Keywords: Genetic biocontrol

Prairie grower groups fund research projects targeting canola diseases

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Ian MacKay,  Oyen Echo,  2026.
Three projects intended to deal with the canola disease verticillium stripe stand out among 11 research programs that a prairie growers consortium is funding this year. Leaders of the canola agronomic research program have chosen projects that they feel are “key to advancing ...

Editorial Overview – Insect Genomics (2026): enhancing public health, food security, and biodiversity through genetic biocontrol.

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Yoosook Lee, Omar S. Akbari,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  2026.
Genetic biocontrol is a form of biological control in which genetic variants or genetically modified forms of the target species act to reduce or eliminate the target species. In entomology, target species include agricultural pests and vector species that transmit pathogens to ...

Feral rabbit numbers are booming, so do myxomatosis and calicivirus still work, and what’s next for biocontrol?

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Belinda Smith,  ABC News,  2026.
If you've noticed more feral rabbits around than usual, you're right. Much of Australia is experiencing a bunny boom, driven by consecutive years of good breeding conditions. But with an estimated 200 million feral European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) currently hopping around ...

Comparison of single-cell sequencing technologies for allele-specific expression analysis in rabbit spermatids

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Elena Smertina, Madi Rutherford, Brendan Hosking, et al.,  Genomics,  2026.
Gene drives are transmission distorters that can transmit specific alleles to >90% of the progeny, e.g., the naturally occurring t-haplotype in mice. For invasive pest species, there is interest in co-opting naturally occurring gene drives. It is unknown whether similar natural ...

Biocontrol practitioners’ perspectives on emerging genetic-based technologies for weed management

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Rafter, M.A., Kumaran, N., Brookes, D.R. et al.,  BioControl,  2026.
Weed biocontrol researchers have been at the forefront of developing management solutions for invasive weeds for over 100 years and have a unique perspective to offer on the emerging field of genetic-based technologies such as gene drive and RNAi. As part of the XVI ...

The Genomic Arms Race in Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Integrating Entomopathogenic Fungi, Gene Drive, and Symbiont Technologies for Sustainable Vector Control

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Rajendran Yamini, Pagalahalli Sankaran Shanmugam, Marimuthu Murugan, et al.,  J Pure Appl Microbiol.,  20:53-65. 2026.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and lymphatic filariasis continue to impose enormous health and economic burdens worldwide. The traditional reliance on chemical insecticides has been undermined by the rapid evolution of resistance, ecological ...

Behavior modification in fruit flies through male annihilation technique: field applications, olfactory mechanisms, and future directions

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Liu, Wei; Zhang, Sijia; Wang, Guirong,  Entomologia Generalis,  45:1565 - 1576. 2026.
The male annihilation technique (MAT), as a method of insect behavior manipulation, is an environmentally friendly approach that has been successfully applied in over 150 fruit fly eradication programs worldwide. Despite their effectiveness in integrated pest management programs, ...

Genetic Biocontrol Strategy Considerations for Mosquito Control in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories

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Adam E. Vorsino, Tim Harvey-Samuel, Limb K. Hapairai, et al.,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  2026.
Mosquito-borne diseases pose an existential threat to the health, economies, and unique ecosystems of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The remoteness of these islands, combined with the presence of highly competent mosquito vectors, complicates disease ...

Integrating mosquito genomics into simulation modeling: Opportunities for better-informed biocontrol

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Gordana Rašić, John M. Marshall,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  2025.
Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major global health burden, and novel biocontrol tools are quickly advancing from the laboratory to the field. Mathematical models play a central role in evaluating these interventions, yet their predictive accuracy depends on robust ...

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

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Pei-Shi Yen, Sebald A N R Verkuijl, Paolo Capriotti, et al.,  G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics,  2025.
The modification of mosquito populations at scale through CRISPR-Cas9-mediated homing gene drives is a promising route for malaria vector control. Integral gene drives (IGDs) are designed to utilise the regulatory sequences of endogenous genes to reduce the size of the ...

Selection, counterselection, and conditional gene expression for genetic biocontrol of insects

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Melanie Hempel, Zhijian Tu,  Insect Science,  2025.
Genetic biocontrol methods are species-specific ways to suppress or modify pest insect populations to mitigate their economic or health impact. Successful genetic biocontrol often requires mass releases of only males of the target species. Reliable and cost-effective sex ...

Cattle Q&A with Brinda Dass, GeneConvene Global Collaborative

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Tyrell Marchant,  Progressive Cattle,  2025.
What factors have led to the northward spread of New World screwworm (NWS) over the past year after so many decades of successful eradication in Mexico and the U.S.? DASS: The northward spread of NWS after decades of eradication reflects a convergence of biological, ...

Estimated cost and operational structure of pgSIT malaria vector control programs in selected West African countries

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William A.C. Gendron, Robyn Raban, Agastya Mondal, et al.,  Scientific African,  29. 2025.
Malaria control has primarily been achieved through vector control, but current methods are insufficient to achieve elimination. Precision guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) is a mosquito suppression technique that generates sterile male mosquitoes for mass release. Our ...

Leveraging Sex Determination Systems for Genetic Biocontrol of Dipteran Pests

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Maxwell J. Scott, Zhijian Tu,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  2025.
Genetic biocontrol is an increasingly important way to suppress insect pest populations and to mitigate their economic and health impact. One key advantage is that it is species-specific as it relies on mating of released males with wild females to either suppress or modify ...

Heterogeneity in inhibition of genetically diverse dengue virus strains by Wolbachia

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Afeez Sodeinde, Emilie Finch, Ke Li, et al.,  bioRxiv,  2025.
The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transinfected with the virus-inhibiting Wolbachia bacterium has the potential to reduce the burden caused by dengue virus (DENV). However, the robustness of this control strategy across the wide genetic diversity of DENV remains ...

Wolbachia Infection in Iranian Malaria Vectors: Prevalence and Biocontrol Implications

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Shahin Saeedi, Fateh Karimian, Seyed Hassan Moosa-Kazemi, et al.,  Tropical Medicine & International health,  2025.
Wolbachia-based vector control is an emerging tool in malaria prevention research. This study evaluates Wolbachia infection in Iranian mosquitoes, focusing on seven known malaria vectors. Mosquitoes were collected from nine provinces of Iran (2016–2019), ...

Development and evaluation of pupal color-based genetic sexing strains in Anastrepha obliqua

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Daisy P. Cárdenas-Enríquez, Víctor García-Martínez, Jorge Ibáñez-Palacios, et al.,  Insect Science,  2025.
Anastrepha obliqua, a neotropical pest widely distributed in the Americas, attacks mango and other tropical fruits. In Mexico, it is controlled through integrated pest management, using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a main component. The applicability of SIT is ...

Genomic Insights into Wolbachia Strain wCin2USA1 Reveal Promising Cytoplasmic Incompatibility Potential and Next-Generation Dengue Biocontrol

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Istiaque Zaeem, Nurnabi Azad Jewel, Mohimenul Haque Rolin, et al.,  bioRxiv,  2025.
Dengue fever is one of the fastest-growing mosquito-borne diseases in the world, causing illness and economic challenges in many countries. Current mosquito control methods, such as insecticides, are often costly, less effective over time, and harmful to the environment. An ...

Genetic control strategies for population suppression in the Anopheles gambiae complex: a review of current technologies

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Alekos Simoni, Ignacio Tolosana, Federica Bernardini,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  2025.
Malaria continues to pose a critical public health threat, with mosquitoes from the Anopheles gambiae complex acting as the main vectors of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 95% of malaria-related deaths occur. Despite significant advancements in vector ...

The buzz stops here

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Bill Gates,  Gates Notes,  2025.
I've been working on malaria for over two decades. I’ve talked with researchers in labs and parents who’ve lost children to a mosquito bite. I’ve seen promising new tools and surprising setbacks. But I’ve rarely been as excited about a new innovation as I am about this ...

How population control of pests is modulated by density dependence: The perspective of genetic biocontrol

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Cole D. Butler, Alun L. Lloyd,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  2025.
Managing pest species relies critically on mechanisms that regulate population dynamics, particularly those factors that change with population size. These density-dependent factors can help or hinder control efforts and are especially relevant considering recent advances in ...

Coproducing a Technology Readiness Level framework for non-persistent genetic biocontrol of aquatic invasive species

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Julie Badger, Rex Alirigia, Isabel Ameli, et al,  Journal of Environmental Management,  391. 2025.
Developing and implementing novel pest control technologies requires coordination and communication between technology developers, funding agencies, federal and state regulators, and early technology adopters. Efficient communication is particularly important for first-in-class ...

A genetic tweak could prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria

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Jonathan Lambert,  NPR,  2025.
Each year, 263 million people get malaria. But from the parasite's perspective, infecting humans is harder than you might think, and requires completing an epic journey within the tiny body of a mosquito. First, the mosquito must suck the blood of an individual infected with ...

Changes in the frequency of facultative endosymbionts in insect populations: overview and applications

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Hoffmann, Ary A.; Cooper, Brandon S.,  Entomologia Generalis,  45:351-368. 2025.
Many insect endosymbionts are facultative from the host perspective, and their population frequencies across time and space will depend on their transmission fidelity and effects on host fitness. These effects and transmission rates in turn depend on the environmental and host ...

Optimizing larval mass-rearing techniques for Aedes mosquitoes: enhancing production and quality for genetic control strategies

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Wadaka Mamai, Cécile Brengues, Hamidou Maiga, et al,  Parasite,  32. 2025.
The quantity and quality of laboratory-reared insects are pivotal for the success of any sterile male-release program. Optimizing larval mass-rearing methods to enhance both production and quality in Aedes mosquitoes is essential to meet the growing demand from FAO/IAEA Member ...

Biased tertiary sex ratios enhance the efficacy of sex-ratio distorting genetic techniques to control invasive species

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Michael L. Jones, Ronald E. Thresher, Nicholas J. Bax,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  2025.
Genetic biocontrol strategies are increasingly being developed and tested for reducing the effects of invasive species, and are highly likely to be an important tool of integrated pest management in the future. Included among such strategies are those that distort the sex ratio ...

Optimization of SgRNA expression with RNA pol III regulatory elements in Anopheles stephensi

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Gonzalez, E., Anderson, M.A.E., Ang, J.X.D. et al.,  Scientific Reports,  15. 2025.
Anopheles stephensi, a major Asian malaria vector, is invading Africa and has been implicated in recent outbreaks of urban malaria. Control of this species is key to eliminating malaria in Africa. Genetic control strategies, and CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drives are emerging as ...

Problem formulation for a small-scale field study of non-gene drive, genetically modified, male bias mosquitoes in Burkina Faso

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Hayes, K. R., & Hosack, G. R.,  Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal,  2025.
This article documents the problem formulation step of a risk assessment for a proposed small-scale field release in Burkina Faso of genetically modified (GM) An. coluzzii mosquitoes that carry a Paternal Male Bias (PMB) construct. These mosquitoes are part of the pathway ...

Bridging the gap: Effective communication strategies for genetic biocontrol technologies

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Caroline Thuo,  African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium,  2025.
The 2nd Global Congress on Genetic Biocontrol Technologies took place from March 17-20, in Accra, Ghana. The Congress was jointly organized by the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium, Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority and the Foundation for the National Institutes of ...

Ghana hosts 2nd Global Congress on new, emerging genetic biocontrol technologies

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Ama Kudom-Agyemang,  EnviroNews Nigeria,  2025.
From Monday, March 17 to Thursday, March 20, 2025, Ghana is hosting a gathering of science, health and communication experts to deliberate on and contribute to innovative scientific exploits for Africa’s health sector. The over 150 African national and international ...

CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing in the Diamondback Moth: Current Progress, Challenges, and Prospects

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Asad, M., Chang, Y., Liao, J., & Yang, G.,  International Journal of Molecular Sciences,  26:1515. 2025.
The development of site-specific genome-editing tools like CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) and its associated protein, Cas9, is revolutionizing genetic engineering with its highly efficient mechanism, offering the potential for effective pest ...

Public attitudes to genetic technology for invasive pest control and preferences for engagement and information: a segmentation analysis

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Hobman E.V., Mankad A., Carter, L., Collins K.,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  12. 2025.
Advances in genetic technology hold promise in managing the increasing problem of invasive pests. The current study sought to improve our understanding of public perceptions, and potential public engagement pathways and information needs as the technology is researched and ...

Female mosquito targeted with venom to curb disease

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Dann Okoth,  Scidev.net,  2025.
A genetic biocontrol method which reduces the lifespan of female insects could work as fast as pesticides to reduce populations of disease-spreading mosquitoes and destructive crop pests, according to researchers. Insect pests pose a huge threat to global health and agriculture, ...

Genetically Engineered Male Insects Shorten Their Mates’ Lifespans

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Sneha Khedkar,  The Scientist,  2025.
On a still night, as the air is thick with silence, the sharp, whining buzz of a mosquito shatters the calm. These blood-sucking insects that disturb people’s deep slumber are also responsible for spreading diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, malaria and Zika fever, which ...

A Y chromosome-linked genome editor for efficient population suppression in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

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Tolosana, I., Willis, K., Gribble, M. et al.,  Nature Communications,  16:206. 2025.
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 ...

Public attitudes to genetic technology for invasive pest control and preferences for engagement and information: A segmentation analysis

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Elizabeth Virginia Hobman, Aditi Mankad, Lucy Carter, Kerry Collins,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  12. 2024.
This research focusses on understanding (1) how people perceive genetic technology to control invasive animal pests (feral pigs, cats etc.), and (2) how people would like to be engaged on, and/or informed about, decisions regarding the development of this genetic technology. The ...

How genetically engineered mice could stop the spread of Lyme disease

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Cristela Guerra and Stephanie Brown,  WBUR Radio Boston,  2024.
New England has some of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country. MIT researchers are trying to fight the disease in a project that involves releasing hundreds of thousands of engineered mice onto the shores of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. On Radio Boston, Kevin ...

Biotechnology-enhanced genetic controls of the global pest Drosophila suzukii

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Ying Yan, Hassan M.M. Ahmed, Ernst A. Wimmer, et al.,  Trends in Biotechnology,  2024.
Genetic control is a biological control method that introduces traits that sterilize, kill, or modify the population via intraspecific mating. Therefore, it is regarded as a species-specific and environmentally friendly management option for pest species. Spotted wing ...

Communicating the uncertainties associated with genetic biocontrol approaches: insights from communicators, science journalists and scientists in Africa

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Tonui, W. K., Ogoyi, D., Thuo, C., Tareh, C., et al.,  Journal of Science Communication,  23. 2024.
Genetic biocontrol approaches, such as gene drive technology is rapidly gaining interest from scientists and public health professionals due to their potential to overcome many challenges of current malaria control tools and strategies. This is particularly the case in Africa ...

Scientists want to use mosquito stomach bacteria to end malaria

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Chia-Yu Chen & Shüné Oliver,  Alliance for Science,  2024.
The months of September to May are an unfortunate season in South Africa: malaria season. The mosquito-borne disease is found in the north-eastern districts of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. There are fewer malaria cases in South Africa compared to other ...

How to Use Genetic Biocontrol to Manage Insect Pests

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Scientific Animations Without Borders,  YouTube,  2024.
Pest insects often transmit disease to humans and animals and destroy crops. Controlling these pests can improve human health and increase agricultural production. Pest insects are often controlled by releasing other insects into the environment that will specifically kill the ...

Wolbachia Infection through Hybridization to Enhance an Incompatible Insect Technique-Based Suppression of Aedes albopictus in Eastern Spain

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Cholvi M, Trelis M, Bueno-Marí R, Khoubbane M, Gil R, Marcilla A, Moretti R.,  Insects,  15. 2024.
Wolbachia bacteria occur naturally as symbionts of many insect species and are responsible for various phenomena that modify the hosts’ reproductive biology. Among them, cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) refers to the sterility of eggs produced by crosses between infected males ...

Genome editing in pests: basic science to applications

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Chen, X., Palli, S.R.,  Journal of Pest Science,  2024.
Recent developments in sequencing technologies produced enormous data on gene sequences and the identity of genes in many pest insects and disease vectors. However, the function of many of these genes is unknown. Functional genomics studies to uncover gene function in pest ...

Recombinant venom proteins in insect seminal fluid reduces female lifespan

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Samuel J. Beach, Maciej Maselko,  bioRxiv,  2024.
The emergence of insecticide resistance has increased the need for alternative pest management tools1,2 Numerous genetic biocontrol approaches, which involve the release of genetically modified organisms to control pest populations, are in various stages of development to provide ...

To End Malaria In Africa, a Scientist From Africa Invented Gene Drive Technology.

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Salman Ahmad,  CTN News,  2023.
Abdoulaye Diabate, a scientist from Africa, is currently working on a groundbreaking technology called ‘gene drive’ that has the potential to eradicate malaria or the mosquitoes that cause it from the continent. Diabate, who received the prestigious 2023 Falling Walls Prize ...

Upper Bound on the Mutational Burden Imposed by a CRISPR-Cas9 Gene-Drive Element

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Michael S. Overton, Sean E. Guy, Xingsen Chen, Alena Martsul, Krypton Carolino, Omar S. Akbari, Justin R. Meyer, Sergey Kryazhimskiy,  bioRxiv,  2023.
CRISPR-Cas9 gene drives (CCGDs) are powerful tools for genetic control of wild populations, useful for eradication of disease vectors, conservation of endangered species and other applications. However, Cas9 alone and in a complex with gRNA can cause double-stranded DNA breaks at ...

Manipulating the Destiny of Wild Populations Using CRISPR

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Raban R, Marshall JM, Hay BA, Akbari OS.,  Annual Reviews,  57:361-390. 2023.
Genetic biocontrol aims to suppress or modify populations of species to protect public health, agriculture, and biodiversity. Advancements in genome engineering technologies have fueled a surge in research in this field, with one gene editing technology, CRISPR, leading the ...

Advances and challenges in synthetic biology for mosquito control

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Shih-Che Weng, Reem A. Masri, Omar S. Akbari,  Trends in Parasitology,  2023.
Mosquito-borne illnesses represent a significant global health peril, resulting in approximately one million fatalities annually. West Nile, dengue, Zika, and malaria are continuously expanding their global reach, driven by factors that escalate mosquito populations and pathogen ...

Oxitec concludes GMO mosquito release phase

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Anonymous,  keysnews.com,  2023.
Oxitec and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District announced last week that the release phase during the third season of the FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project has concluded for the 2023 season. Mosquito population monitoring will continue for the next several weeks.9

Current Status of the Main Olive Pests: Useful Integrated Pest Management Strategies and Genetic Tools

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E. Lantero, B. Matallanas and C. Callejas,  Applied Sciences,  13. 2023.
Mediterranean olive cultivation faces challenges in the global environmental change context. Pests and diseases caused by arthropods such as Bactrocera oleae, Prays oleae, and certain vectors of Xylella fastidiosa are expected to increase and spread in part due to this global ...

Biotechnological Potential of Microorganisms for Mosquito Population Control and Reduction in Vector Competence

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R. D. Katak, A. M. Cintra, B. C. Burini, O. Marinotti, J. A. Souza-Neto and E. M. Rocha,  Insects,  14. 2023.
Mosquitoes transmit pathogens that cause human diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, Zika fever, and filariasis. Biotechnological approaches using microorganisms have a significant potential to control mosquito populations and reduce their vector ...

Could a new gene-editing technique be a major breakthrough in the battle against malaria?

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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 ...

Quantifying Fitness Costs in Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes

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I. Sanchez-Vargas, A. E. Williams, L. E. Martin, I. Martin-Martin, S. Bennett, K. E. Olson and E. Calvo,  Journal of Visualized Experiments,  2023.
Transgenic mosquitoes often display fitness costs compared to their wild-type counterparts. In this regard, fitness cost studies involve collecting life parameter data from genetically modified mosquitoes and comparing them to mosquitoes lacking transgenes from the same genetic ...

Buzzing breakthrough: genetic engineering gives mosquito control an upgrade

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Sivasubbu, 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 ...

Transgenic approaches in medical entomology: 2022 highlights

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M. L. Simões,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  tjad105. 2023.
Transgenesis has emerged as a powerful tool to control arthropod vectors and the diseases they transmit. Here, we highlight the latest developments on transgenic approaches in ticks, Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, based on recent findings and significant papers from 2022. We ...

The impact of predators of mosquito larvae on Wolbachia spreading dynamics

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Z. Zhu, Y. Hui and L. Hu,  Journal of Biological Dynamics,  17:2249024. 2023.
Dengue fever creates more than 390 million cases worldwide yearly. The most effective way to deal with this mosquito-borne disease is to control the vectors. In this work we consider two weapons, the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia and predators of mosquito larvae, for combating ...

Delftia tsuruhatensis TC1 symbiont suppresses malaria transmission by anopheline mosquitoes

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W. 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 ...

Microbe stops mosquitoes from harboring malaria parasite

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C. 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 ...

Cost-effectiveness of Precision Guided SIT for Control of Anopheles gambiae in the Upper River Region, The Gambia

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G. 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 ...

Engineered Gut Symbiotic Bacterium-Mediated RNAi for Effective Control of Anopheles Mosquito Larvae

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J. 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 ...

CRISPR’d Mosquitoes With All-Male Offspring Could Help Eradicate Malaria

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V. 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 ...

Fighting the battle against evolution: designing genetically modified organisms for evolutionary stability

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M. Arbel-Groissman, I. Menuhin-Gruman, D. Naki, S. Bergman and T. Tuller,  Trends in Biotechnology,  2023.
Synthetic biology has made significant progress in many areas, but a major challenge that has received limited attention is the evolutionary stability of synthetic constructs made of heterologous genes. The expression of these constructs in microorganisms, that is, production of ...

Genome and Transcriptome Analyses Facilitate Genetic Control of Wohlfahrtia magnifica, a Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly

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Z. Jia, S. Hasi, D. Zhan, B. Hou, C. Vogl and P. A. Burger,  Insects,  14. 2023.
Myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica is a widespread parasitic infestation in mammals. The infested host suffers from damage as the developing larvae feed on its tissues. For the control of myiasis infestation, genetic methods have been shown to be effective and promising as ...

New Genetic Technology Developed to Halt Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes

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M. 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 ...

Nuclear Technique Used in Europe for First time to Battle Yellow Fever Mosquito Found in Cyprus

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IAEA,  IAEA,  2023.
Cyprus this month released the first batch of 100,000 sterile mosquitos to begin the implementation of a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project testing the use of a nuclear technique to eradicate an invasive species of ...

Molecular detection of reproductive symbionts and parthenogenesis experiments in Tuta absoluta from Argentina: facing potential for sustainable and specific pest control strategies

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C. Cagnotti, C. Conte, J. Kramar, S. Lanzavecchia and S. López,  Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata,  2023.
Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a key pest of tomato crops. Specific and environmentally friendly control strategies against this pest, such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), are under development and sexual reproduction has emerged ...

A framework for identifying fertility gene targets for mammalian pest control

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C. C. Anna, A. Alana, E. Rey, E. Kevin, K. Sebastian, D. Ludovic, C. Jackson, E. C. Samuel, W. M. Philipp and J. G. Neil,  bioRxiv,  2023.05.30.542751. 2023.
Fertility-targeted gene drives have been proposed as an ethical genetic approach for managing wild populations of vertebrate pests for public health and conservation benefit. This manuscript introduces a framework to identify and evaluate target gene suitability based on ...

CRISPR-based gene editing of non-homologous end joining factors biases DNA repair pathway choice toward single-strand annealing in Aedes aegypti

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K. Chae, J. M. Overcash, C. Dawson, C. Valentin, H. Tsujimoto, K. M. Myles and Z. N. Adelman,  Current Research in Biotechnology,  5:100133. 2023.
To maintain genome stability, eukaryotic cells orchestrate DNA repair pathways to process DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that result from diverse developmental or environmental stimuli. Bias in the selection of DSB repair pathways, either non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or ...

Mosquito gene targeted RNAi studies for vector control

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M. Yadav, N. Dahiya and N. Sehrawat,  Functional and Integrative Genomics,  23:180. 2023.
Vector-borne diseases are serious public health concern. Mosquito is one of the major vectors responsible for the transmission of a number of diseases like malaria, Zika, chikungunya, dengue, West Nile fever, Japanese encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, and yellow fever. ...

Render pests harmless – through genetic engineering CRISPR

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Anonymous,  Breaking Latest News,  2023.
Whether ants or wild bees: It is undisputed that insects are indispensable for functioning ecosystems and thus for the survival of mankind. In agriculture, however, certain species can become a nuisance. Even insecticides do not always help and also harm the environment. ...

Near-infrared imaging for automated tsetse pupae sex sorting in support of the sterile insect technique

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R. Argilés-Herrero, G. Salvador-Herranz, A. G. Parker, M. Zacarés, A. G. Fall, A. M. Gaye, A. Nawaz, P. Takáč, M. J. B. Vreysen and C. J. de Beer,  Parasite,  30. 2023.
Tsetse flies are the cyclical vectors of African trypanosomes and one of several methods to manage this vector is the sterile insect technique (SIT). The ability to determine the sex of tsetse pupae with the objective to separate the sexes before adult emergence has been a major ...

updated: Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Research Authorization Application

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California Department of Pesticide Regulation,  California Department of Pesticide Regulation,,  2023.
In May 2023, Oxitec voluntarily withdrew its research authorization application to test the use of genetically engineered mosquitoes in California. DPR did not issue a decision on the application. For more information on Oxitec’s withdrawal and future plans for research in ...

Editorial: Genetic control of insect pest species—achievements, challenges, and perspectives

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I. Häcker, D. Bartsch, A. Choo and F. Marec,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  11. 2023.
Genetic control is a type ofbiological control and a promising approach to regulate insect pest populations in a species-specific manner. It is based on targeting the reproductive capacity of the target pest species to reduce population size to non-critical levels. The best known ...

Mathematical modeling of the performance of wild and transgenic mosquitoes in malaria transmission

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A. P. Wyse, A. J. B. dos Santos, J. D. Azevedo, A. C. de Meneses and V. M. D. Santos,  Plos One,  18:23. 2023.
A mathematical model that simulates malaria transmission under the influence of transgenic mosquitoes refractory to malaria is presented in this paper. The zygosity of transgenic mosquitoes is taken into account and, consequently, the total population of mosquitoes is comprised ...

A rapidly spreading deleterious aphid endosymbiont that uses horizontal as well as vertical transmission

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X. Gu, P. A. Ross, A. Gill, Q. Yang, E. Ansermin, S. Sharma, S. Soleimannejad, K. Sharma, A. Callahan, C. Brown, P. A. Umina, T. N. Kristensen and A. A. Hoffmann,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  120:e2217278120. 2023.
Endosymbiotic bacteria that live inside the cells of insects are typically only transmitted maternally and can spread by increasing host fitness and/or modifying reproduction in sexual hosts. Transinfections of Wolbachia endosymbionts are now being used to introduce useful ...

Standardization of sterile insect technique (SIT) for melon fruit fly

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M. Math and Y. K. Kotikal,  Journal of Entomological Research,  47:16-20. 2023.
Sterile technique was standardized for melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae Coquillett under laboratory conditions. The Adult emergence of B. cucurbitae was significantly highest (96.12%) without radiation to the pupae. Among different radiation doses, 30 Gy resulted in significantly ...

Targeting Sex Determination to Suppress Mosquito Populations

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L. Ming, P. K. Nikolay, S. Ruichen, Y. Ting, D. B. Elena, J. B. Daniel, A. Igor, M. S. C. Hector, Z. Yinpeng, A. D. Nicolas, M. L. YuMin, P. S. Matthew, M. Craig, M. M. John and S. A. Omar,  bioRxiv,  2023.04.18.537404. 2023.
Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insufficient, necessitating innovations. ...

Spatial Distribution and Long-Term Persistence of Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti in the Mentari Court, Malaysia

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Y. L. Cheong, W. A. Nazni, H. L. Lee, A. NoorAfizah, I. C. MohdKhairuddin, G. M. R. Kamarul, N. M. N. Nizam, M. A. K. Arif, Z. M. NurZatilAqmar, S. M. Irwan, K. Khadijah, Y. M. Paid, O. Topek, A. H. Hasnor, R. AbuBakar, B. Singh Gill, K. Fadzilah, A. Tahi,  Insects,  14. 2023.
Dengue is endemic in Malaysia, and vector control strategies are vital to reduce dengue transmission. The Wolbachia strain wAlbB carried by both sexes of Ae. aegypti was released in Mentari Court, a high-rise residential site, in October 2017 and stopped after 20 weeks. Wolbachia ...

Gamma-radiation of Glossina palpalis gambiensis revisited: effect on fertility and mating competitiveness

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S. Pagabeleguem, O. Koughuindida, E. W. Salou, G. Gimonneau, A. I. Toé, B. A. Kaboré, K. S. M. Dera, H. Maïga, A. M. G. Belem, G. M. S. Sanou/Ouédraogo, M. J. Vreysen and J. Bouyer,  Parasite,  30:8. 2023.
African animal trypanosomoses are vector-borne diseases that cause enormous livestock losses in sub-Saharan Africa, with drastic socio-economic impacts. Vector control in the context of an area-wide integrated pest management program with a sterile insect technique component ...

Improved Quality Management of the Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) for Enhanced Efficacy of the Sterile Insect Technique

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M. M. Hasan, M. A. Hossain and C. G. Athanassiou,  Insects,  14. 2023.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is considered an environmentally friendly, autocidal control tactic to manage insect pests. This work dealt with the improvement of quality management of the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) for enhanced efficacy of the SIT. The ...

Groundbreaking Partnership to Combat Dengue Mosquito in the Republic of the Marshall Islands Will Deploy Oxitec Friendly™ Aedes aegypti Solution

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Oxitec,  Oxitec.com,  2023.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has selected Oxitec’s Friendly™ Aedes aegypti solution for a new pilot intervention to control the disease-spreading invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito. The project is a partnership between the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Pacific ...

The Promise and Challenge of Genetic Biocontrol Approaches for Malaria Elimination

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S. James and M. Santos,  Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease,  2023.
Malaria remains an ongoing public health challenge, with over 600,000 deaths in 2021, of which approximately 96% occurred in Africa. Despite concerted efforts, the goal of global malaria elimination has stalled in recent years. This has resulted in widespread calls for new ...

Vector competence of sterile male Glossina fuscipes fuscipes for Trypanosoma brucei brucei: implications for the implementation of the sterile insect technique in a sleeping sickness focus in Chad

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M. H. Mahamat, A. Ségard, J.-B. Rayaisse, R. Argiles-Herrero, A. G. Parker, P. Solano, A. M. M. Abd-Alla, J. Bouyer and S. Ravel,  Parasites and Vectors,  16:111. 2023.
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense transmitted by tsetse flies in sub‑Saharan West Africa. In southern Chad the most active and persistent focus is the Mandoul focus, with 98% of the reported human cases, ...

Enhancing the scalability of Wolbachia-based vector-borne disease management: time and temperature limits for storage and transport of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti eggs for field releases

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M. J. Allman, Y. H. Lin, D. A. Joubert, J. Addley-Cook, M. C. Mejía-Torres, C. P. Simmons, H. A. Flores and J. E. Fraser,  Parasit Vectors,  16:108. 2023.
BACKGROUND: Introgression of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti populations is a biocontrol approach being used to reduce arbovirus transmission. This requires mass release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. While releases have been conducted using a variety ...

RNA interference is essential to modulating the pathogenesis of mosquito-borne viruses in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti

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G. H. Samuel, T. Pohlenz, Y. Dong, N. Coskun, Z. N. Adelman, G. Dimopoulos and K. M. Myles,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  120:e2213701120. 2023.
While it has long been known that the transmission of mosquito-borne viruses depends on the establishment of persistent and nonlethal infections in the invertebrate host, specific roles for the insects? antiviral immune pathways in modulating the pathogenesis of viral infections ...

Scientists disable protective gene in mosquitoes, making them susceptible to disease

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Texas A&M University,  Phys Org,  2023.
Immune pathways that protect mosquitoes from human pathogens, including West Nile, Zika and dengue viruses were disabled by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists. The research study, "RNA interference is essential to modulating the pathogenesis of mosquito-borne viruses in the ...

A male-killing gene encoded by a symbiotic virus of Drosophila

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D. Kageyama, T. Harumoto, K. Nagamine, A. Fujiwara, T. N. Sugimoto, A. Jouraku, M. Tamura, T. K. Katoh and M. Watada,  Nature Communications,  14:1357. 2023.
In most eukaryotes, biparentally inherited nuclear genomes and maternally inherited cytoplasmic genomes have different evolutionary interests. Strongly female-biased sex ratios that are repeatedly observed in various arthropods often result from the male-specific lethality ...

CRISPR-based genetic control strategies for insect pests

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Y. Yan, R. A. Aumann, I. Hacker and M. F. Schetelig,  Journal of Integrative Agriculture,  22:651-668. 2023.
Genetic control strategies such as the sterile insect technique have successfully fought insect pests worldwide. The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology, together with high-quality genomic resources obtained in more and more species, ...

Development of transgenic corn planthopper Peregrinus maidis that express the tetracycline transactivator

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A. A. Patil, W. Klobasa, D. Espinoza-Rivera, O. Baars, M. D. Lorenzen and M. J. Scott,  Insect Molecular Biology,  32:363-375. 2023.
Abstract The corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, is a vector of several maize viruses and is consequently a significant agricultural pest in many tropical and subtropical regions. As P. maidis has developed resistance to insecticides, the aim of this study was to develop ...

Will new genetic engineering tech finally eliminate malaria?

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Anonymous,  Business Daily,  2023.
Richard Mukabana, a senior research and policy analyst at African Institute for Development Policy, says the technology which employs the principle of sending a thief to catch a thief may yet prove the most effective. “It is only a mosquito that knows where another mosquito is ...

White-Eyed Fruit Flies: How Improvements in Gene Editing Could Aid in Pest Managemen

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C. Bernhardt,  Entomology Today,  2023.
The SIT involves scientists raising the target fruit fly species in the lab, sterilizing the flies by exposing them to a certain amount of radiation while they are still pupae, and releasing large amounts of the newly sterile flies into nature. When the released, sterile flies ...

How genomics can help biodiversity conservation

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K. Theissinger, C. Fernandes, G. Formenti, I. Bista, P. R. Berg, C. Bleidorn, A. Bombarely, A. Crottini, G. R. Gallo, J. A. Godoy, S. Jentoft, J. Malukiewicz, A. Mouton, R. A. Oomen, S. Paez, P. J. Palsbøll, C. Pampoulie, M. J. Ruiz-López, S. Secomandi, H,  Trends in Genetics,  2023.
Genomics provides effective tools to characterize biodiversity, but the full implementation of genomic techniques in practical conservation is still limited. We review some of the main approaches in biodiversity genomics available to conservationists and genomicists.High-quality, ...

Gene Drive: Past, Present and Future Roads to Vertebrate Biocontrol

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G. R. McFarlane, C. B. A. Whitelaw and S. G. Lillico,  Applied Biosciences,  2:52-70. 2023.
Scientists have long sought a technology to humanely control populations of damaging invasive pests in a species-specific manner. Gene drive technology could see this become a reality. This review charts the twists and turns on the road to developing gene drives in vertebrates. ...

A Zika virus-responsive sensor-effector system in Aedes aegypti

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S. Basu, C. M. Reitmayer, S. Lumley, B. Atkinson, M. L. Schade-Weskott, S. Rooney, W. Larner, E. E. Montiel, R. Gutierrez-Lopez, E. Levitt, H. M. Munyanduki, A. M. E. Elrefaey, A. T. Clarke, S. Koit, E. Zusinaite, R. Fragkoudis, A. Merits and L. Alphey,  bioRxiv,  2023.02.06.527261. 2023.
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a recently re-emerged flavivirus transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, Aedes aegypti being the main vector. ZIKV infection is associated with a range of adverse effects; infection during pregnancy can lead to foetal abnormalities, ...

How CRISPR could help save crops from devastation caused by pests

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E. F. Merchant,  MIT Technology Review,  2023.
Researchers are now looking to add cutting-edge technology to California’s anti-Pierce’s arsenal, by changing the genome of the glassy-winged sharpshooter so that it can no longer spread the bacterium. Such a solution is possible thanks to CRISPR gene-editing technology, ...

Biological comparative study between Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquito and Wolbachia-uninfected strain, Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia

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A. G. Algamdi, F. M. Shaher and J. A. Mahyoub,  Saudi J Biol Sci,  30:103581. 2023.
In this study, samples of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were collected from Al-Safa district in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. The presence of Wolbachia bacteria in mosquitoes was confirmed by PCR technique and they were reared and propagated in the laboratory. ...

Imperial startup Biocentis to develop genetic tech to control harmful insects

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D. Silverman,  Imperial College London,  2023.
The Imperial startup was founded in 2022 by Imperial researchers in partnership with technology-focused investment group Neurone to create a more effective and sustainable alternative to pesticides. While insects play an essential role in the global ecosystem, among the ...

Engineered Antiviral Sensor Targets Infected Mosquitoes

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E. Dalla Benetta, A. J. Lopez-Denman, H.-H. Li, R. A. Masri, D. J. Brogan, M. Bui, T. Yang, M. Li, M. Dunn, M. J. Klein, S. Jackson, K. Catalan, K. R. Blasdell, P. Tng, I. Antoshechkin, L. S. Alphey, P. N. Paradkar and O. Akbari,  bioRxiv,  2023.01.27.525922. 2023.
Escalating vector disease burdens pose significant global health risks, so innovative tools for targeting mosquitoes are critical. We engineered an antiviral strategy termed REAPER (vRNA Expression Activates Poisonous Effector Ribonuclease) that leverages the programmable ...

Control of Aedes mosquito populations using recombinant microalgae expressing short hairpin RNAs and their effect on plankton

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X. Fei, S. Xiao, X. Huang, Z. Li, X. Li, C. He, Y. Li, X. Zhang and X. Deng,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  17:e0011109. 2023.
New biocontrol strategies are urgently needed to combat vector-borne infectious diseases. This study presents a low-cost method to produce a potential mosquito insecticide that utilizes the microalgae released into suburban water sources to control mosquito populations. Chlorella ...

Closing the gap to effective gene drive in Aedes aegypti by exploiting germline regulatory elements

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M. A. E. Anderson, E. Gonzalez, J. X. D. Ang, L. Shackleford, K. Nevard, S. A. N. Verkuijl, M. P. Edgington, T. Harvey-Samuel and L. Alphey,  Nature Communications,  14:338. 2023.
CRISPR/Cas9-based homing gene drives have emerged as a potential new approach to mosquito control. While attempts have been made to develop such systems in Aedes aegypti, none have been able to match the high drive efficiency observed in Anopheles species. Here we generate Ae. ...

Joint FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project on Mosquito Handling, Transport, Release and Male Trapping Methods in Support of SIT Application to Control Mosquitoes

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M. Gómez, B. J. Johnson, H. C. Bossin and R. Argilés-Herrero,  Insects,  14. 2023.
The research carried out in the framework of this CRP generated key achievements in areas relevant to the SIT application to control mosquitoes. Among these outcomes, particular mentions must be given to the following: (1) Novel and efficient self-marking techniques were ...

Biotech company released 2.4 billions GM Mosquitoes in two parts of the U.S

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C. Victorial,  NEWSBREAK,  2022.
Due to the high death rate that mosquitoes have inflicted, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the release of 2.4 billion genetically modified mosquitoes in selected regions of California and Florida. These modified mosquitoes were created by a biotechnology ...

Gene drive designs for efficient and localisable population suppression using Y-linked editors

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R. Geci, K. Willis and A. Burt,  PLOS Genetics,  18:e1010550. 2022.
Author summary Some pest populations can be successfully controlled by the inundative release of sterile males, but this approach is not practicable when the target population is large or the species difficult to rear. Computer modelling has previously demonstrated that releasing ...

Use of Insect Promoters in Genetic Engineering to Control Mosquito-Borne Diseases

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V. Bottino-Rojas and A. A. James,  Biomolecules,  13. 2022.
Mosquito transgenesis and gene-drive technologies provide the basis for developing promising new tools for vector-borne disease prevention by either suppressing wild mosquito populations or reducing their capacity from transmitting pathogens. Many studies of the regulatory DNA ...

Good news in the fight against vector-borne diseases

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K. Magori,  2022.
At the turn of the century, several research groups attempted to apply modern genetic methodologies to achieve similar outcomes without the need for irradiation and the resulting fitness costs. Luke Alphey and his colleagues at Oxford University developed a dominant lethal ...

Tolerance-conferring defensive symbionts and the evolution of parasite virulence

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C. A. Smith and B. Ashby,  bioRxiv,  2022.
Defensive symbionts in the host microbiome can confer protection from infection or reduce the harms of being infected by a parasite. Defensive symbionts are therefore promising agents of biocontrol that could be used to control or ameliorate the impact of infectious diseases. ...

Does severe hypoxia during irradiation of Aedes aegypti pupae improve sterile male performance?

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D. A. Tussey, K. J. Linthicum and D. A. Hahn,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:446. 2022.
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, vectors several pathogens responsible for human diseases. As a result, this mosquito species is a priority for control by mosquito control districts in Florida. With insecticide resistance development becoming a concern, alternative ...

Should NZ use contentious gene tech in our war on pests?

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J. Morton,  NZ Herald,  2022.
Gene-altering technology could offer “breakthrough opportunities” for saving our pest-threatened species, a new future-scoping report says, but there’d be some tricky issues to address before it’d be a realistic option. Scientists have already been exploring how these ...

Turns Out Fighting Mosquitoes With Mosquitoes Actually Works

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E. Mullin,  Wired,  2022.
In the Brazilian city of Indaiatuba, an effort is underway to eliminate these pests before they have a chance to spread illness. The weapon: more Aedes aegypti mosquitoes—but ones genetically engineered to kill their own kind. Made by British biotechnology firm Oxitec, the ...

Should we use a genetic weapon against mosquitoes carrying malaria?

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T. H. Saey,  ScienceNewsExplores,  2022.
In a large laboratory cage, a male mosquito carries a genetic weapon that could launch the destruction of his species. That loss could also mean the end of the parasite that causes malaria. The weapon? A self-replicating bit of DNA known as a gene drive. It’s one of the most ...

Health experts meet in Dar over use of GMO mosquitoes to fight Malaria

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M. Chelangat,  NATION,  2022.
Regional health think thanks led by the African Institute for Development and Policy (AFIDEP), East African Community(EAC) Health department, East African Health Research Commission and Ifakara health institute will be meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for three day starting ...

Gene drive technology to suppress invasive mice

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University of Adelaide,  Phys Org,  2022.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have released their first findings on the potential effectiveness of revolutionary gene drive technology to control invasive mice. The team has developed a world-first proof of concept for the technology—called t-CRISPR—using ...

Calif. Legislature bites back at GE mosquito releases

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L. Patrick,  Sun Gazette,  2022.
A biotech company created millions of genetically modified mosquitoes, but not in the Jurassic Park sense. The lab grown species could actually lower the population of an invasive mosquito that carries a plethora of diseases on its shoulders.On Nov. 3, several members of the ...

Leveraging a natural murine meiotic drive to suppress invasive populations

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L. Gierus, A. Birand, M. D. Bunting, G. I. Godahewa, S. G. Piltz, K. P. Oh, A. J. Piaggio, D. W. Threadgill, J. Godwin, O. Edwards, P. Cassey, J. V. Ross, T. A. A. Prowse and P. Q. Thomas,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  119:e2213308119. 2022.
Invasive rodents are a major cause of environmental damage and biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Unlike insects, genetic biocontrol strategies including population-suppressing gene drives with biased inheritance have not been developed in mice. Here, we demonstrate a ...

A sterile insect technique pilot trial on Captiva Island: defining mosquito population parameters for sterile male releases using mark–release–recapture

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D. O. Carvalho, R. Morreale, S. Stenhouse, D. A. Hahn, M. Gomez, A. Lloyd and D. Hoel,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:405. 2022.
The sterile insect technique (SIT), which involves area-wide inundative releases of sterile insects to suppress the reproduction of a target species, has proven to be an effective pest control method. The technique demands the continuous release of sterilized insects in ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes cut the insect’s number by 96 per cent

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M. Fauzia,  NewScientist,  2022.
The release of genetically modified male mosquitoes into a city in Brazil temporarily cut the virus-carrying insects by up to 96 per cent. Although not a permanent fix, periodically releasing such mosquitoes could reduce the burden of infections including dengue, malaria and ...

Expression of mosquito miRNAs in entomopathogenic fungus induces pathogen-mediated host RNA interference and increases fungal efficacy

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C. Cui, Y. Wang, Y. Li, P. Sun, J. Jiang, H. Zhou, J. Liu and S. Wang,  Cell Reports,  41:111527. 2022.
Summary The growing threat of insecticide resistance prompts the urgent need to develop additional tools for mosquito control. Entomopathogenic fungi provide an eco-friendly alternative to chemical insecticides. One limitation to the use of mycoinsecticides is their relatively ...

Cross-kingdom RNAi to enhance the efficacy of insect pathogens

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S. Asgari,  Trends in Parasitology,  2022.
Insect pathogens play significant roles in the biocontrol of medical and agricultural pests. Cui et al. demonstrated that genetically modified (GM) fungi expressing host mosquito miRNAs could enhance the efficacy of the fungus by suppressing the host immune response. This opens ...

Combining transgenesis with paratransgenesis to fight malaria

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W. 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 ...

Zombie Deer and the Scientists Behind the War on the ‘Man Eater’

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S. Jones,  NC STATE CALS News,  2022.
In the remote jungles of the Panama-Colombia border, sterile flesh-eating flies fall from the sky in the thousands. Released from retired military planes, they embark on a suicide mission for their species, with the sole purpose of duping their female counterparts into mating ...

Driving down malaria transmission with engineered gene drives

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W. 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 ...

Why we need to talk about ‘gene-drive’ grey squirrels

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Anonymous,  University of Exeter,  2022.
Would the best way of controlling the UK’s rampant grey squirrel population be to spread genetic changes throughout the species? A new research film, to be shown next month at Exeter Phoenix, sees scientists, conservation and wildlife experts debate the use of emergent ...

Mosquito Gene Drives and the Malaria Eradication Agenda

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Editor: R. Carballar-Lejarazu,,  Jenny Stanford Publishing,  2022.
Malaria is one of most serious infectious diseases today and has afflicted humankind for thousands of years. A significant number of people still die from this mosquito-borne disease, despite the use of various malaria prevention and control methods over hundreds of years and ...

GeneConvene Global Collaborative Webinar Series | Wolbachia Biology, Mechanisms and Applications 2022

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David O'Brochta,  GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2022.
Intracellular and extracellular symbiotic/commensal bacteria have enormous potential when manipulated and deployed appropriately to serve as agents of control of insects and the pathogens they transmit. Wolbachia, an intracellular bacteria, is a well studied system and one that ...

Combating Mosquito-Borne Diseases with CRISPR

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N. Spahich,  The Scientist,  2022.
Female mosquitoes are some of the deadliest organisms in the world due to their ability to spread infectious diseases through a simple bite. Mosquito-borne diseases such as yellow fever, Zika, Dengue fever, and malaria kill millions of humans every year, and there are limited ...

Points to consider in seeking biosafety approval for research, testing, and environmental release of experimental genetically modified biocontrol products during research and development

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W. K. Tonui, V. Ahuja, C. J. Beech, J. B. Connolly, B. Dass, D. C. M. Glandorf, et al.,  Transgenic Research,  31:607. 2022.
Novel genetically modified biological control products (referred to as “GM biocontrol products”) are being considered to address a range of complex problems in public health, conservation, and agriculture, including preventing the transmission of vector-borne parasitic and ...

Humans Have a Long History of Making ‘Very Bad Decisions’ to Save Animals

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T. McDonnell,  The New York Times,  2022.
Environmental reporter Tim McDonnell on the potential negative consequences of animal conservation efforts. McDonnell highlights Target Malaria’s research on gene drive to “eliminate malaria-carrying mosquitos” and quotes New Zealand researcher Philipp Messer saying that ...

Can a bold new plan to stop mosquitoes catch on?

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L. J. Young,  Popular Science,  2022.
In the northwestern outskirts of Visalia in Tulare County, California, Bryan Ruiz drives down a familiar dirt road that cuts through farmland. He comes up to an irrigation pipe that’s created a “pretty nasty” situation—a small patch of vegetation and algae-covered water ...

Fact Check: Bill Gates’ genetically modified mosquitoes are responsible for mosquito-borne viruses in Florida and are part of the next planned pandemic.

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A. Williams,  The Paradise,  2022.
The genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida are part of a project by Oxitec that Bill Gates did not fund. The virus reported in Florida is the West Nile virus, which has had reported cases in most U.S. states since 1999, with lower cases in 2022 than in previous years. The ...

Bill Gates’ Colombian Mosquito Factory Breeding 30 Million Bacteria-Infected Mosquitos Per Week

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anonymous,  GREATGAMEINDIA,  2022.
Bill Gates’ Colombian ‘mosquito factory’ is breeding 30 million bacteria-infected mosquitos per week. The project’s objective appears to be to introduce Wolbachia into native mosquito populations by employing lab-bred mosquitoes, resulting in the infection of such ...

An evaluation of fusion partner proteins for paratransgenesis in Asaia bogorensis

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C. Grogan, M. Bennett and D. J. Lampe,  Plos One,  17:18. 2022.
Mosquitoes transmit many pathogens responsible for human diseases, such as malaria which is caused by parasites in the genus Plasmodium. Current strategies to control vector-transmitted diseases are increasingly undermined by mosquito and pathogen resistance, so additional ...

A confinable female-lethal population suppression system in the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae

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A. L. Smidler, J. J. Pai, R. A. Apte, H. M. Sánchez C, R. M. Corder, E. J. Gutiérrez, N. Thakre, I. Antoshechkin, J. M. Marshall and O. S. Akbari,  bioRxiv,  2022.08.30.505861. 2022.
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 ...

Rational engineering of a synthetic insect-bacterial mutualism

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Y. Su, H.-C. Lin, L. S. Teh, F. Chevance, I. James, C. Mayfield, K. G. Golic, J. A. Gagnon, O. Rog and C. Dale,  Current Biology,  2022.
Summary Many insects maintain mutualistic associations with bacterial endosymbionts, but little is known about how they originate in nature. In this study, we describe the establishment and manipulation of a synthetic insect-bacterial symbiosis in a weevil host. Following egg ...

Biologists engineered insect-bacterial mutualism in ‘bucket list’ achievement

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Annonymous,  @THEU,  2022.
A new paper in Current Biology authored by Crystal Su and other collaborators in the School of Biological Sciences describes the development of a novel, synthetic insect-bacterial symbiosis that is sustained through many insect generations by transovarial bacterial transmission. ...

Genetic Tools for Integrated Management of Pests on Honeybees in the Tropics

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M. Pattabhiramaiah, S. Mallikarjunaiah and D. Brueckner,  Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests,  2022.
The Asian honeybee is endemic to Asia where it has been used for honey production and pollination services from time immemorial. They are integral to modern agricultural productivity and to survival and vitality of natural ecosystems. However, recent declines in populations and ...

CRISPR, an eco-friendly technology, may detect crop pests

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W. Adam,  list23,  2022.
Drosophila suzukii, an invading insect pest, is a threat to agricultural yields, especially to the production of fruits such as strawberries, cherries, plums, and grapes in western countries. Until now, control measures to stop the spread of D. suzukii have been inadequate. A ...

World Mosquito Day: Can genetic modification techniques quash the menace?

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CNBCTV18,  CNBC TV18,  2022.
Genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes are prepared in labs and are supposed to fight the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which spread viruses including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Billions have apparently been successfully released in the US, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and ...

Outbreaks of arboviruses, biotechnological innovations and vector control: facing the unexpected

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C. Boëte,  Innovative Strategies for Vector Control,  6:219-231. 2022.
Outbreaks of arboviruses have occurred in the last decades in many places around the world and a variety of responses have been taken in order to control them. Responses ranged from vaccination campaigns to the use of conventional vector control methods. Innovative approaches ...

Precision Guided Sterile Males Suppress Populations of an Invasive Crop Pest

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N. P. Kandul, J. Liu, A. Buchman, I. C. Shriner, R. M. Corder, N. Warsinger-Pepe, T. Yang, A. K. Yadav, M. J. Scott, J. M. Marshall and O. S. Akbari,  GEN Biotechnology,  1:372-385. 2022.
The Drosophila suzukii invasion of western countries has created an immense agricultural and economic threat to crop production. Despite many attempts to suppress its population, D. suzukii continues to destroy soft-flesh fruits. Precision guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) ...

CRISPR-based technology targets global crop pest

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University of California - San Diego,  Phys Org,  2022.
Applying new CRISPR-based technology to a broad agricultural need, researchers at the University of California San Diego have set their aims on a worldwide pest known to decimate valuable food crops. Nikolay Kandul, Omar Akbari and their colleagues first demonstrated the ...

Environmentally appropriate vector control is facilitated by standard metrics for simulation-based evaluation

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V. N. Vásquez, M. R. Reddy and J. M. Marshall,  Frontiers in Tropical Diseases,  3. 2022.
As anthropogenic factors contribute to the introduction and expansion of new and established vector species, the geographic incidence of mosquito-borne disease is shifting. Computer simulations, informed by field data where possible, facilitate the cost-effective evaluation of ...

Changing mosquito genes, spreading bacteria: Science sees success vs dengue

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C. E. Baclig,  INQUIRER.NET,  2022.
Wolbachia, according to WMP, are extremely common bacteria that occur naturally in 50 percent of insect species, including mosquitoes, fruit flies, moths, dragonflies, and butterflies. Aedes aegypti or dengue-carrying mosquitoes, however, do not normally carry Wolbachia. Studies ...

Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus microbiome/virome: new strategies for controlling arboviral transmission?

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M. Gómez, D. Martinez, M. Muñoz and J. D. Ramírez,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:287. 2022.
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the main vectors of highly pathogenic viruses for humans, such as dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), and Zika (ZIKV), which cause febrile, hemorrhagic, and neurological diseases and remain a major threat to global public health. The high ...

Reflection on the Challenges, Accomplishments, and New Frontiers of Gene Drives

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M. Melesse Vergara, J. Labbé and J. Tannous,  BioDesign Research,  2022:9853416. 2022.
Ongoing pest and disease outbreaks pose a serious threat to human, crop, and animal lives, emphasizing the need for constantgenetic discoveries that could serve as mitigation strategies. Gene drives are genetic engineering approaches discovered decadesago that may allow quick, ...

Sterility of Cydia pomonella by X ray irradiation as an alternative to gamma radiation for the sterile insect technique

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J.-H. Zhang, N. Li, H.-Y. Zhao, Y.-Q. Wang, X.-Q. Yang and K.-M. Wu,  Bulletin of Entomological Research,  2022.
The codling moth Cydia pomonella is a major pest of global significance impacting pome fruits and walnuts. It threatens the apple industry in the Loess Plateau and Bohai Bay in China. Sterile insect technique (SIT) could overcome the limitations set by environmentally compatible ...

Studies on the fitness characteristics of wMel- and wAlbB-introgressed Aedes aegypti (Pud) lines in comparison with wMel- and wAlbB-transinfected Aedes aegypti (Aus) and wild-type Aedes aegypti (Pud) lines

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C. Sadanandane, K. Gunasekaran, D. Panneer, S. K. Subbarao, M. Rahi, B. Vijayakumar, V. Athithan, A. Sakthivel, S. Dinesh and P. Jambulingam,  Frontiers in Microbiology,  13:947857. 2022.
Wolbachia, an intracellular maternally transmitted endosymbiont, has been shown to interfere with the replication of dengue virus in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The Wolbachia-transinfected Ae. aegypti has been currently released in many countries to test its effectiveness in ...

Release the Beast? Genetically modified mosquitos for diease control

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G. Ferrante,  Palatinate,  2022.
The company Oxitec is an example how genetic technologies can be used in managing unwanted species in a sustainable way.Oxitec jumped to the headlines in March with permits being issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the release of around 2.4 ...

Robust control strategy by the Sterile Insect Technique for reducing epidemiological risk in presence of vector migration

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P.-A. Bliman and Y. Dumont,  Mathematical Biosciences,  350:108856. 2022.
The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a promising technique to control mosquitoes, vectors of diseases, like dengue, chikungunya or Zika. However, its application in the field is not easy, and its success hinges upon several constraints, one of them being that the treated area ...

Developing Wolbachia-based disease interventions for an extreme environment

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P. A. Ross, S. Elfekih, S. Collier, M. J. Klein, S. S. Lee, M. Dunn, S. Jackson, Y. Zhang, J. K. Axford, X. Gu, M. S. Nasar, P. N. Paradkar, E. A. Taoufik, F. M. Jiggins, A. M. Almalik, M. B. Al-Fageeh and A. A. Hoffmann,  bioRxiv,  2022.07.26.501527. 2022.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying self-spreading, virus-blocking Wolbachia bacteria are being deployed to suppress dengue transmission. However, there are challenges in applying this technology in extreme environments. We introduced two Wolbachia strains into Ae. aegypti from ...

Lack of robust evidence for a Wolbachia infection in Anopheles gambiae from Burkina Faso

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S. 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 ...

Do Australians support genetic technology to control feral animals?

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E. Phiddian,  COSMOS,  2022.
Synthetic biology and genetic technology could be a safer, more humane way of curbing invasive species. Feral cat populations, for instance, could be controlled by preventing them from breeding. But there’s no point trying a new technology it if it doesn’t have public ...

Partial masculinization of Aedes aegypti females by conditional expression of Nix

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B. B. Kojin, E. Jakes, J. K. Biedler, Z. Tu and Z. N. Adelman,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  16:e0010598. 2022.
Here, we report on the conditional expression of Nixin transgenic A. aegypti under the control of the tetracycline-dependent (Tet-off) system, with the goal of establishing repressible sex distortion. A masculinization phenotype was observed in three of the seven transgenic lines ...

Public perspectives towards using gene drive for invasive species management in Australia

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A. Mankad, E. V. Hobman and L. Carter,  CSIRO,  2022.
Many pest animal species live and reproduce in high numbers across Australia. This includes animal species, such as cane toads, feral cats, foxes, rodents, wild pigs, wild rabbits. These species significantly damage Australia’s agricultural industries, natural landscapes, and ...

Breeding out the feral cat problem

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S. Schmidt,  ECOS,  2022.
While feral cats have only existed as part of Australia’s ecosystem for the last 200 or so years, they’ve left a destructive mark on our landscape. They’ve contributed to a growing list of Australian native animals that have become threatened or extinct in that time. ...

The suppressive potential of a gene drive in populations of invasive social wasps is currently limited

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A. B. Meiborg, N. R. Faber, B. A. Taylor, B. A. Harpur and G. Gorjanc,  bioRxiv,  2022.06.27.497711. 2022.
Social insects are very successful invasive species, and the continued increase of global trade and transportation has exacerbated this problem. The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (henceforth Asian hornet), is drastically expanding its range in Western Europe. ...

Australians open to using genetic technology to manage feral cats

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CSIRO,  MIRAGE,  2022.
New genetic technologies could help address the rise of invasives through a number of ways, one of which is called gene drive. Gene drive can determine the sex of offspring, reducing the number of animals able to reproduce, and therefore over time driving down populations. ...

Manipulating Insect Sex Determination Pathways for Genetic Pest Management: Opportunities and Challenges

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A. Siddall, T. Harvey-Samuel, T. Chapman and P. T. Leftwich,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  10. 2022.
Sex determination pathways in insects are generally characterised by an upstream primary signal, which is highly variable across species, and that regulates the splicing of a suite of downstream but highly-conserved genes (transformer, doublesex and fruitless). In turn, these ...

Intron-derived small RNAs for silencing viral RNAs in mosquito cells

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P. Y. L. Tng, L. Z. Carabajal Paladino, M. A. E. Anderson, Z. N. Adelman, R. Fragkoudis, R. Noad and L. Alphey,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  16:e0010548. 2022.
Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the main vectors of mosquito-borne viruses of medical and veterinary significance. Many of these viruses have RNA genomes. Exogenously provided, e.g. transgene encoded, small RNAs could be used to inhibit virus replication, breaking the ...

The AalNix3&4 isoform is required and sufficient to convert Aedes albopictus females into males

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Y. Zhao, B. Jin, P. Liu, X. Xiao, L. Cai, Z. Xie, L. Kong, T. Liu, W. Yang, Y. Wu, J. Gu, Z. Tu, A. A. James and X.-G. Chen,  PLOS Genetics,  18:e1010280. 2022.
Author summary Nix serves as a conserved male-determining factor in the two most important mosquito arboviral vectors, Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. AaeNix alone can convert Ae. aegypti females into fertile but flightless males. AalNix has four alternative splice isoforms ...

Sexual transmission of Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) leads to disseminated infection in mated females

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K. 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 ...

Gene Editing and Genetic Control of Hemipteran Pests: Progress, Challenges and Perspectives

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I. D. Pacheco, L. L. Walling and P. W. Atkinson,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  10. 2022.
The origin of the order Hemiptera can be traced to the late Permian Period more than 230 MYA, well before the origin of flowering plants 100 MY later in during the Cretaceous period. Hemipteran species consume their liquid diets using a sucking proboscis; for phytophagous ...

Establishment of Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti from Pakistan via embryonic microinjection and semi-field evaluation of general fitness of resultant mosquito population

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M. S. Sarwar, N. Jahan, A. Ali, H. K. Yousaf and I. Munzoor,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:191. 2022.
BACKGROUND: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti. It is prevalent on five continents, predominantly in tropical and sub-tropical zones across the world. Wolbachia bacteria have been extensively used in vector control strategies ...

Modifying mosquitoes to suppress disease transmission: Is the long wait over?

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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 ...

Modeling the impact of genetically modified male mosquitoes in the spatial population dynamics of Aedes aegypti

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M. R. da Silva, P. H. G. Lugão, F. Prezoto and G. Chapiro,  Scientific Reports,  12:9112. 2022.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Improving control techniques requires a better understanding of the mosquito’s life cycle, including spatial population dynamics in endemic regions. One of the most ...

Wolbachia 16S rRNA haplotypes detected in wild Anopheles stephensi in eastern Ethiopia

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E. 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 ...

Strategies to Mitigate Establishment under the Wolbachia Incompatible Insect Technique

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S. Soh, S. H. Ho, J. Ong, A. Seah, B. S. Dickens, K. W. Tan, J. R. Koo, A. R. Cook, S. Sim, C. H. Tan, L. C. Ng and J. T. Lim,  Viruses,  14. 2022.
The Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) strategy involves the release of male mosquitoes infected with the bacterium Wolbachia. Regular releases of male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes can lead to the suppression of mosquito populations, thereby reducing the risk of transmission of ...

Novel molecular approaches to combat vectors and vector-borne viruses: Special focus on RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms

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A. Agarwal, D. K. Sarma, D. Chaurasia and H. S. Maan,  Acta Tropica,  2022.
Vector-borne diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, zika, yellow fever etc pose significant burden among the infectious diseases globally, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Globalization, deforestation, urbanization, climate change, uncontrolled population growth, ...

Quality Control and Mating Performance of Irradiated Glossina palpalis gambiensis Males

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K. Ilboudo, K. Camara, E. W. Salou and G. Gimonnea,  Insects,  13. 2022.
The biological quality of sterile male insects produced in a mass-rearing facility is a prerequisite for the success of the SIT, which is a component of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM). Indeed, sterile male insects released in the field must have a good mating ...

Aquatic invasive species specialists’ perceptions on the importance of genetic tools and concepts to inform management

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T. A. Bernos, K. M. Jeffries and N. E. Mandrak,  Biological Invasions,  24:1863-1879. 2022.
Perceptions related to the importance of genetic research influence the mobilization of genetic tools and concepts to inform conservation actions. Research characteristics, stakeholders’ perspectives, knowledge, and social linkages with geneticists influence the outcome of ...

Setting the world’s deadliest animal to self-destruct

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A. Ossola,  QUARTZ,  2022.
The mosquitoes are coming - and the, hopefully, they're going. This wee, British biotech company Oxitec plans to kick off a months-long experiment in which it will release billions of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in California and Florida. But these aren't just any mosquitoes - ...

Local adaptation of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to Wolbachia-induced fitness costs

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P. A. Ross and A. A. Hoffmann,  bioRxiv,  2022.05.06.490959. 2022.
Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs can remain quiescent for many months before hatching, allowing populations to persist through unfavorable conditions. Aedes aegypti infected with the Wolbachia strain wMel have been released in tropical and subtropical regions for dengue control. wMel ...

The fight against malaria

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F. Ammache,  Year 2049,  2022.
Malaria is a disease we’ve been dealing with for thousands of years. Traces of the malaria parasite have been found in the remains of Egyptian mummies. Hippocrates described the fevers caused by malaria in Ancient Greece. The mosquito-filled Pontine Marshes protected Ancient ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes May Protect The World From Disease

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J. R. Learn,  DISCOVER,  2022.
Forget lions, hippos or venomous spiders. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes may be among the deadliest wildlife in the world. Their bite is relatively harmless in normal circumstances. But many of these mosquitoes carry diseases they transmit from the blood of one host to another, ...

CRISPR/Cas9 mediates efficient site-specific mutagenesis of the odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) in the malaria vector Anopheles sinensis

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Y. 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 ...

Biotechnological Road Map for Innovative Weed Management

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A. C. S. Wong, K. Massel, Y. Lam, J. Hintzsche and B. S. Chauhan,  Frontiers in Plant Science,  13. 2022.
In most agriculture farmlands, weed management is predominantly reliant on integrated weed management (IWM) strategies, such as herbicide application. However, the overuse and misuse of herbicides, coupled with the lack of novel active ingredients, has resulted in the uptrend of ...

Role of CRISPR Technology in Gene Editing of Emerging and Re-emerging Vector Borne Disease

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K. K. Mahto, P. Prasad, M. Kumar, H. Dubey and A. Ranjan,  Recent Advances in Pathogen Interactions, Immunity, and Vector Control Strategies,  2022.
Vector borne diseases are rampant across the world. Due to spread and estab-lishment of vector species in different geographical areas, vector adaptation and resistance towards many insecticides the only option left is vector control for vari-ous vector borne diseases. Recent ...

Trojan trout: could turning an invasive fish into a ‘super-male’ save a native species?

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J. Miller,  The Guardian,  2022.
Brook trout may greatly outnumber the Rio Grande cutthroat here, but nearly every brookie the team captures is male. That’s because many are a lab-produced variety known as “Trojan” brook trout. They are unique in that they carry not one, but two copies of the Y chromosome ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes for controlling vector-borne diseases? Successful trial gives hope

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T. Deol,  Down To Earth,  2022.
Preliminary results of an open-air study of genetically engineered mosquitoes — with an aim to suppress a wild population of virus-carrying mosquitoes — in the United States have shown promising results. The aim of the experiment by Oxitec, a United Kingdom-based ...

Release of genetically modified mosquitoes created to fight disease a success: Biotech firm

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C. Greenberg,  National Post,  2022.
The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States created to fight disease has gone according to plan, biotechnology firm Oxitec says.The first phase of the pilot study consisted of releasing almost 5 million modified Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes in the Florida ...

Tests of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Prove Positive

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R. Ellis,  WebMD,  2022.
The first open-air study of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States has yielded positive results, says Oxitec, the UK-based company that ran the study. However, Oxitec says larger tests are needed to determine whether the insects can suppress the disease-spreading ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Work as Intended

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M. L. Ford,  NEWSER,  2022.
Results are in from a pilot study in Florida, where millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes were released into the wild. Some referred to it as the “Jurassic Park” experiment when it was announced last year, but—so far—everything is going to plan, according to UK ...

The sterile insect technique is protected from evolution of mate discrimination

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J. J. Bull and R. Gomulkiewicz,  PeerJ,  10:e13301. 2022.
Background The sterile insect technique (SIT) has been used to suppress and even extinguish pest insect populations. The method involves releasing artificially reared insects (usually males) that, when mating with wild individuals, sterilize the broods. If administered on a large ...

The plan to release genetically engineered mosquitoes in California

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M. Petersen,  Phys Org,  2022.
In the mosquito breeding rooms of British biotech company Oxitec, scientists line up fresh eggs, each the size of a grain of salt. Using microscopic needles, the white-coated researchers inject each egg with a dab of a proprietary synthetic DNA. For four days, Oxitec technicians ...

Genetically-Modified Mosquitos Could Soon Be Released in California

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A. Madrigal,  KQED,  2022.
Millions of genetically-modified, non-biting mosquitoes may soon be set loose in California after federal regulators gave the green light to a study aimed at preventing transmission of diseases like Zika and dengue. British biotech firm Oxitech says its technology alters male ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes May Be Released in California, Experts Express Concern

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Z. Papadakis,  NEWSMAX,  2022.
Millions of genetically engineered mosquitos could soon be set loose in California in an effort to curb the disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito population — but some experts are concerned that it could backfire. On March 7, Oxitec, a private company, obtained a permit from ...

Will genetic modification of mosquitoes take a bite out of insects’ population?

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N. Patel,  KCRW,  2022.
An invasive species of aggressive “ankle biters” called the Aedes aegypti mosquito is now in LA, and it’s spreading quickly. These tiny vampires can lay eggs in a space as small as a water-filled bottle cap, and they carry diseases like yellow fever and dengue. A British ...

An army of genetically engineered mosquitoes is about to be released

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M. Menard,  KNX NEWS,  2022.
A British biotech company has been altering the DNA of mosquitoes with the goal of killing off a more dangerous breed capable of spreading deadly diseases. And now they’re preparing to release their “friendly mosquitoes” into the wild. In California. Aedes aegypti is an ...

California’s first genetically modified mosquitoes may soon be released

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A. M. Asperin,  FOX11 Los Angeles,  2022.
How would you feel about a few genetically engineered mosquitoes flying into your neighborhood? It's a possibility after the US Environmental Protection Agency on Friday approved pilot projects of Oxitec's mosquitoes in specific districts in California and Florida. The next ...

In California, an army of genetically engineered mosquitoes awaits release. Will it backfire?

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M. Petersen,  Los Angeles Times,  2022.
In the mosquito breeding rooms of British biotech company Oxitec, scientists line up fresh eggs, each the size of a grain of salt. Using microscopic needles, the white-coated researchers inject each egg with a dab of a proprietary synthetic DNA. For four days, Oxitec technicians ...

Federal Government Approves Release of Millions of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in California

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A. Jose,  The Western Journal,  2022.
Genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes could soon buzz around in California and Florida after the federal government greenlighted a plan to release the insects in the states. The project is spearheaded by biotechnology firm Oxitec, which, among other things, specializes in ...

Billions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Are Set to Descend on California and Florida This Summer

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J. Rossen,  MENTAL FLOSS,  2022.
Californians may not know it on sight, but there’s going to be something different about their mosquitoes this summer. An invasive species of the bite-prone insects has been genetically modified in an attempt at controlling disease spread. According to Smithsonian, the ...

Podcast: How do you solve a problem like malaria?

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A. Jha,  The Economist,  2022.
SQUASHING MALARIA could, over the next three decades, save as many lives as covid-19 has taken. We explore new ways to fight infections: from the introduction of the first malaria vaccines, to genetically modified mosquitoes

Genetically modified mosquitoes, a potential antidote to deadly diseases

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TRTWorld,  TRTWorld,  2022.
The US approved the release of billions of genetically modified mosquitoes to reduce the transmission of diseases but critics point to possible unintended consequences. Can genetically modified animals combat the spread of deadly diseases? The United States Environmental ...

Overview of paratransgenesis as a strategy to control pathogen transmission by insect vectors

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N. A. Ratcliffe, J. P. Furtado Pacheco, P. Dyson, H. C. Castro, M. S. Gonzalez, P. Azambuja and C. B. Mello,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:112. 2022.
This article presents an overview of paratransgenesis as a strategy to control pathogen transmission by insect vectors. It first briefly summarises some of the disease-causing pathogens vectored by insects and emphasises the need for innovative control methods to counter the ...

Comparison of Ground Release and Drone-Mediated Aerial Release of Aedes aegypti Sterile Males in Southern Mexico: Efficacy and Challenges

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C. F. Marina, P. Liedo, J. G. Bond, A. R. Osorio, J. Valle, R. Angulo-Kladt, Y. Gómez-Simuta, I. Fernández-Salas, A. Dor and T. Williams,  Insects,  13. 2022.
Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in 13–16 houses distributed ...

Why a U.S. Company Plans to Release 2.4 Billion Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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M. Osborne,  Smithosonian Magazine,  2022.
The Environmental Protection Agency has cleared the release of 2.4 billion genetically-modified mosquitoes in California and Florida. The mosquitoes, created by biotech firm Oxitec, will be non-biting Aedes aegypti males engineered to only produce viable male offspring, per the ...

Cytoplasmic incompatibility: A Wolbachia toxin–antidote mechanism comes into view

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M. Hochstrasser,  Current Biology,  32:R287-R289. 2022.
The Wolbachia cidA and cidB genes promote bacterial endosymbiont inheritance through the host female germline. CidB is now shown to load into maturing sperm nuclei. Following fertilization, it disrupts paternal chromosome condensation, triggering embryonic arrest if not countered ...

US poised to release 2.4bn genetically modified male mosquitoes to battle deadly diseases

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G. Canon,  The Guardian,  2022.
Genetically modified male mosquitoes may soon be buzzing across areas of California, in an experiment to stop the spread of invasive species in a warming climate. Earlier this month, the EPA cleared the UK-based biotech company Oxitec to release a maximum of roughly 2.4bn of its ...

Millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes are here to protect us

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M. Kaufman,  MASHABLE,  2022.
Aedes aegypti almost certainly traveled to California in cargo, like many invasive species do. The species, which flourishes in warmer climes, has colonized places like Los Angeles County, and is expected to multiply and spread in these temperate regions as the climate ...

Field Suppression of Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) (Drosophila suzukii Matsumura) Using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

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R. A. Homem, Z. Mateos-Fierro, R. Jones, D. Gilbert, A. R. McKemey, G. Slade and M. T. Fountain,  Insects,  13. 2022.
Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing drosophila—SWD) is an economically important pest of soft and stone fruit worldwide. Control relies on broad-spectrum insecticides, which are neither fully effective nor environmentally sustainable. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a ...

Special mosquitos to combat dengue fever in Binh Duong

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L. Phuong,  VN Express,  2022.
Capsules containing mosquito eggs resistant to dengue fever viruses were released in southern Binh Duong's Thu Dau Mot Town on Thursday to help control the disease. The Wolbachia Project in southern Vietnam, conducted by the World Mosquito Program and collaborators, seeks to ...

A scourge of genetically modified mosquitoes could be unleashed in California

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J. Bote,  SFGATE,  2022.
A genetically modified scourge of mosquitoes could be unleashed throughout California as municipalities across the state grapple with increasing bouts of an invasive mosquito species. The mosquitoes, developed by the British biotech firm Oxitec, are known as OX5034 — a modified ...

Symbionts and gene drive: two strategies to combat vector-borne disease

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G.-H. Wang, J. Du, C. Y. Chu, M. Madhav, G. L. Hughes and J. Champer,  Trends in Genetics,  2022.
Mosquitoes bring global health problems by transmitting parasites and viruses such as malaria and dengue. Unfortunately, current insecticide-based control strategies are only moderately effective because of high cost and resistance. Thus, scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective ...

Differential viral RNA methylation contributes to pathogen blocking in Wolbachia-colonized arthropods

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T. Bhattacharya, L. Yan, J. M. Crawford, H. Zaher, I. L. G. Newton and R. W. Hardy,  PLoS Pathogens,  18:e1010393. 2022.
Arthropod endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis is part of a global biocontrol strategy to reduce the replication of mosquito-borne RNA viruses such as alphaviruses. We previously demonstrated the importance of a host cytosine methyltransferase, DNMT2, in Drosophila and viral RNA as a ...

Billions of GE Mosquitoes May Soon Be Released in California and Florida

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A. N. Mitra,  Earth Island Journal,  2022.
he US Environmental Protection Agency’s decision last week to allow the release of billions of genetically engineered mosquitoes in California and Florida has several environmental and public health groups worried about the potential impacts of the experimental releases on ...

California’s first lab-grown mosquitoes may take flight—stirring controversy

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L. M. Krieger,  Phys Org,  2022.
A biotech firm is seeking permission to release genetically modified mosquitoes into the open air of California for the first time later this year, aiming to reduce the expanding populations of invasive mosquitoes and prevent deadly disease. The controversial research ...

Fall armyworms with offspring-killing gene tested on farms in Brazil

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M. Le Page,  New Scientist,  2022.
Fall armyworms genetically modified to wipe out wild populations of the pests have been released in corn fields in São Paulo State in Brazil in the first farm trial of the new technology. The test was a success and is now being expanded, says Oxitec, the UK-based company that ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes kill their own offspring

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C. Ward,  SYFY,  2022.
Oxitec, a biotech company, has developed a strain of A. aegypti which they call Friendly. Their modified mosquitos are all males and carry a gene which prevents the birth of females in subsequent generations. In short, they’re reducing disease-carrying mosquitos by killing ...

Combining two Genetic Sexing Strains allows sorting of non-transgenic males for Aedes genetic control

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C. Lutrat, M. Burckbuchler, R. P. Olmo, R. Beugnon, A. Fontaine, T. Baldet, J. Bouyer and E. Marois,  bioRxiv,  2022.03.11.483912. 2022.
Chemical control of the mosquito vectors Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti is costly, unsustainable, and increasingly ineffective due to the spread of insecticide resistance. The Sterile Insect Technique is an autocidal control tactic that represents a valuable alternative but ...

Millions Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Be Set Loose In US

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H. Wilmerding,  Daily Caller,  2022.
Millions of genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in the United States as part of an initiative to replace the insects carrying deadly diseases, the company behind the plan announced Tuesday. The program, led by biotechnology company Oxitec, will release roughly 2 ...

Florida Begins Release of Genetically Altered Mosquitoes to Prevent Spread of Zika

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Entrepreneur staff,  Entrepreneur,  2022.
Since 2016, Zika , a disease transmitted by a virus that spreads an invasive species of mosquito, has plagued various regions of the world, including areas of Florida and Texas in the United States. In May 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a program to ...

2 Billion Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Have Been Approved For Release In Florida And California

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J. U. Nisa,  Wonder Engineering,  2022.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sanctioned the release of 2 billion genetically modified mosquitos in Florida and California, Oxitec, the company that created the genetically modified mosquitoes, said. Oxitec’s experimental program intends to reduce the spread ...

Billions of genetically modified male mosquitos will be released in California and Florida as a ‘natural pest control’ to stop the spread of diseases like Zika, yellow fever and Dengue

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R. Morrison,  Daily Mail,  2022.
Billions of genetically engineered male mosquitos will be released in California and Florida over the next two years, as part of a mission to kill off biting females. Oxitec, based in Oxford UK, is a biological pest control development firm, that has produced the edited version ...

2 billion genetically modified mosquitos are about to be released in the US

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J. Hawkins,  yahoo,  2022.
Scientists have been playing god with mosquitos for a couple of years now. Back in 2021, British company Oxitec released 750 million lab-modified mosquitos in Florida. Now, the company is gearing up to release another 2 billion genetically modified mosquitos across more of ...

Wolbachia wAlbB inhibits bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic fever viruses in Culicoides midge cells

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M. L. Matthews, H. O. Covey, B. S. Drolet and C. L. Brelsfoard,  Medical and Veterinary Entomology,  2022.
Abstract Culicoides midges are hematophagous insects that transmit arboviruses of veterinary importance. These viruses include bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic fever virus (EHDV). The endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis Hertig spreads rapidly through insect host ...

2 Billion Genetically Altered Mosquitoes Will Be Released in Fla. and Calif. to Fight Disease

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A. Adams,  People,  2022.
Billions of genetically modified mosquitoes are expected to be released within the next two years as part of an expanded version of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study — but the project is receiving criticism from advocacy groups that believe it could be ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes could be tested in California soon

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S. Milius,  Science News,  2022.
Genetically modified mosquitoes might soon be whining on both U.S. coasts. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved two more years of testing Oxitec’s genetically modified mosquitoes as living pest controls, continuing a pilot program started in 2021 in the Florida ...

Why millions of genetically modified mosquitoes could be released across US

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J. Rogers,  New York Post,  2022.
The US could soon be swarming with genetically altered mosquitoes after the Environmental Protection Agency approved a plan to test the insects. It is hoped the new altered mosquitoes will ward off their natural, disease-causing counterparts. Biotechnology company Oxitec has ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes May Be Released in Fla and Calif

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R. Ellis,  WebMD,  2022.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the release of 2 billion genetically altered mosquitoes in Florida and California, the company that created the genetically modified mosquitoes said. The experimental program created by Oxitec is designed to reduce the ...

2 Billion Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Cleared for Release in California and Florida

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E. Cara,  gizmodo,  2022.
British biotech firm Oxitec announced this week that it has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its genetically modified mosquitoes to be released in parts of Florida and in California, following the completion of a pilot program last year. The ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Set to Be Released in California and Florida

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K. Roberts,  The Epoch Times,  2022.
Millions of genetically modified mosquitoes are set to be released in California and Florida in an effort to reduce the number of real, disease-carrying invasive mosquitoes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday approved use of the genetically engineered insects in ...

No Sting in the Tail for Sterile Bisex Queensland Fruit Fly (Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt) Release Programs

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O. L. Reynolds, D. Collins, B. C. Dominiak and T. Osborne,  Insects,  2022.
Global markets do not tolerate the presence of fruit fly (Tephritidae) in horticultural produce. A key method of control for tephritidae pests, is the sterile insect technique (SIT). Several countries release a bisex strain, i.e., males and females, however the sterile male is ...

Proposed moquito release for Tulare County draws concern

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E. Smith,  The Business Journal,  2022.
News of the approval to release genetically-modified mosquitoes in Tulare County and Monroe County, Florida has drawn the ire of activists who say the company behind the project has not provided data demonstrating the insects are safe. At the same time, the company says it has ...

Millions of genetically modified mosquitoes may soon be buzzing in Florida and California. Here’s why.

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R. W. Miller,  USA Today,  2022.
Millions of genetically altered mosquitoes that seek to ward off their natural, disease-causing counterparts may soon be released in Florida and California after the Environmental Protection Agency approved a plan to further test the modified insects. Developed by the ...

‘Halt this nightmare immediately’: EPA approves release of genetically-engineered mosquitoes

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J. Corbett,  AlterNet,  2022.
Environmental and public health advocates responded with alarm after the Biden administration on Monday gave a British biotechnology company a green light to unleash billions of genetically engineered mosquitoes in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ...

Genetically Engineered Mosquito Imminent Mass Release Ignores Science, Public Health and Environmental Risks

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H. Bourque,  Friends of the Earth,  2022.
In defiance of science and public health concerns, today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the mass release of billions of experimental genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes into the United States’ most populous and agriculturally significant states. The ...

Selfish migrants: How a meiotic driver is selected to increase dispersal

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J. N. Runge, H. Kokko and A. K. Lindholm,  J Evol Biol,  2022.
Meiotic drivers are selfish genetic elements that manipulate meiosis to increase their transmission to the next generation to the detriment of the rest of the genome. One example is the t haplotype in house mice, which is a naturally occurring meiotic driver with deleterious ...

GMO mosquitoes set for release in California to quell disease

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M. Renda,  Courthouse News Service,  2022.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the experimental use of genetically engineered mosquitoes in California and Florida to reduce the populations of invasive mosquitoes that carry a host of infectious diseases like Zika and dengue fever. “With mosquito and ...

Gene drives and population persistence vs elimination: The impact of spatial structure and inbreeding at low density

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P. J. Beaghton and A. Burt,  Theoretical Population Biology,  2022.
Synthetic gene drive constructs are being developed to control disease vectors, invasive species, and other pest species. In a well-mixed random mating population a sufficiently strong gene drive is expected to eliminate a target population, but it is not clear whether the same ...

EVITA Dengue: a cluster-randomized controlled trial to EValuate the efficacy of Wolbachia-InfecTed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in reducing the incidence of Arboviral infection in Brazil

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M. H. Collins, G. E. Potter, M. D. T. Hitchings, E. Butler, M. Wiles, J. K. Kennedy, S. B. Pinto, A. B. M. Teixeira, A. Casanovas-Massana, N. G. Rouphael, G. A. Deye, C. P. Simmons, L. A. Moreira, M. L. Nogueira, D. A. T. Cummings, A. I. Ko, M. M. Teixeir,  Trials,  23:185. 2022.
BACKGROUND: Arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya are a major global health problem, with over 2.5 billion at risk for dengue alone. There are no licensed antivirals for these infections, and safe and effective vaccines are not yet ...

New tech fights fall armyworm by letting offspring die

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V. Ouma,  Sci Dev Net,  2022.
Scientists have developed a new technology that could control the devastating fall armyworm crop pest by releasing genetically-controlled males that suppress populations as subsequent offspring cannot survive, a study says. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, which was ...

Increased biting rate and decreased Wolbachia density in irradiated Aedes mosquitoes

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R. Moretti, E. Lampazzi, C. Damiani, G. Fabbri, G. Lombardi, C. Pioli, A. Desiderio, A. Serrao and M. Calvitti,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:67. 2022.
Releasing considerable numbers of radiation-sterilized males is a promising strategy to suppress mosquito vectors. However, releases may also include small percentages of biting females, which translate to non-negligible numbers when releases are large. Currently, the effects of ...

Evaluation of anti-malaria potency of wild and genetically modified Enterobacter cloacae expressing effector proteins in Anopheles stephensi

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H. 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 ...

Considerations for homology-based DNA repair in mosquitoes: Impact of sequence heterology and donor template source

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J. X. D. Ang, K. Nevard, R. Ireland, D.-K. Purusothaman, S. A. N. Verkuijl, L. Shackleford, E. Gonzalez, M. A. E. Anderson and L. Alphey,  PLOS Genetics,  18:e1010060. 2022.
Author summary The field of genetic control of mosquito vectors has progressed rapidly in recent years, especially in Cas9-based control systems, due to its robustness to elicit a species-specific and dispersive control of mosquito population. To generate a Cas9-based ...

First ever gene-edited ticks offer new weapons against Lyme disease

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N. Lavars,  New Atlas,  2022.
Gene editing in ticks had been thought to be impossible until now, and with good reason. Tick embryos are very tricky to inject because the egg that contains them has a tough layer on the outside, high pressure levels inside, and is also coated in a waxy layer the mothers create ...

C-type lectin 4 regulates broad-spectrum melanization-based refractoriness to malaria parasites

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M. 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 ...

piggyBac-based transgenic RNAi of serine protease 2 results in male sterility in Hyphantria cunea

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X. Li, Q. Liu, H. Bi, Y. Wang, X. Xu, W. Sun, Z. Zhang and Y. Huang,  Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,  103726. 2022.
Fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, is a global invasive forest pest that causes serious damage to the economy and ecosystem of agriculture and forestry. Due to the extent of the problem and the difficulty of conventional chemical control, new technologies must be pursued, such as ...

Genetically engineered insects with sex-selection and genetic incompatibility enable population suppression

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A. Upadhyay, N. R. Feltman, A. Sychla, A. Janzen, S. R. Das, M. Maselko and M. Smanski,  eLife,  11. 2022.
Engineered Genetic Incompatibility (EGI) is a method to create species-like barriers to sexual reproduction. It has applications in pest control that mimic Sterile Insect Technique when only EGI males are released. This can be facilitated by introducing conditional ...

A flavivirus-inducible gene expression system that modulates broad-spectrum antiviral activity against dengue and Zika viruses

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S.-C. Weng, Y.-X. Zhou and S.-H. Shiao,  Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,  142:103723. 2022.
Incidence of dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), two mosquito-borne flaviviruses, is increasing in large parts of the world. Vaccination and medication for these diseases are unsatisfactory. Here, we developed a novel antiviral approach, using a virus-inducible gene ...

Conditions for Investment in Genetic Biocontrol of Pest Vertebrates in Australia

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L. Carter, A. Mankad, S. Campbell, W. Ruscoe, K. P. Oh, P. R. Brown, M. Byrne, M. Tizard and T. Strive,  Frontiers in Agronomy,  3. 2022.
Managing pest vertebrate species in Australia is a significant challenge for government, industry, research sectors and land-managers. Innovative tools such as genetic biocontrol offers decision-makers a potentially effective means of reducing the impact of pest species ...

Self-limiting fall armyworm: a new approach in development for sustainable crop protection and resistance management

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C. E. Reavey, A. S. Walker, S. P. Joyce, L. Broom, A. Willse, K. Ercit, M. Poletto, Z. H. Barnes, T. Marubbi, B. J. Troczka, D. Treanor, K. Beadle, B. Granville, V. de Mello, J. Teal, E. Sulston, A. Ashton, L. Akilan, N. Naish, O. Stevens, N. Humphreys-Jo,  BMC Biotechnology,  22:5. 2022.
Here, we describe the first germline transformation of the fall armyworm and the development of a genetically engineered male-selecting self-limiting strain, OX5382G, which exhibits complete female mortality in the absence of an additive in the larval diet. Laboratory experiments ...

Monitoring Needs for Gene Drive Mosquito Projects: Lessons From Vector Control Field Trials and Invasive Species

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G. Rašić, N. F. Lobo, E. H. Jeffrey Gutiérrez, C. H. Sánchez and J. M. Marshall,  Frontiers in Genetics,  12:780327. 2022.
As gene drive mosquito projects advance from contained laboratory testing to semi-field testing and small-scale field trials, there is a need to assess monitoring requirements to: i) assist with the effective introduction of the gene drive system at field sites, and ii) detect ...

A gene drive does not spread easily in populations of the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor

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N. R. Faber, A. B. Meiborg, G. R. McFarlane, G. Gorjanc and B. A. Harpur,  Apidologie,  52:1112-1127. 2022.
Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are the most significant threat to beekeeping worldwide. They are directly or indirectly responsible for millions of colony losses each year. Beekeepers are somewhat able to control varroa populations through the use of physical and chemical ...

CRISPR Technology Can Eliminate Disease-Spreading Mosquitoes

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S. Krishana,  Now,  2022.
Scientists have uncovered a new technique they call the “precision-guided sterile insect technique,” or pgSIT. While most CRISPR procedures affect organisms that spread diseases by passing a gene change down generations, this system is more limited. It targets male mosquito ...

The prince, the mayor, and the U.S. fish that ate Japan

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C. Elliot,  National Geographic,  2022.
When Crown Prince Akihito visited Chicago on October 3, 1960, his sole request was to visit Shedd Aquarium. Then Mayor Richard J. Daley, an avid angler, presented the prince with a gift that he scooped with a net from one of the tanks himself: 18 bluegills, the official Illinois ...

An Introduction to Containment Recommendations for Gene Drive Mosquitoes and the Laboratory Rearing of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in Africa

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S. Higgs,  Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases,  2022.
The prospect of using genetically engineered arthropods to reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases either indirectly by suppressing vector populations or directly by replacing wild-type vector species with less competent ones has long been discussed; however, only in the ...

Preparing an Insectary in Burkina Faso to Support Research in Genetic Technologies for Malaria Control

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C. Guissou, M. M. Quinlan, R. Sanou, R. K. Ouédraogo, M. Namountougou and A. Diabaté,  Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases,  2022.
The Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) of Burkina Faso, West Africa, was the first African institution to import transgenic mosquitoes for research purposes. A shift from the culture of mosquito research to regulated biotechnology research and considerable ...

Beyond the eye: Kynurenine pathway impairment causes midgut homeostasis dysfunction and survival and reproductive costs in blood-feeding mosquitoes

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V. 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 ...

Integrated control of Aedes albopictus in Southwest Germany supported by the Sterile Insect Technique

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N. Becker, S. M. Langentepe-Kong, A. T. Rodriguez, T. T. Oo, D. Reichle, R. Luhken, J. Schmidt-Chanasit, P. Luthy, A. Puggioli and R. Bellini,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:19. 2022.
Background: The invasive species Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, has undergone extreme range expansion by means of steady introductions as blind passengers in vehicles traveling from the Mediterranean to south-west Germany. The more than 25 ...

Stakeholder engagement to inform the risk assessment and governance of gene drive technology to manage spotted-wing drosophila

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A. E. Kokotovich, S. K. Barnhill-Dilling, J. E. Elsensohn, R. Li, J. A. Delborne and H. Burrack,  Journal of Environmental Management,  307:114480. 2022.
Emerging biotechnologies, such as gene drive technology, are increasingly being proposed to manage a variety of pests and invasive species. As one method of genetic biocontrol, gene drive technology is currently being developed to manage the invasive agricultural pest ...

Intervention of Modern Genetic Tools for Managing Insect Pests of Fruit Crops

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G. S. Miglani, S. Singh, Z. Li and R. K. Sandhu,  Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests,  2022.
Merits and demerits of select modern genetic tools as sterile insect technique, repressible dominant lethal, engineering insect pests, transgenic crops, primary resistance management, gene silencing RNA interference, genome-editing-based methods, autocidal insect control ...

Newer Genetic Tools, Techniques, Vectors, Promoters, and Molecular Markers for Genetic Engineering of Herbivorous Insects

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D. D. Rani, S. Subhash, H. R. Gopalkrishna and A. K. Chakravarthy,  Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests,  2022.
Insects can transmit major infectious diseases to crop plants. Recent advances in insect genomics and transformation technology provide new strategies for the control of insect-borne pathogen transmission and insect pest management. One such strategy is the genetic modification ...

Scientists Used CRISPR Gene Editing to Choose the Sex of Mouse Pups

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S. Fan,  Singuarity Hub,  2021.
“Do you want a boy or a girl?” can be an awkward question.But in certain circles, it’s a question that’s asked every day. Take agriculture. In a perfect world, most cows would only birth females. Chicks would grow up to be all hens. “Sexing” a farm animal when ...

Interaction Between Entomology and Gene Technology: Bt-transgenic and Gene Drives for Pests Control .

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J. C. Ndayıragıje, T. Özek, H. Çevik and İ. Karaca,  Türk Bilim ve Mühendislik Dergisi,  3:108-115. 2021.
Pest control is the major agricultural activity for increasing crop productivity thus insuring food security. Recent pest management programs are depending too much on chemical pesticides, which are a threat to our health and environment. One of the greatest entomological ...

Perspectives into Genetic Manipulations for Control of Dengue Vector (Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, 1762) with Reference to Progress in Indian Experiments

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R. Chatterjee, S. Bhattacharya and B. K. Tyagi,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, Zika and others claim millions of lives across the globe annually, and as such their control has become an ardent necessity. Past attempts over the decades have introduced vector control through ...

Integrated Management of Malaria Vectors in Africa

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R. Mbabazi, K. Maredia, B. B. El-Sayed, A. K. Babumba, M. Savadogo and O. Akinbo,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Malaria disease is a major public health burden in Africa. The control of malaria vectors is a critical component for prevention, management, and eradication of malaria disease. This chapter presents information on the current status of malaria vector control in Africa with ...

Engineering RNA Interference-Based Dengue Virus Resistance in the Mosquito Vector Aedes aegypti: The Current Status and Future Directions

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S. D. Denipitiyage, Y. I. N. S. Gunawardene, Z. Federico and R. S. Dassanayake,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Dengue is an acute, febrile disease caused by the dengue viruses (DENV) comprising four serotypes and transmitted by the mosquito vector Ae. aegypti. DENV are single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses of the family Flaviviridae. Dengue is declared as a current significant ...

Wolbachia: Biological Control Strategy Against Arboviral Diseases

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I. Mohanty, A. Rath and R. K. Hazra,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Arboviral diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are among the major causes of mortality and morbidity in human population. The limited control methods together with lack of antiviral therapies and effective vaccines have paved way for new approaches. One such approach to ...

Measuring Public Attitudes to Releases of Transgenic Mosquitoes for Disease Control, with Special Reference to Dengue and Malaria

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L. A. De Las Llagas and M. S. T. Gunigundo,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Since the advent of DDT in public health and agriculture, science leaped forward with revolutionary technology such as gene drive or editing, thus making it possible to develop alternative approaches to address vector-borne diseases. However, their utilization and sustenance in ...

Experiences and Outcomes from a Worldwide Training Programme on Genetically Modified Vectors (GMVs) Related Biosafety for Human Health and the Environment

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B. K. Tyagi,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Partial to virtual lack of any impact on control of vectors of human diseases, especially mosquitoes, warranted urgent search for new alternate technologies which will be safe, economical and environment-friendly, on one hand, and integrate with other tools and methodologies of ...

Advances in Aedes Mosquito Vector Control Strategies Using CRISPR/Cas9

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P. D. S. U. Wickramasinghe, G. N. Silva, Y. I. N. Silva Gunawardene and R. S. Dassanayake,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Advancements in genetic engineering have resulted in the development of mosquitoes with impaired vector competence, thereby limiting acquisition and transmission of pathogens. The main dengue (DENV) vector, Aedes aegypti, is an invasive species that have spread unwittingly across ...

Genetic Improvements to the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for the Control of Mosquito Population

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P. V. D. Dilani, Y. I. N. S. Gunawardene and R. S. Dassanayake,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Mosquito-borne diseases are becoming a major health problem worldwide. At present, the principal method of controlling these diseases entirely depends on the mosquito vector control strategies. However, traditional control methods which are focussed on reducing mosquito ...

Arthropods of Medical Importance: Need for Genetic and Other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, with Emphasis on Eco-biosocial and Environmental Considerations.

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B. K. Tyagi,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
Among the world’s known vector groups, viz. arthropods, snails and rodents, the most important vectors originate from arthropods, the jointed legs. Arthropods are doubtlessly regarded as the most dominant creatures on the Earth due largely to their remarkable structural and ...

The Effects of Boric Acid Sugar Bait on Wolbachia Trans-Infected Male Aedes albopictus (ZAP Males®) in Laboratory Conditions

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V. S. Aryaprema, W. A. Qualls, K. L. Dobson, S. L. Dobson and R.-D. Xue,  Insects,  13. 2021.
The field release of Wolbachia trans-infected male mosquitoes, as well as the use of toxic sugar baits, is a novel and promising candidate technique for integrated mosquito management programs. However, the methods of action of the two techniques may not be complementary, because ...

Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies

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B. K. Tyagi,  SpringerLink,  2021.
This book comprehensively covers the latest development in developing and deploying the genetically modified vectors, particularly Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes responsible for transmitting malaria parasites and dengue viruses, the most deadly and/or debilitating among all the ...

Safe Application of Genetically Modified Mosquito (GMM) to Combat Dengue and Chikungunya Depends on Socioeconomic Status and Social Acceptance in the Developing Countries: A Comprehensive Analysis

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M. N. Islam,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
The emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases are a serious public health problem throughout the world. It has been observed that more than 100 countries and approximately half of the world’s population are at risk on vector-borne diseases (VBDs). The global burden of the ...

Oxitec wraps mosquito trials for the season

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T. O'Hara,  Keynews.com,  2021.
The private bio-tech company Oxitec has wrapped up its test release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys

Genetic Control in Historical Perspective: The Legacy of India’s Genetic Control of Mosquitoes Unit

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R. Wilbanks,  Hastings Center Report,  51:S11-S18. 2021.
Abstract In the early 1970s, a World Health Organization-initiated and United States-funded project released lab-reared mosquitoes outside New Delhi in the first large-scale field trials of the genetic control of mosquitoes. Despite partnering with the Indian Council of Medical ...

How Israelis help the world fight mosquito-borne diseases

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A. K. Leichman,  ISRAEL21c,  2021.
Israeli scientists and entrepreneurs understand the problems and risks and have been developing a series of ingenious remedies to this growing problem. Prof. Philippos Aris Papathanos, head of Hebrew University’s Insect Genetics Lab, was awarded a Bill & Melinda Gates ...

No, genetically engineered mosquitoes aren’t about to be released in Berkeley

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K. D. Rauch,  Berkeleyside,  2021.
Judith Pierce, public outreach coordinator for the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District, would like to make one thing clear: A release of genetically engineered mosquitoes is not coming to Berkeley — or anywhere in Alameda County — in the near future. Not to her ...

In Real Life: GMOsquitoes

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Newsy,  2021.
The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida gives hope of reducing the spread of disease while causing concerns among some citizens.

Public Perceptions Regarding Genomic Technologies Applied to Breeding Farm Animals: A Qualitative Study

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F. Z. Naab, D. Coles, E. Goddard and L. J. Frewer,  BioTech,  10. 2021.
The societal acceptability of different applications of genomic technologies to animal production systems will determine whether their innovation trajectories will reach the commercialisation stage. Importantly, technological implementation and commercialisation trajectories, ...

Applying functional genomics to the study of lamprey development and sea lamprey population control

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J. R. York, R. E. Thresher and D. W. McCauley,  Journal of Great Lakes Research,  47:S639-S649. 2021.
Lampreys are one of the few survivors of an ancient lineage of jawless vertebrates and have become an important study organism in numerous disciplines in the biological sciences, including evolutionary biology, embryology, ecology, physiology and biomedicine. At the same time, ...

New molecular genetic techniques: regulatory and societal considerations

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Nielsen, K. M.,  AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Development and Field Application,  2021.
A rapidly expanding toolbox of techniques available for genome editing provides the basis for a new continuum in types of modifications that can be introduced into a genome and blur the bimodal GMO vs. non-GMO (genetically modified organism) divide. Site-directed nucleases (SDN) ...

Genome editing and its applications for insect pest control: Curse or blessing?

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Hacker, I. , and Schetelig, M. F,  AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Development and Field Application,  2021.
Gene and genome editing are described as cutting-edge research tools with the potential to tackle urgent global challenges in the management of agricultural pests and human disease vectors such as mosquitoes. The field is defined by the chances and challenges to interlink the ...

Barriers and facilitators of area-wide management including sterile insect technique application: The example of Queensland fruit fly

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Mankad, A., Loechel, B., and Measham, P. F.,  AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Development and Field Application,  2021.
The area-wide management (AWM) of highly mobile insect pests such as tephritid fruit flies requires an integrated understanding of technical, social and institutional processes that drive a coordinated approach within a defined area. Furthermore, the success of an AWM programme ...

The suppression of the False Codling Moth in South Africa using an AW-IPM approach with a SIT component

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N. Boersma,  AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Development and Field Application,  2021.
The false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is native to subSaharan Africa, where it infests various commercial, and wild, fruit-bearing plants. This major pest is not present in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and therefore has ...

Wolbachia reduces virus infection in a natural population of Drosophila

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R. Cogni, S. D. Ding, A. C. Pimentel, J. P. Day and F. M. Jiggins,  Communications Biology,  4:1327. 2021.
Wolbachia is a maternally transmitted bacterial symbiont that is estimated to infect approximately half of arthropod species. In the laboratory it can increase the resistance of insects to viral infection, but its effect on viruses in nature is unknown. Here we report that in a ...

Historical perspective and new avenues to control the myiasis-causing fly Cochliomyia hominivorax in Uruguay.

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Fresia P, Pimentel S, Iriarte V, Marques L, Durán V, Saravia A, Novas R, Basika T, Ferenczi A, Castells D, Saporiti T, Cuore U, Losiewicz S, Fernández F, Ciappesoni G, Dalla-Rizza M and M. A.,  Agrociencia Uruguay,  25:e974. 2021.
Mosca de la bichera’ or simply ‘bichera’ are common names given in Uruguay and the region to the primary myiasis-causing species Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World Screwworm (NWS) fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Myiasis happens when dipteran larvae infest live animals at ...

Science Has Given Us the Power to Undermine Nature’s Deadliest Creature: Should We Use It?

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E. Herold,  leaps.org,  2021.
British biotech company Oxitec has engineered male mosquitoes to have a genetic "kill-switch" that could potentially crash the local population of Aedes aegypti, at least in the short-term. The modified males that are being released are intended to mate with wild females. Males ...

A Household-Based Survey to Understand Factors Influencing Awareness, Attitudes and Knowledge towards Wolbachia-Aedes Technology

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L. T. Soh, Z. Ong, K. Vasquez, I. Chen, X. Li, W. Niah, C. Panchapakesan, A. Sheldenkar, S. Sim, L. C. Ng and M. O. Lwin,  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,  18. 2021.
In 2016, Singapore introduced the release of male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes to complement vector control efforts and suppress Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in selected study sites. With ongoing expansion of Project Wolbachia-Singapore to cover larger areas, a household-based survey ...

Gene drives in malaria control: what we need to know

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R. Mudziwapasi, M. C. Changara, A. Ndudzo, T. Kaseke, F. Godobo, F. L. Mtemeli, R. Shoko, F. Songwe, S. Ndlovu and S. Sandra Mlambo,  Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment,  35:1623-1631. 2021.
Gene drives are being used to enhance a DNA sequence?s likelihood of passing between generations via sexual reproduction. Gene drives can be deployed to manipulate natural populations. They can be used to suppress populations by reducing the number of individuals in a population ...

New developments in the field of genomic technologies and their relevance to conservation management

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G. Segelbacher, M. Bosse, P. Burger, P. Galbusera, J. A. Godoy, P. Helsen, C. Hvilsom, L. Iacolina, A. Kahric, C. Manfrin, M. Nonic, D. Thizy, I. Tsvetkov, N. Veličković, C. Vilà, S. M. Wisely and E. Buzan,  Conservation Genetics,  2021.
Recent technological advances in the field of genomics offer conservation managers and practitioners new tools to explore for conservation applications. Many of these tools are well developed and used by other life science fields, while others are still in development. ...

Genetic control of invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes

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D. Ferreira-Martins, J. Champer, D. W. McCauley, Z. Zhang and M. F. Docker,  Journal of Great Lakes Research,  2021.
The invasive sea lamprey was a significant factor in the collapse of fish stocks in the Great Lakes, and it continues to threaten the multi-billion-dollar fishing industry. Thus, substantial resources are invested annually on sea lamprey control. Current control strategies have ...

Malaria modeling and optimal control using sterile insect technique and insecticide-treated net

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L. Cai, L. Bao, L. Rose, J. Summers and W. Ding,  Applicable Analysis,  2021.
We investigate a malaria transmission model with SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered) classes for the human population, SEI (susceptible-exposed-infected) classes for the wild mosquitoes and an additional class for the sterile mosquitoes. The basic reproduction number ...

Will freeing ourselves (forever) from mosquitoes soon be a realizable “dream”? Pros and cons of an epochal turning point – breaking latest news

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Annonymous,  Breaking Latest News,  2021.
Also true for a dangerous insect like the mosquito: due to the pathologies of which vector, such as the malaria, the dengue o la yellow fever, every year in the world about 800 thousand people die. There are therefore quite a few reasons to want to get rid of it, not just the ...

Oxitec Announces Ground-breaking Commercial Launch of Its Friendly™ Aedes aegypti Solution in Brazil

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Oxitec,  COSION,  2021.
Oxitec, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests, announced today the landmark commercial launch of its Friendly™ Aedes aegypti solution designed specifically for use by homeowners, businesses, and communities to control the dengue-spreading Aedes aegypti ...

Fighting Dengue Virus with Biological Weapons

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Z. Ebrahim,  Inter Press Service,  2021.
For the last 11 years, he has been trying to convince both the provincial and central governments of making “billions of mosquitoes in labs”, which when released in the wild, could reduce the spread of dengue virus, but with little luck. The released genetically engineered ...

Conditional knockdown of transformer in sheep blow fly suggests a role in repression of dosage compensation and potential for population suppression

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M. E. Williamson, Y. Yan and M. J. Scott,  PLOS Genetics,  17:e1009792. 2021.
In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, a single gene (Sxl in D. melanogaster, fle in A. gambiae) controls the development of female-specific tissues and X chromosome dosage compensation, which is the equalization of X-linked gene products ...

Sterilizing Male Mosquitoes with Gene Editing to Reduce Disease Spread

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Global Biodefense Staff,  Global Biodefense,  2021.
Researchers at the Army’s Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies and the University of California Santa Barbara used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 to target a specific gene tied to fertility in male mosquitoes. Researchers experimented with the Aedes aegypti ...

Trial suppresses mosquitoes using non-GMO approach

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GM Watch,  GM Watch,  2021.
In a first for the Southern Hemisphere, researchers have shown that a bacterium can successfully suppress populations of the invasive, disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito that is responsible for spreading dengue, yellow fever and Zika. Published in PNAS (see abstract below), ...

Genome engineering in insects for the control of vector borne diseases

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V. E. Hillary and S. A. Ceasar,  Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science,  179:197-223. 2021.
Insects cause many vector-borne infectious diseases and have become a major threat to human health. Although many control measures are undertaken, some insects are resistant to it, exacerbated by environmental changes which is a major challenge for control measures. Genetic ...

Invasive, disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito sterilized with bacteria and eradicated in large-scale trial

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CSIRO,  Phys Org,  2021.
In a first for the Southern Hemisphere, researchers have shown a bacteria can successfully sterilize and eradicate the invasive, disease carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito which is responsible for spreading dengue, yellow fever and Zika. The breakthrough could support the ...

Releasing incompatible males drives strong suppression across populations of wild and Wolbachiat-carrying Aedes aegypti in Australia

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N. W. Beebe, D. Pagendam, B. J. Trewin, A. Boomer, M. Bradford, A. Ford, C. Liddington, A. Bondarenco, P. J. De Barro, J. Gilchrist, C. Paton, K. M. Staunton, B. Johnson, A. J. Maynard, G. J. Devine, L. E. Hugo, G. Rasic, H. Cook, P. Massaro, N. Snoad, J.,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  118:e2106828118. 2021.
Through replicated treatment and control experiments in northern Australia, regular releases of Aedes aegypti males infected with a Wolbachia from Aedes albopictus was shown to drive strong population suppression in mosaic populations of wild-type (no Wolbachia) and ...

Investigation of Developmental Stage/Age, Gamma Irradiation Dose, and Temperature in Sterilization of Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in a Sterile Insect Technique Program

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B. Ernawan, T. Anggraeni, S. Yusmalinar and I. Ahmad,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  59:320-327. 2021.
The sterilization process using gamma irradiation is a crucial component in a program using sterile insect technique (SIT) to control Aedes aegypti. Unfortunately, there is no efficient standard protocol for sterilizing mosquitoes that can produce a high level of ...

Plan for California’s Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Draws Fire

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T. Baltz,  Bloomberg Law,  2021.
A U.K.-based biotech company’s proposal to release genetically engineered mosquitoes in California as a disease-control measure is prompting criticism that the program could create unnatural consequences. Oxitec says it would unleash safe, non-biting male mosquitoes to reduce ...

Genetically-modified possums and all-in-one trapping machines: funding for new predator-free studies

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A. Allott,  stuff,  2021.
Research into possum genes and creating an all-in-one predator detecting, luring, and trapping machine are among a handful of projects to receive new funding to help bring them into reality. Predator Free 2050 has awarded $2.4 million in Jobs for Nature funding to six ...

A single mutation weakens symbiont-induced reproductive manipulation through reductions in deubiquitylation efficiency

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J. F. Beckmann, K. Van Vaerenberghe, D. E. Akwa and B. S. Cooper,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  118:e2113271118. 2021.
We show that a single naturally observed mutation weakens CI by reducing deubiquitylation. These discoveries help elucidate the molecular basis of symbiont-induced reproductive manipulations.Animals interact with microbes that affect their performance and fitness, including ...

Discrete dynamical models on Wolbachia infection frequency in mosquito populations with biased release ratios

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Y. Shi and B. Zheng,  Journal of Biological Dynamics,  2021.
We develop two discrete models to study how supplemental releases affect the Wolbachia spreading dynamics in cage mosquito populations. The first model focuses on the case when only infected males are released at each generation. This release strategy has been proved to be ...

Malaria and the future of mosquito control

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E. Gonzalez Fernandez,  CATALYST,  2021.
Focusing on mosquito population control, new strategies based on genetic approaches have emerged with the premise of being more eco-friendly. The aim is to not harm the environment or affect other animals since they will only target a specific mosquito species. Genetic control ...

Symbiotic Interactions Between Mosquitoes and Mosquito Viruses

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M. Altinli, E. Schnettler and M. Sicard,  Front Cell Infect Microbiol,  11:694020. 2021.
Mosquitoes not only transmit human and veterinary pathogens called arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) but also harbor mosquito-associated insect-specific viruses (mosquito viruses) that cannot infect vertebrates. In the past, studies investigating mosquito viruses mainly ...

Scientists use gene editing tool to target mosquito-spread disease

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Medical Research Council,  Phys Org,  2021.
Advances in genome editing have allowed the development of genetic insect control methods, which could be highly effective and are species-specific. The results have been published in Scientific Reports. Scientists showed that a method involving a gene editing tool called ...

Mosquitoes Sterilized by CRISPR Powered Precision System

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A. A. Sarkar,  Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News,  2021.
Each year millions around the world are infected by dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. The principal culprit behind the transmission of these deadly diseases is the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Conventional methods of pest control have so far fallen short. To curb the ...

To exterminate, or not to: Scientists debate tweaking wild genomes

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French Press Agency,  Daily Sabah,  2021.
veryone remembers Jeff Goldblum's famous speech in 1993 classic Jurassic Park: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.” Well, these scientists are debating whether one should. In the movie, reconstructing and ...

New precision-guided sterile insect technique designed to control disease-spreading mosquitoes

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E. Henderson,  News Medical Life Sciences,  2021.
Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases. The new precision-guided sterile ...

Scientists debate promise, peril of tweaking wild genomes

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J. Zamora,  Phys Org,  2021.
In the movie Jurassic Park, reconstructing and tweaking genetic material makes it possible to bring dinosaurs back to life. Today, a technology that manipulates animal genomes, called gene drive, has become a reality. The goal, however, is not to revive long-gone species, but to ...

Genetic engineering tech promises to sterilize disease-spreading mosquitoes

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B. Hays,  UPI,  2021.
Inspired by improvements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, scientists have developed a more precise insect sterilization system to curtail, or even eliminate, disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. The so-called "precision-guided sterile insect technique," or ...

Genetic Engineering Technology Promises To Sterilize Disease-Spreading Mosquito Populations

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D. Gyllhem,  VIGOURTIMES,  2021.
Inspired by improvements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, scientists have developed a more precise insect sterilization system to curtail, or even eliminate, disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. The so-called “precision-guided sterile insect technique,” ...

New Technology Designed to Genetically Control Disease-spreading Mosquitoes

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M. Aguilera,  UC San Diego News Center,  2021.
Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases. An illustration by study coauthor ...

Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males

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M. Li, T. Yang, M. Bui, S. Gamez, T. Wise, N. P. Kandul, J. Liu, L. Alcantara, H. Lee, J. R. Edula, R. Raban, Y. Zhan, Y. Wang, N. DeBeaubien, J. Chen, H. M. Sánchez C, J. B. Bennett, I. Antoshechkin, C. Montell, J. M. Marshall and O. S. Akbari,  Nature Communications,  12:5374. 2021.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the principal vector for arboviruses including dengue/yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus, infecting hundreds of millions of people annually. Unfortunately, traditional control methodologies are insufficient, so innovative control methods are ...

Two newly introduced Wolbachia endosymbionts induce cell host differences in competitiveness and metabolic responses

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T. P. Li, S. S. Zha, C. Y. Zhou, X. Xia, A. A. Hoffmann and X. Y. Hong,  Appl Environ Microbiol,  Aem0147921. 2021.
Wolbachia endosymbionts can induce multiple reproductive manipulations in their hosts, with cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) being one of the most common manipulations. The important agricultural pests, white-backed planthopper (Sogatella furcifera) and brown planthopper ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes — What’s The Real Story?

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SPW Staff,  Southeast Product Weekly,  2021.
You’ve heard about the genetically modified mutant mosquitoes being released in the Florida Keys — but what exactly is going on, and how, and why? Basically, researchers in parts of the Florida Keys are releasing male mosquitoes that have been genetically modified to produce ...

UF/IFAS Researchers Explain Science Behind Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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PCT Staff,  Pest Control Technology,  2021.
South Florida residents seeking science-based information about genetically modified mosquitoes can access a new, online resource from University of Florida scientists at the UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory.“ Genetically Modified Mosquitoes” is the latest ...

Millions of Lab-Grown Mosquitoes Are Being Released in Guangzhou

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F. Yiying,  Sixth Tone,  2021.
Guangzhou is releasing millions of lab-engineered mosquitoes every day to neuter and prevent preexisting mosquitoes in the environment from spreading vector-borne diseases, local television station reported Saturday.The Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co., Ltd., in partnership with the ...

New Way to Reduce Diseases Spreading Through Mosquitos

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Dr Jayashree,  Medindia,  2021.
Using a gene editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 that targets specific genes tied to fertility in male mosquitoes, we can slow the spread of potentially deadly diseases such as Zika, dengue fever and yellow fever. This genome editing tool is creating a buzz in the science world, as ...

Gene Editing Could Render Mosquitos Infertile

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U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs,  U.S. Army,  2021.

CRISPR/Cas9-based functional characterization of the pigmentation gene ebony in Plutella xylostella

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X. Xu, T. Harvey-Samuel, J. Yang, M. You and L. Alphey,  Insect Molecular Biology,  2021.
Abstract Body pigmentation is an important character of insects in adapting to biotic and abiotic environmental challenges. Additionally, based on the relative ease of screening, several genes involved in insect melanisation have been used in classic genetic studies or as visual ...

Insect pest management in the age of synthetic biology

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R. Mateos Fernández, M. Petek, I. Gerasymenko, M. Juteršek, Š. Baebler, K. Kallam, E. Moreno Giménez, J. Gondolf, A. Nordmann, K. Gruden, D. Orzaez and N. J. Patron,  Plant Biotechnology Journal,  2021.
Arthropod crop pests are responsible for 20% of global annual crop losses, a figure predicted to increase in a changing climate where the ranges of numerous species are projected to expand. At the same time, many insect species are beneficial, acting as pollinators and predators ...

The Complex Lives of Mosquitoes: The Key for Malaria Control

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F. 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 ...

New mosquito control tools are critical

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L. Braack,  Open Access Government,  2021.
Globally, we are making slow headway in the fight against malaria, but there has been progress, nonetheless. Since 2000, 39 countries and territories have managed to rid themselves of malaria; the most recent is China. Existing tools can achieve local elimination, but the battle ...

Why Genes That Make Mosquitoes Glow Can Help Reduce Vector-Borne Disease

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E. Ricciuti,  Entomology Today,  2021.
Fireflies they are not, but glow they do. Not in the dark, to be sure, but mosquitoes genetically modified in the laboratory for an emerging approach to reducing the threat of vector-borne disease look like miniature neon signs when subjected to ultraviolet light. To produce ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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E. P. Caragata, Y. Lee and E. A. Buckner,  UF IFAS Extension Service,  2021.
Genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes are controversial, partly because of misinformation. This publication provides science-based information about GM mosquitoes to the public and anyone involved in mosquito control. It explains what GM mosquitoes are and why they are being ...

A Monte Carlo study to investigate the feasibility to use the Moroccan panoramic irradiator in sterile insect technique programs

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A. Aknouch, Y. El-ouardi, L. Hamroud, R. Sebihi, M. Mouhib, M. Yjjou, A. Didi and A. Choukri,  Radiation and Environmental Biophysics,  2021.
Mediterranean fly pest (Ceratitis) is one of the most destructive pests of fruit species in Morocco. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environmentally friendly strategy that uses ionizing radiation to sterilize adult insects. Morocco has a panoramic gamma irradiator used ...

Oxitec mosquito release expands

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T. Java,  Keynews.com,  2021.
Beginning this week, less than 200,000 genetically modified Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes will emerge from Oxitec’s designer bo…

Oxitec eyes California for its next GM mosquito pilot projec

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J. Conrow,  2021.
Buoyed by its success in the Florida Keys, Oxitec Ltd. is now looking to California to test its program for controlling mosquito pests through genetic engineering, rather than insecticides. The field research is intended to show that genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes are a ...

Oxitec Advances Process to Bring Friendly™ Mosquito Technology to California to Help Government Agencies Protect Public Health

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Oxitec,  Oxitec,  2021.
Following successful launch of its Friendly™ Aedes aegypti pilot program in the Florida Keys, Oxitec, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock, has requested approval from the U.S. Environmental ...

GeneConvene Global Collaborative Webinar Series | Invasive Species Management: Informing Gene Drive Considerations

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David O'Brochta and Hector Quemada,  GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2021.
The management, control and elimination of invasive species involves solving problems that have analogs to those anticipating the use of gene drive technologies to control and eliminate malaria in Africa.  Avoiding unintended consequences from interventions designed to reduce or ...

Red queen’s race: rapid evolutionary dynamics of an expanding family of meiotic drive factors and their hpRNA suppressors

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J. Vedanayagam, C.-J. Lin and E. C. Lai,  bioRxiv,  2021.08.05.454923. 2021.
Meiotic drivers are a class of selfish genetic elements that are widespread across eukaryotes. Their activities are often detrimental to organismal fitness and thus trigger drive suppression to ensure fair segregation during meiosis. Accordingly, their existence is frequently ...

Transgenic expression of Nix converts genetic females into males and allows automated sex sorting in Aedes albopictus

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C. Lutrat, R. P. Olmo, T. Baldet, J. Bouyer and E. Marois,  bioRxiv,  2021.07.28.454191. 2021.
Aedes albopictus is a major vector of arboviruses. Better understanding of its sex determination is crucial for developing mosquito control tools, especially genetic sexing strains. In Aedes aegypti, Nix is the primary gene responsible for masculinization and Nix-expressing ...

Horizontal Transmission of the Symbiont Microsporidia MB in Anopheles arabiensis

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G. 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 ...

Oxitec and MosquitoMate in the United States: lessons for the future of gene drive mosquito control

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C. E. Schairer, J. Najera, A. A. James, O. S. Akbari and C. S. Bloss,  Pathogens and Global Health,  2021.
ABSTRACTIn response to growing concerns regarding mosquito-borne diseases, scientists are developing novel systems of vector control. Early examples include Oxitec?s OX513A genetically-engineered mosquito and MosquitoMate?s Wolbachia-infected mosquito, and systems using ...

Gene drive strategies of pest control in agricultural systems: challenges and opportunities

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M. Legros, J. M. Marshall, S. Macfadyen, K. R. Hayes, A. Sheppard and L. G. Barrett,  Evolutionary Applications,  2021.
Abstract Recent advances in gene editing technologies have opened new avenues for genetic pest control strategies, in particular around the use of gene drives to suppress or modify pest populations. Significant uncertainty, however, surrounds the applicability of these strategies ...

The Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) hsp83 Gene Promoter Drives Strong Ubiquitous DsRed and ZsGreen Marker Expression in Transgenic Mosquitoes

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S. H. Webster and M. J. Scott,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  2021.
Transgenic strains of the mosquito disease vector Aedes aegypti (L.) are being developed for population suppression or modification. Transgenic mosquitoes are identified using fluorescent protein genes. Here we describe DsRed and ZsGreen marker genes driven by the constitutive ...

Sex separation of Aedes spp. mosquitoes for sterile insect technique application: a review

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B. M. Moran-Aceves, C. F. Marina, A. Dor, P. Liedo and J. Toledo,  Entomologia Experimentalis Et Applicata,  10. 2021.
Separation of the sexes is necessary for the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) in mosquitoes due to the hematophagous habits and disease vector activity of the females. In this review we analyze the history, current status, and future perspectives for the ...

Wolbachia as translational science: controlling mosquito-borne pathogens

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E. P. Caragata, H. L. C. Dutra, P. H. F. Sucupira, A. G. A. Ferreira and L. A. Moreira,  Trends in Parasitology,  2021.
In this review we examine how exploiting the Wolbachia?mosquito relationship has become an increasingly popular strategy for controlling arbovirus transmission. Field deployments of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes have led to significant decreases in dengue virus incidence via high ...

CRISPR/Cas-9 mediated knock-in by homology dependent repair in the West Nile Virus vector Culex quinquefasciatus Say

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D.-K. Purusothaman, L. Shackleford, M. A. E. Anderson, T. Harvey-Samuel and L. Alphey,  Scientific Reports,  11:14964. 2021.
Culex quinquefasciatus Say is a mosquito distributed in both tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a night-active, opportunistic blood-feeder and vectors many animal and human diseases, including West Nile Virus and avian malaria. Current vector control methods ...

Using Moderate Transgene Expression to Improve the Genetic Sexing System of the Australian Sheep Blow Fly Lucilia cuprina

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Y. Yan, M. E. Williamson and M. J. Scott,  Insects,  11. 2021.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a promising strategy to control the Australian sheep blow fly Lucilia cuprina, a major pest of sheep. We have previously developed a transgenic embryonic sexing system (TESS) for this pest to facilitate the potential SIT application. TESS ...

Combating mosquito-borne diseases using genetic control technologies

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G.-H. Wang, S. Gamez, R. R. Raban, J. M. Marshall, L. Alphey, M. Li, J. L. Rasgon and O. S. Akbari,  Nature Communications,  12:4388. 2021.
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue and malaria, pose significant global health burdens. Unfortunately, current control methods based on insecticides and environmental maintenance have fallen short of eliminating the disease burden. Scalable, deployable, genetic-based ...

The Possible Role of Microorganisms in Mosquito Mass Rearing

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L. Chersoni, A. Checcucci, M. Malfacini, A. Puggioli, F. Balestrino, M. Carrieri, I. Piunti, M. L. Dindo, P. Mattarelli and R. Bellini,  Insects,  12. 2021.
In Europe, one of the most significant mosquitoes of public health importance is Aedes albopictus (Skuse), an allochthonous species of Asian origin. One of the most promising control methods against Aedes albopictus is the sterile insect technique (SIT), which consists of mass ...

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and Its Applications

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K. Bourtzis and M. J. B. Vreysen,  Insects,  12. 2021.
Although most insect species have a beneficial role in the ecosystems, some of them represent major plant pests and disease vectors for livestock and humans. During the last six–seven decades, the sterile insect technique (SIT) has been used as part of area-wide integrated pest ...

Unique effort underway to control deadly mosquitos in Florida Keys

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K. Corso and L. Aguirre,  Local10.com,  2021.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 50% of the world’s population is under the threat of mosquito borne diseases. In South Florida, the Keys are a hot spot for infection and now the first place in the United States for a novel approach to eradicating these ...

Improvement of the Mass-Rearing Protocols for the South American Fruit Fly for Application of the Sterile Insect Technique

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T. Mastrangelo, A. Kovaleski, B. Maset, M. D. Costa, C. Barros, L. A. Lopes and C. Caceres,  Insects,  12. 2021.
The existing rearing protocols for Anastrepha fraterculus must be reviewed to make economically viable the production of sterile flies for their area-wide application. Additionally, evidence of sexual incompatibility between a long-term mass-reared Brazilian strain and wild ...

Fighting disease: How are genetically engineered mosquitoes regulated?

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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 ...

Comparative response to post-production process of two Anastrepha ludens strains: Application in the sterile insect technique

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J. Arredondo, J. F. Aguirre-Medina, J. S. Meza, J. Cancino and F. Diaz-Fleischer,  Journal of Applied Entomology,  11. 2021.
The new desiccation-resistant (DR) strain of Anastrepha ludens Loew differs in its life-history traits from the non-selected strain (NS). Given the innate resistance of DR flies to stressors, it is necessary to determine the packing and shipment conditions for their use in the ...

Effect of the timing of pupal irradiation on the quality and sterility of oriental fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) for use in Sterile Insect Technique

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T. J. Fezza, P. A. Follett and T. E. Shelly,  Applied Entomology and Zoology,  8. 2021.
The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a target-specific, biologically based method used to control pestiferous tephritids entailing the release of mass-reared, sterilized males of the target species to achieve sterile male x wild female matings. As documented for several ...

Gene drive that results in addiction to a temperature sensitive version of an essential gene triggers population collapse in Drosophila

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G. Oberhofer, B. Hay and T. Ivy,  bioRxiv,  2021.07.03.451005. 2021.
One strategy for population suppression seeks to use gene drive to spread genes that confer conditional lethality or sterility, providing a way of combining population modification with suppression. Stimuli of potential interest could be introduced by humans, such as an otherwise ...

The (Losing) Battle Against Mosquitoes In Texas

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J. Clayton,  Texas Public Radio,  2021.
Jerry Clayton: Mosquitoes are a fact of life in Texas, and the battle against the pesky biting insects is never ending. But there are some new weapons on the horizon. Zach Adleman is an associate professor of entomology at Texas A&M University. He joins us today. Thanks for being ...

A transgenic female killing system for the genetic control of Drosophila suzukii

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M. F. Schetelig, J. Schwirz and Y. Yan,  Scientific Reports,  11:12938. 2021.
The spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is an invasive pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. It is rapidly transmitted in Europe and North America, causing widespread agricultural losses. Genetic control strategies such as the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been ...

Manipulated Mosquitoes Cut Dengue by 77%

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T. Hayes,  Healthcare Packaging,  2021.
Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, wasn’t that common 50 years ago. In fact, only nine countries had severe outbreaks. But since then, it’s been on a steady incline to the point that there are now 400 million infections a year that contribute to 22,000 deaths. ...

Why Are Gates and Pentagon Releasing GMO Mosquitoes in Florida Keys?

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F. W. Engdahl,  LewRockwell.com,  2021.
On April 30 the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and the Oxitec biotechnology company announced they will begin release of what will ultimately be some 750 million genetically manipulated or gene-edited Aedes Aegypti mosquitos using CRSPR gene editing technology. The Aedes ...

Dengue fever: Upstaged but not outmatched by COVID-19

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C. E. Baclig,  INQUIRER.NET,  2021.
Science has made gains in the war on dengue and other diseases that mosquitoes carry, like malaria.One of these is the World Mosquito Program (WMP), a non-profit initiative that aims to protect the global community from mosquito-borne viral diseases, by deploying a natural ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes; ‘Truth Like Oil’ Novel

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Here and Now,  WBUR,  2021.
Florida Keys officials are working on a unique experiment: hatching thousands of genetically modified mosquitos and releasing them. Andrea Leal of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District explains.

Selfish DNA: how new gene technology could stop the advance of mice

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M. McMillan,  Tentenfield Star,  2021.
It used to be that seeing a mouse in the house was a rare occurrence. Now, it's rarely a day that goes by where we aren't seeing or hearing the little vermin. Current methods of baiting and trapping are struggling to control the plague of mice spreading across regional ...

Dengue Infections Can Be Sharply Reduced With Wolbachia Bacteria

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J. Stone,  Medscape,  2021.
A modestly titled new study released in the New England Journal of Medicine belies the extraordinary 77% protective efficacy reported for preventing dengue infections with Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. A cluster-randomized clinical trial, the AWED ("Applying ...

Making mosquitoes to fight mosquitoes to prevent dengue

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A. George,  Times of India,  2021.
In 2017, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that the national capitl needed to be made mosquito-free. The same year, his Kerala counterpart, Pinaray Vijayan, called a three-day state-wide cleanliness drive as hospitals filled with genue patients.

Temperature-Inducible Precision Guided Sterile Insect Technique

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N. P. Kandul, J. Liu and O. S. Akbari,  bioRxiv,  2021.06.14.448312. 2021.
Releases of sterile males are the gold standard for many insect population control programs, and precise sex sorting to remove females prior to male releases is essential to the success of these operations. To advance traditional methods for scaling the generation of sterile ...

The First Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Have Just Been Released in The US

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Admin,  Science World,  2021.
The biotech firm Oxitec has released its genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys, with the goal of suppressing wild, disease-carrying mosquito populations in the region. This is the first time genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in the US. Oxitec ...

Using Wolbachia to Eliminate Dengue: Will the Virus Fight Back?

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M. Edenborough Kathryn, A. Flores Heather, P. Simmons Cameron, E. Fraser Johanna and C. Pierson Ted,  Journal of Virology,  95:e02203-20. 2021.
Recent fieldtrials havedemonstratedthatdengue incidence can besubstantially reduced by introgressing strains of the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti mosquito populations. This strategy relies on Wolbachia reducing the susceptibility of Ae. aegypti to ...

Dengue Fever Cut Down by 77% With Groundbreaking Bacteria-Armed Mosquitoes

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M. Davis,  The Science Times,  2021.
Scientists found that dengue fever cases have decreased by 77% in a groundbreaking trial that took place in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. They used Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes that reduced their ability to spread the dengue fever. The team at the World Mosquito Program said that ...

Mosquito ‘bacteria hack’ nearly eliminates dengue fever and could save millions of lives

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A. Wilkins,  METRO,  2021.
Mosquitoes infected with a ‘miraculous’ bacteria have been shown to reduce dengue fever cases by 77%, in a groundbreaking new study. Scientists released mosquitoes infected with ‘Wolbachia’ bacteria into the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta – but only in certain zones. In ...

‘Miraculous’ mosquito hack cuts dengue by 77%

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J. Gallagher,  BBC,  2021.
Dengue fever cases have been cut by 77% in a "groundbreaking" trial that manipulates the mosquitoes that spread it, say scientists. They used mosquitoes infected with "miraculous" bacteria that reduce the insect's ability to spread dengue. The trial took place in Yogyakarta city, ...

Modified mosquitoes reduce dengue cases by 77% in Indonesia experiment

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M. Fox,  CNN,  2021.
An experiment to infect mosquitoes with bacteria that stop them from transmitting viruses appears to have helped reduced the spread of deadly dengue virus in Indonesia, researchers reported Wednesday. The modified mosquitoes thrived for three years, and cases of dengue were ...

Efficacy of Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Deployments for the Control of Dengue

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A. Utarini, C. Indriani, R. A. Ahmad, W. Tantowijoyo, E. Arguni, M. R. Ansari, E. Supriyati, D. S. Wardana, Y. Meitika, I. Ernesia, I. Nurhayati, E. Prabowo, B. Andari, B. R. Green, L. Hodgson, Z. Cutcher, E. Rancès, P. A. Ryan, S. L. O’Neill, S. M. Dufau,  New England Journal of Medicine,  384:2177-2186. 2021.
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the wMel strain of Wolbachia pipientis are less susceptible than wild-type A. aegypti to dengue virus infection. METHODS We conducted a cluster-randomized trial involving releases of wMel-infected A. aegypti mosquitoes for the ...

How AI and mosquito sex parties can save the world

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D. Takahashi,  Ventura Beat,  2021.
Jerusalem-based Diptera.ai has figured out a way to use AI to fight the growing threat of mosquitoes, which are spreading malaria and viruses like Zika, dengue, and yellow fever. While the method for fighting mosquitoes has been around for decades, AI can take it to a new level ...

Mosquitoes armed with virus-fighting bacteria sharply curb dengue infections, hospitalizations

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K. Servick,  Science,  2021.
A strategy for fighting dengue fever with bacteria-armed mosquitoes has passed its most rigorous test yet: a large, randomized, controlled trial. Researchers reported today dramatic reductions in rates of dengue infection and hospitalization in areas of an Indonesian city where ...

Study demonstrates ‘exciting potential’ of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to control dengue

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G. Gallagher,  Healio,  2021.
The release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes led to a 77% reduction in the incidence of symptomatic dengue in an Indonesian city, according to researchers, who said the same approach could be used to fight other mosquito-borne diseases. The study tested a strain of Wolbachia ...

‘Nigeria has capacity for safe application of modern biotechnology’

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M. Adewale,  The Guardian,  2021.
Director-general of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, has declared that Nigeria has the capacity to deploy safe biotechnology products for agricultural development and environmental safety. Ebegba, who gave the assurance at the opening of a ...

Gene tech to prevent crossbreeding could safely harness the power of gene drives

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I. l. Guillou,  The Science Advisory Board,  2021.
A new gene engineering technology could allow scientists to harness the benefits of releasing genetically modified animals into the wild without the risk of uncontrolled spread. The new study, published in the journal Nature Communications on June 2, could help in the battle ...

Australia plots biological warfare to eradicate rampaging ‘mouse plague’

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J. Smyth,  Financial Times,  2021.
Australia is home to some of the world’s most fearsome creatures. But none is more destructive than the humble house mouse, a plague of which is rampaging across vast swaths of farmland and terrorising countryfolk. Farmers in New South Wales, the worst affected state, warned ...

Mouse plague control hopes raised with funding for genetic biocontrol research

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Anonymous,  From Press,  2021.
As communities and farmers continue to battle the mouse plague, a funding announcement for genetic biocontrol research could be a potential game changer for future plagues. The New South Wales government has today announced a $50 million mouse control package which includes $1.8 ...

Mutant mosquitoes carrying ‘death gene’ released as ‘bio-engineered’ insects terrify

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J. Caven,  Daily Star,  2021.
Mutant mosquitoes which carry a ‘death gene’ have been released into the skies in a bid to curb diseases from spreading to humans. Tens of thousands of genetically modified male insects will mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit illnesses, in Florida ...

‘Death gene’ in genetically modified male mosquitoes

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J. Goddard,  The Times,  2021.
Tens of thousands of bio-engineered mosquitoes have taken flight in the Florida Keys under a pilot project that aims to breed insects programmed with a “death switch”. Genetically modified males produced by Oxitec — a British-founded biotechnology company — have begun ...

Synthetic SPECIES developed for use as a confinable gene drive

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University of California - San Diego,  ScienceDaily,  2021.
CRISPR-based technologies offer enormous potential to benefit human health and safety, from disease eradication to fortified food supplies. As one example, CRISPR-based gene drives, which are engineered to spread specific traits through targeted populations, are being developed ...

‘Gene drive’ tech to control mice plagues

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AAP,  Countryman,  2021.
As western NSW deals with a devastating mouse plague the government is investing in breakthrough genetic biocontrol research that could transform pest management in Australia. Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said the NSW government would provide $1.8 million to the project to ...

Improving mosquito control strategies with population genomics

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T. 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 ...

WHO releases new guidance for deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes

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E. Henderson,  News Medical Life Sciences,  2021.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance for the deployment of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes to combat vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. GM mosquitoes may carry a gene that kills female progeny and the technology can be used against the ...

Mosquitoes are deadly pests, genetically-modified mosquitoes could help stop disease

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T. Browne,  ClickOrlando,  2021.
Hearing the words “genetically modified mosquitoes” can sound like the plot for a science-fiction movie but Meredith Fenson, a native Floridian turned biological pest control specialist says, “mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest animal by far” and a study happening ...

A Novel Genetic Sexing Strain of Anastrepha Ludens for Cost-Effective Sterile Insect Technique Applications: Improved Genetic Stability and Rearing Efficiency

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E. Ramírez-Santos, P. Rendon, G. Gouvi, A. Zacharopoulou, K. Bourtzis, C. Cáceres and K. Bloem,  Insects,  12. 2021.
Anastrepha ludens (Loew) is one of the most destructive insect pests damaging several fruits of economic importance. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is used under an area-wide integrated pest management approach, to suppress these pest populations. Mass rearing facilities were ...

Genetic engineering may help control disease-carrying mosquitoes

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Anonymous,  The Economist,  2021.
EVERY YEAR, hundreds of millions of people catch mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Hundreds of thousands die. Drug treatments are imperfect. And, despite decades of effort, vaccines have, for many of these diseases, proved tricky to perfect. Better, then, to ...

Suppression of female fertility in Aedes aegypti with a CRISPR-targeted male-sterile mutation

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J. Chen, J. Luo, Y. Wang, A. S. Gurav, M. Li, O. S. Akbari and C. Montell,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  118:e2105075118. 2021.
We introduced and characterized the impact on female fertility of an Ae. aegypti mutation that disrupts a gene that is specifically expressed in testes. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a null mutation in the Ae. aegypti β2-tubulin (B2t) gene, which eliminates male fertility. ...

Oxitec takes on growing cattle tick challenges

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Annonymous,  The Cattle Site,  2021.
Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock, announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a grant for a feasibility project to develop an Oxitec self-limiting solution for the ...

Pest reduction with female killers and sterile males

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L. Mertz,  Good Fruit Grower,  2021.
New ways to fight spotted wing drosophila are in the works, thanks to new genetic engineering tools. These transgenic methods introduce new reproduction-hampering genes into male SWD, so that when they mate with females, the females either don’t have any young, or their female ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes; WHO issues new guidance for research

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DTE Staff,  Down To Earth,  2021.
Genetically-modified mosquitoes or GMMs have been used across the world to control mosquitoes. GMMs have been able to bring down the population of the Aedes aegypti by 90 per cent in countries like Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama and Malaysia. But there have never been any ...

Burkina Faso Testing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Curb Malaria

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H. Wilkins,  Voice of America,  2021.
The mosquito-borne disease malaria kills more than 400,000 people each year, the vast majority in Africa. Target Malaria, an international group of scientists, is working in Burkina Faso on a genetic solution. Abdoulaye Diabate, with the West African country’s Research ...

Florida Environmental Group Says GMO Mosquitoes Fall Short on Scientific Rigor

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C. Drukier,  NTD,  2021.
America’s first genetically modified mosquitoes are now buzzing around six locations in the Florida Keys as part of a pilot project. Developed by UK biotech company Oxitec, the bugs are designed to kill off the wild population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry diseases ...

WHO issues new guidance for research on genetically modified mosquitoes to fight malaria and other vector-borne diseases

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WHO,  reliefweb,  2021.
New guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) sets essential standards to inform future research and development on genetically modified mosquitoes, particularly in addressing issues relating to ethics, safety, affordability and effectiveness. Malaria and other ...

Guidance framework for testing of genetically modified mosquitoes, second edition

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WHO,  WHO-TDR,  2021.
For more than 2 decades, scientists have been working to harness the promise of molecular biology to develop genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) for use as public health tools to prevent the transmission of vector-borne diseases. Responding to a need for additional standards ...

Small-Cage Laboratory Trials of Genetically-Engineered Anopheline Mosquitoes

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R. 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. ...

Genetic Technologies for Sustainable Management of Insect Pests and Disease Vectors

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S. Grilli, R. Galizi and C. Taxiarchi,  Sustainability,  13. 2021.
Recent advancements in genetic and genome editing research, augmented by the discovery of new molecular tools such as CRISPR, have revolutionised the field of genetic engineering by enabling precise site-specific genome modifications with unprecedented ease. These technologies ...

Sterile Insect Technique: Successful Suppression of an Aedes aegypti Field Population in Cuba

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R. Gato, Z. Menendez, E. Prieto, R. Argiles, M. Rodriguez, W. Baldoquin, Y. Hernandez, D. Perez, J. Anaya, I. Fuentes, C. Lorenzo, K. Gonzalez, Y. Campo and J. Bouyer,  Insects,  12:13. 2021.
Here, we describe an open field trial to evaluate the effect of the release of irradiated male Ae. aegypti on a wild population. The pilot trial was carried out in a suburb of Havana and compared the mosquito population density before and after the intervention, in both untreated ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Take Flight to Fight Invasive Species in Florid

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T. Machemer,  Smithosonian Magazine,  2021.
In late April, the biotechnology company Oxitec placed blue-and-white hexagonal boxes on the properties of six private volunteers around the Florida Keys. After pouring in water, the genetically modified mosquito eggs inside activated and hatched. Now the first larvae have ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes may help scientists swat dreaded midge

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W. Jean,  The Times,  2021.
Scotland’s bloodthirsty midges may finally meet their match thanks to revolutionary genetic manipulation techniques that could stop the pesky insects biting chunks out of the tourist industry. News that a British biotechnology company has created genetically modified non-biting ...

Bliotech firm behind CRISPR mosquitoes is working on other gene-hacked creatures

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D. Robitzski,  Futurism,  2021.
Brazil’s regulatory agency CTNBio gave Oxitec and Bayer the approval they needed to launch a field test of the gene-hacked armyworm ­— technically a caterpillar — on commercial crops, so there may be genetically altered bugs crawling across corn farms in the area soon. ...

First Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released in U.S. Are Hatching Now

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D. Coffey,  Scientific American,  2021.
This week, mosquito eggs placed in the Florida Keys are expected to hatch tens of thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes, a result of the first U.S. release of such insects in the wild. A biotechnology firm called Oxitec delivered the eggs in late April as part of a ...

In a World-First, Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Are Hatching in the US

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B. Bergan,  INTERSTING ENGINEERING,  2021.
Mosquito eggs placed in the Florida Keys are about to hatch tens of thousands of genetically altered mosquitos, the first such release of "synthetic" insects in the world, according to an initial report from Scientific American. Pilot program for genetically modified mosquitoes ...

The U.S.’s first open-air genetically modified mosquitoes have taken flight

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S. Milius,  Science News,  2021.
The first genetically modified mosquitoes that will be allowed to fly free outdoors in the United States have started reaching the age for mating in the Florida Keys. In a test of the biotech company Oxitec’s GM male mosquitoes for pest control, these Aedes aegypti started ...

Use of genetically modifed mosquitoes to minimize the burden of diseases casused by mosquitoes in South Texas.

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MDN Staff,  MegaDoctor News,  2021.
Of the many species of mosquitoes, female Aedes aegypti is the primary vector that is responsible for transmission of several diseases and has been most extensively studied. The efforts of the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent ...

Monster Mosquito–Why the Technology of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes is Dangerous and Should Be Stopped Worldwide

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B. Dogra,  counter currents,  2021.
After sparking controversy in other countries including India, the technology of genetically engineered mosquitoes is now leading to widespread protests in Florida USA. Here the biotechnology giant company Oxitec in collaboration with local officialdom is moving ahead with a ...

Florida releases genetically modified mosquitoes in hopes to reduce spread of disease

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A. Fahim,  Reuters,  2021.
Genetically modified mosquitoes have been released for the first time in the United States, taking flight in the Florida Keys in a pilot program intended to reduce the spread of deadly diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and the Zika virus.After an odyssey spanning more than a ...

Why Florida is releasing genetically modified mosquitoes

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M. Murphy,  The Telegraph,  2021.
The thousands of lab-grown mosquitoes hatching in humid gardens across Florida’s tropical Key West next week will be blissfully ignorant of the controversy they have caused. Billboards have already begun appearing near busy motorways in protest of their arrival, with one ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Have Come to the U.S. Will They Work?

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A. de la Garza,  TIME,  2021.
“Our Mosquito Project Takes Flight,” reads a baby-blue billboard off US-1 in the Florida Keys, alongside an image of an insect tracing a path in the shape of a heart. Sponsored by the local mosquito control board and U.K.-based biotech firm Oxitec, the ad promotes a ...

Bill Gates finances the creation of transgenic mosquitoes

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Explica.co,  explica,  2021.
Male mosquitoes (they do not bite. They feed on nectar, not blood) from Oxitec will emerge from release boxes placed in six locations in the Florida Keys to mate with local female mosquitoes (they do bite. They do feed on blood). The female offspring from these encounters cannot ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released In US For First Time To Combat Disease

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J. Van Zijl,  IFL Science,  2021.
A landmark project, spearheaded by the biotechnology company, Oxitec, has released genetically modified mosquitos in the Florida Keys. This marks the first time that genetically modified mosquitos have been released into the wild in the US. The reason: to combat the Aedes aegypti ...

Cloning wildlife and editing their genes to protect them and us.

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H. Thomasy,  NEO-LIFE,  2021.
In December 10, 2020, Elizabeth Ann made history just by being born. She isn’t a British royal, an American married to a British royal, a movie star’s daughter, or even human for that matter. Elizabeth Ann is a ferret—but perhaps the most famous ferret of all time. More ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released In Florida ‘Jurassic Park Experiment’

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D. Richardson,  UNILAD,  2021.
Mosquitos are not only annoying but they can carry disease in their bites. In response to this, a company called Oxitec has genetically modified male mosquitos to pass on a killswitch to females. It is hoped that these genetically modified pests will help stop the transmission of ...

Gravitas: Genetically modified mosquitoes arrive in Florida

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P. Sharma,  WION,  2021.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes have arrived in U.S. 20 million 'modified mosquitoes' will be released in Florida to help prevent Dengue. But, Florida residents fear a 'mosquito apocalypse'

Reengineered mosquitoes released in Florida pilot program

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S. W. Tan,  The Washington Times,  2021.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes have been released in the U.S. for the first time in the Florida Keys, with hopes of quelling wild, disease-carrying mosquito populations in the region. British-based biotech firm Oxitec genetically engineered Aedes aegypti non-biting male ...

A natural symbiotic bacterium drives mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium infection via secretion of an antimalarial lipase

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H. 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 ...

First genetically modified mosquitoes released in US

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N. Lanese,  LiveScience,  2021.
The biotech firm Oxitec has released its genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys, with the goal of suppressing wild, disease-carrying mosquito populations in the region. This is the first time genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in the U.S. Oxitec ...

Bill Gates-backed startup releases millions of genetically modified mosquitoes

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ENTREPRENEUR STAFF,  Entrepreneur,  2021.
The British company Oxitec released a cloud of hundreds of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes to study how to control their reproduction and thus stop the spread of dengue, Zika, malaria, etc. As reported by Axios , the company, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda ...

First US Field Test of GM Mosquitoes Begins in Florida

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C. Wilcox,  The Scientist,  2021.
he first US field test of genetically modified mosquitoes for population control has begun in Florida. Approximately 144,000 mosquitoes engineered by the UK-based biotech firm Oxitec are to be expected to be set free over the next three months, the first of up to 750 million ...

The first transgenic mosquitoes were releaseed in the United States.

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D. Davis,  Prudent Press Agency,  2021.
After a decade of fighting for regulatory approval and public acceptance, the biotech company has released GMO mosquitoes outdoors in the United States for the first time. The experiment, which began this week in the Florida Keys, despite objections from some local critics, is ...

The Bill Gates Corporation, Backed by Bill Gates, Releases Thousands of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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T. Meeks,  Aviation Analysis,  2021.
British company Oxitec has launched transgenic mosquitoes in the Florida Keys, in the United States, to study how to control their reproduction and thus limit the spread of chronic diseases transmitted by insects such as dengue fever and the Zika virus. The company, funded by ...

Sterile Insect Technique Programme against Mediterranean Fruit Fly in the Valencian Community (Spain)

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I. Plá, J. García de Oteyza, C. Tur, M. Á. Martínez, M. C. Laurín, E. Alonso, M. Martínez, Á. Martín, R. Sanchis, M. C. Navarro, M. T. Navarro, R. Argilés, M. Briasco, Ó. Dembilio and V. Dalmau,  Insects,  12. 2021.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), is an endemic pest in fruit-growing areas of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. In the Valencian Community, it represents a serious problem in the cultivation of citrus and numerous species of fruit, such as peach, cherry, ...

Next gen insect control

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E. Unglesbee,  Progressive Farmer,  2021.
Dubbed "self-limiting" insects by their makers, a UK-based biotechnology company called Oxitec, these insects are genetically modified (GM) with an inserted gene that permits only male offspring to survive. Once released into a pest community, the GM insects gradually lower the ...

Stable isotopes for reliable identification of wild and mass-reared Queensland fruit flies in sterile insect technique programs

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B. Mainali, A. S. Andrew, P. W. Taylor and P. Rempoulakis,  Journal of Pest Science,  14. 2021.
Queensland fruit fly is one of the most economically important horticultural pests in Australia. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is now being reconsidered and upscaled to combat this pest so reliable discrimination of released sterile Q-flies from wild flies in monitoring traps is ...

Living in the endosymbiotic world of Wolbachia: A centennial review

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R. Kaur, J. D. Shropshire, K. L. Cross, B. Leigh, A. J. Mansueto, V. Stewart, S. R. Bordenstein and S. R. Bordenstein,  Cell Host and Microbe,  29:879-893. 2021.
The most widespread intracellular bacteria in the animal kingdom are maternally inherited endosymbionts of the genus Wolbachia. Their prevalence in arthropods and nematodes worldwide and stunning arsenal of parasitic and mutualistic adaptations make these bacteria a biological ...

Genetically modified mosquitos: Biohacking for disease prevention.

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D. Maloney,  HACKADAY,  2021.
Mosquito control is basically a numbers game, stacked in their favor. Since each female lays 100 to 200 eggs in a clutch, in wet climates, mosquitos are simply too prolific to get ahead of using standard means. Coupled with collateral damage to the environment — draining ...

First genetically modified mosquitoes released in the United States

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E. Waltz,  Nature,  2021.
After a decade of fighting for regulatory approval and public acceptance, a biotechnology firm has released genetically engineered mosquitoes into the open air in the United States for the first time. The experiment, launched this week in the Florida Keys — over the objections ...

Oxitec releases first genetically modified mosquitoes in U.S.

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J. Knutson,  Axios,  2021.
Oxitec, a British startup determined to prevent instances of mosquito-borne disease, released thousands of genetically modified mosquito eggs in the Florida Keys this week as part of a test approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and Florida's agriculture department. Why ...

Armyworm meets Friendly moth

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M. Francisco,  Nature Biotechnology,  39:532-532. 2021.
The fall armyworm moth, a pest so named for its caterpillar’s invasive and destructive behavior, may now have to contend with a ‘Friendly’ foe. UK-based Oxitec and agbiotech giant Bayer have jointly developed a genetically modified variety to combat the fall armyworm ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes have landed in the Keys. Here’s what you need to know

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G. Filosa,  Miami Herald,  2021.
More than 20 million genetically modified mosquitoes are coming to the Florida Keys this year, in a landmark project by British biotech company Oxitec and Monroe County’s Mosquito Control District. This mosquito control method hasn’t been used in the U.S. before. It’s a ...

What Are GMO Mosquitoes and What Is Their Purpose?

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A. Krosofsky,  GREENMATTERS,  2021.
Scientists have made GMO corn, strawberries, even many types of farm animals. Now, it seems, they have managed to genetically modify mosquitoes as well. But what is the purpose of GMO mosquitoes, and why would scientists go out of their way to create something that is already a ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes | Connect the Dots

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thv11,  THV11,  2021.
This is a local TV story from Arkansas of the Oxitec trial being conducted in Florida.

‘Home to GMO Mosquitoes?!’ Florida Unleashes a Billion Lab Grown Mosquitoes

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Anonymous,  B and T MAGAZINE,  2021.
Up to a billion genetically engineered mosquitoes are going to be released in the Florida Keys—but locals are having none of it, with billboards erected saying ‘no!’ to the damned blood suckers. The genetically-modified mosquitoes, known as the OX5034, were made in a ...

The Release of 1 Billion Exterminator Mosquitoes Has Begun

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D. Noor,  Gizmodo,  2021.
Tens of thousands of male mosquitoes are descending on the Florida Keys. But these are no ordinary mosquitoes: They’re genetically modified, and they were planted around the state on purpose. It’s part of a plan to curb disease by releasing 1 billion mosquitoes across two ...

First-ever US release of genetically modified mosquitoes begins in Florida Keys

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S. LaMotte,  CNN,  2021.
The first release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States began this week in the Florida Keys -- the culmination of a decade-long effort by local mosquito control authorities to see if a genetically modified organism is a viable alternative to spraying ...

The first genetically modified mosquitoes released in the U.S. to buzz in the Florida Keys

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K. Weintraub,  USA Today,  2021.
On Thursday morning, workers from a British company placed basketball-sized cardboard boxes into six yards in the Florida Keys. Then they added water. In a week or so, 12,000 male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes will – one by one – begin buzzing out of each box, the first ...

A Billion Lab-Grown Mosquitos Are Being Released and People Are Freaking Out

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V. Kipnis,  Vice,  2021.
On Thursday afternoon, six Florida Keys residents will walk out into their yards and set out aquamarine cardboard boxes filled with mosquito larvae. Then, water will be poured into the containers. For the next ten days, as the mosquitoes grow into adults, their neighbors will be ...

The mosquito-bite fight begins

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F. Billingsley,  Click2Houston,  2021.
Anyone who thought February’s freeze would kill all the mosquitos is biting up the wrong leg. They are back and, seemingly so, with a vengeance (did surviving just make them stronger, one wonders?). In Florida this week, an interesting and controversial fight against the bite ...

Modeling and analysis of the implementation of the Wolbachia incompatible and sterile insect technique for mosquito population suppression.

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B. Zheng, J. S. Yu and J. Li,  Siam Journal on Applied Mathematics,  81:718-740. 2021.
Mathematical analysis may offer guidance in designing effective mass release strategies for the area-wide application of this Wolbachia incompatible and sterile insect technique in the future. The two most crucial concerns in designing release strategies are how often and in what ...

Nearly 144K GMO Mosquitoes to be Released in South Florida: What We Know

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J. Prigeon,  6 South Florida,  2021.
Nearly 144,000 genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in South Florida this week as part of an effort to reduce the population disease-carrying mosquitoes. The landmark release of GMO insects marks the beginning of the U.S.-approved program to control the number of ...

Nation’s first trial of genetically modified mosquitoes starts in Florida Keys

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S. Brock,  TODAY,  2021.
To control the population of potentially disease-spreading mosquitoes, a controversial project is getting underway in the Florida Keys, highlighted by the release of even more mosquitoes that have been genetically modified. NBC’s Sam Brock reports for TODAY from Miami.

Florida Unleashing Thousands of Mosquitoes

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Anonymous,  The Weather Channel,  2021.
Florida will begin releasing thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Keys this week to combat diseases like Zika and dengue. But the government’s green light has some residents seeing red.

GMO mosquitoes to be released in Florida Keys

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NBC News,  WRCBtv,  2021.
Florida will begin releasing genetically modified mosquitoes this week as part of its efforts to control one of the disease-spreading species of the biting insect. The state will release almost 144,000 nonbiting male mosquitoes in the coming weeks engineered by the British firm ...

Nearly 150,000 Gene-Hacked Mosquitoes to Be Unleashed in Florida

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S. Kim,  Newsweek,  2021.
Nearly 150,000 mosquitoes that have been genetically modified by Oxitec, a biotechnology company based in the U.K., will be released across parts of Monroe County's Florida Keys region starting this week. The release is part of an experiment to help combat a disease-transmitting ...

Genetically modified mosquito larvae to be released in Florida Keys

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E. Helmore,  The Guardian,  2021.
The Florida Keys will this week see the release of genetically modified, non-biting male mosquito larvae as part of a controversial program designed to curb the spread of insect-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and ...

Florida set to release swarms of GMO mosquitoes as residents decry ‘criminal experiment’ by Bill Gates-backed biotech

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rt com,  rt com,  2021.
A plan to release thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes in an effort to combat disease in the Florida Keys has triggered dire concerns among locals, some saying the “criminal” experiment will turn them into guinea pigs. Spearheaded by the Florida Keys Mosquito Control ...

“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 2019

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P. 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 ...

BUZZ OFF Florida residents blast pest control ‘TERRORISTS’ over plans to unleash a BILLION mutant mosquitoes in the Keys

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J. Bentley-York,  The SUN,  2021.
The areas Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) are set to release the gene hacked ‘fraken-squitoes' in a bid to fight insect-borne viruses like yellow fever. A BILLION mutant mosquitoes are set to be released in the Keys to fight insect-borne viruses like yellow fever Florida pest ...

Florida to release a billion genetically modified mosquitoes and people are worried

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B. Robinson,  indy100,  2021.
It sounds like the pitch for a horror movie, but Florida’s about to release up to a billion genetically modified mosquitoes in the Keys. What could go wrong? Florida residents and environmentalists are already voicing their concerns after state officials and Oxitec, a ...

Thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes being released in Florida

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T. Lapin,  New York Post,  2021.
Thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes have begun to be released in Florida this week as part of an effort to combat a disease-spreading species of the insect. The buzzy project, from British biotech company Oxitec, aims to curb the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, ...

Halt This Nightmare’: Alarm as Florida Set to Begin Release of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes

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J. Johnson,  Common Dreams,  2021.
Environmentalists and Florida residents voiced concern and outrage Monday as state government officials and the biotechnology giant Oxitec announced plans to move ahead this week with a pilot project that involves releasing up to a billion genetically engineered mosquitoes in ...

Florida residents claim ‘pest control trial’ that will release up to a BILLION genetically engineered mosquitos in the Keys to reduce species carrying diseases is ‘TERRORISM’

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S. Liberatore,  Daily Mail,  2021.
The Florida Keys will soon be buzzing with close to a billion 'fraken-squitoes' – gene-hacked mosquitoes aimed at eradicating a disease carrying mosquito. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) and Oxitec, a British biotech company, are starting the first-ever U.S. ...

Coalition Against GMO Mosquito Condemns Release of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes

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GMO Free USA,  3BL CSRwire,  2021.
Despite a decade of community opposition, the experimental release of genetically engineered mosquitoes begins today in the Florida Keys. British biotech corporation, Oxitec, in collaboration with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, plans to release up to a billion ...

Nation’s First Trial Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Starts In Florida Keys

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N. Klingener,  WLRN,  2021.
Boxes containing the eggs of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, water and a little food are being placed in six locations in the Lower and Middle Keys this week — in a trial that will be the first of its kind in the United States. The genetic modification is ...

Genetically-engineered mosquitoes set for release in Florida Keys: Science offers tool to fight Zika, dengue, malaria but critics claim it’s unnecessary and potentially dangerous

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J. Musto,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2021.
U.K.-based biotechnology company Oxitec has partnered with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District in an effort to control the invasive and disease-spreading female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the region. Oxitec’s [genetically modified] male mosquitoes — which don’t ...

Development of Sterile Insect Technique for Control of the European Grapevine Moth, Lobesia botrana, in Urban Areas of Chile

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G. S. Simmons, M. C. Salazar Sepulveda, E. A. Fuentes Barrios, M. Idalsoaga Villegas, R. E. Medina Jimenez, A. R. Garrido Jerez, R. Henderson and H. Donoso Riffo,  Insects,  12. 2021.
The European grapevine moth, a Palearctic pest, was first detected in the Americas in 2008. Its establishment in Chile presented production and export issues for grapes and other fruits, and a national control campaign was launched. Urban areas next to agricultural production ...

UK biotech firm’s 750 mn GM mosquitoes will mate with females off Florida, sow a deadly gene

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S. Ramesh,  The Print,  2021.
Oxitec, a UK-based biotechnology company, plans to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys islands off the US this month as part of a trial to curb mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and the one caused by the Zika virus. This is the latest genetic engineering ...

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 mosquitoes

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M. 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 ...

Florida to release genetically modified mosquitoes to fight disease

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K. Jones,  WND,  2021.
A biotechnology company will soon release genetically modified mosquitoes in certain areas of the Florida Keys in order to combat infectious diseases spread by the parasitic insects.The findings could lead to a new method for combating the spread of diseases such as the Zika ...

Dengue fever and Zika The first genetically modified mosquitoes are released in Florida to fight disease

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M. Woolridge,  The Daily Guardian,  2021.
Biotechnology Corporation Oxitec Planning to release transgenic mosquitoes in Florida Keys. The company says its technology aims to combat dengue fever, a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes Aedes aegyptiIn addition to other diseases such as Zika.According to Who is the And ...

Scientists are now playing god with mosquitoes

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M. Wehner,  BGR,  2021.
Preventing illnesses in humans is a high priority for scientists that devote their lives to finding cures and techniques that keep people healthy, but sometimes a plan comes along that is so wild it can cause even the most devoted science fans to furrow their brow. In Florida, ...

First GMO mosquitoes to be released in the Florida Keys

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T. White,  UNDARK,  2021.
Oxitec says its technology will combat dengue fever, a potentially life-threatening disease, and other mosquito-borne viruses — such as Zika — mainly transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. While there have been more than 7,300 dengue cases reported in the United States ...

Introduction of a cold sensitivity-conferring mutation into the RTA-Bddsx hybrid system of Bactrocera dorsalis for establishment of a thermally controllable homozygous line

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S. M. Dai, C. Y. Huang and C. Chang,  Pest Management Science,  7. 2021.
BACKGROUND For efficient control of the economically important fruit pest Bactrocera dorsalis, a hybrid system combining ricin toxicity and sex-related alternative splicing of the doublesex gene has been developed. This system exhibits the expected female-specific lethal effect; ...

Evidence for natural hybridization and novel Wolbachia strain superinfections in the Anopheles gambiae complex from Guinea

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C. 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, ...

Determining the Sterilization Doses under Hypoxia for the Novel Black Pupae Genetic Sexing Strain of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera, Tephritidae)

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P. D. Giustina, T. Mastrangelo, S. Ahmad, G. Mascarin and C. Caceres,  Insects,  12. 2021.
Our study reports for the first time the dose-sterility response under hypoxia for two different A. fraterculus strains. The pupae were derived from a bisexual strain (a Brazilian-1 population) and a recently developed genetic sexing strain (GSS-89). Two hours prior to ...

Village hears from experts as genetic-mosquito release experiment nears.

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J. McCarthy,  KEYSWEEKLY,  2021.
On March 18, Islamorada Village Council heard from several independent scientists who discussed information and issues behind the genetically modified mosquitoes for population and disease suppression. The scientists collectively said they’re neither for nor against the ...

Evaluating unintended consequences of intentional species introductions and eradications for improved conservation management

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D. E. Pearson, T. J. Clark and P. G. Hahn,  Conserv Biol,  2021.
We conducted a global literature review of these conservation actions to quantify how often unintended outcomes occur and to elucidate their underlying causes. We found that studies reported intended outcomes in 51% of cases, a combination of intended outcomes and unintended ...

Meiotic Cas9 expression mediates genotype conversion in the male and female mouse germline.

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A. J. Weitzel, H. A. Grunwald, R. Levina, V. M. Gantz, S. M. Hedrick, E. Bier and K. L. Cooper,  2021.03.16.435716,  2021.
We previously showed that such a system of genotype conversion from heterozygous to homozygous after a sequence targeted CRISPR/Cas9 double strand DNA break is feasible in the female mouse germline. In the male germline, however, all double strand breaks were instead repaired by ...

When More is Less: Mosquito Population Suppression Using Sterile, Incompatible and Genetically Modified Male Mosquitoes

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S. L. Dobson,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  58:1980-1986. 2021.
The current review of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is motivated by new technologies and the recent renaissance of male release field trials, which is driving an evolution in mosquito control and regulation. Practitioners that are releasing male mosquitoes would do well to ...

Mosquito anxiety prompts query from congressman

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T. Java,  Keynews.com,  2021.
Anxiety among some residents over the pending release of hundreds of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes next month in undisclosed locations throughout the Florida Keys has prompted Congressman Carlos Gimenez to seek answers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ...

New Pesticides Will Modify Insect Genes: What Could Go Wrong?

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Food Tank,  EcoWatch,  2021.
Farmers across the U.S. could soon fill their pesticide spray tanks with a substance known as interfering RNA (RNAi). (RNA is a molecule similar to DNA.) Insects that are exposed to it — either by eating crops sprayed with the substance or by landing on a crop and absorbing it ...

Thirteenth meeting of the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group

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Vector Control Advisory Group,  WHO,  2021.
VCAG experts met virtually with product developers, innovators and researchers from 7 to 10 December 2020 for the 13th VCAG meeting. This report details the proceedings and outcomes of the meeting, including advice provided to the following applicants: bait stations; lethal house ...

femaleless Controls Sex Determination and Dosage Compensation Pathways in Females of Anopheles Mosquitoes

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E. Krzywinska, L. Ferretti, J. Li, J.-C. Li, C.-H. Chen and J. Krzywinski,  Current Biology,  31:1084-1091.e4. 2021.
Here we show that in the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae, a gene, which likely arose in the Anopheles lineage and which we call femaleless (fle), controls sex determination in females by regulating splicing of dsx and fruitless (fru; another terminal gene within a ...

Sex Determination and Dosage Compensation: femaleless Is the Link in Anopheles Mosquitoes

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M. Scott,  Current Biology,  31:R260-R263. 2021.
A new study finds that the femaleless gene is essential for sexual development and repression of X-chromosome dosage compensation in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. This could provide the basis for a new genetic approach to control this pest.

Hybrid mosquitoes? Evidence from rural Tanzania on how local communities conceptualize and respond to modified mosquitoes as a tool for malaria control

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M. F. Finda, F. O. Okumu, E. Minja, R. Njalambaha, W. Mponzi, B. B. Tarimo, P. Chaki, J. Lezaun, A. H. Kelly and N. Christofides,  Malaria Journal,  20:134. 2021.
Different forms of mosquito modifications are being considered as potential high-impact and low-cost tools for future malaria control in Africa. Although still under evaluation, the eventual success of these technologies will require high-level public acceptance. Understanding ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes for better health

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D. Devis,  COSMOS,  2021.
One method of preventing these mosquito-born diseases is to use insecticides to kill the mozzies and remove them, but sometimes this only works as a short term solution, or has unintended devasting effects on the ecosystem. Another method for decreasing the number of ...

Engineered expression of the invertebrate-specific scorpion toxin AaHIT reduces adult longevity and female fecundity in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella

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T. Harvey-Samuel, X. Xu, E. Lovett, T. Dafa'alla, A. Walker, V. C. Norman, R. Carter, J. Teal, L. Akilan, P. T. Leftwich, C. M. Reitmayer, H. A. Siddiqui and L. Alphey,  Pest Management Science,  2021.
To increase the flexibility of future genetic pest management systems in the diamondback moth, we aimed to assess the use of a non-cell-autonomous, invertebrate-specific, neurotoxic effector ? the scorpion toxin AaHIT. This AaHIT effector was designed to be secreted by ...

Tensions rise as GM mosquito release nears in Florida Keys

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T. O'Hara,  Keynews.com,  2021.
Tensions seem to be rising as a planned release of genetically modified mosquitoes nears. The British-based biotech company Oxitec plans to release genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Florida Keys sometime after April, but has yet to disclose exact locations in ...

Quantifying the risk of vector-borne disease transmission attributable to genetically modified vectors

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G. R. Hosack, A. Ickowicz and K. R. Hayes,  Royal Society Open Science,  8:201525. 2021.
The relative risk of disease transmission caused by the potential release of transgenic vectors, such as through sterile insect technique or gene drive systems, is assessed with comparison with wild-type vectors. The probabilistic risk framework is demonstrated with an assessment ...

Florida Keys moves forward with genetically modified mosquitoes

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H. Vela,  local10.com,  2021.
The feared GMO mosquitoes are not going away. Opponents of the technology fear the date of the release in the Florida Keys is getting closer, and they are not ready for the possible repercussions of the experiment. The fight over whether or not to release genetically modified ...

Demographic and psychographic drivers of public acceptance of novel invasive pest control technologies

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F. Eppink, P. J. Walsh and E. MacDonald,  Ecology and Society,  26. 2021.
Invasive mammals are a primary threat to New Zealand's endemic species. In remote areas, aerial delivery of poison is the preferred method of pest management, although it faces some public backlash. Novel pest control technologies are currently being investigated as alternatives ...

When and where will millions of mosquitoes be released? Here are details for Florida Keys

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D. Goodhue,  Miami Herald,  2021.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District announced this week a wide and vague planned range of deployment for the lab-designed mosquitoes — neighborhoods from mile marker 10 to 93. The trial is being conducted by British biotech company Oxitec. It’s a method approved by the ...

Sterile Insect Technique: Lessons From the Past

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M. Q. Benedict,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  58:1974-1979. 2021.
When E.F. Knipling conceived of the release of sexually sterile insects to suppress wild populations, he laid down several fundamental qualities that characterized suitable target species—some of which mosquitoes generally violate—including high reproductive rates and large ...

Company uses engineered mosquitoes to prevent diseases

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N. Herzog and D. Niesel,  The Daily News,  2021.
It’s amazing how many serious infectious diseases are transmitted by insects like ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. These are called vector-borne diseases, which are responsible for significant human suffering and economic disruption. Mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of ...

Mosquito trial will begin in April, but Keys locations won’t be disclosed

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S. Matthis,  KEYSWEEKLY,  2021.
FKMCD spokesman Chad Huff wrote in an email, “The physical location of each box is still being finalized. Since most will be situated on private property at owner request, FKMCD-Oxitec will NOT be providing specific addresses due to privacy concerns and protection of project ...

Locals protest over genetically modified mosquito plan in Florida Keys

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D. Goodhue,  Miami Herald,  2021.
Sometime this year, somewhere in the Florida Keys, a British biotech company is expected to release millions of genetically modified male mosquitoes in an effort to breed out of existence an invasive species of bug responsible for the transmittal of deadly diseases like dengue ...

Population genomics of invasive rodents on islands: Genetic consequences of colonization and prospects for localized synthetic gene drive

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K. P. Oh, A. B. Shiels, L. Shiels, D. V. Blondel, K. J. Campbell, J. R. Saah, A. L. Lloyd, P. Q. Thomas, F. Gould, Z. Abdo, J. R. Godwin and A. J. Piaggio,  Evolutionary Applications,  2021.
Here we used pooled whole-genome sequencing of invasive mouse (Mus musculus) populations on four islands along with paired putative source populations to test genetic predictions of island colonization and characterize locally fixed Cas9 genomic targets. Patterns of variation ...

ReMOT Control Delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complex to Induce Germline Mutagenesis in the Disease Vector Mosquitoes Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae)

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X. X. Li, Y. Xu, H. B. Zhang, H. T. Yin, D. Zhou, Y. Sun, L. Ma, B. Shen and C. L. Zhu,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  58. 2021.
The wide distribution of Culex (Cx.) pipiens complex mosquitoes makes it difficult to prevent the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases in humans. Gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 is an effective technique with the potential to solve the growing problem of mosquito-borne ...

Optimized CRISPR tools and site-directed transgenesis in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes for gene drive development

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X. Feng, V. Lopez Del Amo, E. Mameli, M. Lee, A. L. Bishop, N. Perrimon and V. M. Gantz,  bioRxiv,  2021.02.10.430702. 2021.
Here, we developed a Culex-specific Cas9/gRNA expression toolkit and used site-directed homology-based transgenesis to generate and validate a Culex quinquefasciatus Cas9-expressing line. We showed that gRNA scaffold variants improve transgenesis efficiency in both Culex and ...

Projects to target a range of pest control solutions

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K. McCormack,  The Chronicle,  2021.
With the annual national cost of established vertebrate pest animals estimated to be around $800 million, and over $4 billion for weeds, it’s in Australia’s best interest to try and tackle these pesky problems at their root causes. 19 projects will be funded following a ...

Oxitec gears up for test releases

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T. O'Hara,  Keynews.com,  2021.
The United Kingdom-based biotech company Oxitec will soon announce the test locations and timetable for releasing its genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys.

Number of Project Wolbachia mosquitoes released is constantly reviewed to maintain suppression of dengue: NEA

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N. L. Ching,  today,  2021.
Project Wolbachia – Singapore has yielded promising results so far.Releases of non-biting male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes have suppressed the urban Aedes aegypti mosquito populations in study sites at Tampines and Yishun by up to 90 per cent, and we have observed 58 to 74 per ...

Public attitudes towards synthetic biology

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CSIRO,  Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform,  2021.
A national survey has been conducted by CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform as an important first step in measuring public attitudes towards synthetic biology. The survey draws on the views of more than 8,000 Australians, and researchers are examining the data to ...

GeneConvene Global Collaborative Webinar Series | Genetic Biocontrol 2021

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David O'Brochta and Hector Quemada,  GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2021.
In the mid 20th century various ideas emerged concerning how genetics and genetic principles could be directly applied to age-old problems of managing insects that threaten food security and public health.  This series of webinars will explore the current state-of-the-art of ...

How to engage communities on a large scale? Lessons from World Mosquito Program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

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G. B. Costa, R. Smithyman, S. L. O'Neill and L. A. Moreira,  Gates Open Research,  2021.
Here we discuss and analyse the framework for community engagement implemented by the WMP in Brazil, during the large-scale deployment of the method in the municipalities of Niterói and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our experience indicates that the community engagement work for ...

Reply to: Issues with combining incompatible and sterile insect techniques

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Y. Li, L. A. Baton, D. Zhang, J. Bouyer, A. G. Parker, A. A. Hoffmann, L. C. Ng, C. H. Tan and Z. Xi,  Nature,  590:E3-E5. 2021.
When the aim is elimination of the target population, Uni-CI and Bi-CI do not have appreciably different risks of population replacement. The small-scale field trial8 cited by Moretti and Calvitti in their Comment1 does not provide evidence that Bi-CI protects against population ...

The complete mitogenome sequence of the agricultural pest, clover root weevil: the key to its own demise?

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R. A. Al-Jiab, J. Gillum, A. Alexander, D. M. Tompkins, C. B. Phillips, P. K. Dearden and N. J. Gemmell,  Mitochondrial DNA Part B,  4:878-879. 2021.
AbstractWe report the complete mitogenome of Sitona obsoletus, an agricultural pest in New Zealand and some European countries. Like other Sitona mitogenomes, the 6 tRNA gene box is ordered RNSAEF, supporting the hypothesis that this signature is common to, and potentially ...

Grey squirrels: is birth control the solution to Britain’s invasive species problem?

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J. Gilchrist,  The Conversation,  2021.
As with the UK’s other invasive species, such as rabbits, signal crayfish and Japanese knotweed, introducing the grey squirrel has proved to be an expensive mistake. Not only do grey squirrels displace red squirrels, they strip bark from trees. A recent report estimated that ...

Issues with combining incompatible and sterile insect techniques

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R. Moretti and M. Calvitti,  Nature,  590:E1-E2. 2021.
In a recent paper, Zheng at al.1 performed field experiments that tested a strategy of mosquito suppression based on the release of functionally sterile males produced by the combination of reproductive unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (which is induced by the bacterium ...

Mosquitoes genetically modified to be resistant to Zika

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Staff,  Lab+Life Scientist,  2021.
Researchers have wrestled with different strategies for controlling the spread of Zika virus, which is transmitted to humans from female mosquito bites. One approach, which has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency, will see more than 750 million genetically ...

Improving the Phenotypic Properties of the Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) Temperature-Sensitive Lethal Genetic Sexing Strain in Support of Sterile Insect Technique Applications

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M. F. Porras, J. S. Meza, E. G. Rajotte, K. Bourtzis and C. Caceres,  Journal of Economic Entomology,  113:2688-2694. 2021.
We present the first evidence that this slower development is due to a different gene, here namely slow development (sd), which is closely linked to the tsl gene. Taking advantage of recombination phenomena between the two loci, we report the isolation of a novel temperature ...

Project Wolbachia: Residents are killing the ‘helpful’ mosquitoes, which can be a nuisance

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T. J. Cheng,  today,  2021.
In 2019, Dr Amy Khor, then Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, said that there was a 90 per cent suppression rate at study sites in Tampines and Yishun from February to November that year. However, certain public housing estates under the project ...

Demographic feedbacks can hamper the spatial spread of a gene drive

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L. Girardin and F. Débarre,  arXiv,  2021.
Our results indicate that taking into account the interplay between population dynamics and population genetics might actually be crucial, as it can effectively reverse the direction of the invasion and lead to failure. Our findings can be extended to other bistable systems, such ...

Playing God and tampering with nature: popular labels for real concerns in synthetic biology

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L. Carter, A. Mankad, E. V. Hobman and N. B. Porter,  Transgenic Research,  2021.
We present the findings from a large Australian study (N = 4593) which suggests ‘playing God’ objections and their variants can be multilayered and, at times, accompanied by meaningful information about risk perceptions. We use qualitative analysis of ope

RNAi-based products: A sustainable alternative to hazardous pesticides

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Ghent University,  Phys Org,  2021.
RNAi-based biocontrol is a great alternative to hazardous pesticides and can contribute towards reversing the alarming decline in farmland birds and beneficial insects (especially pollinating ones). RNAi is a well-known natural biological process in most

Genetically-modified mosquitoes key to stopping Zika virus spread

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University of Missouri,  Medical Xpress,  2021.
Alexander Franz, an associate professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, collaborated with researchers at Colorado State University by using CRISPR gene-editing technology to produce mosquitoes that are unable to replicate Zika virus and therefore cannot infect a human ...

Drivers of mosquito mating

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N. 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 ...

Clock genes and environmental cues coordinate Anopheles pheromone synthesis, swarming, and mating

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G. 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 ...

The Promises and Realities of Integration in Synthetic Biology: A View From Social Science

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L. Carter and A. Mankad,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  8. 2021.
We take stock of thepromises and realities of science integration by sharing our experiences of embarking onthis very challenge in Australia. We conclude by offering suggestions for bringing aboutthe enabling conditions for improved integration across the natural and social ...

Co‐developing a common glossary with stakeholders for engagement on new genetic approaches for malaria control in a local African setting

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E. Chemonges Wanyama, B. Dicko, L. Pare Toe, M. B. Coulibaly, N. Barry, K. Bayala Traore, A. Diabate, M. Drabo, J. K. Kayondo, S. Kekele, S. Kodio, A. D. Ky, R. R. Linga, E. Magala, W. I. Meda, S. Mukwaya, A. Namukwaya, B. Robinson, H. Samoura, K. Sanogo,  Malaria Journal,  20:53. 2021.
Scientific terminologies are mainly lacking in local languages, yet when research activities involve international partnership, the question of technical jargon and its translation is crucial for effective and meaningful communication with stakeholders. Target Malaria, a ...

Combining refuges with transgenic insect releases for the management of an insect pest with non-recessive resistance to Bt crops in agricultural landscapes

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T. R. Brewer and M. B. Bonsall,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  509:11. 2021.
Reinforcing the high-dose/refuge strategy with releases of transgenic insects has been suggested as a method for simultaneously managing agricultural pest populations and resistance to transgenic crops. Theoretical and empirical studies have shown that these approaches can work ...

Manipulation of Gut Symbionts for Improving the Sterile Insect Technique: Quality Parameters of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) Genetic Sexing Strain Males After Feeding on Bacteria-Enriched Diets

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Q. Zhang, P. Cai, B. Wang, X. Liu, J. Lin, R. Hua, H. Zhang, C. Yi, X. Song, Q. Ji, J. Yang and S. Chen,  Journal of Economic Entomology,  114:560-570. 2021.
One environmentally friendly method used to manage Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), a key agricultural pest of substantial economic importance, is the sterile insect technique (SIT). Nevertheless, several deficiencies related to this strategy impair the success of the SIT, including ...

Responsibly Developing Gene Drives: The GeneConvene Global Collaborative

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J. Toomey,  Bill of Health,  2021.
The GeneConvene Global Collaborative, a project of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, was started this past July to promote the responsible development and regulation of gene drive technologies. It brings together researchers, regulators and stakeholders around ...

‘Clever Approach’: Scientists Create GM-Free Organisms Using Genetic Engineering

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A. Paleja,  The WIRE,  2021.
Farther to the north, researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a novel way to resolve this problem. They used genetic engineering to create organisms for release that are not genetically modified. Maciej Maselko was a postdoctoral associate at the university ...

Population Dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Two Rural Villages in Southern Mexico: Baseline Data for an Evaluation of the Sterile Insect Technique

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C. F. Marina, J. G. Bond, K. Hernández-Arriaga, J. Valle, A. Ulloa, I. Fernández-Salas, D. O. Carvalho, K. Bourtzis, A. Dor, T. Williams and P. Liedo,  Insects,  12. 2021.
Indoor and outdoor ovitraps were placed in 15 randomly selected houses in two rural villages in Chiapas, southern Mexico. In addition, ovitraps were placed in five transects surrounding each village, with three traps per transect, one at the edge, one at 50 m, and another at 100 ...

CRISPR and the splice to survive: New gene-editing technology could be used to save species from extinction—or to eliminate them.

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E. Kolbert,  New Yorker,  2021.
About a year ago, not long before the pandemic began, I paid a visit to the center, which is an hour southwest of Melbourne. The draw was an experiment on a species of giant toad known familiarly as the cane toad. The toad was introduced to Australia as an agent of pest control, ...

Next-generation tools to control biting midge populations and reduce pathogen transmission

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P. Shults, L. W. Cohnstaedt, Z. N. Adelman and C. Brelsfoard,  Parasites and Vectors,  14:31. 2021.
Biting midges of the genus Culicoides transmit disease-causing agents resulting in a significant economic impact on livestock industries in many parts of the world. Localized control efforts, such as removal of larval habitat or pesticide application, can be logistically ...

Mosquito Sexual Selection and Reproductive Control Programs

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L. J. Cator, C. A. S. Wyer and L. C. Harrington,  Trends in Parasitology,  2021.
Recent work has generated many key insights about specific aspects of mating behavior and physiology. Here, we synthesize these findings and classify swarming mosquito systems as polygynous. Male mating success is highly variable in swarms and evidence suggests that it is likely ...

ARS Science Key to Stopping ‘Man-Eating’ Parasite

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S. Elliott,  Tellus,  2021.
Screwworm infestations were once prevalent in the United States, with 230,000 cases reported in 1935 alone. ARS scientists Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland conceived and developed the sterile insect technique (SIT) to control and eradicate screwworms. With SIT, sterilized ...

Conservation pest control with new technologies: public perceptions

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E. A. MacDonald, M. B. Neff, E. Edwards, F. Medvecky and J. Balanovic,  Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,  2021.
We conducted eleven focus groups in New Zealand to explore three questions about novel technologies (gene drive and two others for comparison of pest control tools): (1) what are the risks/benefits? (2) how do they compare to current methods? and (3) who should be represented on ...

His Passion Was Contagious

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D. C. McCool,  Notre Dame Magazine,  2021.
Craig was an entomologist and vector biologist whose interest in mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit to people was as contagious as the pathogens themselves. Hesburgh could not have chosen a more driven faculty member. In his 38 years at Notre Dame, before he died in 1995 ...

Transgenic cotton and sterile insect releases synergize eradication of pink bollworm a century after it invaded the United States

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B. E. Tabashnik, L. R. Liesner, P. C. Ellsworth, G. C. Unnithan, J. A. Fabrick, S. E. Naranjo, X. Li, T. J. Dennehy, L. Antilla, R. T. Staten and Y. Carrière,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  118:e2019115118. 2020.
The program included releases of billions of sterile pink bollworm moths from airplanes and planting of cotton engineered to produce insect-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Analysis of computer simulations and 21 y of field data from Arizona indicate ...

Genetic pest management and the background genetics of release strains

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P. T. Leftwich, L. G. Spurgin, T. Harvey-Samuel, C. J. E. Thomas, L. C. Paladino, M. P. Edgington and L. Alphey,  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,  376:20190805. 2020.
We discuss issues around strain selection and the potential consequences of such introgression. We conclude that such introgression is probably harmless in almost all circumstances, and could, in theory, provide specific additional benefits to the release programme. We outline ...

Genetic sexing strains for the population suppression of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti

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P. Koskinioti, A. A. Augustinos, D. O. Carvalho, M. Misbah-ul-Haq, G. Pillwax, L. D. d. l. Fuente, G. Salvador-Herranz, R. A. Herrero and K. Bourtzis,  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,  376:20190808. 2020.
Here, we report on the construction of two genetic sexing strains using red- and white-eye colour mutations as selectable markers. Quality control analysis showed that the Red-eye genetic sexing strains (GSS) is better and more genetically stable than the White-eye GSS. The ...

Wolbachia strain wAlbB maintains high density and dengue inhibition following introduction into a field population of Aedes aegypti

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N. A. Ahmad, M.-V. Mancini, T. H. Ant, J. Martinez, G. M. R. Kamarul, W. A. Nazni, A. A. Hoffmann and S. P. Sinkins,  Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,  376:20190809. 2020.
Here, wAlbB-carrying Ae. aegypti collected from the field 20 months after the cessation of releases showed no reduction in Wolbachia density or tissue distribution changes compared to a wAlbB laboratory colony. The wAlbB strain continued to induce complete unidirectional ...

CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of female-biased genes AeAct-4 or myo-fem in Ae. aegypti results in a flightless phenotype in female, but not male mosquitoes

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S. O’Leary and Z. N. Adelman,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  14:e0008971. 2020.
Author summary Ae. aegypti is the most important vector of arboviruses throughout the world, and new strategies are urgently needed to add to our existing arsenal of control methods to prevent or halt disease transmission. Importantly, only female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes transmit ...

Precise single base substitution in the shibire gene by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology directed repair in Bactrocera tryoni

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A. Choo, E. Fung, I. Y. Chen, R. Saint, P. Crisp and S. W. Baxter,  BMC Genetics,  21. 2020.
Here we introduce a known Drosophila melanogaster temperature sensitive embryonic lethal mutation into Bactrocera tryoni, a serious horticultural pest in Australia. A non-synonymous point mutation in the D. melanogaster gene shibire causes embryonic lethality at 29 degrees C and ...

Converting female mosquitoes to non-biting males with implications for mosquito control

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M. V. Candy,  Vet Candy,  2020.
Virginia Tech researchers have proven that a single gene can convert female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes into fertile male mosquitoes and identified a gene needed for male mosquito flight. Male mosquitoes do not bite and are unable to transmit pathogens to humans. Female mosquitoes, ...

New insect species made via genetic engineering

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L. Leffer,  SCIENCELINE,  2020.
A biotech fast-forward button for evolution is on the horizon. Researchers say they have used a novel genetic engineering method to create several new species of fruit fly in the lab for the first time — an achievement which might help put a future without malaria and other ...

FKMCD – Oxitec | Mosquito Project Webinar Series

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Oxitec Ltd,  FKMCD and Oxitec,  2020.
This FKMCD - Oxitec Public Educational Webinar, our ninth, shows how Oxitec's just-add-water technology helps control the Aedes aegypti mosquito population. The second half of the webinar includes questions and answers with attendees.

Fear of Oxitec mosquito release grows

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T. Java,  Florida Keys Free Press,  2020.
A local effort has emerged to exclude Key Largo from a test release of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes planned for the spring. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District have approved a release of United Kingdom-based ...

A patent review on strategies for biological control of mosquito vector

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K. Parihar, M. Telang and A. Ovhal,  World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology,  36:23. 2020.
This paper presents a comprehensive technology overview of patent documents disclosing biological agents for mosquito control. The patent analysis revealed that comparable number of patent documents were filed in two technology categories: non-recombinant agents and genetically ...

Targeting female flight for genetic control of mosquitoes

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D. Navarro-Payá, I. Flis, M. A. E. Anderson, P. Hawes, M. Li, O. S. Akbari, S. Basu and L. Alphey,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  14:e0008876. 2020.
The yellow fever mosquito and the Southern house mosquito are important vectors of infectious diseases. Given their widespread presence across tropical and subtropical regions of the world and the increased risk of spread due to global warming there is a growing need for ...

Engineered Gene Drives and their Value in the Control of Vector-Borne Diseases, Weeds, Pests, and Invasive Species

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K. Hefferon and R. Herring,  GMOs: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Processes,  2020.
Genetic engineering has created potential for moving medical and agricultural research and application frontiers forward in unprecedented ways. Despite its accepted use as a powerful tool in medical research, genetic modification and genome editing technologies remain ...

Genetically Engineered Fish: Potential Impacts on Aquaculture, Biodiversity, and the Environment

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R. A. Dunham and B. Su,  GMOs: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Processes,  2020.
Studies on transgenic fish for the aquaculture industry have focused on improving growth rates, enhancing disease resistance, altering body composition, acting as biological factories for medical proteins, and even altering temperature tolerance and coloration. The future impact ...

Invasive Species Control and Resolution of Wildlife Damage Conflicts: A Framework for Chemical and Genetically Based Management Methods

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L. Clark, J. Eisemann, J. Godwin, K. E. Horak, K. Oh, J. O’Hare, A. Piaggio, K. Pepin and E. Ruell,  GMOs: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Processes,  2020.
Vertebrate wildlife damage management relates to developing and employing methods to mitigate against damage caused by wildlife in the areas of food production, property damage, and animal or human health and safety. Of the many management tools available

Strategic Approach, Advances, and Challenges in the Development and Application of the SIT for Area-Wide Control of Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes in Reunion Island

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L. C. Gouagna, D. Damiens, C. F. Oliva, S. Boyer, G. Le Goff, C. Brengues, J.-S. Dehecq, J. Raude, F. Simard and D. Fontenille,  Insects,  11:770. 2020.

Reply to: “Enhancement of Aedes aegypti susceptibility to dengue by Wolbachia is not supported”

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C. Souto-Maior, J. G. King, L. M. Sartori, R. Maciel-de-Freitas and M. G. M. Gomes,  Nature Communications,  11:6113. 2020.
Ant et al.4 claim that concerns with the data and broader analysis make our conclusions misleading. We herein respond to their comments by demonstrating the robustness of our results to different treatments of the data, and expand our arguments for replacing currently adopted ...

Enhancement of Aedes aegypti susceptibility to dengue by Wolbachia is not supported

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T. H. Ant, M.-V. Mancini, J. Martinez and S. P. Sinkins,  Nature Communications,  11:6111. 2020.
King et al.3 used DENV infection and transmission modelling to reinterpret experimental data from two previous studies4,5. The authors claimed that wMel Wolbachia increase the mean susceptibility of Ae. aegypti to DENV, contradicting various other studies6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Here, ...

Combined Effects of Mating Disruption, Insecticides, and the Sterile Insect Technique on Cydia pomonella in New Zealand

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R. M. Horner, P. L. Lo, D. J. Rogers, J. T. S. Walker and D. M. Suckling,  Insects,  11:23. 2020.
We aimed to supplement these tactics with the sterile insect technique (SIT) to further suppress the codling moth on orchards. SIT involves mass rearing and sterilizing codling moth and then releasing them onto orchards where they mate with wild insects resulting in no offspring. ...

Split drive killer-rescue provides a novel threshold-dependent gene drive

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M. P. Edgington, T. Harvey-Samuel and L. Alphey,  Scientific Reports,  10. 2020.
Population genetics mathematical models are developed here to demonstrate the threshold-dependent nature of the proposed system and its robustness to imperfect homing, incomplete penetrance of toxins and transgene fitness costs, each of which are of practical significance given ...

Field Competitiveness of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Irradiated Males in Pilot Sterile Insect Technique Trials in Northern Italy

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R. Bellini, M. Carrieri, F. Balestrino, A. Puggioli, M. Malfacini and J. Bouyer,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  58:807-813. 2020.
Vector-borne diseases account for 17% of infectious diseases, leading to more than one million deaths each year. Mosquitoes are responsible for 90% of the casualties and alternative control methods to insecticides are urgently needed, especially against Aedes vectors. Aedes ...

‘A plague to be reckoned with’: UMN research creates a buzz with invasive fruit fly research

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B. Most,  The Minnesota Daily,  2020.
n early November, assistant professor Mike Smanski published an article about a new breakthrough in this research, demonstrating for the first time this kind of genetic engineering was possible in the common fruit fly. This shows that researchers could engineer this work into ...

Engineering biological diversity: the international governance of synthetic biology, gene drives, and de-extinction for conservation

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J. L. Reynolds,  Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability,  49:1-6. 2020.
In the face of insufficient progress in conserving and restoring biodiversity, the in situ use of advanced genetic modification, gene drives, and other biotechnologies for conservation purposes are being considered, researched, and developed. This paper introduces the methods, ...

Assessment of a Novel Adult Mass-Rearing Cage for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Anopheles arabiensis (Patton).

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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 ...

Gene drive blocks malaria transmission in mosquitoes

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labonline,  labonline,  2020.
Employing a strategy known as ‘population modification’, which involves using a CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive system to introduce genes preventing parasite transmission into mosquito chromosomes, University of California (UC) researchers have made a major advance in the use of ...

Expert advises farmers to adopt gene drive-based pest control technology

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S. Thompson,  naija247news,  2020.
Dr Rose Gidado, County Coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology(OFAB), has advised farmers to adopt the gene drive-based pest control technology. Gidado, also Deputy Director, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), said the adoption would significantly ...

Advances in genetic engineering test democracy’s capacity for good decision-making

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N. Kofler and R. Taitingfong,  Boston Globe,  2020.
New advances in genetic engineering and their application for environmental conservation and public health are further testing our democracy’s capacity for good decision-making. With minimal public input, the Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the release of ...

Fighting Mosquito With GMO Mosquito: The Battle Brewing in the Florida Keys

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S. MacLaughlin,  NBC 6 South Florida,  2020.
Scientists are a few months into an experiment to stop the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito. Their weapon of choice? A genetically modified mosquito. But some environment advocates question the strategy. This year, the Florida Keys had an outbreak of Dengue fever, which was ...

Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes

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S. McGlaun,  Slash Gear,  2020.
Local officials in Florida have announced that they have approved 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes to be released into the environment to reduce local populations of the bloodsucking creatures. The goal of releasing genetically modified mosquitoes is to help reduce the ...

A gene-drive rescue system for the modification of malaria mosquito populations

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A. Adolfi,  Nature Research Bioengineering Community,  2020.
Mosquito populations can now be reliably modified using 1) antimalarial molecules that block parasite development and 2) a CRISPR-based gene drive system that mediates their rapid spreading across the vector population.

UC researchers pioneer more effective method of blocking malaria transmission in mosquitoes

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UCI,  UCI News,  2020.
University of California, Irvine postdoctoral researcher Adriana Adolfi, in collaboration with colleagues at UCI, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, followed up on the group’s pioneering effort to develop CRISPR-based gene drive systems for making mosquito vectors resistant to ...

Genetic engineering of sex chromosomes for batch cultivation of non-transgenic, sex-sorted males

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S. R. Das, M. Maselko, A. Upadhyay and M. J. Smanski,  PloS Genetics,  16:11. 2020.
The field performance of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is improved by sex-sorting and releasing only sterile males. This can be accomplished by resource-intensive separation of males from females by morphology. Alternatively, sex-ratio biasing genetic constructs can be used to ...

The Sterile Insect Technique: Success and Perspectives in the Neotropics

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D. Perez-Staples, F. Diaz-Fleischer and P. Montoya,  Neotropical Entomology,  14. 2020.
Here, we review SIT in the Neotropics and focus on particular recent successful cases of eradication of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), as well as effective programs used against the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew), the New World screwworm ...

Researchers help complete world first wasp genome project

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Staff,  The National Tribune,  2020.
In a world first, New Zealand researchers have sequenced the genome of three wasps, two of which are invasive wasps in New Zealand, paving the way for new methods of control for these significant pests.

Researchers complete world first wasp genome project

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University of Otago,  Phys Org,  2020.
In a world first, New Zealand researchers have sequenced the genome of three wasps, two of which are invasive wasps in New Zealand, paving the way for new methods of control for these significant pests.

Cellular mechanisms regulating synthetic sex ratio distortion in the Anopheles gambiae germline

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R. E. Haghighat-Khah, A. Sharma, M. R. Wunderlich, G. Morselli, L. A. Marston, C. Bamikole, A. Hall, N. Kranjc, C. Taxiarchi, I. Sharakhov and R. Galizi,  Pathogens and Global Health,  114:370-378. 2020.
Meiotic cleavage of rDNA repeats, located in the sex chromosomes of A. gambiae SD males, affects the competitiveness of mature sperm to fertilize the female oocyte.

Vector-Focused Approaches to Curb Malaria Transmission in the Brazilian Amazon: An Overview of Current and Future Challenges and Strategies

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E. 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 ...

WHO Releases a Position Statement on Genetically Modified Mosquitoes for the Control of Vector-Borne Diseases

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E. R. Fletcher,  Health Policy Watch,  2020.
WHO announced their support for the continued investigation into genetically modified mosquitoes as an alternative to existing interventions to reduce or prevent vector-borne diseases.

Genetic engineering and bacterial pathogenesis against the vectorial capacity of mosquitoes

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M. Qasim, H. M. Xiao, K. He, M. A. A. Omar, F. L. Liu, S. Ahmed and F. Li,  Microbial Pathogenesis,  147:8. 2020.
Here we aimed to focus on the role of bacterial pathogenesis and molecular tactics for the management of mosquitoes and their vectorial capacity.

FKMCD-OXITEC Mosquito Project

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FKMCD and OXITEC,  Website,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) Board of Commissioners approved the FKMCD-Oxitec Investigational Agreement for the release of Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This project will be overseen by FKMCD, the EPA and the Florida Department of Agriculture and ...

Ethics and vector-borne diseases

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Geneva: World Health Organization,  WHO Guidance,  2020.
The guidance was developed by an international group of experts in vector control, infectious disease ethics, maternal and child health, ecology and climate change, research and vaccine development, and public health communication. It examines a broad range of ethical ...

Driven to Exterminate

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Z. Moloo and J. Thomas,  etc group,  2020.
Gates’s ‘let’s deploy it’ response may not seem out of character, but it was an unusually gung ho response given how risky the technology is widely acknowledged to be.

Florida to Release 750 Million GMO Mosquitoes in 2021

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Seeker,  Seeker,  2020.
The U.S. EPA gave the green light to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in 2021 — here’s what we know.

Evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes for the control of vector-borne diseases

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Global Malaria Programme,  WHO - Position Statement,  2020.
In the spirit of fostering innovation, WHO takes the position that all potentially beneficial new technologies, including GMMs, should be investigated to determine whether they could be useful in the continued fight against diseases of public health concern. Such research should ...

Towards rangatiratanga in pest management? Maori perspectives and frameworks on novel biotechnologies in conservation

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S. Palmer, O. R. Mercier and A. King-Hunt,  Pacific Conservation Biology,  11. 2020.
We gathered Maori perspectives on novel biotechnological controls for pest wasps through three distinct studies. Study participants included tertiary students, businesses, and spiritual or religiously affiliated groups. All participants drew from their identities as Maori people ...

Yes, Irradiated Sterile Male Mosquitoes Can Be Sexually Competitive!

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J. Bouyer and M. J. B. Vreysen,  Trends in Parasitology,  2020.
Here, we argue that a reduction in quality of the produced sterile male insects is mostly related to the mass-rearing, handling, marking, and release processes, rather than radiation per se.

Standardizing the definition of gene drive

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2020.

Do Africans Want Genetically Modified Mosquitoes?

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U. Effiong,  The Pursuit,  2020.
The recent publication by fellow Nigerian scientists—Patricia Okorie and colleagues—originally drew my attention to the issue of GMMs.

You should be excited that scientists are releasing 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes this year

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L. Westreich,  Massive Science,  2020.
GM mosquitoes are successful in reducing mosquito populations, and reducing disease spread

The Con Job at Mosquito Control Board

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E. Russo and B. Wray,  keysnews.com,  2020.
Shouldn’t there be a consensus among scholars, scientists, experts and the public that this new technology is safe?

Can a Genetically Modified Bug Combat a Global Farm Plague?

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E. Nitler,  Wired,  2020.
Executives from the US-owned, but UK-based, firm Oxitec and its multinational partner Bayer announced today that they have developed a fall armyworm that has a self-limiting gene introduced into the male of the species.

Dynamics of Wild and Sterile Mosquito Population Models with Delayed Releasing

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L. M. Cai,  International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos,  30:15. 2020.
We extend the previous ODE models to the delayed releasing models in two different ways of releasing sterile mosquitos, where both constant and exponentially distributed delays are considered, respectively. By applying the theory and methods of delay differential equations, the ...

The Evolving Arsenal Against Mosquito-Born Diseases

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J. Smith,  Labiotech.eu,  2020.
As the global climate continues to warm, disease-spreading mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti are expected to establish themselves in the US and Europe.

Engineering speciation events in insects may be used to control harmful pests

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University of Minnesota,  Phys Org,  2020.
A team of scientists led by Mike Smanski, Ph.D., in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) has generated speciation events in fruit flies so that engineered strains can reproduce normally with each other, but mating with unmodified flies results in non-viable offspring.

Prospects and Pitfalls: Next-Generation Tools to Control Mosquito-Transmitted Disease

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E. P. Caragata, S. Dong, Y. Dong, M. L. Simões, C. V. Tikhe and G. Dimopoulos,  Annual Review of Microbiology,  74:455-475. 2020.
A diverse array of next-generation tools has been designed to eliminate mosquito populations or to replace them with mosquitoes that are less capable of transmitting key pathogens.

How to fight the deadly dengue virus? Make your own mosquitoes

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J. Emont,  Wall Street Journal,  2020.
When the bacteria-laden male mosquitoes are released into the open and mate with naturally-born females, the resultant eggs won’t hatch.

GMOs make war on mosquitoes

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Staff,  Kenosha News,  2020.
Given that recent record, we were a bit surprised to read that there was a ruckus over genetically modified mosquitoes going on in the Florida Keys.

Why Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Won’t Come to Texas Anytime Soon

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C. Adams,  RA News,  2020.
Talks about releasing genetically modified mosquitoes in Houston began in 2018 between Harris County and Oxitec, a United Kingdom-based company that produces sustainable technologies or transgenic methodologies to stem the impact of disease-spreading insects. Talk also began ...

Non-GMO approach reduces cases of mosquito-borne dengue by 77%

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GM Watch,  GM Watch,  2020.
A randomized field trial found that mosquitoes infected with a natural bacterium called Wolbachia reduced cases of dengue by an "extraordinary" 77%.

An accident waiting to happen: Tech company to release 750 MILLION GMO mosquitoes in Florida to fight dengue fever

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Z. Sky,  NEWSTARGET,  2020.
Oxitec plans to release 750 million OX5034s into the Florida Keys, something that sounds like the beginning of a doomed science-fiction movie. But the most shocking thing here is the fact that Oxitec received the EPA’s approval in May.

Genetically-modified mosquito plan offers hope for Keys, world

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P. Goodman,  keynews.com,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District Board of Commissioners voted 4-to-1 to approve a trial using Oxitec’s second-generation genetically modified mosquitoes. I

Bacteria-Laced Mosquitoes Limit Spread of Dengue

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A. Heidt,  The Scientist,  2020.
Researchers have infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes—the species responsible for passing on many diseases—with bacteria called Wolbachia with the intent of reducing the insects’ ability to pass on dengue to people.

The good mosquito versus the bad

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D. Datta,  Business Standard,  2020.
Starting 2021, around 750 million genetically modified (GM) Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes will be released in batches into the Florida Keys.

Gene Drive Dynamics in Natural Populations: The Importance of Density Dependence, Space, and Sex

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S. Dhole, A. L. Lloyd and F. Gould,  Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics,  51:505-531. 2020.
The spread of synthetic gene drives is often discussed in the context of panmictic populations connected by gene flow and described with simple deterministic models. Under such assumptions, an entire species could be altered by releasing a single individual carrying an invasive ...

Florida Will Release 750 Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Stop Disease Spread

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A. Fahmy,  verywell health,  2020.
The hope is to prevent the spread of Dengue fever, a painful virus acquired only by mosquito bite which made a reappearance in the Florida Keys in 2009.

Scientists infect mosquitoes with bacteria to stop the transmission of dengue fever in Indonesia, dropping infection rates by 77 percent

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D. Avery,  Daily Mail,  2020.
The team found that dengue infections were 77 percent lower in treated neighborhoods, compared to areas not exposed to the infected insects.

The mosquito strategy that could eliminate dengue

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E. Callaway,  Nature,  2020.
The study, conducted in an Indonesia city, showed that releasing mosquitoes modified to carry a bacterium called Wolbachia, which stops the insects from transmitting some viruses, led to a steep drop in cases of dengue fever.

Researchers Find New Approach To Control Dengue, Zika By Genetically Modifying Mosquitoes

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N. Sharma,  R. Republicworld.com,  2020.
A new study carried out in Indonesia has shown that dengue infection rates decreased in regions where the genetically modified mosquitoes were introduced.

Australian research takes aim at dengue, another killer virus

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E. Connors,  Finanacial Review,  2020.
Australian researchers have teamed up with Indonesian philanthropists to strike a blow against dengue fever, the deadly disease that was a growing scourge in south-east Asia and South America long before COVID-19.

Australian scientists slash dengue fever in Indonesia by infecting mosquitoes with bacteria

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A. Barker,  ABC News,  2020.
Australian scientists may have found the secret to eradicating dengue fever, with a lengthy trial in Indonesia drastically reducing the incidence of the mosquito-borne virus.

Deep dive: Florida’s GM mosquito experiment aims to rewrite rules of vector-borne diseases

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S. Kannan,  India Today,  2020.
A pathbreaking bioengineering experiment on mosquito populations that could have massive implications for tropical malaria-affected countries like India has got underway in Florida, US.

Fighting mosquito-borne diseases… with mosquitoes

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N. Gubert and A. Baubeau,  Phys Org,  2020.
For decades, researchers have scratched their heads over how to combat deadly mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever.

Bug board OKs release of genetically modified mosquitoes

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T. O'Hara,  keynews.com,  2020.
After nearly 10 years of debate, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District board has approved an agreement with biotech company Oxitec to conduct a test release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Monroe County as part of a mosquito limiting or eradication plan.

Genetically modified mosquitoes to be released in the Florida Keys to combat dengue, zika, and yellow fever.

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Yucatan Times,  Yucatan Times,  2020.
The Florida Keys will be the scene of the first test in the United States with genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, an alternative to insecticides and larvicides to end the transmission of diseases such as dengue, zika and yellow fever that has always been surrounded ...

Transgenic moths released to end one of the worst pests on the planet

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B. Mandalia,  Pledge Times,  2020.
Today the results of the first open field experiment with another of the creations of this biotechnology company are published. It is a variant of the moth Plutella xylostella which is one of the worst agricultural pests in the world.

750 million genetically modified mosquitoes soon released in the wild!

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explica,  explica,  2020.
Rather frightening mosquitoes will be released on an archipelago in Florida. The goal? Reduce the population of their more dangerous congeners who can transmit certain diseases.

US to Use Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Fight Dengue Fever

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H. Badr,  Asharq Al-Awsat,  2020.
After a decade of discussions, officials in Florida have voted to allow the first test in the United States of free-flying, genetically modified mosquitoes that kill any female offspring, as a way to fight the pests and the diseases they spread.

Florida Keys to Use Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Fight Disease

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B. Lynn,  Voice of America,  2020.
Officials in the Florida Keys plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes next year in an effort to fight insect-borne diseases.

Florida Approves Controversial Plan to Release 750 Million Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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D. Rakshit,  Swaddle,  2020.
Authorities in Florida have approved a pilot project that will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes locally, in a bid to reduce the populations of mosquitoes that cause that cause dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever

Mutant bugs released to fight disease

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The Day,  The Day,  2020.
Authorities have approved the scheme in Florida but environmental groups are furious, calling it a “Jurassic Park experiment” that will unleash a “mutant bug” into the ecosystem.

More than 750 million GMO mosquitoes to be released over Florida Keys – what could go wrong?

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E. Huff,  Natural News,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) has given Oxitec, a corporation we have reported on in the past, permission to unleash some 750 million GMO mosquitos in Monroe County, Florida, over the next two years.

Florida to release genetically modified mosquitoes to prevent diseases like Zika

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The West News,  The West News,  2020.
Local authorities on Tuesday gave final approval to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys over a two-year period, starting in 2021.

Genetically modified mosquitoes have been OK’d for a first U.S. test flight

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S. Milius,  ScienceNews,  2020.
After a decade of fits and starts, officials in the Florida Keys have voted to allow the first test in the United States of free-flying, genetically modified mosquitoes as a way to fight the pests and the diseases they spread.

Florida Will Release Ge­net­i­cally Modified Mos­quitoes to Fight Disease in the Keys

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S. Harrell,  Spectrum News,  2020.
Following lengthy federal and state procedures, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District this week approved a plan to release more than 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Keys region to combat an invasive, disease-carrying species of the insect.

Florida is releasing 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the world. Here’s why

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H. Schriber,  Deseret News,  2020.
Florida officials plan to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the Florida Keys over the next two years as a way to prevent diseases like the Zika virus. The project will begin in 2021. The Environment Protection Agency approved the idea in May. The project ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Be Released In Florida Keys

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A. Snow,  The Daily Wire,  2020.
CNN reported that the genetically modified bugs, called OX5034, have been “altered to produce female offspring that die in the larval stage, well before hatching and growing large enough to bite and spread disease.” Since it’s the female of the species that bite, they are ...

Release 750 Million Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Into the Wild, They Said

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C. Delbert,  Popular Mechanics,  2020.
Corporate scientists have received final approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to release hundreds of millions of genetically altered mosquitoes into the Florida Keys. The goal? To begin reining in the mosquito population, which is only expected to increase as ...

Florida releasing genetically modified mosquitoes to prevent diseases like Zika

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N. Lanese,  LiveScience,  2020.
Hundreds of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes will soon be released in the Florida Keys island chain to wipe out local populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes, according to news reports.

750 Million GM Mosquitoes Will Be Released in the Florida Keys

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L. Winter,  The Scientist,  2020.
With the aim of reducing rates of the mosquito-borne illnesses yellow fever and dengue, a pilot program will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the Florida Keys in 2021, thanks to approval by the barrier islands’ Mosquito Control District Board of ...

Hundreds Of Millions Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Approved For Release In US

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J. Vibes,  Anonymous News,  2020.
A Biotech company called Oxitec has received permission from the government to release hundreds of millions of genetically modified male mosquitoes in the Florida Keys.

Why Hundreds of Millions of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Will Soon Be Released in Florida

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K. Gander,  Newsweek,  2020.
Hundreds of millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes will soon be released in Florida, in a first for the U.S. On Tuesday, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) approved plans to release the insects, who do not bite, as part of a pilot project launching next ...

Florida to release genetically modified mosquitoes, detractors blast ‘Jurassic Park’ experiment

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D. Aaro,  Fox News,  2020.
Local authorities on Tuesday gave final approval to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys over a two-year period, starting in 2021, with the hope of preventing diseases such as the Zika virus but has faced blowback and comparisons to a Steven ...

750 million genetically modified mosquitoes to be released across Florida Keys

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A. Zahid,  Sky News,  2020.
Authorities have approved plans for genetically modified mosquitoes to be released across the Florida Keys from next year. British-based firm Oxitec has designed the project to test whether the altered mosquitoes are a viable alternative to pesticides to control and prevent the ...

750 million GM mosquitos set for release in Florida Keys.

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Editorial Staff,  E&T,  2020.
Local authorities have approved proposals to release hundreds of millions of genetically modified (GM) modified mosquitos in Florida, in an effort to control populations of diseases spread by the organism.

Florida Plans to Fix Its Mosquito Problem With 750 Million More Mosquitoes

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D. Noor,  Gizmodo,  2020.
Hundreds of millions of mosquitos will soon be released in Florida. On purpose. The mosquitoes are being released as a form of pest control, but they could wreak havoc on local ecosystems.

Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released

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BBC,  BBC,  2020.
Local officials in Florida have approved the release of 750 million mosquitoes that have been genetically modified to reduce local populations. The aim is to reduce the number of mosquitoes that carry diseases like dengue or the Zika virus.

Florida OKs release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Keys to slow insect disease spread

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S. Mann,  Just the News,  2020.
Florida officials are authorizing a biotech company to release hundreds of millions of genetically-modified male mosquitoes into the Florida Keys to reduce future mosquito populations that spread diseases including yellow fever and malaria.

Florida Keys to release modified mosqutioes to fight illness

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C. Anderson,  Associated Press,  2020.
Sometime next year, genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in the Florida Keys in an effort to combat persistent insect-borne diseases such as Dengue fever and the Zika virus. The plan approved this week by the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District calls for a pilot ...

Florida to Release Millions of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Against Local Residents’ Wishes

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N. Rice,  People,  2020.
A plan to release over 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys has received final approval. According to CNN, on Tuesday, local authorities approved a plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes in the Sunshine State's string of islands, with the ...

Plan to Release 750M GMO Mosquitoes Gets Go Ahead

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R. Quinn,  newser,  2020.
The plan to release the genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes received final approval from local authorities Tuesday, causing an outcry from groups opposed to what they call a "Jurassic Park experiment," CNN reports.

‘A Jurassic Park Experiment’: Watchdog Groups Denounce Decision to Release Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in Florida

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L. Newcomb,  Common Dreams,  2020.
Food safety and environmental groups Wednesday condemned a decision by officials in Florida to approve the release of 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes, a pilot project aimed at reducing the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

Florida Keys to release 750M genetically modified mosquitoes

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D. Haynes,  UPI,  2020.
Local authorities in the Florida Keys gave their approval Wednesday to a plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes to prevent the spread of dengue fever and other diseases. The Monroe County Mosquito Control District signed off on the project, which would release about 750 ...

FKMCD Board Approves Oxitec Pilot

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C. Huff,  FKMCD in the News,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District’s (FKMCD) five member board has APPROVED a proposal by Oxitec to utilize non-biting male, genetically modified mosquitoes as part of a trial to determine their effectiveness in controlling the wild population of Aedes aegypti, the ...

To combat disease-spreading mosquitoes in the Keys, leaders vote to unleash lab bugs

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D. Goodhue,  Miami Herald,  2020.
Florida Keys officials have voted to allow the experimental release of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes into a yet-to-be-decided area of the island chain.

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Cleared for Florida Keys Release

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J. Kay,  Bloomber Law,  2020.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes will be released in the Florida Keys in 2021 to try to reduce the population of a biting insect pest that spreads Zika, dengue fever, and yellow fever, local officials said Tuesday.

Researchers’ Plan To Release Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees in Forests Will Set Dangerous Precedents If Approved

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Global Justice Ecology Project,  Common Dreams,  2020.
Researchers are working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to finalize a petition requesting the unprecedented approval of a genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) tree designed to be planted in our forests and spread freely in the wild. Once the ...

Keys Mosquito Control Board Approves First U.S. Trial Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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N. Klingener,  WLRN,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board approved a trial Tuesday of genetically modified mosquitoes on the island chain. This would be the first U.S. trial of the genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can transmit diseases like Zika and dengue.

Modeling the suppression dynamics of Aedes mosquitoes with mating inhomogeneity

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M. Huang and L. Hu,  Journal of Biological Dynamics,  14:656-678. 2020.
In this work, we introduce a delay differential equation model with mating inhomogeneity to discuss mosquito population suppression based on Wolbachia. Our analyses show that the wild mosquitoes could be eliminated if either the adult mortality rate exceeds the threshold δ∗A ...

Genomic analyses of a livestock pest, the New World screwworm, find potential targets for genetic control programs

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M. J. Scott, J. B. Benoit, R. J. Davis, S. T. Bailey, V. Varga, E. O. Martinson, P. V. Hickner, Z. Syed, G. A. Cardoso, T. T. Torres, M. T. Weirauch, E. H. Scholl, A. M. Phillippy, A. Sagel, M. Vasquez, G. Quintero and S. R. Skoda,  Nature Communications,  3:424. 2020.
We identify and analyze the expression of genes that are likely important for host-seeking behavior (chemosensory), development of larvae in open wounds in warm-blooded animals (heat shock protein, immune response) and for building transgenic strains for genetic control programs ...

Exploring gene drive’s role in fight against malaria

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J. Conrow,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2020.
J. Conrow (2020) Genetic Literacy Project. An international initiative has formed to ensure that gene drive technology gets a chance to prove its mettle in the quest to control malaria.

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

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

Biotechnologies in pest wasp control: taking the sting out of pest management for Māori businesses?

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S. Palmer and O. R. Mercier,  New Genetics and Society,  2020.
A Maori-centered mixed-method study gauged the perceptions of eight Maori businesses about the potential use of five specific new biotechnological controls in pest management.

Nix alone is sufficient to convert female Aedes aegypti into fertile males and myo-sex is needed for male flight

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A. Aryan, M. A. E. Anderson, J. K. Biedler, Y. M. Qi, J. M. Overcash, A. N. Naumenko, M. V. Sharakhova, C. H. Mao, Z. N. Adelman and Z. J. Tu,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,  117:17702-17709. 2020.
Here, we report the generation of multiple transgenic lines that express Nix under the control of its own promoter. Genetic and molecular analyses of these lines provided insights unattainable from previous transient experiments. We show that the Nix transgene alone, in the ...

Why are scientists creating genetically modified mosquitoes?

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The Week Staff,  The Week,  2020.
The Week Staff. The Week (2020). Scientists plan to release altered mosquitoes designed to sabotage the species' ability to reproduce. Is this safe? Here's everything you need to know:

Tackling Dengue fever by turning female mosquitoes into males

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T. Sandle,  DIGTAL JOURNAL,  2020.
T. Sandle (2020). DIGTAL JOURNAL Genetic engineering appears to be the key for delivering mosquito control, according to new research. Scientists have successfully converted female mosquitoes into non-biting males.

Florida Keys delays vote on release of 750 million genetically engineered mosquitoes after public outcry

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D. Dukule,  Friends of the Earth,  2020.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) today delayed its vote on the proposed release of genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes due to concerns over COVID-19. The decision to delay the vote follows public outcry and scientific dispute over the risks posed to public ...

Release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys put on hold

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D. Goodhue,  Miami Herald,  2020.
Opponents of a plan to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys landed a temporary win on Tuesday.

Researchers convert female mosquitoes to nonbiting males with implications for mosquito control

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Virginia Tech,  ScienceDaily,  2020.
Researchers convert female mosquitoes to nonbiting males with implications for mosquito control Virginia Tech researchers have proven that a single gene can convert female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes into fertile male mosquitoes and identified a gene needed for male mosquito ...

On Nonlinear Pest/Vector Control via the Sterile Insect Technique: Impact of Residual Fertility

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M. S. Aronna and Y. Dumont,  Bulletin of Mathematical Biology,  82:29. 2020.
We consider a minimalist model for the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), assuming that residual fertility can occur in the sterile male population.

Beyone the buzz

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C. Watson,  The Journal Gazette,  2020.
Lately I have found I need to force myself to follow science stories about something besides the pandemic. A story I consider hopeful involves genetically modified mosquitoes; we are developing a new tool that can reduce disease and save lives. The goal is to dramatically ...

GMO Mosquitoes to be launched in Florida

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Administration,  Editorials 360,  2020.
In June 2020, the Florida Division of Agriculture and Shopper Providers gave the go-ahead to a plan to launch thousands and thousands of genetically engineered mosquitoes within the Florida Keys this summer time to battle mosquito-borne diseases.1 The plan follows the EPA’s ...

Who is afraid of genetically modified mosquitoes?

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G. Odogwu,  The PUNCH,  2020.
Genetically Modified Organisms have raised concerns in our clime, the same way they have in other countries of the world – where a clear line is drawn between the pro and the anti-GMO citizens. Nonetheless, this modern biotechnological technique is still at its infancy here. As ...

Mosquito district workshop focuses on Keys trials

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S. Matthis,  KEYSWEEKLY,  2020.
Now that the Oxitec “Friendly Mosquito” trials have been approved by the federal and state governments, it’s up to the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District to decide if, when and where to embrace the technology said to decrease the chances of mosquito-borne diseases such ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes to be released in Florida and Texas

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O. Ron,  The Jerusalem Post,  2020.
A plan to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas has been approved, The Guardian reported. According to the plan, the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes will be released into the wild, as they contain a special protein that would kill female offspring, ...

Before genetically modified mosquitoes are released, we need a better EPA

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N. Kofler and J. Kuzma,  The Boston Globe,  2020.
While the attention of the American public has rightfully been focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, its associated racial disparities, and broader issues of structural racism, the US government made a serious public health decision — one that could affect our health and our ...

Florida gives approval to the plan of releasing genetically modified mosquitoes.

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V. Dalmia,  The Andoverleader,  2020.
Mosquitoes have always been a huge problem for Florida residents. They are even more problematic in the Florida Key Region. It has even a dedicated mosquito department that is assigned with the task of controlling over 40 species of mosquitoes. But as technology progresses, we ...

Are Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Coming To Florida?

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M. Taylor,  Y100,  2020.
I'm not even going to lie, mosquitoes should be classified under domestic terrorism. The flying, biting bugs you can barely see wreak havoc on my life every single summer. I'm not sure if I'm allergic to them, but whenever I'm bit by them, that area of my skin swells up. It's the ...

The Florida Keys are one step closer to getting genetically modified mosquitoes

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D. Goodhue,  Miami Herald,  2020.
An international biotech company is one step closer to being able to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services this week granted Oxitec an experimental use permit to release potentially millions of ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Approved For Insect Population Control In The U.S.

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J. Blum,  HUFFPOST,  2020.
Genetically modified mosquitoes with the ability to prevent other mosquitoes from spreading deadly diseases may be making their way to Florida backyards in the near future. British biotech group Oxitec announced on Tuesday that the company had won both federal and state ...

Florida says ‘this is fine’ to release of genetically modified mosquitoes

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J. K. Elliot,  Global News,  2020.
That’s the question hanging over a recent decision by state regulators in Florida, which would allow the biotech company Oxitec to unleash hundreds of millions of genetically modified male mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. The lab-altered, patented insects are members of Aedes ...

Plan to Release GMO Mosquitoes Moves Ahead

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A. Dier,  newser,  2020.
A plan to set loose 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas will move forward despite concerns from environmentalists who liken it to a "Jurassic Park experiment." The non-biting male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes developed by British biotechnology company ...

Genetically engineered mosquitoes get EPA approval for Florida release despite objections from environmental groups

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S. LaMotte,  CNN Health,  2020.
A genetically modified male mosquito named OX5034 has received both state and federal approval to be released into the Florida Keys now through 2022, against the objection of many local residents and a coalition of environmental advocacy groups. "The administration has used ...

Florida Keys plans killer insect attack on disease-carrying mosquitoes

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P. Brinkmann,  UPI,  2020.
The Florida Keys is close to adding a new weapon to help control a mosquito-borne disease -- genetically modified mosquitoes that produce dead offspring. Outbreaks of dengue fever in the Keys in recent years prompted local authorities to consider the genetically modified bugs ...

Genetic breakdown of a Tet-off conditional lethality system for insect population control

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Y. Zhao, M. F. Schetelig and A. M. Handler,  Nature Communications,  11:3095. 2020.
Genetically modified conditional lethal strains have been created to improve the control of insect pest populations damaging to human health and agriculture. However, understanding the potential for the genetic breakdown of lethality systems by rare spontaneous mutations, or ...

Plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida gets go-ahead

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O. Milman,  The Guardian,  2020.
A plan to release a horde of 750 million genetically modified mosqutioes in Florida and Texas is a step closer to fruition after a state regulator approved the idea, over the objections of many environmentalists.

EPA faces suit over plan to release genetically engineered mosquitoes

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R. Frazin,  The Hill,  2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a lawsuit over its approval of a plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas

Fact check: Genetically modified mosquitoes are cleared for release in the US

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A. Staver,  USA Today,  2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency approved an experimental use permit May 1 that allows Oxitec to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys and Harris County, Texas, where Houston is located.

Gene Drive: Can this be the Future of Agricultural Pest Management?

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P. Mondal, U. Mohapatra and M. Ganguly,  International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences,  9. 2020.
A world free of hunger may be possible when the agricultural production exceeds the global demand for the food. In the era of increasing population, the need for increased food production can be attainable by managing the destructive pests of the agricultural and horticultural ...

Scientists hope to release genetically-modified mosquitoes

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Fox 13,  Fox 13,  2020.
Apparently, scientists are interested in releasing genetically-modified mosquitoes in Florida in order to help battle the spread of certain diseases.

Scientist fight plant to release gene-hacked mosquitoes in TX, FL.

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D. Robitzski,  Futurism,  2020.
Over the next two years, the biotech company Oxitec plans to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas in an attempt to stop the spread of diseases like dengue and Zika. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already approved the plan ...

Company Receives Permit To Release Swarm Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In Florida

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I. Monzon,  International Business Times,  2020.
A federal agency has provided a biotech company with the proper permit to release a swarm of genetically altered mosquitoes in Florida as a way to curb the spread of diseases in the area. If the company receives the additional approvals, it might begin releasing the mosquitoes ...

What else could 2020 bring to Florida? Genetically altered, lab bred mosquitoes

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J. Haughey,  The Center Square,  2020.
A British biotech company has received an experimental use permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys this summer. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida ...

BUZZ OFF! Swarm of MILLIONS of gene-hacked mosquitoes will be unleashed across USA – to wipe out malaria with ‘death sex’

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H. Pettit,  The Sun,  2020.
MUTANT mosquitoes created in a lab to stop the spread of deadly diseases like malaria will be unleashed across the US this summer. The gene-hacked bugs, crafted by UK biotech company Oxitec, are designed to kill off or reduce local populations of mosquitoes by mating with ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Cleared For Release In The US

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M. Horowitz,  Anonymous News,  2020.
A company called Oxitec has received an experimental use permit from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to release genetically modified mosquitos into the wild. This would be the first time that such an experiment was attempted within the borders of the US, and the ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes could be released in Florida and Texas beginning this summer – silver bullet or jumping the gun?

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B. Allan, C. Stone, H. Tuten, J. Kuzma and N. Kofler,  The Conversation,  2020.
On May 1, 2020, the company Oxitec received an experimental use permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to release millions of GM mosquitoes (labeled by Oxitec as OX5034) every week over the next two years in Florida and Texas. Females of this mosquito species, Aedes ...

Engineered Gene Drives for Pest Management

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G. Miglani,  Biotechnology for Plant Disease Diagnosis and Management,  2020.
Genes in sexually reproducing organisms normally have, on average, a 50% chance of being inherited, but some genes have a higher chance of being inherited. These genes can increase in relative frequency in a population even if they reduce the odds that each organism will ...

‘Just Add Water’ GM Mosquitoes Suppress Wild Population by 95%

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H. Alber,  2020.
In order to reduce the spread of dengue, Oxitec releases genetically modified male Aedes mosquitoes into the environment. Once in the wild, these insects breed with local female mosquitoes and pass on a gene that causes female offspring to die at an early age. This method was ...

Genetic Biocontrol for Invasive Species

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J. L. Teem, L. Alphey, S. Descamps, M. P. Edgington, O. Edwards, N. Gemmell, T. Harvey-Samuel, R. L. Melnick, K. P. Oh, A. J. Piaggio, J. R. Saah, D. Schill, P. Thomas, T. Smith and A. Roberts,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  8:452. 2020.
Invasive species are increasingly affecting agriculture, food, fisheries, and forestry resources throughout the world. As a result of global trade, invasive species are often introduced into new environments where they become established and cause harm to human health, ...

RNAi: Applications in Vertebrate Pest Management

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K. E. Horak,  Trends in Biotechnology,  38:1200-1202. 2020.
the development of novel control technologies must be focused on species specificity and low environmental impact. Sequence-specific gene silencing via RNAi holds promise for effective management of pest wildlife.

Converting endogenous genes of the malaria mosquito into simple non-autonomous gene drives for population replacement

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A. 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.

Mutant mosquitoes one step closer to release in Florida, Texas this summer. Why?

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K. Camero,  The Charlotte Observer,  2020.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved an experimental use permit for the British biotech company Oxitec to test the modified mosquitoes in the U.S. for the first time, according to a statement from the agency

US EPA OKs release of GM mosquitoes

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A. Beer,  Agrow Agribusiness,  2020.
he US EPA has granted an experimental use permit to US synthetic biology company Intrexon’s UK subsidiary, Oxitec, to test its genetically modified OX5034 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Genetically Engineered Male Mosquitos to be Released in Florida and Other Parts of US to Curb Zika and Dengue Spread

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Staff Reporter,  The Science Times,  2020.
The Environmental Protection Agency has recently approved a new and controversial field test aimed at reducing their population.

Swarms of genetically modified mosquitoes could soon be descending on Florida

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A. J. Dellinger,  Mic,  2020.
Mosquitoes are a pain in the ass, so much so that the Environmental Protection Agency has approved a new and controversial field test aimed at curbing their population.

Genetic Biocontrol – An Overview (video 13.13 min)

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GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2020.
This video explains what genetic biocontrol is and surveys various technologies that can be consider genetic biocontrol technologies.  It offers a conceptual organization of the various technologies based on the potential of genetic biocontrol organisms to persist and spread in ...

Guidance Framework for Testing the Sterile Insect Technique as a Vector Control Tool against Aedes-Borne Diseases

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WHO & IAEA,  WHO & IAEA,  2020.
This document is intended to be a comprehensive guide for programme managers tasked with recommending a “go/no-go” decision on testing, full deployment and scale-up of the sterile insect technique (SIT) in regions of the world affected by diseases transmitted by Aedes ...

Pest control with genetically modified insects

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myScience,  myScience,  2020.
To control pests without pesticides, genetically modified organisms of the same species could be used. The latter carry a gene that is passed on with above-average frequency via sexual reproduction. This gene possesses traits that directly weaken the pest, or prevent pathogens ...

Can we kill the dreaded mosquito? Do we even want to?

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Stacey McKenna,  Sierra,  2020.
As a major vector for disease, the mosquito has harmed more human beings than just about any other animal, and a changing climate is only boosting those numbers. As the range of disease-carrying species of mosquitoes expands, so does their ability to transmit the parasites and ...

Underdominance

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GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2020.
This video graphically explains the genetic concept of underdominance and illustrates how it can result in one allele replacing another allele in a population.  While 'gene drive', underdominance is a genetic phenomenon that can be recreated using genetic technologies and might ...

Development of control and sterilization technology for bluegill by genome editing

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M. A. Madsen,  Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi,  86:100-100. 2020.
This article is in Japanese

Editorial Expression of Concern: Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Transfer Genes into a Natural Population

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B. R. Evans, P. Kotsakiozi, A. L. Costa-Da-Silva, R. S. Ioshino, L. Garziera, M. C. Pedrosa, A. Malavasi, J. F. Virginio, M. L. Capurro and J. R. Powell,  Scientific Reports,  10:2. 2020.
Shortly after publication of this Article in September 2019, the Editors were alerted to concerns regarding the interpretation of the data and some of the conclusions.

Simulating effects of fitness and dispersal on the use of Trojan sex chromosomes for the management of invasive species

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C. C. Day, E. L. Landguth, R. K. Simmons, W. P. Baker, A. R. Whiteley, P. M. Lukacs and A. Bearlin,  Journal of Applied Ecology,  2020.
The use of Trojan Y chromosomes (TYC) for controlling invasive species involves manipulating the sex chromosomes of captive-raised individuals. Following release, the offspring of these individuals consist of only one sex, thereby skewing the sex ratio of the invasive population ...

The Buzz About Genetically Modified Mosquitoes – a podcast

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The Scientist Creative Services Team,  The Scientist,  podcast. 2020.
Mosquito-borne diseases afflict a large portion of the world. In this month’s episode, we consider genetic methods to eradicate diseases such as Zika fever, Dengue fever, and malaria. We spoke with Omar Akbari, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of ...

Understanding the Science of Gene Drive and the Potential for an Improved Crop Pest Control System in Nigeria

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A. Isah and R. S. M. Gidado,  OFAB Nigeria,  2020.
Several studies have shown that the Cas9-mediated gene drive technology is cheaper and will be easily affordable by the efficient Nigerian scientists to explore. The application of the gene drive technologies have many more controls over several other devastating insects in ...

Genetically engineered moths may save kale chips

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C. Poku,  BIOtechNOW,  2020.
Sea salt kale chips, bacon brussels sprouts, and buffalo cauliflower wings are under threat. Environmental activists will have you believe the biggest threat to our food system is pesticides. That’s not true, in fact, it’s insects—the very reason most pesticides are ...

Genetically engineered moths have been released into the wild to wipe out pests

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K. Rogers,  CNN,  2020.
Genetically modified diamondback moths designed to wipe out wild pest populations were released in fields for the first time in New York state. Diamondback moths are migratory pests found in the Americas, Europe, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, but especially in areas where ...

Genetically modified butterflies could herald a new era in crop protection

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Science News,,  Science News,  2020.
New study highlights successful test including field release of genetically modified butterflies. Scientists believe this success could pave the way for an effective and sustainable approach to pest control in crops. The butterfly in question is the cruciferous moth ( Plutella ...

Engineered symbionts activate honey bee immunity and limit pathogens

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P. Leonard Sean, J. E. Powell, J. Perutka, P. Geng, C. Heckmann Luke, D. Horak Richard, W. Davies Bryan, D. Ellington Andrew, E. Barrick Jeffrey and A. Moran Nancy,  Science,  367:573-576. 2020.
Honey bees are essential pollinators threatened by colony losses linked to the spread of parasites and pathogens. Here, we report a new approach for manipulating bee gene expression and protecting bee health. We engineered a symbiotic bee gut bacterium, Snodgrassella alvi, to ...

World’s First Genetically Modified Moths Released to Nature

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M. Cage,  SOMAG News,  2020.
There are many insect species that harm agricultural products in the world. One of them is diamond moths. Genetically modified moths were used to control these moths, which are harmful to many plants. Plutella xylostella or also known as diamond moths; One of the most harmful ...

GMO diamondback moth shows promise as sustainable pest control tool in first ever open-field release

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Cornell University,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2020.
A newly published study reports a successful, first-ever open-field release of a self-limiting, genetically engineered diamondback moth, stating that it paves the way for an effective and sustainable approach to pest control. The diamondback moth, also known as Plutella ...

Scientists have released genetically modified moths

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N. Kumar,  The Times Hub,  2020.
In the US, the researchers decided to test emerging from genetic modification Diamondback moth, placing it in field conditions. The work was conducted by experts from new York, representing Cornell University.

GM Insects on the Horizon

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E. Unglesbee,  Progressive Farmer,  2020.
Diamondback moths would do well to be wary of potential mates in the years to come. Scientists recently completed the first successful field testing of a genetically modified (GM) "self-limiting" insect in the U.S., using this species. When the GM male diamondback moths are ...

Male moths genetically modified to kill females released in the wild

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M. Le Page,  New Scientist,  2020.
Genetically modified male diamondback moths designed to wipe out pest populations have been released in New York state. The field trial shows that these GM moths, whose female offspring die soon after hatching, could help control this major crop pest. Oxitec, the British ...

First Field Release of a Genetically Engineered, Self-Limiting Agricultural Pest Insect: Evaluating Its Potential for Future Crop Protection

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A. M. Shelton, S. J. Long, A. S. Walker, M. Bolton, H. L. Collins, L. Revuelta, L. M. Johnson and N. I. Morrison,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  7:1-15. 2020.
Alternative, biologically-based approaches for pest management are sorely needed and one approach is to use genetically engineered insects. Herein we describe a series of integrated field, laboratory and modeling studies with the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, a serious ...

Public Opinion Towards Gene Drive as a Pest Control Approach for Biodiversity Conservation and the Association of Underlying Worldviews

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E. A. MacDonald, J. Balanovic, E. D. Edwards, W. Abrahamse, B. Frame, A. Greenaway, R. Kannemeyer, N. Kirk, F. Medvecky, T. L. Milfont, J. C. Russell and D. M. Tompkins,  Environmental Communication-a Journal of Nature and Culture,  15:1-16. 2020.
Synthetic gene drive approaches are nascent technologies with potential applicability for pest control for conservation purposes. Responsible science mandates that society be engaged in a dialogue over new technology, particularly where there exist global ramifications as with ...

The potential cost-effectiveness of controlling dengue in Indonesia using wMel Wolbachia released at scale: a modelling study

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O. J. Brady, D. D. Kharisma, N. N. Wilastonegoro, K. M. Reilly, E. Hendricx, L. S. Bastos, L. Yakob and D. S. Shepard,  medRxiv,  2020.01.11.20017186. 2020.
Wolbachia releases in high density urban areas is expected to be highly cost-effective and could potentially be the first cost saving intervention for dengue. Sites with strong public health infrastructure, fiscal capacity, and community support should be prioritized.

Optimal control and analysis of a modified trojan Y-Chromosome strategy

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M. A. Beauregard, R. D. Parshad, S. Boon, H. Conaway, T. Griffin and J. J. Lyu,  Ecological Modelling,  416. 2020.
The Trojan Y Chromosome (TYC) strategy is a promising eradication method that attempts to manipulate the female to male ratio to promote the reduction of the population of an invasive species. The manipulation stems from an introduction of sex-reversed males, called supermales, ...

A typology of community and stakeholder engagement based on documented examples in the field of novel vector control

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C. E. Schairer, R. Taitingfong, O. S. Akbari and C. S. Bloss,  PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  13:e0007863. 2019.
Background Despite broad consensus on the importance of community and stakeholder engagement (CSE) for guiding the development, regulation, field testing, and deployment of emerging vector control technologies (such as genetically engineered insects), the types of activities ...

The potential for a released autosomal X-shredder becoming a driving-Y chromosome and invasively suppressing wild populations of malaria mosquitoes

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Alcalay, Y., S. Fuchs, R. Galizi, F. Bernardini, R. E. Haghighat-Khah, D. B. Rusch, J. R. Adrion, M. W. Hahn, P. Tortosa and P. A. Papathanos,  bioRxiv,  2019:860551. 2019.
Synthetic sex-ratio distorters based on X-chromosome shredding are predicted to be more efficient than sterile males for population suppression of malaria mosquitoes using genetic control. X chromosome shredding operates through the targeted elimination of X-chromosome-bearing ...

Mass-Rearing of Drosophila suzukii for Sterile Insect Technique Application: Evaluation of Two Oviposition Systems

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F. Sassù, K. Nikolouli, S. Caravantes, G. Taret, R. Pereira, M. J. B. Vreysen, C. Stauffer and C. Cáceres,  Insects,  10. 2019.
Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive pest of a wide range of commercial soft-skinned fruits. To date, most management tactics are based on spraying of conventional and/or organic insecticides, baited traps, and netting exclusion. Interest has been expressed ...

An Initial Framework for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Synthetic Biology-Derived Organisms with a Focus on Gene Drives.

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W. G. Landis, E. A. Brown and S. Eikenbary,  Synthetic Biology 2020: Frontiers in Risk Analysis and Governance. Risk, Systems and Decisions.,  2019.
We apply the structure of source-stressor-habitat-effect-impact pathway derived from the relative risk model (Landis and Wiegers 2005) and as was demonstrated to be applicable in the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) 2016 report Gene Drives on the ...

Malaysia Wolbachia trials: Battling dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses

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2019.

Establishment of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB in Malaysian Populations of Aedes aegypti for Dengue Control

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W. A. Nazni, A. A. Hoffmann, A. NoorAfizah, Y. L. Cheong, M. V. Mancini, N. Golding, G. M. R. Kamarul, M. A. K. Arif, H. Thohir, H. NurSyamimi, M. Z. ZatilAqmar, M. NurRuqqayah, A. NorSyazwani, A. Faiz, F.-R. M. N. Irfan, S. Rubaaini, N. Nuradila, N. M. N,  Current Biology,  29:4241-4248.e5. 2019.
Dengue has enormous health impacts globally. A novel approach to decrease dengue incidence involves the introduction of Wolbachia endosymbionts that block dengue virus transmission into populations of the primary vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti. The wMel Wolbachia strain has ...

Genetic control of Invasive carp

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MAISRC,  Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center,  2019.
This project focuses on a novel method of biocontrol for common carp which will complement existing technologies by introducing a synthetic species-like barrier to reproduction. Researchers will use programmable transcription activators to drive lethal embryonic overexpression of ...

Peri-Urban Community Attitudes towards Codling Moth Trapping and Suppression Using the Sterile Insect Technique in New Zealand

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G. Paterson, G. L. W. Perry, J. T. S. Walker and D. M. Suckling,  Insects,  10. 2019.
New, more socially-acceptable technologies are being developed to suppress horticultural pests, because suppression is technically difficult with current technologies, especially in urban areas. One technique involves the release of sterile insects to prevent offspring in the ...

Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Transfer Genes into a Natural Population

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B. R. Evans, P. Kotsakiozi, A. L. Costa-da-Silva, R. S. Ioshino, L. Garziera, M. C. Pedrosa, A. Malavasi, J. F. Virginio, M. L. Capurro and J. R. Powell,  Scientific Reports,  9:6. 2019.
We genotyped the release strain and the target Jacobina population before releases began for >21,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genetic sampling from the target population six, 12, and 27-30 months after releases commenced provides clear evidence that portions of the ...

Engineered action at a distance: Blood-meal-inducible paralysis in Aedes aegypti

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R. E. Haghighat-Khah, T. Harvey-Samuel, S. Basu, O. StJohn, S. Scaife, S. Verkuijl, E. Lovett and L. Alphey,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  13:e0007579. 2019.
Here we demonstrate that it is possible to engineer ‘non-cell autonomous’ effectors–that is where the effect (e.g. the action of a toxic protein) can act on cells distant from the tissues in which they are originally expressed. To achieve this we utilised the endogenous ...

Incompatible and sterile insect techniques combined eliminate mosquitoes

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X. Zheng, D. Zhang, Y. Li, C. Yang, Y. Wu, X. Liang, Y. Liang, X. Pan, L. Hu, Q. Sun, X. Wang, Y. Wei, J. Zhu, W. Qian, Z. Yan, A. G. Parker, J. R. L. Gilles, K. Bourtzis, J. Bouyer, M. Tang, B. Zheng, J. Yu, J. Liu, J. Zhuang, Z. Hu, M. Zhang, J.-T. Gon,  572,  56-61. 2019.
Here we show that combining incompatible and sterile insect techniques (IIT–SIT) enables near elimination of field populations of the world’s most invasive mosquito species, Aedes albopictus. Millions of factory-reared adult males with an artificial triple-Wolbachia infection ...

Sex Sorting for Pest Control: It’s Raining Men!

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C. Lutrat, D. Giesbrecht, E. Marois, S. Whyard, T. Baldet and J. Bouyer,  Trends in Parasitology,  35:649-662. 2019.
In the pursuit of better pest- and vector-control strategies, attention returns to an old proven technology, the sterile insect technique (SIT) and related insect population-suppression methods. A major obstacle for any of these approaches that involves the release of sterile ...

Biological control of pests and a social model of animal welfare

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A. Mankad, U. Kennedy and L. Carter,  Journal of Environmental Management,  247:313-322. 2019.
We consider the role of perceived humaneness or, more accurately, animal welfare as it relates to managing invasive species from a scientific and social perspective. In order to highlight and articulate particular nuances and standards across different pest control contexts, we ...

The association between mitochondrial genetic variation and reduced colony fitness in an invasive wasp

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J. Dobelmann, A. Alexander, J. W. Baty, N. J. Gemmell, M. A. M. Gruber, O. Quinn, T. Wenseleers and P. J. Lester,  Molecular Ecology,  28:3324-3338. 2019.
Despite the mitochondrion's long-recognized role in energy production, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation commonly found in natural populations was assumed to be effectively neutral. However, variation in mtDNA has now been increasingly linked to phenotypic variation in life ...

A synthetic male-specific sterilization system using the mammalian pro-apoptotic factor in a malaria vector mosquito

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D. 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 ...

Genetic pest management technologies to control invasive rodents

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D. Kanavy and D. Threadgill,  Island invasives: scaling up to meet the challenge,  2019.
Many strategies exist to manage invasive pests on islands, ranging from poison to trapping, with varying degrees of success. Genetic technologies are increasingly being applied to insect pests, but so far, not to vertebrates. We are implementing a genetic strategy to eradicate ...

Trialling gene drives to control invasive species: what, where and how?

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T. Harvey-Samuel, K. J. Campbell, M. Edgington and L. Alphey,  Island invasives: scaling up to meet the challenge,  2019.
The control of invasive species would be enhanced through the addition of novel, more effective and sustainable pest management methods. One control option yet to be trialled in the field is to deploy transgene-based ‘Gene Drives’: technologies which force the inheritance of ...

Towards a genetic approach to invasive rodent eradications: assessing reproductive competitiveness between wild and laboratory mice

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M. Serr, N. Heard and J. Godwin,  Island invasives: scaling up to meet the challenge,  2019.
House mice are significant invasive pests, particularly on islands without native mammalian predators. As part of a multi-institutional project aimed at suppressing invasive mouse populations on islands, we aim to create heavily male-biased sex ratios with the goal of causing the ...

A potential new tool for the toolbox: assessing gene drives for eradicating invasive rodent populations

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K. J. Campbell, J. R. Saah, P. R. Brown, J. Godwin, F. Gould, G. R. Howald, A. Piaggio, P. Thomas, D. M. Tompkins, D. Threadgill, J. Delborne, D. Kanavy, T. Kuiken, H. Packard, M. Serr and A. Shiels,  Island invasives: scaling up to meet the challenge,  2019.
Invasive rodents have significant negative impacts on island biodiversity. All but the smallest of rodent eradications currently rely on island-wide rodenticide applications. Although signifi cant advances have been made in mitigating unintended impacts, rodent eradication on ...

Ecological effects on underdominance threshold drives for vector control

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D. Khamis, C. El Mouden, K. Kura and M. B. Bonsall,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  456:1-15. 2018.
Here, ecological and epidemiological dynamics are coupled to a model of mosquito genetics to investigate theoretically the impact of different types of underdominance gene drive on disease prevalence. We model systems with two engineered alleles carried either on the same pair ...

Population Consequences of Releasing Sex-Reversed Fish: Applications and Concerns

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C. Wederkind,  Sex Control in Aquaculture,  Chp 8:179-188. 2018.
Sex differentiation is generally more labile in gonochoristic fish than it is, for example, in birds and mammals. Environmentally induced sex reversal is, therefore, often possible, and creates genotype‐phenotype mismatches that can be useful in population management. ...

Invasion Success and Management Strategies for Social Vespula Wasps

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P. J. Lester and J. R. Beggs,  Annual Review of Entomology,  64:51-71. 2018.
Three species of Vespula have become invasive in Australia, Hawai'i, New Zealand, and North and South America and continue to spread. Economically, their main negative effect is associated with pollination and the apicultural industry. Climate change is likely to exacerbate ...

A spatially discrete, integral projection model and its application to invasive carp

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R. A. Erickson, E. A. Eager, P. M. Kocovsky, D. C. Glover, J. L. Kallis and K. R. Long,  Ecological Modelling,  387:163-171. 2018.
Natural resource managers and ecologists often desire an understanding of spatial dynamics such as migration, dispersion, and meta-population dynamics. Network-node models can capture these salient features. Additionally, the state-variable used with many species may be ...

Pest demography critically determines the viability of synthetic gene drives for population control

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K. E. Wilkins, T. A. A. Prowse, P. Cassey, P. Q. Thomas and J. V. Ross,  Mathematical Biosciences,  305:160-169. 2018.
Synthetic gene drives offer a novel solution for the control of invasive alien species. CRISPR-based gene drives can positively bias their own inheritance, and comprise a DNA sequence that is replicated by homologous recombination. Since gene drives can be positioned to silence ...

Sex determination in Neotropical fish: Implications ranging from aquaculture technology to ecological assessment

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J. I. Fernandino and R. S. Hattori,  General and Comparative Endocrinology,  273:172-183. 2018.
The high biodiversity of fish in the Neotropical region contrasts with scarce or biased studies on the mechanisms involved in the sex determination in members of this fauna. In this review, we attempted to compile the information available on determination, differentiation, and ...

Genetics-based methods for agricultural insect pest management

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N. Alphey and M. B. Bonsall,  Agricultural and Forest Entomology,  20:131-140. 2018.
Abstract The sterile insect technique is an area-wide pest control method that reduces agricultural pest populations by releasing mass-reared sterile insects, which then compete for mates with wild insects. Contemporary genetics-based technologies use insects that are homozygous ...

Agricultural production: assessment of the potential use of Cas9-mediated gene drive systems for agricultural pest control

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M. J. Scott, F. Gould, M. Lorenzen, N. Grubbs, O. Edwards and D. O’Brochta,  Journal of Responsible Innovation,  5:S98-S120. 2018.
To highlight how gene drives could be useful for control of agricultural insect pests, we selected species that are pests of animals (New World screwworm), plants (spotted wing Drosophila, diamondback moth, Bemisia tabaci whitefly), or stored grains (red flour beetle). We ...

Production of YY Supermale and XY Physiological Female Common Carp for Potential Eradication of this Invasive Species

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M. Y. Jiang, X. X. Wu, K. X. Chen, H. R. Luo, W. Yu, S. T. Jia, Y. M. Li, Y. F. Wang, P. H. Yang, Z. Y. Zhu and W. Hu,  Journal of the World Aquaculture Society,  49:315-327. 2018.
The common carp, Cyprinus carpio, is the third most cultivated freshwater species worldwide, but is also considered an invasive species. The Trojan Y chromosome strategy is one of the most promising methods to eradicate this invasive species. However, obtaining fertile YY ...

Trojan Females and Judas Goats: Evolutionary Traps as Tools in Wildlife Management

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B. A. Robertson, R. S. Ostfeld and F. Keesing,  Bioscience,  67:982-993. 2017.
Here, we bring together science from the pest-control, eco-evolutionary, and conservation communities to outline how evolutionary traps can be repurposed to eliminate or control pest species. We highlight case studies and devise strategies for the selection of appropriate cues to ...

The potential for the use of gene drives for pest control in New Zealand: a perspective

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P. K. Dearden, N. J. Gemmell, O. R. Mercier, P. J. Lester, M. J. Scott, R. D. Newcomb, T. R. Buckley, J. M. E. Jacobs, S. G. Goldson and D. R. Penman,  Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,  48:225-244. 2017.
Here we describe the current state of gene drive technologies and present a series of examples to examine the potential benefits and problems arising from gene drive approaches for pest control in New Zealand.

The sterile male release approach as a method to control invasive amphibian populations: a preliminary study on Lithobates catesbeianus

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S. Descamps and A. De Vocht,  Management of Biological Invasions,  8:361-370. 2017.
Widespread populations of the invasive species Lithobates catesbeianus (American bullfrog) are present in different parts of the world and are difficult to control. This study investigated the possibility to sterilize male individuals of this species in order to use the sterile ...

The optimal implementation of the Trojan Y chromosome eradication strategy of invasive species

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M. R. Kelly and X. Y. Wang,  Journal of Biological Systems,  25:399-418. 2017.
Invasive aquatic species continue to be a persistent problem around the world. The Trojan Y Chromosome (TYC) eradication strategy has recently been developed to help fight the problem in aquatic systems by targeting only the invasive species, sparing native marine stock. It ...

Illinois study advances possibility of genetic control for major agricultural weeds

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L. Quinn,  ACES News,  2017.
Waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, two aggressive weeds that threaten the food supply in North America, are increasingly hard to kill with commercially available herbicides. A novel approach known as genetic control could one day reduce the need for these chemicals. Now, scientists ...

A secret weapon against Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases

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Nina Federoff,  TEDxMidAtlantic,  2017.
Where did Zika come from, and what can we do about it? Molecular biologist Nina Fedoroff takes us around the world to understand Zika's origins and how it spread, proposing a controversial way to stop the virus -- and other deadly diseases -- by preventing infected mosquitoes ...

What’s the story with genetic pest management (GPM)?

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K. Guthrie,  Predator Free NZ,  2017.
Breakthrough genetic technologies are likely to play a key role in achieving a predator-free future. But it’s important that we understand what the various technologies are now – as they’re being developed – not when they’re about to be implemented. We need to debate ...

Current vector control challenges in the fight against malaria

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G. 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, ...

Trends in the development of mammalian pest control technology in New Zealand

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C. T. Eason, L. Shapiro, S. Ogilvie, C. King and M. Clout,  New Zealand Journal of Zoology,  44:267-304. 2017.
The use of new toxins with advantages in specific settings should be complemented by improvements in resetting trap technology, barrier approaches, and novel biocontrol and genetic concepts. Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) and other important tools have been retained; we have the ...

SCIENTIFIC OPINION: In response to the referral of 12 October 2015 concerning use of genetically modified mosquitoes for vector control

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High Council for Biotechnology,  High Council for Biotechnology (France),  2017.
The Scientific Committee’s opinion describes emerging vector control techniques using GM mosquitoes, the current state of research into and development of these techniques and the outcomes of initial experiments worldwide. To date, only one technique has been developed to an ...

Area-wide Integrated Pest Management

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),  International Atomic Energy Agency,  2017.
Throughout history, people have had to fight insect pests to reduce diseases, minimize food losses, protect agricultural trade or simply to avoid the nuisance of stinging, biting and buzzing bugs. Insect pest control is usually implemented locally in individual fields or ...

Towards the genetic control of invasive species

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Harvey-Samuel, TA, T.; Alphey, L.,  Biological Invasions,  19:1683-1703. 2017.
Invasive species remain one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Their control would be enhanced through the development of more effective and sustainable pest management strategies. Recently, a novel form of genetic pest management (GPM) has been developed in which ...

Concept and history of genetic control

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Scott, M. J. and Benedict, M. Q.,  Genetic Control of Malaria and Dengue,  2:31-54. 2016.
Genetic control of insects is an established method, mainly for insects that are important crop and veterinary pests such as medflies and screwworm. Efforts to use the same technologies against insects of medical importance, especially mosquitoes, have had limited success. The ...

Invertebrate Biosecurity Challenges in High-Productivity Grassland: The New Zealand Example

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S. L. Goldson, B. I. P. Barratt and K. F. Armstrong,  Frontiers in Plant Science,  7. 2016.
This review explores the unique challenges faced by pasture biosecurity and what may be done to confront existing difficulties. While there is no silver bullet, and limited opportunity pre and at for improving pasture biosecurity, advancement may include increased and informed ...

Mitonuclear interactions, mtDNA-mediated thermal plasticity, and implications for the Trojan Female Technique for pest control

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J. N. Wolff, D. M. Tompkins, N. J. Gemmell and D. K. Dowling,  Scientific Reports,  6. 2016.
Here we test whether the male-sterilizing effects previously associated with the mt: Cyt-b mutation are consistent across three thermal and three nuclear genomic contexts. The effects of this mutation were indeed moderated by the nuclear background and thermal environment, but ...

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Probably Headed to Florida Keys to Fight Zika

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T. Elfrink,  Miami New Times,  2016.
The bad news: Zika is coming to Florida. This past Friday, two new cases of the virus linked to serious birth defects were reported in the state, and scientists believe it could spread rapidly come summer as mosquito populations explode. And we're still a long way away from a ...

Production of a YY Male Brook Trout Broodstock for Potential Eradication of Undesired Brook Trout Populations

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D. J. Schill, J. A. Heindel, M. R. Campbell, K. A. Meyer and E. Mamer,  North American Journal of Aquaculture,  78:72-83. 2015.
Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis introduced outside of their native range often negatively impact native aquatic fauna or provide marginal fisheries and are frequently targeted for manual or piscicide removal in lakes and streams. Unfortunately, complete eradication of exotic ...

Science and Technology Committee Genetically Modified Insects

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UK Parliament,  UK Parliament,  2015.
The UK is a world leader in the development of this technology. The European Union’s regulatory process, however, is likely to hold back progress. There is a moral duty to test the potential of the technology. We therefore support further research and call for action to test ...

Stochastic models for the Trojan Y-Chromosome eradication strategy of an invasive species

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X. Y. Wang, J. R. Walton and R. D. Parshad,  Journal of Biological Dynamics,  10:179-199. 2015.
The Trojan Y-Chromosome (TYC) strategy, an autocidal genetic bio-control method, has been proposed to eliminate invasive alien species. In this work, we develop a Markov jump process model for this strategy, and we verify that there is a positive probability for wild-type females ...

The Trojan Female Technique for pest control: a candidate mitochondrial mutation confers low male fertility across diverse nuclear backgrounds in Drosophila melanogaster

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D. K. Dowling, D. M. Tompkins and N. J. Gemmell,  Evolutionary Applications,  8:8710880. 2015.
The Trojan Female Technique (TFT) was recently proposed as a prospective approach to biological pest control. However, applicability of the TFT relies on mitochondrial mutations whose male-sterilizing effects are general across nuclear genomic contexts. We test this assumption, ...

Ecological and evolutionary applications for environmental sex reversal of fish

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A. McNair, P. M. Lokman, G. P. Closs and S. Nakagawa,  Quarterly Review of Biology,  90:23-44. 2015.
Environmental sex reversal (ESR), which results in a mismatch between genotypic and phenotypic sex, is well documented in numerous fish species and may be induced by chemical exposure. Historically, research involving piscine ESR has been carried out with a view to improving ...

Genetic control of invasive fish: technological options and its role in integrated pest management

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Thresher, REH, K.; Bax, N. J.; Teem, J.; Benfey, T. J.; Gould, F.,  Biological Invasions,  16:1201-1216. 2014.
Genetic options for the control of invasive fishes were recently reviewed and synthesized at a 2010 international symposium, held in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, USA. The only option currently available "off-the-shelf'' is triploidy, which can be used to produce sterile males for a ...

Regulatory experience and challenges for the release of GM insects

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Beech, C,  Journal Fur Verbraucherschutz Und Lebensmittelsicherheit-Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety,  9:S71-S76. 2014.
Genetically modified (GM) insects are a potentially valuable new tool for the biological control of insect pests of humans, animals and plants. Considerable progress has been made recently in transfer of GM insects from the laboratory to release and evaluation in the environment. ...

Global existence and asymptotic behavior of a model for biological control of invasive species via supermale introduction

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R. D. Parshad, S. Kouachi and J. B. Gutierrez,  Communications in Mathematical Sciences,  11:971-992. 2013.
The purpose of this manuscript is to propose a model for the biological control of invasive species, via introduction of phenotypically modified organisms into a target population. We are inspired by the earlier Trojan Y Chromosome model [J.B. Gutierrez, J.L. Teem, J. Theo. Bio., ...

Demographic effects on the use of genetic options for the control of mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki

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R. E. Thresher, M. Canning and N. J. Bax,  Ecological Applications,  23:801-814. 2013.
This study tests the sensitivity of genetically based pest control options based on sex ratio distortion to intra-and intersexual aggressive interactions that affect male and female survival and fitness. Data on these interactions and their impacts were gathered for the ...

Analysis of the Trojan Y-Chromosome eradication strategy for an invasive species

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X. Y. Wang, J. R. Walton, R. D. Parshad, K. Storey and M. Boggess,  Journal of Mathematical Biology,  68:1731-1756. 2013.
The Trojan Y-Chromosome (TYC) strategy, an autocidal genetic biocontrol method, has been proposed to eliminate invasive alien species. In this work, we analyze the dynamical system model of the TYC strategy, with the aim of studying the viability of the TYC eradication and ...

Combining the Trojan Y chromosome and daughterless carp eradication strategies

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J. L. Teem and J. B. Gutierrez,  Biological Invasions,  16:1231-1240. 2013.
The Trojan Y chromosome (TYC) strategy and the daughterless carp (DC) strategy represent two autocidal genetic biocontrol methods for eliminating invasive fish by changing the sex ratio of the population. Each strategy is designed to reduce the number of females in a target ...

A comparison of the Trojan Y Chromosome and daughterless carp eradication strategies

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J. L. Teem, J. B. Gutierrez and R. D. Parshad,  16,  16:1217-1230. 2013.
Two autocidal genetic biocontrol methods have been proposed as a means to eliminate invasive fish by changing the sex ratio of the population: the Trojan Y Chromosome (TYC) strategy and the Daughterless Carp (DC) strategy. Both strategies were modeled using ordinary differential ...

Existence of global attractor for the Trojan Y Chromosome model

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X. P. Zhao, B. Liu and N. Duan,  Electronic Journal of Qualitative Theory of Differential Equations,  2011.
This paper is concerned with the long time behavior of solution for the equation derived by the Trojan Y Chromosome (TYC) model with spatial spread. Based on the regularity estimates for the semigroups and the classical existence theorem of global attractors, we prove that this ...

A Theoretical Strategy for Eradication of Asian Carps Using a Trojan Y Chromosome to Shift the Sex Ratio of the Population

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J.L. teem and J.B. Gutierrez,  Invasive Asian Carps in North America,  74:227-238. 2011.
The directed extinction of an exotic fish population is proposed using a genetic approach to drastically reduce the ratio of females to males within the population. In the proposed strategy, sex-reversed female fish containing two Y chromosomes (Fyy) are introduced into a normal ...

Analysis of the Trojan Y chromosome model for eradication of invasive species in a dendritic riverine system

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J. B. Gutierrez, M. K. Hurdal, R. D. Parshad and J. L. Teem,  Journal of Mathematical Biology,  64:319-340. 2011.
The use of Trojan Y chromosomes has been proposed as a genetic strategy for the eradication of invasive species. The strategy is particularly relevant to invasive fish species that have XY sex determination system and are amenable to sex-reversal. In this paper we study the ...

On the Well Posedness and Refined Estimates for the Global Attractor of the TYC Model

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R. D. Parshad and J. B. Gutierrez,  Boundary Value Problems,  2010.
The Trojan Y Chromosome strategy (TYC) is a theoretical method for eradication of invasive species. It requires constant introduction of artificial individuals into a target population, causing a shift in the sex ratio that ultimately leads to local extinction. In this work we ...

Progress and prospects for the use of genetically modified mosquitoes to inhibit disease transmission

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A. A. James, J. D. Mumford, S. L. James and Y. T. Touré,  WHO/TDR,  2010.
The use of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) for disease control has social, economic and ethical implications, so it is important that the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners provide guidance to countries on these issues. In collaboration with the Foundation ...

On the global attractor of the Trojan Y chromosome model.

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R. D. Parshad and J. B. Gutierrez,  Communications on Pure and Applied Analysis,  10:339-359. 2010.
We consider the Trojan Y Chromosome (TYC) model for eradication of invasive species in population dynamics. We present global estimates for the TYC system in a spatial domain. In this work we prove the existence of a global attractor for the system. We derive uniform estimates to ...

Genetic control of invasive plants species using selfish genetic elements

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K. A. Hodgins, L. Rieseberg and S. P. Otto,  Evolutionary Applications,  2:555-569. 2009.
Invasive plants cause substantial environmental damage and economic loss. Here, we explore the possibility that a selfish genetic element found in plants called cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) could be exploited for weed control. We developed an analytical model and a spatial ...

Use of Genetically Engineered Fruit Fly and Pink Bollworm in APHIS Plant Pest Control Programs: Final Environmental Impact Statement—October 2008

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USDA/APHIS,  USDA/APHIS,  2008.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with several States and foreign countries, is proposing further development of genetically engineered fruit fly species and pink bollworm for use in various applications ...

The Impact of Dissociation on Transposon-Mediated Disease Control Strategies

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J. M. Marshall,  Genetics,  178:1673-1682. 2008.
Vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever continue to be a major health concern through much of the world. The emergence of chloroquine-resistant strains of malaria and insecticide-resistant mosquitoes emphasize the need for novel methods of disease control. ...

Control of introduced species using Trojan sex chromosomes

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S. Cotton and C. Wedekind,  Trends in Ecology & Evolution,  22:441-443. 2007.
To control introduced exotic species that have predominantly genetic, but environmentally reversible, sex determination (e.g. many species of fish), Gutierrez and Teem recently modeled the use of carriers of Trojan Y chromosomes - individuals who are phenotypically sex reversed ...

Radiation-induced sterility for pupal and adult stages of the malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensis

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M. 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 ...

Genetic strategies for controlling mosquito-borne diseases

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F. Gould, K. Magori and Y. Huang,  American Scientist,  94:238. 2006.
Malaria kills more than a million people each year, primarily children under the age of six. Dengue fever is less deadly, but an outbreak can debilitate millions of people and easily overwhelm doctors and hospitals in tropical cities

A model describing the effect of sex-reversed YY fish in an established wild population: The use of a Trojan Y chromosome to cause extinction of an introduced exotic species

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J. B. Gutierrez and J. L. Teem,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  241:333-341. 2006.
A novel means of inducing extinction of an exotic fish population is proposed using a genetic approach to shift the ratio of male to females within a population. In the proposed strategy, sex-reversed fish containing two Y chromosomes are introduced into a normal fish population. ...

An Anopheles transgenic sexing strain for vector control

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F. Catteruccia, J. P. Benton and A. Crisanti,  Nature Biotechnology,  23:1414-1417. 2005.
Here we report on the development of transgenic sexing lines for the mosquito Anopheles stephensi, the principal vector of human malaria in Asia. Male mosquitoes, expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the beta 2-tubulin promoter, are identified ...

TSETSE GENETICS: Contributions to Biology, Systematics, and Control of Tsetse Flies

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R. H. Gooding and E. S. Krafsur,  Annual Review of Entomology,  50:101-123. 2005.
Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) constitute a small, ancient taxon of exclusively hematophagous insects that reproduce slowly and viviparously. Because tsetse flies are the only vectors of pathogenic African trypanosomes, they are a potent and constant threat to humans and ...

Malaria Control with Genetically Manipulated Insect Vectors

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L. Alphey, C. B. Beard, P. Billingsley, M. Coetzee, A. Crisanti, C. Curtis, P. Eggleston, C. Godfray, J. Hemingway, M. Jacobs-Lorena, A. A. James, F. C. Kafatos, L. G. Mukwaya, M. Paton, J. R. Powell, W. Schneider, T. W. Scott, B. Sina, R. Sinden, S. Sink,  Science,  298:119. 2002.
At a recent workshop, experts discussed the benefits, risks, and research priorities associated with using genetically manipulated insects in the control of vector-borne diseases.

Sterility introduced by release of genetically altered males to a domestic population of Aedes aegypti at the Kenya coast

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P. T. McDonald, W. Hausermann and N. Lorimer,  Am J Trop Med Hyg,  26:553-61. 1977.
The release of males heterozygous for one or two sex-linked translocations was effective in introducing a high level of sterility into a domestic population of Aedes aegypti at a Rabai village. The effect of the releases continued for several weeks after the release period. Male ...

Genetic control of insect populations: I. Cage studies of chromosome replacement by compound autosomes in Drosophila melanogaste

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M. Fitz-Earle, D. G. Holm and D. T. Suzuki,  Genetics,  74:461-475. 1973.
A genetic method for insect control was evaluated using the test organism, Drosophila melanogaster. The technique involved the displacement under a system of continuous reproduction, of standard strains by those carrying compound autosomes. The eradication of the replacements ...

Changing population structure through the use of compound chromosomes

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D. Childress,  Genetics,  72:183-186. 1972.
Theoretical calculations and population cage data are presented to illustrate the use of compound chromosomes to change the genetic structure of insect populations.

Chromosome rearrangements for the control of insect pests

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G. G. Foster, M. J. Whitten, T. Prout and R. Gill,  Science,  176:875-880. 1972.
Over several years some biologists have been interested in the possibilities of employing genetic techniques in the control of insect pests. One idea has been to introduce in the natural population genotypes which could subsequently facilitate control, or which might render the ...

Applications of genetic technology to mosquito rearing

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G. B. Craig,  Bulletin of the World Health Organization,  29:89-97. 1963.
Since the development of insecticide-resistance and the consequent partial failure of the chemical approach to the control of disease vectors, interest in the biological approach has re-awakened. An aspect of the latter approach that is of great current interest is " autocidal ...

Screw-worm control through release of sterilized flies

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A. H. Baumhover, A. J. Graham, B. A. Bitter, D. E. Hopkins, W. D. New, F. H. Dudley and R. C. Bushland,  Journal of Economic Entomology,  48:462-466. 1955.
Screw-worms, Callitroga hominivorax (Cqrl.), did not exist in the southeastern United States until about 20 years ago, and it is probable that, if the present infestation could be eradicated, the area might be kept free of infestation through inspection of livestock shipments ...

Possibilities of Insect Control or Eradication Through the Use of Sexually Sterile Males

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E. F. Knipling,  Journal of Economic Entomology,  48:459-462. 1955.
The purpose of this paper is to consider the possibility of controlling insects by releasing sexually sterile males among the existing natural population. The principles involved will be described and the potentialities as well as the limitations of the method as we know them at ...

Eradication of screw-worms through release of sterilized males

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R. C. Bushland, A. W. Lindquist and E. F. Knipling,  Science,  122:287-288. 1955.
Although the sterilizing effect of ionizing radiations has been known for years, it is only recently that entomologists have attempted to take advantage of the phenomenon for insect control. Knipling (1) has theorized on the effects of releasing sterilized males among a normal ...

On the possibility of a new method for the control of insect pests.

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A. S. Serebrovskii,  Zoologicheskiĭ zhurnal,  19:618-630 (in Russian). 1940.
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW METHOD FOR THE CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS. The new principle of insect control consists in disturbing the propagation of the pest population by means of translocations. It is well known that individuals heterozygous for some translocations usually form a ...