effect and derived resistance alleles in a gene-drive strain of the African malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiaeR. Carballar-Lejarazú, T. Tushar, T. B. Pham and A. A. James, Genetics, 2022.
CRISPR/Cas9 technologies are important tools for the development of gene-drive systems to modify mosquito vector populations to control the transmission of pathogens that cause diseases such as malaria. However, one of the challenges for current Cas9-based drive systems is their ... |
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Expanding the flexibility of genome editing approaches for population control of the malaria mosquitoN. Kranjc, Imperial College London-PhD, 2022.
Discovery and adaptation of CRISPR-Cas systems for genome editing have allowed us to gain an efficient and yet simple tool for genetic manipulation in various fields of molecular biology and biotechnology. One of the most promising applications is the use of CRISPR-Cas9 ... |
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Mathematical modelling to assess the feasibility of Wolbachia in malaria vector biocontrolS. Andreychuk and L. Yakob, Journal of Theoretical Biology, 542. 2022.
Releasing mosquitoes transinfected with the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia is a novel strategy for interrupting vector-borne pathogen transmission. Following its success in controlling arboviruses spread by Aedes aegypti, this technology is being adapted for anopheline malaria ... |
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Finding the strongest gene drive: Simulations reveal unexpected performance differences between Anopheles homing suppression drive candidatesS. E. Champer, I. K. Kim, A. G. Clark, P. W. Messer and J. Champer, bioRxiv, 2022.03.28.486009. 2022.
Recent experiments have produced several Anopheles gambiae homing gene drives that disrupt female fertility genes, thereby eventually inducing population collapse. Such drives may be highly effective tools to combat malaria. One such homing drive, based on the zpg promoter ... |
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Spatial modelling for population replacement of mosquito vectors at continental scaleN. J. Beeton, A. Wilkins, A. Ickowicz, K. R. Hayes and G. R. Hosack, bioRxiv, 2021.10.06.463299. 2022.
Malaria is one of the deadliest vector-borne diseases in the world. Researchers are developing new genetic and conventional vector control strategies to attempt to limit its burden. Novel control strategies require detailed safety assessment to ensure responsible and successful ... |
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A UC malaria initiative program receives grant for work researching genetically engineered mosquitoesS. Slater, The California Aggie, 2022.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease, was discovered in 1880, and has remained widespread in tropical regions around the equator including parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, resulting in thousands of deaths and a significant blow to economic development in these ... |
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Evaluation of anti-malaria potency of wild and genetically modified Enterobacter cloacae expressing effector proteins in Anopheles stephensiH. Dehghan, S. H. Mosa-Kazemi, B. Yakhchali, N. Maleki-Ravasan, H. Vatandoost and M. A. Oshaghi, Parasites and Vectors, 15:63. 2022.
Malaria is one of the most lethal infectious diseases in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Paratransgenesis using symbiotic bacteria offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly strategy to combat this disease. In the study reported here, we evaluated the ... |
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Gene drive mosquitoes can aid malaria elimination by retarding Plasmodium sporogonic developmentA. Hoermann, T. Habtewold, P. Selvaraj, G. Del Corsano, P. Capriotti, M. G. Inghilterra, K. M. Temesgen, G. K. Christophides and N. Windbichler, bioRxiv, 2022.02.15.480588. 2022.
Gene drives hold promise for the genetic control of malaria vectors. The development of vector population modification strategies hinges on the availability of effector mechanisms impeding parasite development in transgenic mosquitoes. We augmented a midgut gene of the malaria ... |
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An Ethical Overview of the CRISPR-Based Elimination of Anopheles gambiae to Combat MalariaI. J. Wise and P. Borry, Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 2022.
Approximately a quarter of a billion people around the world suffer from malaria each year. Most cases are located in sub-Saharan Africa where Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes are the principal vectors of this public health problem. With the use of CRISPR-based gene drives, the ... |
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C-type lectin 4 regulates broad-spectrum melanization-based refractoriness to malaria parasitesM. 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 ... |
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Gene-drive mosquitoes, a prospect for future malaria controlS. 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 ... |
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Scientists find transmission chain-breaker, give new hope for fight against malariaANI, ANI, 2022.
A recent study, published online in 'PLoS Biology', has revealed that blocking a key protein found in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes -- the principal vector for malaria transmission to humans in Africa could thwart infection with malaria parasites and thus prevent them from ... |
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Beyond the eye: Kynurenine pathway impairment causes midgut homeostasis dysfunction and survival and reproductive costs in blood-feeding mosquitoesV. Bottino-Rojas, I. Ferreira, R. D. Nunes, X. Feng, T. B. Pham, A. Kelsey, R. Carballar-Lejarazú, V. Gantz, P. L. Oliveira and A. A. James, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 103720. 2022.
Insect ommochrome biosynthesis pathways metabolize tryptophan to generate eye-color pigments and naturally occurring alleles of pathway genes are useful phenotypic markers in transgenesis studies. Pleiotropic effects of mutations in some genes exert a load on both survival and ... |
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Driving the Self-Destruction of Malaria-Transmitting MosquitosH. Aliouche, News Medical Life Sciences, 2021.
Self-destruction of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes can be driven by gene drives deployed to manipulate natural populations. In particular, they can be used to reduce the number of individuals in a population or to modify their composition; this is particularly useful when such ... |
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Three Decades of Malaria Vector Control in Sudan: The Plausible Role of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)A. Elaagip and A. Adedapo, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021.
In Northern State, Sudan, a feasibility study for sterile insect technique (SIT) in an area-wide integrated pest management was established for the first time in an African country. The aim of the study was to see whether it is feasible, from a technical, an economical and a ... |
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Modeling impact and cost-effectiveness of driving-Y gene drives for malaria elimination in the Democratic Republic of the CongoN. Metchanun, C. Borgemeister, G. Amzati, J. von Braun, M. Nikolov, P. Selvaraj and J. Gerardin, Evolutionary Applications, 2021.
Malaria elimination will be challenging in countries that currently continue to bear high malaria burden. Sex-ratio distorting gene drives, such as driving-Y, could play a role in an integrated elimination strategy if they can effectively suppress vector populations. Using a ... |
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Wolbachia cifB induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in the malaria mosquito vectorK. L. Adams, D. G. Abernathy, B. C. Willett, E. K. Selland, M. A. Itoe and F. Catteruccia, Nature Microbiology, 6:1575-1582. 2021.
Wolbachia, a maternally inherited intracellular bacterial species, can manipulate host insect reproduction by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in embryo lethality in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. CI is encoded by two prophage genes, cifA ... |
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High-resolution in situ analysis of Cas9 germline transcript distributions in gene-drive Anopheles mosquitoesG. Terradas, A. Hermann, A. A. James, W. McGinnis and E. Bier, G3-Genes Genomes Genetics, 2021.
Gene drives are programmable genetic elements that can spread beneficial traits into wild populations to aid in vector-borne pathogen control. Two different drives have been developed for population modification of mosquito vectors. The Reckh drive (vasa-Cas9) in Anopheles ... |
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Two years of laboratory studies on the non gene drive genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes concluded successfully in MaliM. Coulibaly, Target Malaria, 2021.
The Target Malaria Mali team at the Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) based at the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB) is proud to have been the first Malian research team to work on non gene drive genetically modified sterile male ... |
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Population replacement gene drive characteristics for malaria elimination in a range of seasonal transmission settings: a modeling studyS. Leung, N. Windbichler, E. Wenger, C. Bever and P. Selvaraj, bioRxiv, 2021.11.01.466856. 2021.
Genetically engineering mosquitoes is a promising new vector control strategy to reinvigorate the fight against malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using an agent-based model of malaria transmission with vector genetics, we examine the impacts of releasing population-replacement gene ... |
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Prevalence and molecular characterization of Wolbachia in field-collected Aedes albopictus, Anopheles sinensis, Armigeres subalbatus, Culex pipiens and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in ChinaY. Yang, Y. He, G. Zhu, J. Zhang, Z. Gong, S. Huang, G. Lu, Y. Peng, Y. Meng, X. Hao, C. Wang, J. Sun and S. Shang, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15:e0009911. 2021.
Wolbachia are maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that can naturally and artificially infect arthropods and nematodes. Recently, they were applied to control the spread of mosquito-borne pathogens by causing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) between germ cells of females ... |
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Spatial modelling for population replacement of mosquito vectors at continental scaleN. J. Beeton, A. Wilkins, A. Ickowicz, K. R. Hayes and G. R. Hosack, bioRxiv, 2021.10.06.463299. 2021.
We explore transmission of the gene drive between the subspecies, different hybridisation mechanisms, the effects of both local dispersal and potential wind-aided migration to the spread, and the development of resistance to the gene drive. We find that given best current ... |
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Resistance to a CRISPR-based gene drive at an evolutionarily conserved site is revealed by mimicking genotype fixationS. Fuchs, W. T. Garrood, A. Beber, A. Hammond, R. Galizi, M. Gribble, G. Morselli, T.-Y. J. Hui, K. Willis, N. Kranjc, A. Burt, A. Crisanti and T. Nolan, PLOS Genetics, 17. 2021.
Author summary Gene drives have the potential to be applied as a novel control strategy of disease-transmitting mosquitoes, by spreading genetic traits that suppress or modify the target population. Many gene drive elements work by recognising and cutting a specific target ... |
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Predicting the spread and persistence of genetically modified dominant sterile male mosquitoesA. Ickowicz, S. D. Foster, G. R. Hosack and K. R. Hayes, Parasites and Vectors, 14:480. 2021.
Reproductive containment provides an opportunity to implement a staged-release strategy for genetic control of malaria vectors, in particular allowing predictions about the spread and persistence of (self-limiting) sterile and male-biased strains to be compared to outcomes before ... |
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Mosquito transgenesis for malaria controlS. Dong, Y. Dong, M. L. Simões and G. Dimopoulos, Trends in Parasitology, 2021.
Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases. Because of the ineffectiveness of current malaria-control methods, several novel mosquito vector-based control strategies have been proposed to supplement existing control strategies. Mosquito transgenesis and gene drive have emerged as ... |
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Genetically changed mosquitoes could transform Africa’s long fight against malariaL. Singh, ForumIAS, 2021.
In nature, there’s a phenomenon called gene drive which operates in the process of reproduction. This is when a genetic element is able to increase the chance that it will be inherited by offspring. The general underlying principle of all gene drives is an organism that will ... |
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The Complex Lives of Mosquitoes: The Key for Malaria ControlF. Okumu, ISGlobal, 2021.
Mosquitoes spread diseases to millions of people around the world, yet they remain poorly understood by most. Studying their biology and behaviours can help us combat, and eventually eliminate, dangerous diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.There are nearly 3,500 species of ... |
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Breakthrough in non-GMO malaria controlC. Robinson and J. Matthews, GM Watch, 2021.
A just-published study carried out in a high-security lab claims to show that a CRISPR gene drive (a way of forcing a heritable genetic modification through a whole species or population) can crash populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes. But why crash mosquito populations ... |
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Genetic engineering may rid world of malaria-transmitting mosquitoesY. Steinbuch, New York Post, 2021.
Scientists have eradicated a population of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes by using genetic engineering to make the females infertile — in what the lead researcher called a possible “game-changer in bringing about malaria elimination.” A team of researchers — led by ... |
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Gene-Drive Technology Could Decimate Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes–Scientists Use CRISPR to Modify the Insects’ GenesJ. Henry, Tech Times, 2021.
Gene-drive technology can now suppress the growing numbers of mosquitoes that carry malaria. A group of researchers discovered that this gene-editing technique can eradicate the vectors that could rapidly populate in a particular environment. A mosquito (Anopheles albimanus) is ... |
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Malaria-carrying mosquitoes could be bred out of existence using ‘gene drive’ technologyA. Wilkins, METRO, 2021.
Malaria-carrying mosquitoes have been eliminated using ‘gene drive’ technology in a nature-like environment, in a world-first study. By altering a gene that blocks female mosquito reproduction, and allowing that gene to spread, researchers found they could ensure complete ... |
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Scientists reveal controversial genetically modified mosquitoes in high-security labThe Frontier Post, The Frontier Post, 2021.
Many years of additional research will be needed to prove the approach works and the mosquitoes would be safe to release into the wild. The project would also require regulatory approval and agreement by local residents in areas where those mosquitoes live, mostly in sub-Saharan ... |
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Genetic engineering test with mosquitoes ‘may be game changer’ in eliminating malariaL. Geddes, The Guardian, 2021.
Scientists have successfully wiped out a population of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes by using a radical form of genetic engineering to render the females infertile – in the most advanced and largest ever test of use of the technology to fight the disease. As well as bringing ... |
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How An Altered Strand Of DNA Can Cause Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes To Self-DestructR. Stein, NPR, 2021.
For the first time, scientists have shown that a new kind of genetic engineering can crash populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes. In the landmark study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature Communications, researchers placed the genetically modified mosquitoes in a ... |
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A lab experiment shows that we could engineer malaria-carrying mosquitoes to kill themselves offA. Micu, ZME Science, 2021.
A new paper showcases how genetic engineering can be used to cause populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes to self-destroy. An international research effort has shown, in the context of a lab experiment, that male mosquitoes engineered to carry a certain strand of DNA can ... |
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Malarial mosquitoes suppressed in experiments that mimic natural environmentsH. Dunning, Phys Org, 2021.
Researchers have shown "gene drive" technology, which spreads a genetic modification blocking female reproduction, works in natural-like settings. The team, led by researchers from Imperial College London, Polo GGB and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine were able to suppress ... |
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Horizontal Transmission of the Symbiont Microsporidia MB in Anopheles arabiensisG. Nattoh, T. Maina, E. E. Makhulu, L. Mbaisi, E. Mararo, F. G. Otieno, T. Bukhari, T. O. Onchuru, E. Teal, J. Paredes, J. L. Bargul, D. M. Mburu, E. A. Onyango, G. Magoma, S. P. Sinkins and J. K. Herren, Frontiers in Microbiology, 12. 2021.
The recently discovered Anopheles symbiont, Microsporidia MB, has a strong malaria transmission-blocking phenotype in Anopheles arabiensis, the predominant Anopheles gambiae species complex member in many active transmission areas in eastern Africa. The ability of Microsporidia ... |
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Gene-drive suppression of mosquito populations in large cages as a bridge between lab and fieldA. Hammond, P. Pollegioni, T. Persampieri, A. North, R. Minuz, A. Trusso, A. Bucci, K. Kyrou, I. Morianou, A. Simoni, T. Nolan, R. Müller and A. Crisanti, Nature Communications, 12:4589. 2021.
CRISPR-based gene-drives targeting the gene doublesex in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae effectively suppressed the reproductive capability of mosquito populations reared in small laboratory cages. To bridge the gap between laboratory and the field, this gene-drive ... |
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Resistance to a CRISPR-based gene drive at an evolutionarily conserved site is revealed by mimicking genotype fixationS. Fuchs, W. Garrood, A. Beber, A. Hammond, R. Galizi, M. Gribble, G. Morselli, T.-Y. Hui, K. Willis, N. Kranjc, A. Burt, T. Nolan and A. Crisanti, bioRxiv, 2021.
CRISPR-based homing gene drives can be designed to disrupt essential genes whilst biasing their own inheritance, leading to suppression of mosquito populations in the laboratory. This class of gene drives relies on CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage of a target sequence and copying ... |
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Part of ‘master plan’: Researchers receive grant to fund research on malariaL. Huang, The Daily Californian, 2021.
Early this month, The Marshall Lab at UC Berkeley received an $800,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fund its research on genetics-based malaria mosquito control. The Marshall Lab is one of many teams playing a part in the Gates Foundation’s decades-long ... |
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Africa Turning to Gene Drive Technology for Malaria EliminationM. Hearty, Science Africa, 2021.
With Africa accounting for nine out of ten malaria cases globally, the continent is turning to gene drive technology to control the disease. This is according to a decision made by African leaders at the 29th Summit of Heads of States and Governments of the African Union held in ... |
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A new tool in the global fight against malariaS. Laux, Brighter World, 2021.
McMaster researchers with the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI) have played a key role in developing updated international guidelines that will inform research and development on genetically modified mosquitoes – an initiative that could significantly affect ... |
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Marshall Lab receives Gates grant for genetics-based malaria mosquito controlBerkeley Public Health, Berkeley Public Health, 2021.
Berkeley Public Health Associate Professor John Marshall, PhD, and Assistant Project Scientist Héctor Sánchez, PhD, have received an $800,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support their lab’s work in genetics-based malaria mosquito control. Malaria, the ... |
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Fighting disease: How are genetically engineered mosquitoes regulated?A. Julie, Global News, 2021.
Mosquitoes have long been associated with the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue fever and the Zika virus. But scientists around the world have been exploring the possibility that mosquitoes could also be key to slowing the spread of disease. By genetically altering the DNA ... |
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Scientists develop new technology that gives greater control for managing malaria mosquitoesKeele University, Phy Org, 2021.
Researchers including a Keele University scientist have engineered an innovative approach to disable highly powerful genetic devices that control harmful insect populations. Dr. Roberto Galizi from Keele's School of Life Sciences was part of a research team that previously ... |
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A genetically encoded anti-CRISPR protein constrains gene drive spread and prevents population suppressionC. Taxiarchi, A. Beaghton, N. I. Don, K. Kyrou, M. Gribble, D. Shittu, S. P. Collins, C. L. Beisel, R. Galizi and A. Crisanti, Nature Communications, 12:3977. 2021.
CRISPR-based gene drives offer promising means to reduce the burden of pests and vector-borne diseases. These techniques consist of releasing genetically modified organisms carrying CRISPR-Cas nucleases designed to bias their inheritance and rapidly propagate desired ... |
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Using gene drives to control malariaA. Fell, Daily News, 2021.
A group of UC scientists led by Greg Lanzaro, professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, recently completed an analysis of a strategy aimed at eliminating malaria from Africa using genetically engineered mosquitoes. ... |
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Population modification strategies for malaria vector control are uniquely resilient to observed levels of gene drive resistance allelesG. C. Lanzaro, H. M. Sánchez C, T. C. Collier, J. M. Marshall and A. A. James, BioEssays, 2021.
Cas9/guide RNA (gRNA)-based gene drive systems are expected to play a transformative role in malaria elimination efforts., whether through population modification, in which the drive system contains parasite-refractory genes, or population suppression, in which the drive system ... |
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CRISPR-mediated knock-in of transgenes into the malaria vector Anopheles funestusC. Quinn, A. Anthousi, C. Wondji and T. Nolan, G3 Genes Genomes Genetics, 11. 2021.
The ability to introduce mutations, or transgenes, of choice to precise genomic locations has revolutionized our ability to understand how genes and organisms work. In many mosquito species that are vectors of various human diseases, the advent of CRISPR genome editing tools has ... |
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Stable high-density and maternally inherited Wolbachia infections in Anopheles moucheti and Anopheles demeilloni mosquitoesT. Walker, S. Quek, C. L. Jeffries, J. Bandibabone, V. Dhokiya, R. Bamou, M. Kristan, L. A. Messenger, A. Gidley, E. A. Hornett, E. R. Anderson, C. Cansado-Utrilla, S. Hegde, C. Bantuzeko, J. C. Stevenson, N. F. Lobo, S. C. Wagstaff, C. A. Nkondjio, S. R., Current Biology, 31:2310. 2021.
Wolbachia, a widespread bacterium that can reduce pathogen transmission in mosquitoes, has recently been reported to be present in Anopheles (An.) species. In wild populations of the An. gambiae complex, the primary vectors of Plasmodium malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa, Wolbachia ... |
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Vector control: Discovery of Wolbachia in malaria vectorsP. A. Ross and A. A. Hoffmann, Current Biology, 31:R738-R740. 2021.
Wolbachia bacteria are being widely released for suppression of dengue transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Walker, Quek, Jeffries and colleagues present robust evidence for natural Wolbachia infections in malaria-vectoring Anopheles mosquitoes, paving the way for new ... |
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What is wrong in extinguishing a species? Charting the Ethical Challenges of using Gene-Drive Technologies to eradicate A. gambiae vector populationsM. Annoni and T. Pievani, Biolaw Journal-Rivista Di Biodiritto, 2021.
This article analyses three ethical arguments against the use of gene-drive technologies to control for, and possibly extinguish, a particular species of vector mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae) causing the malaria infection. We conclude that none of these arguments is truly ... |
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Improving mosquito control strategies with population genomicsT. L. Schmidt, N. M. Endersby-Harshman and A. A. Hoffmann, Trends in Parasitology, 37:907-921. 2021.
Mosquito control strategies increasingly apply knowledge from population genomics research. This review highlights recent applications to three research domains: mosquito invasions, insecticide resistance evolution, and rear and release programs. Current research trends follow ... |
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The origin of island populations of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles coluzziiM. Campos, M. Hanemaaijer, H. Gripkey, T. C. Collier, Y. S. Lee, A. J. Cornel, J. Pinto, D. Ayala, H. Rompao and G. C. Lanzaro, Communications Biology, 4:9. 2021.
Anopheles coluzzii is a major malaria vector throughout its distribution in west-central Africa. Here we present a whole-genome study of 142 specimens from nine countries in continental Africa and three islands in the Gulf of Guinea. This sample set covers a large part of this ... |
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Small-Cage Laboratory Trials of Genetically-Engineered Anopheline MosquitoesR. Carballar-Lejarazú, T. B. Pham, V. Bottino-Rojas, A. Adolfi and A. A. James, J Vis Exp, 2021.
Control of mosquito-borne pathogens using genetically-modified vectors has been proposed as a promising tool to complement conventional control strategies. CRISPR-based homing gene drive systems have made transgenic technologies more accessible within the scientific community. ... |
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A natural symbiotic bacterium drives mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium infection via secretion of an antimalarial lipaseH. Gao, L. Bai, Y. M. Jiang, W. Huang, L. L. Wang, S. G. Li, G. D. Zhu, D. Q. Wang, Z. H. Huang, X. S. Li, J. Cao, L. B. Jiang, M. Jacobs-Lorena, S. Zhan and S. B. Wang, Nature Microbiology, 25. 2021.
The stalling global progress in the fight against malaria prompts the urgent need to develop new intervention strategies. Whilst engineered symbiotic bacteria have been shown to confer mosquito resistance to parasite infection, a major challenge for field implementation is to ... |
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Selection of Sites for Field Trials of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes with Gene DriveG. C. Lanzaro, M. Campos, M. Crepeau, A. Cornel, A. Estrada, H. Gripkey, Z. Haddad, A. Kormos, S. Palomares and W. Sharpee, bioRxiv, 2021.04.28.441877. 2021.
Novel malaria control strategies using genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) are on the horizon. Population modification is one approach wherein mosquitoes are engineered with genes rendering them refractory to the malaria parasite coupled with a low-threshold, Cas9-based gene ... |
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“Maskandi experience”: exploring the use of a cultural song for community engagement in preparation for a pilot Sterile Insect Technique release programme for malaria vector control in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa 2019P. N. Manana, S. Jewett, J. Zikhali, D. Dlamini, N. Mabaso, Z. Mlambo, R. Ngobese and G. Munhenga, Malaria Journal, 20:11. 2021.
Background An assessment of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a complementary malaria vector control tool, is at an advanced stage in South Africa. The technique involves the release of laboratory-reared sterilized male mosquitoes of the major malaria vector Anopheles ... |
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Estimates of the population size and dispersal range of Anopheles arabiensis in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: implications for a planned pilot programme to release sterile male mosquitoesM. L. Kaiser, O. R. Wood, D. Damiens, B. D. Brooke, L. L. Koekemoer and G. Munhenga, Parasites and Vectors, 14:18. 2021.
The Anopheles gambiae complex and An. funestus group species made up the majority of wild collections along with other anophelines. The An. arabiensis population size was estimated to be between 550 and 9500 males per hectare depending on time of year, weather conditions and ... |
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Breeding Malaria Out: Scientists Engineer Mosquitos to Spread Antimalaria GenesL. Papadopoulos, INTERSTING ENGINEERING, 2021.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), malaria is a "serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans." There are four types of malaria parasites: Plasmodium falciparum, P. ... |
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Curbing Malaria’s Spread by Genetic EngineeringAnonymous, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, 2021.
There is an urgent need to find new ways to combat the growing mosquito resistance to pesticides and malaria parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs. Gene drives are being tested as a new approach. In a new study, researchers from the Imperial College London reported that their ... |
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New genetic modification could cut malaria spreadStaff Writers, MALAYSIA NOW, 2021.
Altering a mosquito’s gut genes to make them spread antimalarial genes to the next generation of their species shows promise as an approach to curb malaria, suggests a preliminary study published in eLife on Tuesday. The study is the latest in a series of steps being taken ... |
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Researchers Using Mutant Mosquitoes To End Malaria, Which Kills 4 Lakh Per YearM. Mohanti, India Times, 2021.
Every year, more than 22 crore people get infected with malaria and more than 4 lakh die because of it. In fact, in 2019, nearly half of the world's population was at risk of malaria. According to WHO, infants or children aged under 5 years are the most vulnerable group, ... |
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Converting endogenous genes of the malaria mosquito into simple non-autonomous gene drives for population replacementA. Hoermann, S. Tapanelli, P. Capriotti, G. Del Corsano, E. K. G. Masters, T. Habtewold, G. K. Christophides and N. Windbichler, eLife, 10. 2021.
Gene drives for mosquito population replacement are promising tools for malaria control. However, there is currently no clear pathway for safely testing such tools in endemic countries. The lack of well-characterized promoters for infection-relevant tissues and regulatory hurdles ... |
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Evidence for natural hybridization and novel Wolbachia strain superinfections in the Anopheles gambiae complex from GuineaC. L. Jeffries, C. Cansado-Utrilla, A. H. Beavogui, C. Stica, E. K. Lama, M. Kristan, S. R. Irish and T. Walker, Royal Society Open Science, 8:18. 2021.
Wolbachia, a widespread bacterium which can influence mosquito-borne pathogen transmission, has recently been detected within Anopheles (An.) species that are malaria vectors in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although studies have reported Wolbachia strains in the An. gambiae complex, ... |
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CRISPR-mediated knock-in of transgenes into the malaria vector Anopheles funestusC. Quinn, A. Anthousi, C. Wondji and T. Nolan, bioRxiv, 2021.03.31.437891. 2021.
We describe herein an optimised transformation system based on the germline delivery of CRISPR components that allows efficient cleavage of a previously validated genomic site and preferential repair of these cut sites via homology-directed repair (HDR), which allows introduction ... |
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Systematic identification of plausible pathways to potential harm via problem formulation for investigational releases of a population suppression gene drive to control the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in West AfricaJ. B. Connolly, J. D. Mumford, S. Fuchs, G. Turner, C. Beech, A. R. North and A. Burt, Malaria Journal, 20:170. 2021.
Population suppression gene drive has been proposed as a strategy for malaria vector control. A CRISPR-Cas9-based transgene homing at the doublesex locus (dsxFCRISPRh) has recently been shown to increase rapidly in frequency in, and suppress, caged laboratory populations of the ... |
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Double drives and private alleles for localised population genetic controlK. Willis and A. Burt, PLOS Genetics, 17. 2021.
ynthetic gene drive systems that are able to spread though populations because they are inherited at a greater-than-Mendelian rate have the potential to form the basis for new, highly efficient pest control measures. The most efficient such strategies use natural gene flow to ... |
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Detailed genome map of malaria vectorThe Hindu, Aspirant World, 2021.
In order to engineer advanced forms of defence against malaria transmission, including targeted CRISPR and gene drive–based strategies, scientists require intricate knowledge of the genomes of vector mosquitoes. CRISPR technology is a gene-editing tool which allows ... |
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Researchers Unveil Detailed Genome of Invasive Malaria MosquitoM. Aguilera, UC San Diego News Center, 2021.
Mosquito-transmitted malaria remains the number one worldwide killer among vector-borne diseases, claiming more than 400,000 human lives in 2019. In order to engineer advanced forms of defense against malaria transmission, including targeted CRISPR and gene drive-based ... |
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Hidden genomic features of an invasive malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi, revealed by a chromosome-level genome assemblyM. Chakraborty, A. Ramaiah, A. Adolfi, P. Halas, B. Kaduskar, L. T. Ngo, S. Jayaprasad, K. Paul, S. Whadgar, S. Srinivasan, S. Subramani, E. Bier, A. A. James and J. J. Emerson, BMC Biology, 19:28. 2021.
The mosquito Anopheles stephensi is a vector of urban malaria in Asia that recently invaded Africa. Studying the genetic basis of vectorial capacity and engineering genetic interventions are both impeded by limitations of a vector’s genome assembly. The existing assemblies of ... |
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Experts oppose plan to breed mosquitoesT. Abet, Daily Monitor, 2021.
Environmentalists have opposed the plan to breed and release genetically modified mosquitoes in the country to curb malaria prevalence. They say the act presents substantial human and environmental health risks. Their objection follows last week’s announcement by scientists ... |
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Genetically modified mosquitoes to curb malariaT. Abet, Daily Monitor, 2021.
Scientists at Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) have started breeding mosquitoes with the aim of modifying their genetic materials and releasing them to the environment to curb malaria transmission. The genetically modified mosquitoes, according to the scientists, do not ... |
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New genetically modified mosquitoes to help fight malariaD. Zirimala, Capital Radio FM, 2021.
According to Dr. Jonathan Kayondo, the principal investigator of the Target Malaria project, the genetically modified mosquitoes do not transmit malaria parasites when they bite. These are made infertile so that when they cross breed with the female anopheles mosquito, they are ... |
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Drivers of mosquito matingN. C. Manoukis, Science, 371:340. 2021.
Gene drive systems are based on the release of organisms whose genomes have been modified or engineered to spread a desired allele or trait (such as resistance to the parasites that cause malaria) through a population. Success will depend on the release of genetically modified ... |
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Clock genes and environmental cues coordinate Anopheles pheromone synthesis, swarming, and matingG. Wang, J. Vega-Rodríguez, A. Diabate, J. Liu, C. Cui, C. Nignan, L. Dong, F. Li, C. O. Ouedrago, A. M. Bandaogo, P. S. Sawadogo, H. Maiga, T. L. Alves e Silva, T. V. Pascini, S. Wang and M. Jacobs-Lorena, Science, 371:411. 2021.
Knockdown of per and tim expression affects Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles stephensi male mating in the laboratory, and it reduces male An. coluzzii swarming and mating under semifield conditions. Light and temperature affect mosquito mating, possibly by modulating per ... |
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Double drives and private alleles for localised population genetic controlK. Willis and A. Burt, bioRxiv, 2021.01.08.425856. 2021.
In this paper we propose and model a series of low threshold double drive designs for population suppression, each consisting of two constructs, one imposing a reproductive load on the population and the other inserted into a differentiated locus and controlling the drive of the ... |
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Mosquito population modification: the drive to malaria eradicationA. A. James, BugBitten BMC, 2020.
We have had considerable success in the past demonstrating that we can use modern molecular biological and insect transgenesis tools to make genes that prevent mosquitoes from passing on parasites (see 1 and 2). We have focused most recently on laboratory experiments to find ways ... |
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Assessment of a Novel Adult Mass-Rearing Cage for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Anopheles arabiensis (Patton).H. Maïga, W. Mamai, N. S. Bimbilé Somda, T. Wallner, B. S. Poda, G. Salvador-Herranz, R. Argiles-Herrero, H. Yamada and J. Bouyer, Insects, 11:801. 2020.
Successful implementation of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against Aedes albopictus and Anopheles arabiensis relies on a continuous supply of sterile males. To meet this requirement, optimization of the mass-rearing techniques is needed. This study, therefore, aims to assess ... |
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Vector-Focused Approaches to Curb Malaria Transmission in the Brazilian Amazon: An Overview of Current and Future Challenges and StrategiesE. M. Rocha, R. D. Katak, J. C. de Oliveira, M. D. Araujo, B. C. Carlos, R. Galizi, F. Tripet, O. Marinotti and J. A. Souza, Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 5. 2020.
Here we present an overview on both conventional and novel promising vector-focused tools to curb malaria transmission in the Brazilian Amazon. If well designed and employed, vector-based approaches may improve the implementation of malaria-control programs, particularly in ... |
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Assessing the acoustic behaviour of Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) dsxF mutants: implications for vector controlM. P. Su, M. Georgiades, J. Bagi, K. Kyrou, A. Crisanti and J. T. Albert, Parasites and Vectors, 13:507. 2020.
We analysed sound emissions and acoustic preference in a doublesex mutant previously used to collapse Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) cages. |
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Next-generation gene drive for population modification of the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiaeR. Carballar-Lejarazú, C. Ogaugwu, T. Tushar, A. Kelsey, T. B. Pham, J. Murphy, H. Schmidt, Y. Lee, G. C. Lanzaro and A. A. James, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 202010214. 2020.
We show here that the Cas9/guide RNA-based gene-drive components of a genetically-engineered malaria mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae, achieve key target product profile requirements for efficacy and performance. |
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Efficient population modification gene-drive rescue system in the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensiA. 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.
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 ... |
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Detecting the population dynamics of an autosomal sex ratio distorter transgene in malaria vector mosquitoesP. Pollegioni, A. R. North, T. Persampieri, A. Bucci, R. L. Minuz, D. A. Groneberg, T. Nolan, P. A. Papathanos, A. Crisanti and R. Muller, Journal of Applied Ecology, 11. 2020.
A sex-distorting autosomal transgene has been developed recently in G3 mosquitoes, a laboratory strain of the malaria vectorAnopheles gambiaes.l. Following the World Health Organization guidance framework for the testing of GM mosquitoes, we assessed the dynamics of this ... |
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The need for new vector control approaches targeting outdoor biting anopheline malaria vector communitiesS. Sougoufara, E. C. Ottih and F. Tripet, Parasites & Vectors, 13:15. 2020.
Since the implementation of Roll Back Malaria, the widespread use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) is thought to have played a major part in the decrease in mortality and morbidity achieved in malaria-endemic regions. In the past decade, ... |
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Mosquitoes engineered to resist the malaria parasiteAnonymous, Lab+Life Scientist, 2020.
Anopheles mosquitoes that have been genetically engineered with multiple antimalaria molecules, acting at different stages of the malaria life cycle, are strongly resistant to the parasite that causes malaria and are unlikely to lose that resistance quickly. |
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New study highlights success of gene drive technology with preventing mosquito-spread diseasesA. Meckler-Pacheco, The California Aggie, 2020.
For the past 30 years, researchers have studied the usage of gene drive technology to stop the spread of malaria. The idea is to create genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEM) that are either resistant to carrying the malaria parasite or that fail to reproduce, which would result ... |
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Hope rises as scientists eliminate malaria mosquitoesA. Adeyemi, New Telegraph, 2020.
A team of researchers led by Imperial College London have spread a genetic modification that distorted the sex ratio through a population of caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using ‘gene drive’ technology. According to the results of their study published yesterday in ... |
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Malaria mosquitoes eliminated in lab by creating all-male offspringsAishwarya, Inshorts, 2020.
Imperial College London-led team used 'gene drive' technology to spread genetic modification that distorted sex ratio through caged breed of malaria mosquitoes. This caused mosquitoes to produce more male offspring, eventually leading to no female birth. The study suggested such ... |
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Researchers use “gene drive” technology to eliminate malaria mosquitoes in lab experimentsJ. Ives, News Medical Life Sciences, 2020.
A team led by Imperial College London spread a genetic modification that distorts the sex ratio through a population of caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using 'gene drive' technology. |
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Genetically-manipulated male mosquitoes could eliminate femalesB. Coxworth, New Atlas, 2020.
Several years ago, we heard how scientists were looking at eradicating malaria-carrying mosquitoes by making the females infertile. Now they're going a step further, by eliminating the females altogether. |
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Researchers discover way to eliminate malaria carrying mosquitoesS. Digon, International Business Times, 2020.
Researchers from the Imperial College London have come up with a genetic modification that will pave the way for the elimination of malaria mosquitoes. Scientists say that the alteration distorts the sex ratio of caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using what they call a ‘gene ... |
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Malaria mosquitoes eliminated in lab by creating all male populationsH. Dunning, Imperial College London, 2020.
A team led by Imperial College London spread a genetic modification that distorts the sex ratio through a population of caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using ‘gene drive’ technology. |
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A male-biased sex-distorter gene drive for the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiaeA. Simoni, A. M. Hammond, A. K. Beaghton, R. Galizi, C. Taxiarchi, K. Kyrou, D. Meacci, M. Gribble, G. Morselli, A. Burt, T. Nolan and A. Crisanti, Nature Biotechnology, 2020.
We report a male-biased sex-distorter gene drive (SDGD) in the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. |
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Converting endogenous genes of the malaria mosquito into simple non-autonomous gene drives for population replacementA. Hoermann, S. Tapanelli, P. Capriotti, E. K. G. Masters, T. Habtewold, G. K. Christophides and N. Windbichler, bioRxiv, 2020.
Here we explore how minimal genetic modifications of endogenous mosquito genes can convert them directly into non-autonomous gene drives without disrupting their expression. |
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Mosquito-Borne Diseases Emergence/Resurgence and How to Effectively Control It BiologicallyH. Dahmana and O. Mediannikov, Pathogens, 9:26. 2020.
Deadly pathogens and parasites are transmitted by vectors and the mosquito is considered the most threatening vector in public health, transmitting these pathogens to humans and animals. We are currently witnessing the emergence/resurgence in new regions/populations of the most ... |
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Gene editing could fight malaria by causing only male mosquitos to be bornL. Dormehl, Digital Trends, 2020.
What’s the theoretically easiest way to ensure that a population of mosquitos is not able to sustain itself through breeding? Make sure that there aren’t enough females, of course. That’s the exploratory approach being pioneered by researchers at the U.K.’s Imperial ... |
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Abundance of conserved CRISPR-Cas9 target sites within the highly polymorphic genomes of Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoesH. Schmidt, T. C. Collier, M. J. Hanemaaijer, P. D. Houston, Y. Lee and G. C. Lanzaro, Nature Communications, 11. 2020.
ere we report the results of a survey of 1280 genomes of the mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae, An. coluzzii, and Aedes aegypti in which we determine that similar to 90% of all protein-encoding CGD target genes in natural populations include at least one target site with no DRAs at a ... |
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Transcontinental dispersal of Anopheles gambiae occurred from West African origin via serial founder eventsH. Schmidt, Y. Lee, T. C. Collier, M. J. Hanemaaijer, O. D. Kirstein, A. Ouledi, M. Muleba, D. E. Norris, M. Slatkin, A. J. Cornel and G. C. Lanzaro, Communications Biology, 2. 2019.
Here we present population genomic analyses of 111 specimens sampled from west to east Africa, including the first whole genome sequences from oceanic islands, the Comoros. |
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Development of genetic control strategies for insect pests using CRISPR/Cas9 Développement de méthodes de lutte génétique contre de l’insecte nuisible basé sur le system CRISPR/Cas9E. Green, Université de Strasbourg, 2019.
nsect pest control remains an important economic, environmental, and public health challenge. CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive (GD) is a novel genetic control strategy. GDs are genetic systems that can rapidly invade a population. This manuscript presents my efforts to develop gene drives ... |
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Community Engagement Prior to a Small-Scale Pilot of the Sterile Insect Technique in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa 2018P. N. Manana, J. Zikhali, D. Dlamini, S. Gumede, N. Mabaso, T. Mpungose and G. Munhenga, Journal of Public Health and Disease Prevention, 2. 2019.
Approximately 165 000 listeners were engaged during two 30 minute radio interviews at a local radio station. Two hundred and fifty farm workers, several outpatients from primary health care facilities and 1400 secondary school pupils were given education on malaria transmission ... |
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A synthetic male-specific sterilization system using the mammalian pro-apoptotic factor in a malaria vector mosquitoD. S. Yamamoto, M. Sumitani, K. Kasashima, H. Sezutsu, H. Matsuoka and H. Kato, Scientific Reports, 9:11. 2019.
We produced a transgenic mosquito line that expresses mouse Bax under the control of this testis-specific promoter. Transgenic mosquito males exhibited aberrant testes without functional sperm and complete sterility, whereas transgenic females maintained normal fecundity. Despite ... |
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MGDrivE: A modular simulation framework for the spread of gene drives through spatially-explicit mosquito populationsSánchez C, HMW, Sean L.; Bennett, Jared B.; Marshall, John M., Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10:1-24. 2019.
Malaria, dengue, Zika, and other mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a major global health burden through much of the world, despite the widespread distribution of insecticide-based tools and antimalarial drugs. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing and its ... |
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Sterile insect technique field trials to eliminate malaria under wayAnonymous, SA Department of Science and Innovation, 2018.
The first South African research trial for the biological control of mosquitoes using the sterile insect technique started in Jozini in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this month, with funding from the Department of Science and Technology. South Africa is making significant progress in ... |
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Global report on insecticide resistance in malaria vectors: 2010-2016.WHO, World Health Organization, 2018.
Insecticide-based vector control is a cornerstone in the fight against malaria. Selection of vector-control interventions should take into account the resistance status of local mosquito vectors along with other factors associated with intervention deployment and use such as ... |
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CRISPR/Cas9 -mediated gene knockout of Anopheles gambiae FREP1 suppresses malaria parasite infectionDong, YS, Maria L.; Marois, Eric; Dimopoulos, George, PLOS Pathogens, 14:e1006898. 2018.
The causative agent of malaria, Plasmodium, has to complete a complex infection cycle in the Anopheles gambiae mosquito vector in order to reach the salivary gland from where it can be transmitted to a human host. The parasite’s development in the mosquito relies on numerous ... |
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Current vector control challenges in the fight against malariaG. Benelli and J. C. Beier, Acta Tropica, 174:91-96. 2017.
The majority of National Malaria Control Programs in Africa still rely on indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). These methods reduce malaria incidence but generally have little impact on malaria prevalence. In addition to outdoor transmission, ... |
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Mating competitiveness of sterile genetic sexing strain males (GAMA) under laboratory and semi-field conditions: Steps towards the use of the Sterile Insect Technique to control the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in South AfricaG. Munhenga, B. D. Brooke, J. R. L. Gilles, K. Slabbert, A. Kemp, L. C. Dandalo, O. R. Wood, L. N. Lobb, D. Govender, M. Renke and L. L. Koekemoer, Parasites and Vectors, 9:122. 2016.
Anopheles arabiensis Patton is primarily responsible for malaria transmission in South Africa after successful suppression of other major vector species using indoor spraying of residual insecticides. Control of An. arabiensis using current insecticide based approaches is proving ... |
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Back to the future: the sterile insect technique against mosquito disease vectorsR. S. Lees, J. R. L. Gilles, J. Hendrichs, M. J. B. Vreysen and K. Bourtzis, Current Opinion in Insect Science, 10:156-162. 2015.
With the global burden of mosquito-borne diseases increasing, and some conventional vector control tools losing effectiveness, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is a potential new tool in the arsenal. Equipment and protocols have been developed and validated for efficient ... |
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The Impact of Pyrethroid Resistance on the Efficacy of Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets against African Anopheline Mosquitoes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.C. Strode, S. Donegan, P. Garner, A. A. Enayati and J. Hemingway, PLOS Medicine, 11:e1001619. 2014.
This meta-analysis found that ITNs are more effective than UTNs regardless of resistance. There appears to be a relationship between resistance and the RD for mosquito mortality in laboratory and field studies. However, the substantive heterogeneity in the studies' results and ... |
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Swarming and mating behavior of male Anopheles arabiensis Patton (Diptera: Culicidae) in an area of the Sterile Insect Technique Project in Dongola, northern SudanM. M. Hassan, H. M. Zain, M. A. Basheer, H. E. F. Elhaj and B. B. El-Sayed, Acta Tropica, 132:S64-S69. 2013.
The problems facing the conventional mosquito control methods including resistance to insecticides have led to the development of alternative methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to suppress populations of the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in northern Sudan. ... |
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Modelling the spatial spread of a homing endonuclease gene in a mosquito populationNorth, AB, A.; Godfray, H. C. J., Journal of Applied Ecology, 50:1216-1225. 2013.
Homing endonuclease genes (HEGs) exist naturally in many single-celled organisms and can show extremely strong genetic drive allowing them to spread through populations into which they are introduced. They are being investigated as tools to manipulate the populations of important ... |
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Evaluating the potential of the sterile insect technique for malaria control: relative fitness and mating compatibility between laboratory colonized and a wild population of Anopheles arabiensis from the Kruger National Park, South AfricaG. Munhenga, B. D. Brooke, T. F. Chirwa, R. H. Hunt, M. Coetzee, D. Govender and L. L. Koekemoer, Parasites and Vectors, 4:208. 2011.
The successful suppression of a target insect population using the sterile insect technique (SIT) partly depends on the premise that the laboratory insects used for mass rearing are genetically compatible with the target population, that the mating competitiveness of laboratory ... |
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Pyrethroid resistance in African anopheline mosquitoes: what are the implications for malaria control?H. Ranson, R. N’Guessan, J. Lines, N. Moiroux, Z. Nkuni and V. Corbel, Trends in Parasitology, 27:91-98. 2011.
The use of pyrethroid insecticides in malaria vector control has increased dramatically in the past decade through the scale up of insecticide treated net distribution programmes and indoor residual spraying campaigns. Inevitably, the major malaria vectors have developed ... |
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Requirements for effective malaria control with homing endonuclease genesDeredec, AG, H. C. J.; Burt, A., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108:e874-e880. 2011.
Malaria continues to impose a substantial burden on human health. We have previously proposed that biological approaches to control the mosquito vector of disease could be developed using homing endonuclease genes (HEGs), a class of selfish or parasitic gene that exists naturally ... |
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Ethical, legal and social aspects of the approach in SudanB. B. El Sayed, C. A. Malcolm, A. Babiker, E. M. Malik, M. A. H. El Tayeb, N. S. Saeed, A. H. D. Nugud and B. G. J. Knols, Malaria Journal, 8:S3. 2009.
The global malaria situation, especially in Africa, and the problems frequently encountered in chemical control of vectors such as insecticide resistance, emphasize the urgency of research, development and implementation of new vector control technologies that are applicable at ... |
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Field site selection: getting it right first time aroundC. A. Malcolm, B. El Sayed, A. Babiker, R. Girod, D. Fontenille, B. G. J. Knols, A. H. Nugud and M. Q. Benedict, Malaria Journal, 8. 2009.
The selection of suitable field sites for integrated control of Anopheles mosquitoes using the sterile insect technique (SIT) requires consideration of the full gamut of factors facing most proposed control strategies, but four criteria identify an ideal site: 1) a single malaria ... |
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Spatial and temporal distribution of the malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensis in northern Sudan: influence of environmental factors and implications for vector controlT. B. Ageep, J. Cox, M. M. Hassan, B. G. J. Knols, M. Q. Benedict, C. A. Malcolm, A. Babiker and B. B. El Sayed, Malaria Journal, 8:14. 2009.
Background: Malaria is an important public health problem in northern Sudan, but little is known about the dynamics of its transmission. Given the characteristic low densities of Anopheles arabiensis and the difficult terrain in this area, future vector control strategies are ... |
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Towards a sterile insect technique field release of Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes in Sudan: Irradiation, transportation, and field cage experimentationM. E. H. Helinski, M. M. Hassan, W. M. El-Motasim, C. A. Malcolm, B. G. J. Knols and B. El-Sayed, Malaria Journal, 7:10. 2008.
Background: The work described in this article forms part of a study to suppress a population of the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in Northern State, Sudan, with the Sterile Insect Technique. No data have previously been collected on the irradiation and transportation of ... |
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A synthetic maternal-effect selfish genetic element drives population replacement in DrosophilaChen, CHH, H. X.; Ward, C. M.; Su, J. T.; Schaeffer, L. V.; Guo, M.; Hay, B. A., Science, 316:597-600. 2007.
One proposed strategy for controlling the transmission of insect-borne pathogens uses a drive mechanism to ensure the rapid spread of transgenes conferring disease refractoriness throughout wild populations. Here, we report the creation of maternal-effect selfish genetic elements ... |
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First Anopheles arabiensis germline transformation: Toward the development of a transgenic genetic sexing strainH. C. Bossin, J. Thailayil, F. Catteruccia, J. P. Benton, A. Crisanti, M. Q. Benedict, B. G. Knols and A. S. Robinson, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 75:66-66. 2006.
The ability to genetically engineer mosquitoes is likely to have major implications for the development and implementation of genetic control systems against mosquito disease vectors such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). In particular, genetically transformed mosquito ... |
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The Sterile Insect Technique: can established technology beat malaria?M. E. H. Helinski, B. El-Sayed and B. G. J. Knols, Entomologische Berichten, 66:13-20. 2006.
The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is the mass production, sterilisation and subsequent release of sterile insects into a target population in an area-wide integrated approach. The released sterile males mate with wild females; they thus no longer produce offspring and therefore ... |
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Radiation-induced sterility for pupal and adult stages of the malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensisM. E. H. Helinski, A. G. Parker and B. G. J. Knols, Malaria Journal, 5:10. 2006.
The optimal dose for male insects to be released in an SIT programme depends on their level of sterility and competitiveness. The use of semi-sterilizing doses to produce more competitive insects is discussed. The most convenient developmental stage for mosquito irradiation on a ... |
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Stable transformation of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, with the Hermes element from the houseflyN. Jasinskiene, C. J. Coates, M. Q. Benedict, A. J. Cornel, C. S. Rafferty, A. A. James and F. H. Collins, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 95:3743-3747. 1998.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the world's most important vector of yellow fever and dengue viruses, Work is currently in progress to control the transmission of these viruses by genetically altering the capacity of wild Ae, aegypti populations to support virus replication. The ... |
