Keywords: Genetically modified mosquitoes
Present and Future of Mosquito-Borne Disease Control in Europe with a Specific Focus on the Mediterranean
35535Cholvi, M., Moretti, R., Osório, H. C., et al., Insects, 17. 2026-02-27 19:18:24.
Mosquito-borne diseases are an emerging public health challenge in Europe, driven by the spread of invasive mosquito species capable of sustaining outbreaks of tropical arboviral diseases. Rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, human-driven habitat changes, and prolonged transmission seasons have increased the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile virus outbreaks, among other vector-borne diseases. Effective control requires a multifaceted approach, combining traditional and novel methods with advanced surveillance technologies and community involvement. However, growing insecticide resistance and concerns about insecticide use highlight the need for more prudent management of current tools and the development of innovative alternatives. Genetic control strategies, including the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), Wolbachia-based approaches, and genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes, offer promising solutions but still face scientific, regulatory, and societal challenges. This review explores the current landscape of mosquito-borne disease control in Mediterranean Europe, emphasizing key challenges and emerging solutions. An integrated approach that strengthens surveillance, promotes sustainable control methods, and incorporates novel biotechnological tools supported by smart technologies will be essential to reduce the future burden of mosquito-borne diseases in the region.
Potential benefits, opportunities, risks and challenges of population suppression gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control described in the scholarly literature: a rapid scoping review
35472Fürer, C. L., Fischer, T. B., Suter, T., Winkler, M. S., and Knoblauch, A. M., Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 2026-02-27 18:07:52.
Gene drive mosquitoes represent a promising strategy to alter mosquito populations and reduce disease transmission. However, their use has generated considerable debate due to ecological, ethical, and societal concerns. This paper reviews risks, challenges, benefits, and opportunities of gene drive technology, focusing on environmental, social, economic, and health implications. A literature search of peer-reviewed articles published between January 2019 and September 2023 was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase (Elsevier), and Google Scholar. Eligible papers included keywords such as ‘gene drive’, ‘mosquitoes’, and ‘Anopheles’. Extracted statements were grouped as ‘risks/challenges’, ‘benefits/opportunities’, or ‘ambivalent’, and classified across five dimensions: environmental/entomological/ecological, social, economic, health, and technological. From 1304 papers identified, 53 were included, yielding 892 statements. Of these, 66.5% addressed ‘risks/challenges’, 26.3% ‘benefits/opportunities’, and 7.2% were ‘ambivalent’. Most statements were classified under the ‘environmental/entomological/ecological’ dimension (46.1%), followed by ‘social’ (24.6%), ‘health’ (18.5%), ‘GM technology’ (7.2%), and ‘economic’ (3.6%). Commonly cited ‘risks/challenges’ included potential off-target effects, fitness costs, and development of resistance. The breadth of identified considerations, alongside the predominantly risk-focused discourse, highlights the need for multidimensional assessments. Early evaluations should integrate biosafety assessments with inclusive frameworks such as Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessments (ESHIA) to support responsible deployment.
“Millions have been released.” Hawaii’s beautiful birds are dying. But scientists have a controversial plan to save them
35457James Fair, BBC Wildlife Magazine, 2026-02-24 09:58:30.
About 6-7 million years ago, common rosefinches – which are today found across a vast expanse of northern Eurasia and are even occasional winter visitors to the British Isles – island-hopped their way from the Russian Far East across the Pacific Ocean and arrived in the newly formed, volcanic land masses of Hawaii. There, a single species evolved into an extended family of 56 Hawaiian honeycreepers, many of which only barely resemble their pioneering ancestor. Take, for example, the gorgeous scarlet honeycreeper or i’iwi, with its huge downward curving bill that is perfectly adapted for extracting nectar from endemic Hawaiian flowers. At first glance, it looks nothing like a finch. It’s an amazing story, but also a tragic one, because according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 39 of Hawaii’s honeycreepers are extinct, and 11 of the remaining 17 are threatened. One of the biggest factors in this natural history catastrophe is avian malaria. Neither the single-celled organism that causes malaria, nor the mosquito that transmits it, are native to Hawaii, so honeycreepers and other endemic birds have almost no immunity to it. All conservationists agree that something needs to be done – and quickly – if we are to save those that remain. Step forward scientists such as Tim Harvey-Samuel, an expert in arthropod genetics at the University of Keele. Harvey-Samuel and his team are seeing whether they can “modify the mosquito population in Hawaii such that it’s no longer able to transmit avian malaria.” The idea is to insert a gene into the mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) so that it doesn’t allow the Plasmodium protozoan that causes malaria to complete its life-cycle.
Beyond the static lab: environmental variability in genetically modified mosquito target gene identification for malaria control
35371Luna Dael, Maria L. Simões, Current Opinion in Insect Science, 2026-01-17 15:23:28.
As malaria remains a critical public health challenge causing hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, novel methods to combat it are urgently needed. Genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) offer a promising innovative approach to reduce malaria transmission. However, the foundational research to identify the target gene candidates for genetic modification is typically conducted under static laboratory conditions. These standardized insectary settings of constant temperature and humidity do not reflect the dynamic environmental and climatic variability that mosquitoes and the pathogens they carry encounter in nature. This review argues that this “lab-to-field” discrepancy represents a significant knowledge gap. We highlight that natural variations in environmental factors influence Anopheles and Plasmodium biology, and mosquito innate immunity responses, with consequences for vector competence and malaria transmission. Insufficient consideration of environmental variability during the initial gene discovery phase risks developing GMMs where the intended function of the genetic modification may be compromised by environmental stress. We emphasize the need to incorporate realistic environmental variability into the upstream GMM development, particularly in the face of escalating climate change.
Florida releases millions of genetically modified mosquitoes from Oxitec in the Florida Keys to try to reduce dengue and Zika by up to 95%, in a real-world experiment that divides residents and ushers in a new era of ecosystem editing.
35351Carla Teles, Click Petróleo e Gás, 2026-01-10 09:57:25.
In a quiet Florida neighborhood, things began with something that seemed mundane. Gray boxes started appearing in backyards and along the edges of mangrove swamps, accompanied by a simple instruction: fill with water and leave. Nobody saw anything special about them, just discreet containers scattered around the neighborhood. What almost nobody realized was that those boxes were capsules for a global experiment: from inside them would emerge millions of mosquitoes. Created in a laboratory, carrying a genetic code designed to attack their own species. In the following months, these boxes became the starting point for waves of millions of mosquitoes A laboratory experiment over the Florida Keys. For some residents, it looked like the beginning of an apocalyptic movie. For others, it was a desperate gamble to contain dengue and Zika outbreaks that had been approaching year after year. And behind it all was Oxitec, a British biotechnology company that transformed a common mosquito into a small flying genetic saboteur.
A target product profile for a rapid diagnostic test to monitor mosquito gene drive presence and frequency
35345Prateek Verma, Sebald Verkuijl, Calvin K. Yee, et al., bioRxiv, 2025-12-18 10:23:36.
Malaria remains a major global health challenge, with over 263 million cases and nearly 600,000 deaths reported in 2023, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa. While conventional interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying and antimalarial drugs have reduced transmission, progress has stalled due to the limitations of these interventions and the emergence of resistance. Gene drive-modified mosquitoes represent a promising, potentially transformative vector control strategy, capable of spreading malaria-refractory traits or suppressing mosquito populations. Successful field deployment will depend upon monitoring systems to track the presence and frequency of gene drive constructs as they spread and persist. Current molecular surveillance techniques, though effective, are resource-intensive and reliant on laboratory infrastructure and technical competencies. Here, we make the case for a near-universal and low-cost rapid diagnostic test (RDT) designed to detect gene drive mosquitoes in the field, to complement existing surveillance infrastructure. Two use cases are outlined: i) to detect the presence of the drive construct in a new population, and ii) to provide an estimate of drive frequency prior to more accurate laboratory-based measurements. We provide a target product profile for the RDT outlining minimally essential and ideal characteristics, including test procedures, sensitivity, specificity, usability by a range of stakeholders in field settings, and compatibility with pooled testing of mosquito samples. An RDT for gene drive construct detection would support community access and participation in monitoring, enhance regulatory oversight, and promote transparency in field trials, thereby facilitating responsible deployment of gene drive-based malaria interventions.
Spot the males: New gene-editing method could transform mosquito control
35339Robert Egan, Phys.org, 2025-12-17 11:22:04.
Researchers have developed a new "color-coded" genetic method that makes it easy to distinguish male and female mosquitoes. This innovation can help solve a major bottleneck in mosquito control strategies that rely on releasing only sterile males. The approach uses gene editing to produce dark males and pale females, offering a practical and safer alternative to current sex-separation techniques. A new study led by Doron Zaada and Prof. Philippos Papathanos from the Department of Entomology at Hebrew University, introduces a powerful genetic approach for separating male and female mosquitoes, an essential step for large-scale mosquito control programs aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. Mosquito control strategies based on the mass release of males rely on the complete removal of females, which bite and transmit disease. Existing separation methods, largely based on size differences at the pupal stage, are labor-intensive, difficult to scale, and prone to letting biting females slip through. This new study presents a genetically engineered "Genetic Sexing Strain" (GSS) of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) that allows sexes to be sorted automatically based on visible pigmentation.
Controversial genetically modified mosquito release paused after backlash in Qld
35305Brandon Long, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2025-12-05 17:32:24.
A plan to release genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes in Queensland has been paused, with the organisation behind the idea withdrawing its licence application. Oxitec Australia — a partnership between Australia's CSIRO and US biotech firm Oxitec Ltd — aimed to sell its so-called "friendly" mosquitoes to reduce the spread of diseases like dengue. The plan received backlash from scientists, health experts, and the public, but CSIRO said the step back was not due to concerns about the technology. "This decision was not related to concerns about the technology itself, rather a determination made around the early stage of the company and the necessary financial requirements of holding a licence," a CSIRO spokesperson said.
Out-of-the-Box Innovations Against Malaria
35287Foreign Policy, 2025-11-06 17:34:40.
Malaria kills nearly 600,000 people every year, with 95 percent of deaths occurring in Africa. Most of them are children under the age of 5. While progress on curbing malaria has flattened in recent years, new scientific breakthroughs may bring the world closer than ever not only to controlling malaria outbreaks but potentially also to eradicating the disease. In this episode, we focus on the best mosquito control strategies to eliminate malaria. Host Henry Bonsu interviews Fredros Okumu, a professor at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and a scientist at Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania. His research evaluates many of the latest tools to combat malaria, including next-generation insecticide bed nets, indoor residual sprays, and spatial repellants, also known as spatial emanators. Then, reporter Paul Adepoju talks to scientists from the U.K.- and Tanzania-based Transmission Zero project. They have developed genetically modified mosquitoes that could dramatically reduce the transmission of malaria. Adepoju speaks with Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera, a leading entomologist also at the Ifakara Health Institute, as well as Nikolai Windbichler from Imperial College London, who leads the molecular genetics side of the Transmission Zero project.
UCMI partners with Equatorial Guinea to advance the fight against malaria
35265Ana Kormos, Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research, 2025-10-30 17:22:36.
The University of California Malaria Initiative (UCMI) announced a new partnership with the Government of Equatorial Guinea on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which took place in New York City in September. The partnership will support the implementation of Equatorial Guinea’s Vision 2030 strategy for malaria elimination. Despite progress in fighting malaria, the disease remains a major public health concern in the country, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas. Building on over two decades of impact through the MCD Global Health’s (MCD) Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project (BIMEP), this new collaboration will support the Ministry of Health’s ongoing efforts to eliminate malaria. The long-running BIMEP project has achieved a 78 percent reduction in malaria prevalence and eliminated two major mosquito vectors on Bioko Island. As a scientific partner, UCMI will work with the Ministry of Health, National Malaria Control Program, BIMEP and MCD Global Health to advance research and support implementation of new malaria control strategies including the UCMI genetically modified mosquito. Drawing on its expertise in vector and malaria control research, UCMI will contribute to the advancement of innovative malaria control tools and strategies to ensure that Equatorial Guinea benefits from the latest scientific developments and best practices in full alignment with national priorities and community engagement.
A male-drive female-sterile system for the self-limited control of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae
35261Strampelli, A., Willis, K., Gulliford, H.R. et al., Nature Communications, 16. 2025-10-28 08:43:17.
Despite great leaps forward in preventing and treating malaria, several challenges, including insecticide resistance, have hindered progress in fighting the disease. Thus, there is a pressing need for new tools to control malaria, including the use of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) in the field. Various genetic strategies for vector control are currently explored, ranging from self-sustaining GMMs with unrestricted geographic and temporal spread to self-limiting alternatives. Here, we describe a self-limiting gene drive strategy called Male Drive Female Sterile (MDFS) targeting Anopheles gambiae, a major malaria vector. The MDFS genetic construct causes dominant sterility in females, while transgenic males remain fertile, allowing them to transmit the female sterility trait at super-Mendelian rates. Laboratory studies show that repeated releases of MDFS can lead to elimination of caged mosquito populations. Based on these findings, modelling suggests MDFS could be a highly effective and self-limiting strategy for suppressing wild malaria mosquito populations.
From fear to leadership: Africa must embrace innovation instead of blocking it
35187Patricia Nanteza, The Observer, 2025-09-27 08:47:22.
In Burkina Faso, the Target Malaria project, a global research consortium aiming to use genetically modified mosquitoes to combat malaria, has faced a major setback. On August 18, 2025, judicial police raided the Research Institute in Health Sciences (IRSS), a key partner in the project. This raid, which scientists described as “brutal” and “humiliating”, involved sealing off offices and laboratories and treating researchers like criminals, searching even their vehicles for mosquitoes! This event occurred just one week after the project had celebrated a milestone on August 11, releasing about 16,000 genetically modified male mosquitoes in the village of Souroukoudingan, the first such release in Africa. The raid prompted Burkina Faso to announce the immediate suspension of all project activities. The Target Malaria project aims to combat malaria by using a gene drive to spread desirable genetic modifications in mosquitoes. The goal is to reduce the number of female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, as they are the ones that transmit malaria to humans. This can be achieved by introducing genes that produce enzymes which disrupt specific genes, such as those controlling fertility or sex determination. Since the genetic changes are self-sustaining and inheritable by a high percentage of offspring, the intervention offers a potentially cost-effective and sustainable solution for malaria control. For a country that records over 40,000 deaths from malaria each year, this pause was more than just a political decision – it was a health crisis delayed. The suspension, which followed years of preparation and a previous release of sterile mosquitoes in 2019, was a sobering reminder that Africa, while being the continent most affected by malaria, can also be the first to step back from promising innovations.
Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz
35120Adam Levy & Mariana Lenharo, Nature, 2025-09-08 08:31:27.
Raising mosquitoes to tackle disease might sound like an odd concept, but that’s what a facility in Brazil is aiming to do. Millions of mosquitoes are produced there every week, but these insects carry harmless Wolbachia bacteria that curbs their ability to spread deadly human viruses. Nature reporter Mariana Lenharo visited the facility and told us all about her experience in this Podcast Extra.
After ‘humiliating’ raid, Burkina Faso halts ‘gene drive’ project to fight malaria
35111Kai Kupferschmidt, Science, 2025-09-03 09:35:57.
On 11 August, the international nonprofit Target Malaria celebrated a milestone: In the village of Souroukoudingan, Burkina Faso, its researchers released about 16,000 male mosquitoes genetically modified to produce almost exclusively male offspring. The release, the first of its kind in Africa, was part of a project supported by the Gates Foundation that aims to rid the world of malaria using a so-called gene drive, a controversial technique to help desirable genes spread through a population fast. But a week later, that dream suffered a major setback. On 18 August, judicial police showed up at the Research Institute in Health Sciences (IRSS) in Bobo-Dioulasso, a key partner in Target Malaria, to stage what scientists described as a “brutal, humiliating” raid. According to minutes of a 26 August meeting between researchers and the country’s science minister, IRSS scientists were “treated like criminals, with their offices and laboratories sealed and marked as crime scenes.” The minutes noted that “everyone was searched, including their vehicles, on the grounds that researchers might be carrying mosquitoes in their pockets.” Four days later, the government suspended all of Target Malaria’s activities in Burkina Faso indefinitely. IRSS scientists killed the mosquitoes still living in their insectary, and the government sent a team to spray insecticides in Souroukoudingan to kill the mosquitoes released there.
Growth and development of two predator species fed a diet of genetically engineered mosquitoes
35081Egan, C.M., Chamberland, L., Ditter, R.E. et al., Parasites Vectors, 18. 2025-08-28 16:18:12.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) with gene drives have been developed for malaria control but remain untested in natural environments. Upon release, GEMs are expected to modify or replace wild-type counterparts, potentially uniquely interacting with nontarget organisms (NTOs). Concerns exist over possible negative effects on NTOs and broader ecological harm. Predators consuming GEMs represent a group that interacts closely with these modified mosquitoes. Here, we examine the effect of GEM and wild-type Anopheles coluzzii diets on the growth of two predator species: the aquatic mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and the terrestrial bold jumping spider (Phidippus audax). Gambusia affinis was fed lyophilized gravid mosquitoes, and growth was measured using length and mass. Phidippus audax was fed live semi-gravid mosquitoes, with growth tracked via eye size, body size, and mass. No adverse effects were found in either predator species fed GEM diets. Gambusia affinis showed no significant growth differences between diet groups. However, P. audax that were fed GEMs consumed more mosquitoes, grew larger, and matured faster. Differences in predator growth rate suggest that GEMs’ nutritional content is similar to that of wild-type mosquitoes, but that they may be more vulnerable to predation. Further research is needed to explore whether GEM visual or behavioral traits increase their susceptibility to predators.
Burkina Faso says no to Bill Gates’ plan of creating modified species of mosquitoes
35044Chinedu Okafor and BI Africa Contributor, Business Insider Africa, 2025-08-24 17:02:25.
In a statement published on Friday, officials urged Target Malaria, the initiative's principal NGO, to halt "all activities" in the nation. “All samples will be destroyed according to a strict protocol,” Samuel Pare, chief official at the higher education and research ministry, said in a Friday statement. The move is part of a larger crackdown on foreign-backed NGOs functioning under the present junta. The research, which began in Burkina Faso in 2019, released its first swarm of genetically modified male mosquitoes in the hamlet of Bana, a tiny settlement of around 1,000 people in the country's west. These mosquitoes were developed to limit the reproductive rate of malaria-carrying female mosquitoes, with the long-term objective of reducing the transmission of the illness that kills hundreds of thousands of people each year in Africa. Since its first release, the program has expanded its study to other locations, most recently unleashing new batches of mutated mosquitoes only days before the government's abrupt order to suspend operations. As reported by Bloomberg, campaigns in Africa accuse Target Malaria researchers of worsening the spread.
Tanzania’s bold step toward malaria elimination
35079Guardian Correspondent, IPP Media, 2025-08-20 12:44:23.
It is both mind-boggling and frustrating that an insect with an average lifespan of just two weeks can cause so much sickness and even deaths. Today, on World Mosquito Day, 20th August, the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) honours Sir Ronald Ross, whose landmark discovery in 1897 confirmed that mosquitoes transmit malaria. His finding not only transformed medical science but also highlighted the profound impact mosquitoes have on public health. For more than a century, his discovery—made while serving with the Indian Medical Services—has continued to remind the world that defeating malaria requires a deep understanding of parasites and efficient mosquito vectors in order to make a real impact in preventing the disease. Globally, vector control has been instrumental in saving millions of lives, mainly through Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). These measures prevented more than 78 million malaria cases between 2000 and 2015.
A male-drive female-sterile system for the self-limited control of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae
34945Anna Strampelli, Katie Willis, Hannah Robyn Gulliford, et al., bioRxiv, 2025-06-24 10:02:54.
The use of insecticides and antimalarial drugs has been crucial in reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with malaria. However, since 2015, several challenges, including the development of resistance to these insecticides and treatments and changes in mosquito behaviour, have hindered the progress in fighting the disease. As a result, there is a pressing need for new tools to control malaria, including the potential use of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) in the field. Various genetic strategies for vector control are currently being explored, ranging from self-sustaining GMMs with unrestricted geographic and temporal spread to self-limiting alternatives. Here, we propose a self-limiting gene drive strategy called Male Drive Female Sterile (MDFS) targeting Anopheles gambiae, a major malaria vector. The MDFS genetic construct causes dominant sterility in females, while transgenic males remain fertile, allowing them to transmit the female sterility trait at super-Mendelian rates. Laboratory studies have shown that repeated releases of MDFS can lead to the elimination of caged mosquito populations. Based on these findings, modelling suggests that MDFS could be a highly effective and self-limiting strategy for suppressing wild malaria mosquito populations.
Battle of the mosquitoes
34911Adepoju, P, Nature Medicine, 2025-06-11 19:05:47.
The mosquito was frozen in place. Its tiny body, no longer buzzing, lay still on the cold metal surface, caught in a moment of stasis. A few minutes earlier, it had been active, darting around Oxitec’s research facility, a modified version of nature’s most dangerous killer. “We put them on ice because that slows them down”, an Oxitec scientist explained, adjusting the microscope. “It makes our job easier”. This laboratory in Abingdon, England, is where an ambitious mosquito control project is unfolding. The work being done here — modifying Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes to fight malaria—has implications not just for Djibouti, where the genetically modified insects are being released, but for the entire African continent. Outside, it’s a chilly 7 °C, but the lab is surprisingly warm and humid: a digital thermometer plugged in beside the microscope reads 21.1 °C — perfectly mimicking a mosquito’s natural habitat. Large cages fill a section, each holding different generations of modified mosquitoes, bred with a self-limiting gene that ensures that only male offspring survive when they mate with wild females. On one side of the lab, scientists peer into microscopes, searching for a tiny fluorescent marker inside the mosquitoes’ bodies — a glowing signature that confirms the genetic modification was successful. Each mosquito is carefully examined (Fig. 1), its fate decided under the magnifying glass.
Register: Environmental Monitoring Considerations For Gene Drive Modified Mosquitoes
34783GeneConvene, 2025-04-21 09:26:14.
GeneConvene’s new webinar series on environmental monitoring for gene drive-modified mosquitoes begins April 23. This webinar series will highlight potential methods and protocols for environmental safety monitoring following the release of gene drive-modified mosquitoes for control of malaria in Africa. Presentations will describe current work to understand the role of target mosquito vectors in the local ecosystem and how new genomics tools can be applied to advance this effort. The webinar series will provide developers and regulators with knowledge that can aid in effective design and review of monitoring strategies for field trials of gene drive-modified mosquitoes, and will also appeal to members of the broader scientific community with interest in genetic biocontrol and ecology. The webinars will take place weekly on Wednesday at 11am EST through June 4. You can learn more and register for one or more of the upcoming webinars here.
Hordes of genetically modified insects set to be released in Australia: ‘They can smell you’
34740Michael Dahlstrom, Yahoo News, 2025-04-03 17:47:00.
Dengue fever is at record levels around the globe, with this trend now beginning to be reflected in Australia as the mosquito species that carries the virus spreads. It means a simple bite could soon trigger symptoms worse than an annoying itch, with victims often experiencing pain behind the eyes, headaches, muscle aches, and nausea for over a week. Surprisingly, elsewhere in the world, one solution to combatting the spread of dengue fever is breeding more of the mosquitoes in large factories. And that’s what UK-based Oxitec is now planning to do in Australia as it partners with the country’s national science agency, the CSIRO. The company operates the world’s largest mosquito breeding factory, which is located in Brazil. Inside are boxes containing thousands of “friendly” mosquitoes that are genetically engineered so only non-biting males survive. After they’re released by local governments, they breed with wild females, and because their offspring will also be majority male, the overall population can rapidly be reduced by over 95 per cent in a few breeding cycles. Australian governments could be purchasing and releasing Oxitic’s strain of “friendly” mosquitoes in the next one to two years, if the plan receives regulatory approval.
Genetically modified mosquitoes released in the US: How they can prevent disease outbreaks
34732TOI Lifestyle Desk, Times of India, 2025-04-02 16:42:21.
The menace of mosquito-borne illnesses is growing in the US and the contributing factors range from climate change to their expanding habitats. The solution could lie in genetically modified mosquitoes that hold the capability to effectively control mosquito populations. Recently, genetically modified mosquitoes were released in Florida, US, following the successful trials in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and Malaysia, where populations of aedes aegypti dropped by at least 90%. A significant step forward in preventing the deadly mosquito-borne illnesses, the bioengineered male aedes aegypti mosquitoes were introduced into the environment. While these deadly species make up for 4% of the total local mosquito population, they are enough to wreak havoc. It is to be noted that female aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors that can transmit dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses to humans.
3 reasons why the release of GM mosquitoes in Queensland is risky
34554Dr. Perran Stott-Ross, University of Melbourne, 2025-03-04 11:14:23.
The British company Oxitec, in partnership with Australia's CSIRO, has announced plans to release genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes in Queensland. The initiative aims to reduce transmission of the dengue virus, as well as other pathogens spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito by reducing the size of the mosquito population. The announcement has received significant attention from the public – there's even a petition to the Queensland Parliament to block the release. While these mosquitoes are unlikely to cause adverse health impacts as some have suggested, there are still legitimate reasons for concern. Here is why we should be wary of releasing GM mosquitoes in Australia. Only female mosquitoes drink blood to feed their eggs, meaning only female mosquitoes spread disease to humans. The mosquitoes developed by Oxitec are a Mexican strain of Aedes aegypti, genetically engineered to express a gene that's lethal to females. This means only male mosquitoes can survive and reproduce in the wild. Male mosquitoes don’t bite so they can’t spread disease, but they can still mate with wild Australian female mosquitoes and pass on their genes – both the lethal gene and other genes naturally occur in the Mexican strain of Aedes aegypti. This technique has advantages over similar technologies because it is effective across multiple generations, making the population reduction last longer. It will also only target Aedes aegypti and won’t affect other mosquito species directly. The mosquitoes will also carry a fluorescent gene making them easy to identify. The GM mosquitoes will be sold to businesses and the public, allowing anyone in Queensland to release them on their own property. They can be raised by adding water to a container and placing it outside. Eventually, male mosquitoes will emerge to mate with the wild population. The technology is already used overseas with trials showing drastic reductions in mosquito populations, but the situation in Australia is markedly different and so carries different risks.
Uganda expands genetically modified mosquito survey in Mukono, Kalangala islands
34600David Ssekayinga, Monitor, 2025-02-05 10:38:42.
The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has extended its research on the behaviour of genetically modified mosquitoes to more islands on Lake Victoria. The two islands where similar research will be conducted are Sselinya in Kalangala District and Koome in Mukono District. Gene drive mosquitoes are among the anti-malarial strategies the Ugandan government has embarked on since 2016 under the Africa Target Malaria Project, seeking to reduce fatalities resulting from the disease in the country. Scientists say they aim to develop sterile male mosquitoes that wouldn't be capable of fertilizing the female Anopheles mosquitoes which spread malaria and also intend to reduce the population of female malaria-spreading mosquitoes by having them lay fewer eggs compared to the 300 eggs that a natural female Anopheles mosquito lays. According to Krystal Birungi, the field entomologist coordinator for the Target Malaria Uganda Project, differing results from the first research in villages on the mainland and the smaller islands prompted them to explore results on the larger islands.
Genetically modified mosquitoes could combat deadly diseases, scientists say
34255The Sydney Morning Herald, 2025-01-13 15:25:27.
Genetically modified mosquitoes could be the solution to stopping deadly diseases spread by mosquito bites, scientists say.
Genetically modified mosquitoes could soon be released in one Australian state: everything you need to know
34220Maddison Leach, 9 News, 2025-01-07 20:50:29.
Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year and a new venture wants to change that by introducing genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) right here in Australia. That venture is Oxitec Australia, a collaboration between the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and UK-based Oxitec Ltd, which has previously received backing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Its goal is to introduce GMMs in parts of Queensland to reduce the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases and combat the threat of invasive and exotic species like Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These invasive insects have already already spread through northern and central Queensland and can transmit dengue, which can be life-threatening in severe cases. However, Oxitec Australia can't start releasing GMMs to help combat these diseases in Australia until it has received approval from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator. "It's a bit like the TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] for our medicines, but it's looking at genetically modified products, and it needs to go through the same type of rigorous process," Professor Brett Sutton, Director of Health and Biosecurity at CSIRO, told ABC's RN Radio.
10 myths and misconceptions around modified mosquitoes
31627Milliam Murigi, k24, 2024-09-23 21:32:42.
In the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, scientists have turned to groundbreaking genetic technologies to reduce disease transmission. However, Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes have raised concerns and sparked myths and misconceptions around it. Abraham Isah, OFAB Project officer, Nigeria demystifies them. There have been allegations that scientists have secret agendas, and that is why they’re pushing for the release of Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes. However, the truth, releasing GM is intended to control populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, which spread malaria, dengue, and Zika virus. These mosquitoes are engineered to either reduce the population or make it less capable of transmitting diseases. This approach has been thoroughly tested and regulated by authorities like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure safety and efficacy. The primary goal is to reduce disease burden and improve public health, not to impose a hidden agenda.
What if GM mosquitoes could help limit the tiger mosquito population?
31311Anonymous, All News Press, 2024-09-03 15:23:03.
What if the fight against the tiger mosquito, this invasive species originating from Southeast Asia and established in France for about twenty years, was not totally lost in advance? The exploratory project of Éric Marois, research officer Inserm, within the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (CNRS) in Strasbourgoffers some hope. This fundamental biology researcher explains to 20 Minutes that thanks to Crispr/Cas9 molecular scissors it is possible to cut DNA at a specific location to create a transgenic mosquito. This will either transform female tiger mosquitoes into males or make their offspring sterile. To sort the insects thus modified, they are made fluorescent in the laboratory. An update on this work, funded for at least four years by the national research agency and which could make headlines in the coming years. Genetic engineering, or the idea of using genetic elements to modify the characteristics of mosquitoes, dates back to the 1960s. But at the time, there were no tools at all to carry it out in the laboratory. It was in 2012, with the discovery of the Crispr/Cas9 molecular scissors, which earned Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, that its application was truly made possible. It involves artificially producing a guide RNA (as exists in nature) and thus directing the Cas9 protein to a chosen DNA sequence within the desired genome.
Acceptability of emergent Aedes aegypti vector control methods in Ponce, Puerto Rico: A qualitative assessment
29010Pérez-Guerra CL, Rosado-Santiago C, Ramos SA, Marrero-Santos KM, González-Zeno G, Partridge SK, et al., PLoS Global Public Health, 2024-03-11 13:41:04.
Aedes aegypti control has been fraught with challenges in Puerto Rico. The government has implemented commonly used vector control methods, but arboviral epidemics still occur. It is necessary to explore new Ae. aegypti control methods. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of community members in Ponce, Puerto Rico about emergent and traditional Ae. aegypti vector control methods and determine their acceptability and support for these methods. We identified the type of information needed to increase support for emergent vector control methods, and the preferred strategies to disseminate this information. Four group discussions were conducted with a total of 32 participants representing eight of the 14 clusters participating in the Communities Organized for the Prevention of Arboviruses (COPA), a project designed to mobilize communities in Ponce, Puerto Rico to prevent diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Group discussions began with an overview of different methods used for controlling Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. These overviews facilitated participant understanding of the mosquito control methods presented. Use of source reduction, autocidal gravid ovitraps (AGO), and manual application of larvicide for arboviral mosquito control received support from almost all participants. Vector control methods that use more familiar techniques in Puerto Rico such as truck-mounted larvicide spraying (TMLS) and insecticide residual spraying received support from most participants. More than half of participants supported the use of emergent mosquito control methods including Wolbachia suppression, Wolbachia replacement, or genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM). Participants preferred to receive vector control information through house-to-house visits with the distribution of written materials, followed by dissemination of information through traditional (i.e., radio, television) and social media. The detailed information resulting from this study was used to develop messages for a communications campaign to garner future community support. Community acceptance and support are critical for the success of vector control programs using emergent mosquito control methods.
Flight Against Infections: The Role of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes, with Dr. Stephanie James
28997EeKs on Health, YouTube, 2024-03-11 10:40:20.
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Stephanie James about the potential use of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) to fight diseases that mosquitoes carry and spread, such as Malaria and Dengue Fever. In the podcast, Dr. James provides an overview on GMMs, as well as what something called Gene Drive Modified Mosquitoes (GDMMs) are. She talks about the current state of research, testing, and describes the GeneConvene Global Collaborative "GeneConvene", which was created to advance best practices and informed decision making for developing GMMs and GDMMs. She talks about the potential benefits versus the potential risks, how they are conducting risk assessments, how they plan to test GMMs, the ethical and safety concerns, and how local communities will be included in the decision-making process.
Modified mosquitoes may save millions more lives in Latin America
28951Marina E. Franco, Axios, 2024-02-27 18:40:46.
A program that uses genetically engineered mosquitoes in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to reduce the prevalence of diseases that can be fatal may soon serve millions more people. Why it matters: Outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever —diseases carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito —have long hit the Americas and other tropical regions hard. Climate change has worsened the spread of these diseases, experts say, as rising temperatures favor the life cycle of the mosquitoes and their proliferation in more areas — including, increasingly, the U.S. These diseases also tend to affect impoverished regions where a lack of health care options mean mosquito bites can become deadly. Diseases such as dengue "feed on poverty and inequity, and they fuel it also," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week during an event in Brazil.
Biotech Mosquitoes Can Help to Regain Ground in Fight Against Malaria
28932Florence Banoba, East News, 2024-02-27 17:59:07.
In response to the recent opinion articles that ran in the National print and online media in the last couple of days (1st and 5th February, 2024), regarding the use of GMO technology as a tool in the fight against malaria, I wish to address the writer’s broad-brush dismissal of the significance of genetic modification technologies in combating malaria. It is crucial, from the outset, to clarify a fundamental distinction overlooked in the article between Gene-drive and Self-limiting technologies in addressing this global health challenge. As rightly stated in that article, gene-drive technology refers to a genetic engineering technique that aims to spread a particular gene throughout a population at an accelerated rate. The primary objective would be to either suppress a mosquito population or reduce its ability to transmit malaria. Under this method, the introduced mosquitoes are designed to stay in the environment for long. In contrast, self-limiting technology involves the introduction of genetically modified organisms which possess traits designed to limit their population growth. This technology focuses on controlling or suppressing the modified organisms themselves.
Inside Gates Foundation’s $15M effort to release gene-hacked mosquitoes that end malaria with ‘killer sex’
28407Jona Jaupi, The U.S. Sun, 2023-11-14 10:26:29.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by parasites and poses a significant threat to nearly half of the world's population. In 2021, an estimated 247 million people contracted malaria, with a staggering 619,000 deaths, per Imperial College. Most of those deaths affected children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. Because current methods for fighting malaria are falling short, innovative approaches are required – enter Transmission Zero. The program's end goal is to genetically modify specific mosquito species to make them incapable of transmitting the disease. The way this works is that the gene-modified mosquitoes get sent out into the world to breed with wild mosquitoes. The result is a new generation of mosquitoes that are born with an antimalarial modification.
How Genetically Modified Mosquitos can end malaria in Africa – Dr. Santos
28165S. Akioye, The Star, 2023-10-23 12:15:51.
With over 200 million cases every year and nearly 700,000 deaths, Malaria is currently one of Africa’s most dreaded sicknesses. While there have been efforts at finding different drugs for treatment, scientists are working on an innovative solution using genetically modified mosquitoes to eradicate malaria spreading mosquitoes in Africa. In this interview with Dr. Michael Santos of GeneConvene Global Collaborative, SEUN AKIOYE finds out how it will work.
Mosquito Embryo Microinjection
27969R. A. Harrell, Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, 2023-10-03 07:27:01.
Genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes are an important tool in the fight against mosquito-borne disease, both indirectly through their use in research investigating host–pathogen interaction, mosquito olfaction, and anthropomorphic behavior and in future direct uses for suppression and possibly eradication through sterile insect technique (SIT) and/or gene-drive programs. Successful creation of GM mosquitoes depends on microinjection procedures that precisely deliver injection materials while causing as little damage to mosquito embryos as possible. Genetic modification reagents, such as transposon system components (vector plasmids, helper plasmids, and helper mRNA), and CRISPR–Cas9 components (guide RNAs, Cas9 protein, plasmids expressing Cas9 and/or guide RNAs, and donor plasmids used in homology-directed repair [HDR]), must be delivered into the preblastoderm embryo at the posterior end where the pole cells will form before cellularization occurs. Sharp needles that pierce the embryo easily are important tools in this procedure and work best when the embryos are not desiccated. The two main procedures for mosquito embryo microinjection involve injecting embryos under halocarbon oil or under aqueous solution.
Unleashing a New Weapon on the Mosquito: A Mosquito
27987S. Nolen and E. Lutz, New York Times, 2023-09-29 08:05:43.
Five decades ago, entomologists confronting the many kinds of suffering that mosquitoes inflict on humans began to consider a new idea: What if, instead of killing the mosquitoes (a losing proposition in most places), you could disarm them? Even if you couldn’t keep them from biting people, what if you could block them from passing on disease? What if, in fact, you could use one infectious microbe to stop another? These scientists began to consider a parasitic bacteria called Wolbachia, which lives quietly in all kinds of insect species. A female mosquito with Wolbachia passes it on in her eggs to all of her offspring, who eventually pass it on to the next generation. But Wolbachia isn’t naturally found in the mosquito species that cause humans the most problems — the Aedes aegypti, the virus carrier, and the Anopheles subspecies, which carry malaria. If it were, it might eventually render those species essentially harmless. So how do you infect a mosquito with Wolbachia?
The Gamble: Can Genetically Modified Mosquitoes End Disease?
27985S. Nolen, New York Times, 2023-09-29 08:00:43.
The malaria situation in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation with a population of 200,000, epitomizes the current challenge in the global struggle against the disease. The country is among the world’s least developed, and it has depended on foreign aid to fight malaria. Various campaigns over the past 50 years drove cases down, only to have them resurge worse than ever when the benefactor moved on. Over the past 18 years, with nearly $21 million from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, São Tomé has used a package of tools — including insecticide-treated bed nets; new and better drugs; killing larvae in bodies of water; and indoor spraying of homes — to stunning effect. No one has died of malaria here in the past five years. These countries need a way to fight the disease that is permanent and does not require continuous investment. Greg Lanzaro, a molecular geneticist at the University of California, Davis, who leads the malaria team, believes his grouphas that solution. “We’ve been working on this for 30 years, and from the beginning we said, ‘It has to work, but it also has to be inexpensive,and it has to be sustainable,’” he said as he watched the mosquitoes being released in a Santo Antonio park. “And we believewe have it.” But genetic modification is a controversial endeavor. Governments are hesitant, and few in Africa have laws to regulate theuse of the technology. Its risks lie in the unknowns: Could the modified mosquito evolve in some way that has harmfuleffects on the rest of the ecosystem? Could it prompt a dangerous mutation in the malaria parasite, which will find a new way to spread to survive? It is, in essence, the Jurassic Park question: Could meddling in genetic code have catastrophic consequences that no oneanticipates?
Could a new gene-editing technique be a major breakthrough in the battle against malaria?
27888B. Cottam, GEOGRAPHICAL, 2023-09-23 07:58:35.
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 males that have been irradiated with gamma or x-rays, a technique that was originally trialled in the USA as a way to control agricultural pests such as fruit flies and screwworms. However, that method of sterilisation has a detrimental impact on the fitness of male mosquitoes, which then struggle to compete for mates with the wild males. That’s why sterilisation needs to be done genetically.
Quantifying Fitness Costs in Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
27981I. Sanchez-Vargas, A. E. Williams, L. E. Martin, I. Martin-Martin, S. Bennett, K. E. Olson and E. Calvo, Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2023-09-15 07:51:42.
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 background. This manuscript illustrates how to measure common life history traits in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, including fecundity, wing size and shape, fertility, sex ratio, viability, development times, male contribution, and adult longevity. These parameters were chosen because they reflect reproductive success, are simple to measure, and are commonly reported in the literature. The representative results quantify fitness costs associated with either a gene knock-out or a single insertion of a gene drive element. Standardizing how life parameter data are collected is important because such data may be used to compare the health of transgenic mosquitoes generated across studies or to model the transgene fixation rate in a simulated wild-type mosquito population. Although this protocol is specific for transgenic Aedes aegypti, the protocol may also be used for other mosquito species or other experimental treatment conditions, with the caveat that certain biological contexts may require special adaptations.
Mimicking superinfection exclusion disrupts alphavirus infection and transmission in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti
27839Reitmayer, Christine M. Levitt, Emily Basu, Sanjay Atkinson, Barry Fragkoudis, Rennos Merits, Andres Lumley, Sarah Larner, Will Diaz, Adriana V. Rooney, Sara Thomas, Callum J. E. von Wyschetzki, Katharina Rausalu, Kai Alphey, Luk, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120:e2303080120. 2023-09-12 09:18:45.
Multiple viruses, including pathogenic viruses, bacteriophages, and even plant viruses, cause a phenomenon termed superinfection exclusion whereby a currently infected cell is resistant to secondary infection by the same or a closely related virus. In alphaviruses, this process is thought to be mediated, at least in part, by the viral protease (nsP2) which is responsible for processing the nonstructural polyproteins (P123 and P1234) into individual proteins (nsP1?nsP4), forming the viral replication complex. Taking a synthetic biology approach, we mimicked this naturally occurring phenomenon by generating a superinfection exclusion-like state in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, rendering them refractory to alphavirus infection. By artificially expressing Sindbis virus (SINV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) nsP2 in mosquito cells and transgenic mosquitoes, we demonstrated a reduction in both SINV and CHIKV viral replication rates in cells following viral infection as well as reduced infection prevalence, viral titers, and transmission potential in mosquitoes.
Buzzing breakthrough: genetic engineering gives mosquito control an upgrade
27841Sivasubbu, Sridhar Scaria, Vinod, The Hindu, 2023-09-10 09:28:26.
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 million years, and evidence of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria dates back to Egyptian mummies from 2000 BC. Apart from malaria, which claims the lives of over half a million people every year and infects close to 250 million, mosquitoes serve as vectors for various other diseases. These include dengue, Zika, lymphatic filariasis, and yellow fever. Understandably, our relationship with these tiny, blood-sucking insects has been far from cordial.
A synthetic biology approach to transgene expression
27699P. Leftwich, T. , J. Purcell, C. , M. Anderson, A. E. , R. Fragkoudis, S. Basu, G. Lycett, T. and L. Alphey, bioRxiv, 2023.08.31.555539. 2023-08-31 09:13:32.
The ability to control gene expression is pivotal in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. However, in most non-model and pest insect species, empirical evidence for predictable modulation of gene expression levels is lacking. This knowledge gap is critical for genetic control systems, particularly in mosquitoes, where transgenic methods offer novel routes for pest control. Commonly, the choice of RNA polymerase II promoter (Pol II) is the primary method for controlling gene expression, but the options are limited. To address this, we developed a systematic approach to characterize modifications in translation initiation sequences (TIS) and 3' untranslated regions (UTR) of transgenes, enabling the creation of a toolbox for gene expression modulation in mosquitoes and potentially other insects. The approach demonstrated highly predictable gene expression changes across various cell lines and promoter sequences, representing a significant advancement in mosquito synthetic biology gene expression.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
High-efficiency gene editing in Anopheles sinensis using ReMOT control
27705X.-l. Yang, X. Ling, Q. Sun, P.-p. Qiu, K. Xiang, u.-f. JHong, S.-l. He, J. Chen, X. Ding, H. Hu, Z.-b. He, C. Zhou, B. Chen and L. Qiao, bioRxiv, 2023.08.29.555096. 2023-08-29 09:32:43.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing provides an effective method for deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying mosquito development and mosquito-borne disease transmission, as well as for exploring genetic control strategies. However, delivering the Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex by embryo injection to produce genetic modifications is challenging, is mostly confined to model mosquitoes and specialized laboratories, and has low editing efficiency. Here, we established an effective Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT) control method, enabling the introduction of heritable mutations into Anopheles sinensis, the major malaria vector in China and Southeast Asia, via the injection of female adult mosquitoes. Injection of a mixture of P2C-DsRed and saponin resulted in red fluorescence in the ovaries, with a 100% success rate. Using this system, we knocked-out the pigment synthesis genes, Aswhite and Asyellow, using injected wild-type (WT) females mated with WT males, resulting in the highest efficiency of gene editing among mosquitoes under the same mating conditions. Furthermore, the gene-editing efficiency was increased by at least 2.1-fold using injected WT females mated with mutant males. This improved ReMOT control method exhibits high editing efficiency, with important benefits in terms of functional genomics research and genetic control strategies in An. sinensis. Moreover, this represents a convenient method for gene manipulation in laboratories that are unable to perform embryo injection or that lack embryo-injection equipment.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
How genetically modifying mosquitoes could strengthen the world’s war on malaria
27634S. Oliver and J. Raman, The Conversation, 2023-08-18 07:35:58.
Mosquitoes can be genetically modified through two different technologies. The first method, paratransgenesis, involves infecting mosquitoes with bacteria that prevent them from transmitting malaria. This doesn’t harm the mosquito. It is important not to eliminate or harm mosquitoes because they pollinate many plants and are food for animals like bats, birds and reptiles. Scientists are excited about this method following the recent discovery of a bacterium that occurs naturally in mosquitoes’ guts and appears to prevent the malaria parasite from developing inside the mosquito. The second method involves genetically modifying the mosquitoes themselves. This approach centres on gene drives: genetic systems that ensure genes of interest are inherited by all offspring in every generation. There are two types of gene drive. One aims to reduce the vector population size and is known as population suppression. The other aims to prevent the mosquito from transmitting malaria; it is known as population modification.
Single-cell profiling of Anopheles gambiae spermatogenesis defines the onset of meiotic silencing and premeiotic overexpression of the X chromosome
27624N. Page, C. Taxiarchi, D. Tonge, J. Kuburic, E. Chesters, A. Kriezis, K. Kyrou, L. Game, T. Nolan and R. Galizi, Commun Biol, 6:850. 2023-08-15 10:04:13.
Understanding development and genetic regulation in the Anopheles gambiae germline is essential to engineer effective genetic control strategies targeting this malaria mosquito vector. These include targeting the germline to induce sterility or using regulatory sequences to drive transgene expression for applications such as gene drive. However, only very few germline-specific regulatory elements have been characterised with the majority showing leaky expression. This has been shown to considerably reduce the efficiency of current genetic control strategies, which rely on regulatory elements with more tightly restricted spatial and/or temporal expression. Meiotic silencing of the sex chromosomes limits the flexibility of transgene expression to develop effective sex-linked genetic control strategies. Here, we build on our previous study, dissecting gametogenesis into four distinct cell populations, using single-cell RNA sequencing to define eight distinct cell clusters and associated germline cell-types using available marker genes. We reveal overexpression of X-linked genes in a distinct cluster of pre-meiotic cells and document the onset of meiotic silencing of the X chromosome in a subcluster of cells in the latter stages of spermatogenesis. This study provides a comprehensive dataset, characterising the expression of distinct cell types through spermatogenesis and widening the toolkit for genetic control of malaria mosquitoes.
British super mosquitoes being deployed to wipe out malaria from the planet
27622J. Lawton, Daily Star, 2023-08-15 10:00:16.
The Brit-made mosquitoes are all male and carry a special gene to prevent female offspring from surviving into adulthood.Only females bite and spread malaria. Released into the wild Oxitec’s genetically-modified males mate with wild females. All the female offspring then die. Males - which do not bite or spread the disease - survive and go on to mate with other wild females `dramatically’ reducing the world’s mosquito population and the "spread of malaria". according to Gates. Tests have shown the super mozzies pose no risk to the environment or humans. More than one billion have so far been released worldwide with "no negative impacts", Bill wrote in an online blog. In Brazil the Brit buzzers are helping eliminate dengue fever - another mosquito-transmitted disease which kills up to 40,000-a-year. They will be introduced to Djibouti in east Africa next year to stop a rise in the number of malaria cases from 27 in 2012 to 73,000 in 2020.
Genetically modified Brit mosquitoes could stamp out malaria with Bill Gates’ backing
27619K. Williams, Mirror, 2023-08-15 09:49:13.
British super mosquitoes could be deployed worldwide to eradicate malaria. Billionaire Bill Gates is backing the British effort to send the country’s mosquitoes across the world in an effort to stamp out the deadly disease. This would work because the super mozzies, created by UK biotech firm Oxitec, are capable of killing off their disease-ridden rivals that spread the illness responsible for over half a million deaths a year.Oxitec genetically modifies insects to use them as biological insecticides. They work by the British mozzies being entirely male only and they carry a special gene that stops female offspring from surviving into adulthood. This is key because only the females bite and spread malaria. So Oxitec’s all-male mosquitoes are released into the wild and mate with the wild females, whose female offspring all die off. However, the male offspring survive and, unable to bite and spread the disease, go off into the world and mate with other wild females.
Baker: New tools can change mosquitoes’ DNA, but should it be done?
27597K. Baker, Fremont News Messenger, 2023-08-09 06:54:53.
Suppose Sauron — or perhaps Gandalf — were to offer you a magical golden ring with the power to rid the world of mosquitoes once and for all. And with their demise, to save countless human lives from the many diseases for which mosquitoes are the sole or primary vectors: Malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, filariasis, tularemia, encephalitis, Zika fever, Keystone Virus, Rift Valley Fever…And not just mosquitoes. From within the folds of his cloak the wizard draws out an array of equally luminous rings with the power to cure genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and Down’s syndrome, to rid cities of mice and rats, and free the world’s farms of weeds and insect pests without the use of pesticides. Would you take them? Those rings exist and are now being refined and tested in the Elvin forges of academic, commercial, and government research facilities around the world. They go by various names, but collectively may be referred to as CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing Systems.
Cost-effectiveness of Precision Guided SIT for Control of Anopheles gambiae in the Upper River Region, The Gambia
27060G. 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. 2023-07-22 06:41:45.
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 Africa using mathematical modeling and economical analysis. Overall, we find that pgSIT represents a cost-effective and promising approach to A. gambiae control in The Gambia, with the potential to deliver significant economic and social benefits.Competing Interest StatementThis work was supported by funding from an Open Philanthropy award (309937-0001). The views, opinions, and/or findings expressed are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views or policies of the U.S. government. Figures were created using www.BioRender.com.
Eliminating Malaria Vectors with Precision Guided Sterile Males
27058L. S. Andrea, A. A. Reema, J. P. James, L. C. Martha, C. Sanle, M. Agastya, M. S. C. Hector, A. Igor, M. M. John and S. A. Omar, bioRxiv, 2023.07.20.549947. 2023-07-21 06:35:41.
Controlling the principal African malaria vector, the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, is considered essential to curtail malaria transmission. However existing vector control technologies rely on insecticides, which are becoming increasingly ineffective. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is a powerful suppression approach that has successfully eradicated a number of insect pests, yet the A. gambiae toolkit lacks the requisite technologies for its implementation. SIT relies on iterative mass-releases of non-biting, non-driving, sterile males which seek out and mate with monandrous wild females. Once mated, females are permanently sterilized due to mating-induced refractoriness, which results in population suppression of the subsequent generation. However, sterilization by traditional methods renders males unfit, making the creation of precise genetic sterilization methods imperative. Here we develop precision guided Sterile Insect Technique (pgSIT) in the mosquito A. gambiae for inducible, programmed male-sterilization and female-elimination for wide scale use in SIT campaigns. Using a binary CRISPR strategy, we cross separate engineered Cas9 and gRNA strains to disrupt male-fertility and female-essential genes, yielding >99.5% male-sterility and >99.9% female-lethality in hybrid progeny. We demonstrate that these genetically sterilized males have good longevity, are able to induce population suppression in cage trials, and are predicted to eliminate wild A. gambiae populations using mathematical models, making them ideal candidates for release. This work provides a valuable addition to the malaria genetic biocontrol toolkit, for the first time enabling scalable SIT-like confinable suppression in the species.Competing Interest StatementO.S.A is a founder of Agragene, Inc. and Synvect, Inc. with equity interest. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by the University of California, San Diego in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. All other authors declare no competing interests.
Unleashing the swarm: Battling the global mosquito menace and defending public health
26467J. Entine and S. Moxon, Genetic Literacy Project, 2023-07-05 07:47:22.
There is one solution embraced by global health experts that should be pursued aggressively, if with some caution. Scientists in real-world trials have altered the genomes of entire animal populations, including mosquitoes, to thwart the vectoring of diseases and control pests — an innovation called gene drives. Emerging gene drive technologies offer enormous potential and have already shown their value in test projects in many parts of the world. More recently, the application of CRISPR/Cas9 tools has dramatically accelerated their effectiveness. But implementation on a wider scale is progressing at a snail’s pace. Why? For the most part, it is restrained by controversy, misunderstanding and the political opposition of activist environmental groups in Europe and North America.
Malaria Cases In U.S. Trigger Unfounded Claims About Bill Gates, Mosquito Project
26378B. Y. Lee, Forbes, 2023-07-01 07:03:59.
When the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert about finding four malaria cases in Florida and one malaria case in Texas, it created quite a buzz. After all, these were the first reported cases of people actually catching malaria in the U.S. since 2003. Finding these five cases has raised questions about whether malaria may return to the U.S. after being largely absent for many years and whether climate change may be opening the gates for Anopheles mosquitoes to spread in the U.S. That would kind of suck since the females of certain Anopheles mosquito species can carry and transmit malaria-causing parasites. This news also opened the gates in another way—allowing a flood of even more conspiracy theories about billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates to be spread across social media. This included claims that Gates was somehow responsible for these new malaria cases via a project that has released genetically-modified mosquitoes in the U.S. However, such claims really provided zzzzzero supporting evidence and, in fact, detracted from what’s really happened.
How genetically modified mosquitoes could eradicate malaria
26308S. Jones, Nature, 2023-06-28 07:16:33.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted from person to person by Anopheles mosquitoes — often Anopheles gambiae, the primary vector in sub-Saharan Africa. Many approaches to malaria control focus on mosquitoes. Insecticide-treated mosquito nets and indoor spraying of insecticides, for instance, have played a massive part in malaria reduction. But still it persists. “We’ve had great success over the past 20 years, using the bed nets and spraying, but those tools are not going to be enough to eliminate malaria,” says Gregory Lanzaro, director of the Vector Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. Many researchers, including Lanzaro, are hopeful that part of the solution lies in altering the genomes of Anopheles mosquitoes. Scientists around the world are exploring how to make lasting changes to mosquito DNA that impair the insects’ ability to transmit malaria — either by making them less hospitable hosts to Plasmodium, or by interfering with their reproduction to reduce or eliminate mosquito populations. Interventions of this kind have been in development for decades, but their use in the wild could be now just years away. Ecological and ethical concerns, however, about how these modified mosquitoes will be monitored, and by whom, remain the subject of active and contentious conversation.
Requirements for market entry of gene drive-modified mosquitoes for control of vector-borne diseases: analogies to other biologic and biotechnology products
26281S. L. James, H. Quemada, M. Q. Benedict and B. Dass, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 11:1205865. 2023-06-08 10:56:02.
Gene drive-modified mosquitoes (GDMMs) are proposed as new tools for control and elimination of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases, and promising results have been observed from testing conducted in containment. Although still at an early stage of development, it is important to begin now to consider approval procedures and market entry strategies for the eventual implementation of GDMMs in the context of disease control programs, as these could impact future research plans. It is expected that, as for other types of new products, those seeking to bring GDMMs to market will be required to provide sufficient information to allow the regulator(s) to determine whether the product is safe and effective for its proposed use. There already has been much emphasis on developing requirements for the biosafety components of the "safe and effective" benchmark, largely concerned with their regulation as genetically modified organisms. Other potential approval requirements have received little attention, however. Although GDMMs are expected to be implemented primarily in the context of public health programs, any regulatory analogies to other public health products, such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, or chemical pesticides, must take into account the characteristics of live mosquito products. Typical manufacturing standards related to product identity, potency or quality will need to be adapted to GDMMs. Valuable lessons can be drawn from the regulatory approval processes for other whole organism and genetically modified (GM) organism products. Supply chain requirements, such as scale of production, location and design of production facilities, and methods of distribution and delivery, will be dependent upon the characteristics of the particular GDMM product, the conditions of use, and the region to be served. Plans for fulfilling supply chain needs can build upon experience in the development of other live insect products for use in public health and agriculture. Implementation of GDMMs would benefit from additional research on enabling technologies for long-term storage of mosquito life stages, efficient mass production, and area-wide delivery of GDMMs. Early consideration of these practical requirements for market entry will help to mitigate downstream delays in the development of these promising new technologies.
Genetically Engineered Mosquito experiment in California’s Central Valley halted
25147H. Bourque, Friends of the Earth, 2023-05-12 14:52:46.
In a victory for environmentalists, scientists and vulnerable agricultural communities across California, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced yesterday the withdrawal of a permit request for a mass release of experimental genetically engineered mosquitoes in the Central Valley. The withdrawal of the biotech corporation Oxitec’s request halts the controversial proposed release of billions of genetically engineered insects. Scientists and other experts in the field have raised concerns about Oxitec’s proposal to release genetically engineered mosquitoes due to inadequate scientific review and lack of appropriate and relevant regulations, pressuring the company to disclose data critical to assessing potential public health and environmental impacts.
updated: Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Research Authorization Application
25149California Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Department of Pesticide Regulation,, 2023-05-11 14:56:36.
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 California, see their letter, PDF. The company applied for a research authorization from the department in March 2022 to release and study the use of genetically engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to reduce the current Aedes aegypti mosquito population in Tulare County, California. DPR must approve a research authorization application before an unregistered pesticide can be field tested in the state. There is no pending research authorization or active application for the study of genetically engineered mosquitoes in California at this time.
In The Face Of Nigerian Mosquito Nets, Westerners’ Gene Editing Offers Hope
24964O. Onwumere, The Nigerian Voice, 2023-04-10 10:42:21.
In Nigeria, the utilization of mosquito nets is prevalent, while in the Western world, optimism is associated with the implementation of gene editing technology. In this article, ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE reports that malaria could soon be eradicated in Nigeria. According to US scientists, Anopheles mosquitoes have been genetically modified to resist the malaria-causing parasite by incorporating various anti-malaria molecules that target different stages of the parasite's lifecycle. Nevertheless, the article highlights a lack of information on the knowledge and overall viewpoint of Nigerian scientists concerning GMMs
DIPA-CRISPR gene editing in the yellow fever mosquito <em>Aedes aegypti</em> (Diptera: Culicidae)
24960S. Yu, T. Momoyo, O. Manabu, K. Hirotaka and D. Takaaki, bioRxiv, 2023.04.07.535996. 2023-04-07 10:28:04.
Current methods for gene editing in insects rely on embryonic microinjection, which can be challenging for non-specialist laboratories. Recently, an alternative method known as direct parental CRISPR (DIPA-CRISPR) was developed. This method involves injecting commercial Cas9 protein and single-guide RNA into adult females, which can efficiently introduce mutations into developing oocytes. However, its versatility has not been fully explored, particularly in insects that have the most derived, polytrophic meroistic ovaries. In this study, we successfully applied DIPA-CRISPR to the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, which has polytrophic meroistic ovaries. Following adult injection of Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (Cas9 RNPs) targeting the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase gene, we recovered gene-edited G0 individuals. Injection at 24 h after blood-feeding resulted in the highest gene editing efficiency (3.5%), confirming that a key parameter of DIPA-CRISPR is the stage in which the adult females are injected. Together with our previous study, we demonstrated that DIPA-CRISPR is applicable to all three types of insect ovaries (i.e., panoistic, telotrophic, and polytrophic), which indicates that DIPA-CRISPR is a generalizable approach for insect gene editing.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
A Zika virus-responsive sensor-effector system in Aedes aegypti
24699S. 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. 2023-02-06 12:38:46.
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, including microcephaly. Lacking a licensed vaccine, or specific therapeutics, control of ZIKV transmission focuses on vector control. However, in most transmission settings, current methods are insufficient to successfully control ZIKV, or other similarly-transmitted arboviruses such as dengue and chikungunya viruses. This has stimulated interest in genetics-based methods, either to reduce the number of mosquitoes (population suppression), or to make mosquitoes less able to transmit (population modification). Here, we describe a method to selectively eliminate infected mosquitoes, using a virus sensor inserted into the mosquito genome and coupled to a quorum-counting lethal effector. In mosquitoes, ZIKV normally establishes persistent, lifelong infection; survival of these infected mosquitoes is crucial to transmission potential. Correspondingly, removal of infected mosquitoes can reduce vectorial capacity of a mosquito population, i.e. ability to transmit. Since relatively few mosquitoes become infected, typically <2%, engineered hypersensitivity to ZIKV would have only a modest population-level fitness cost, and lower still if transmission were successfully reduced by such means.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
Health experts meet in Dar over use of GMO mosquitoes to fight Malaria
23991M. Chelangat, NATION, 2022-11-16 09:03:01.
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 tomorrow to discuss the development of genetically modified mosquitoes to help in controlling and eliminating malaria.The experts will also be discussing regulatory reforms and policies, given that regulatory frameworks of many African countries do not provide clear guidance on how to develop and test genetically modified mosquitoes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), genetically modified mosquitoes are mass produced in a laboratory to carry two types of genes.
Calif. Legislature bites back at GE mosquito releases
23866L. Patrick, Sun Gazette, 2022-11-08 10:15:50.
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 California legislature sent a letter to the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) asking it to delay the release of millions of genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes in Tulare County by Oxitec, a British biotech company, in the interest of further regulatory review. The GE mosquitoes are meant to lower the population of Aedes aegypti, an invasive mosquito that has been plaguing communities in the county for the last few years. However, members of the legislature are pushing for the DPR to resist the GE mosquitoes because of unforeseen effects they might have on people and the environment. This would be the first experimental release of of the non-biting mosquitoes, which OxiTec calls “friendly mosquitoes,” in Tulare County. Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the release of the mosquitoes on March 7, the agency has been awaiting approval from DPR for several months, even after a 15-month scientific evaluation process and a 15-day public comment period that ended on April 19.
Genetically modified mosquitoes cut the insect’s number by 96 per cent
23812M. Fauzia, NewScientist, 2022-10-31 09:18:00.
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 Zika. Kevin Gorman at the biotechnology firm Oxitec in Abingdon, UK, and his colleagues are particularly looking to control dengue. Although usually mild, the infection can be fatal. Already widespread …
New self-sexing Aedes aegypti strain eliminates barriers to scalable and sustainable vector control for governments and communities in dengue-prone environments
23796S. A. M. Spinner, Z. H. Barnes, A. M. Puinean, P. Gray, T. Dafa’alla, C. E. Phillips, C. Nascimento de Souza, T. F. Frazon, K. Ercit, A. Collado, N. Naish, E. Sulston, G. C. Ll. Phillips, K. K. Greene, M. Poletto, B. D. Sperry, S. A. Warner, N. R. Rose, G, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10. 2022-10-25 07:35:02.
For more than 60 years, efforts to develop mating-based mosquito control technologies have largely failed to produce solutions that are both effective and scalable, keeping them out of reach of most governments and communities in disease-impacted regions globally. High pest suppression levels in trials have yet to fully translate into broad and effective Aedes aegypti control solutions. Two primary challenges to date–the need for complex sex-sorting to prevent female releases, and cumbersome processes for rearing and releasing male adult mosquitoes–present significant barriers for existing methods. As the host range of Aedes aegypti continues to advance into new geographies due to increasing globalisation and climate change, traditional chemical-based approaches are under mounting pressure from both more stringent regulatory processes and the ongoing development of insecticide resistance. It is no exaggeration to state that new tools, which are equal parts effective and scalable, are needed now more than ever. This paper describes the development and field evaluation of a new self-sexing strain of Aedes aegypti that has been designed to combine targeted vector suppression, operational simplicity, and cost-effectiveness for use in disease-prone regions. This conditional, self-limiting trait uses the sex-determination gene doublesex linked to the tetracycline-off genetic switch to cause complete female lethality in early larval development. With no female progeny survival, sex sorting is no longer required, eliminating the need for large-scale mosquito production facilities or physical sex-separation. In deployment operations, this translates to the ability to generate multiple generations of suppression for each mosquito released, while being entirely self-limiting. To evaluate these potential benefits, a field trial was carried out in densely-populated urban, dengue-prone neighbourhoods in Brazil, wherein the strain was able to suppress wild mosquito populations by up to 96%, demonstrating the utility of this self-sexing approach for biological vector control. In doing so, it has shown that such strains offer the critical components necessary to make these tools highly accessible, and thus they harbour the potential to transition mating-based approaches to effective and sustainable vector control tools that are within reach of governments and at-risk communities who may have only limited resources.
Combining transgenesis with paratransgenesis to fight malaria
23802W. Huang, J. Vega-Rodriguez, C. Kizito, S.-J. Cha and M. Jacobs-Lorena, eLife, 11:e77584. 2022-10-25 06:30:55.
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 engineering mosquitoes to express antimalarial effector molecules, and paratransgenesis, consisting of introducing into the mosquito commensal bacteria engineered to express antimalarial effector molecules. Although both approaches restrict parasite development in the mosquito, it is not known how their effectiveness compares. Here we provide an in-depth assessment of transgenesis and paratransgenesis and evaluate the combination of the two approaches. Using the Q-system to drive gene expression, we engineered mosquitoes to produce and secrete two effectors – scorpine and the MP2 peptide – into the mosquito gut and salivary glands. We also engineered Serratia, a commensal bacterium capable of spreading through mosquito populations to secrete effectors into the mosquito gut. Whereas both mosquito-based and bacteria-based approaches strongly reduced the oocyst and sporozoite intensity, a substantially stronger reduction of Plasmodium falciparum development was achieved when transgenesis and paratransgenesis were combined. Most importantly, transmission of Plasmodium berghei from infected to naïve mice was maximally inhibited by the combination of the two approaches. Combining these two strategies promises to become a powerful approach to combat malaria.
Explained: How scientists engineered mosquitoes that cannot spread malaria
23670FP Explainers, Firstpost, 2022-10-06 08:14:50.
The world of science is reaching new heights. Scientists have now developed mosquitoes that will bite you but not cause malaria. The study was conducted by a team of researchers called Transmission: Zero at the Imperial College of London. The results of the research were published in the Science Advances journal. Genetically modified mosquitoes have the ability to slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their gut, an innovation that can help prevent transmission of the disease to humans. Owing to the devastating effects of Malaria, which is putting about half of the world’s population at risk, scientists came up with this new method in the hope to deter the growth of the parasite.
Points to consider in seeking biosafety approval for research, testing, and environmental release of experimental genetically modified biocontrol products during research and development
23648W. K. Tonui, V. Ahuja, C. J. Beech, J. B. Connolly, B. Dass, D. C. M. Glandorf, et al., Transgenic Research, 31:607. 2022-10-04 08:24:50.
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 viral diseases as well as the spread of invasive plant and animal species. These interventions involve release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment, sometimes with intentional dissemination of the modification within the local population of the targeted species, which presents new challenges and opportunities for regulatory review and decision-making. Practices developed for GMOs, primarily applied to date for GM crops may need to be adapted to accommodate different types of organisms, such as insects, and different technologies, such as gene drive. Developers of new GM biocontrol products would benefit from an early understanding of safety data and information that are likely to be required within the regulatory dossier for regulatory evaluation and decision making. Here a generalizable tool drawing from existing GM crop dossier requirements, forms, and relevant experience is proposed to assist researchers and developers organize and plan their research and trialing. This tool requires considering specifics of each investigational product, their intended use, and country specific requirements at various phases of potential product development, from laboratory research through contained field testing and experimental release into the environment. This may also be helpful to risk assessors and regulators in supporting their systematic and rigorous evaluation of new biocontrol products.
Malaria Gene Drives: A Battle Of Wit Between The Government And Stakeholders
23650O. Onwumere, The Nigerian Voice, 2022-10-03 08:29:30.
Through the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), guidelines for gene editing, primarily in agriculture, were approved by the Nigerian Federal Government in December 2020. As the first country in Africa, the government was praised for taking the momentous step of establishing guidelines for gene editing. The government sees science and technology as major drivers of agricultural productivity, as stated in the approved guidelines. This is due to the fact that the technology is guaranteed to be safe and won't harm the environment or human health. Scientists and non-governmental organizations have nonetheless refused to support the use of genetically engineered bacteria to eradicate malaria-carrying mosquitoes despite the government's actions. The reason was that a doctor from Nigeria who didn't want his name published said that gene-editing technology needs to be looked at carefully because there have been failed reports in some African countries, like Burkina Faso, where modified mosquitoes were released and people got bit by them
Gene drive used to make all female mosquitoes sterile
23653Akfire1, TechiLink, 2022-10-01 08:45:17.
We have long known that we can limit malaria infections by controlling the mosquitoes that transmit them. But that knowledge has not translated into auditing efforts that have always been completely successful. Many of the approaches we have used to control mosquitoes have caused environmental problems, and mosquito populations are large enough that they have developed resistance to many of our pesticides. That made the development of so-called ‘gene drive’ constructs exciting (albeit a little scary). They have the potential to quickly spread genes across a population, including a mosquito population. But the prospect of modern genetic control of mosquito populations faces the very old problem of evolution, as gene drives often grind to a halt due to genetic changes that allow mosquito populations to escape their impact. Now a team has come up with a way to potentially avoid this problem: use gene drive to target a gene fundamental to mosquito development as male or female. By doing so, the females become sterile and, at least in the lab, the mosquito populations collapse.
How We’re Reducing Disease With Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
23667V. Wise, HealthMatch, 2022-09-29 08:07:21.
We all know mosquitoes as those annoying insects we swat away from our faces. They carry diseases, so we don’t want them anywhere near us. There are over 200 types of wild mosquitoes bugging us across America and the U.S. territories. Approximately 12 types can spread disease, but most are “nuisance” mosquitoes, which don’t spread germs. Obviously, it’s hard to identify a tiny flying creature, so we need to keep them all away from us just in case. Aedes aegypti¹ is one of the most common mosquitoes in the U.S. that can spread disease. One of the best-known mosquito-borne diseases is malaria, but Aedes aegypti is associated with 54 viruses². West Nile virus, Zika, and dengue are just three diseases these mosquitoes transmit around the U.S With 1 in 150 people becoming seriously ill due to West Nile virus, sometimes fatally, what can we do to prevent mosquito bites?
Humans Have a Long History of Making ‘Very Bad Decisions’ to Save Animals
23627T. McDonnell, The New York Times, 2022-09-17 07:17:21.
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 the world is “ill-prepared” for a "real-life gene drive.” The article also quotes MIT biologist Kevin Esvelt saying that misuse of the technology would cause the public and policymakers to halt gene drive research and would set the field back by a decade. The article notes that there is no international regulation to “prevent the premature deployment of gene drive in the wild” and states that “individual governments, powerful funding organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and scientists themselves” are responsible for balancing the prevention of risky interventions with the need to support basic research. Esvlet is also quoted saying that the WHO needs to “establish a registry for all gene drive experiments that requires scientists to detail safeguards and find a local community who agrees to guide the research before experiments begin.”
Can a bold new plan to stop mosquitoes catch on?
23631L. J. Young, Popular Science, 2022-09-13 07:48:42.
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 baking under the early June sun. As his shadow looms over the pool, a wormlike critter less than half an inch long quickly tries to submerge out of sight, but before it can, Ruiz scoops it up with a long metal dipper. He squints at his catch: a larva of Culex, a genus that includes common house mosquitoes.
Fact Check: Bill Gates’ genetically modified mosquitoes are responsible for mosquito-borne viruses in Florida and are part of the next planned pandemic.
23542A. Williams, The Paradise, 2022-09-09 06:00:08.
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 virus has no correlation to the release of the mosquitoes by Oxitec, and no reports have mentioned they have caused harm. The belief that pandemics are planned by governmental or global business is a known conspiracy and unsubstantiated. Therefore, this claim has been marked as false.
Can mosquitoes be used for biological warfare?
23545Health Desk, Health Desk, 2022-09-07 06:05:21.
Every year, mosquitoes kill more people than any other creature in the world. Because of 1) mosquitoes’ ability to spread deadly, communicable diseases and cover large distances quickly, and 2) the fact that different types of bugs have been weaponized for hundreds of years, it is not surprising that mosquitoes have been used as weapons or suspected of being used as weapons. One of the most well known examples of mosquitoes being used as biological weapons occurred in the 20th century during World War II. Nazi researchers studied insects, including mosquitoes, to determine their ability to spread disease. The Nazi forces then went to Italian marshes to purposely collect mosquitoes with malaria and them into the population. While this is the most well-known case of using mosquitoes as biological warfare, the use or considered use of mosquitoes as weapons is not unique to Germany. For instance, Fort Detrick in Maryland was created during World War II to focus on defending the United States against biological weapons and researching biological weapons. One plan for the site in the late 1950s involved releasing mosquitoes infected with yellow fever virus against an enemy though this never actually happened.
Modified mosquito releases to fight dengue fever, chikungunya or yellow fever
23555Sewell, Tammy, OICANADIAN, 2022-09-05 14:35:46.
To date, only one technique based on genetically modified mosquitoes has been developed at an operational level, it is the RIDL technique (release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene, or release of insects carrying a dominant lethality gene). Male mosquitoes which, unlike females, do not bite, are genetically modified. Their offspring die before reaching adulthood. This technique has received authorization from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Last spring, the private company Oxitec began a trial in Florida consisting in disseminating mosquito eggs Aedes aegypti (known to carry many viruses such as dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika) genetically modified in nature for three months.
Life-history traits of a fluorescent Anopheles arabiensis genetic sexing strain introgressed into South African genomic background
23550N. L. Ntoyi, T. Mashatola, J. Bouyer, C. Kraupa, H. Maiga, W. Mamai, N. S. Bimbile-Somda, T. Wallner, D. O. Carvalho, G. Munhenga and H. Yamada, Malaria Journal, 21:12. 2022-09-05 06:11:50.
Background South Africa has set a mandate to eliminate local malaria transmission by 2023. In pursuit of this objective a Sterile Insect Technique programme targeting the main vector Anopheles arabiensis is currently under development. Significant progress has been made towards operationalizing the technology. However, one of the main limitations being faced is the absence of an efficient genetic sexing system. This study is an assessment of an An. arabiensis (AY-2) strain carrying the full Y chromosome from Anopheles gambiae, including a transgenic red fluorescent marker, being introgressed into a South African genetic background as a potential tool for a reliable sexing system. Methods Adult, virgin males from the An. arabiensis AY-2 strain were outcrossed to virgin females from the South African, Kwazulu-Natal An. arabiensis (KWAG strain) over three generations. Anopheles arabiensis AY-2 fluorescent males were sorted as first instar larvae (L1) using the Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) and later screened as pupae to verify the sex. Life history traits of the novel hybrid KWAG-AY2 strain were compared to the original fluorescent AY-2 strain, the South African wild-type KWAG strain and a standard laboratory An. arabiensis (Dongola reference strain). Results The genetic stability of the sex-linked fluorescent marker and the integrity and high level of sexing efficiency of the system were confirmed. No recombination events in respect to the fluorescent marker were detected over three rounds of introgression crosses. KWAG-AY2 had higher hatch rates and survival of L1 to pupae and L1 to adult than the founding strains. AY-2 showed faster development time of immature stages and larger adult body size, but lower larval survival rates. Adult KWAG males had significantly higher survival rates. There was no significant difference between the strains in fecundity and proportion of males. KWAG-AY2 males performed better than reference strains in flight ability tests. Conclusion The life history traits of KWAG-AY2, its rearing efficiency under laboratory conditions, the preservation of the sex-linked fluorescence and perfect sexing efficiency after three rounds of introgression crosses, indicate that it has potential for mass rearing. The potential risks and benefits associated to the use of this strain within the Sterile Insect Technique programme in South Africa are discussed.
Infravec2 guidelines for the design and operation of containment level 2 and 3 insectaries in Europe
23469E. Pondeville, A.-B. Failloux, F. Simard, P. Volf, A. Crisanti, R. E. Haghighat-Khah, N. Busquets, F. X. Abad, A. J. Wilson, R. Bellini, S. Marsh Arnaud, A. Kohl and E. Veronesi, Pathogens and Global Health, 2022-08-22 07:08:22.
With the current expansion of vector-based research and an increasing number of facilities rearing arthropod vectors and infecting them with pathogens, common measures for containment of arthropods as well as manipulation of pathogens are becoming essential for the design and running of such research facilities to ensure safe work and reproducibility, without compromising experimental feasibility. These guidelines and comments were written by experts of the Infravec2 consortium, a Horizon 2020-funded consortium integrating the most sophisticated European infrastructures for research on arthropod vectors of human and animal diseases. They reflect current good practice across European laboratories with experience of safely handling different mosquito species and the pathogens they transmit. As such, they provide experience-based advice to assess and manage the risks to work safely with mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit. This document can also form the basis for research with other arthropods, for example, midges, ticks or sandflies, with some modification to reflect specific requirements.
World Mosquito Day: Can genetic modification techniques quash the menace?
23446CNBCTV18, CNBC TV18, 2022-08-20 09:54:03.
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 India.
Outbreaks of arboviruses, biotechnological innovations and vector control: facing the unexpected
23438C. Boëte, Innovative Strategies for Vector Control, 6:219-231. 2022-08-19 09:19:15.
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 relying on biotechnological novelties, often still under development, have been considered despite the lack of solid evidence of their efficacy. While discussing these different aspects of the fight against vector-borne diseases with a focus on the context of outbreaks, this chapter considers the social and ethical aspects related to both the rhetoric and the discussion about the implementation of new and innovative approaches.
Release the Beast? Genetically modified mosquitos for diease control
23351G. Ferrante, Palatinate, 2022-07-29 08:31:10.
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 billion male mosquitos over two years in Florida and California. This is part of an expansion of their existing trial of releasing a genetically modified mosquito species in a bid to suppress the species Aedes aegypti in the USA. Aedes aegypti also known as the yellow fever mosquito has a main role in spreading debilitating diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever and Zika virus in many countries. Aedes aegypti also is an invasive species in many subtropical regions, spanning from the south-eastern US to the Pacific Islands and South-East Asia. Oxitec’s signature technology involves the use of a ‘self-limiting’ gene which only activates in female mosquitos after reproduction.
Comprehensive characterization of a transgene insertion in a highly repetitive, centromeric region of Anopheles mosquitoes
23273M. Vitale, C. Leo, T. Courty, N. Kranjc, J. B. Connolly, G. Morselli, C. Bamikole, R. E. Haghighat-Khah, F. Bernardini and S. Fuchs, Pathogens and Global Health, 2022-07-21 07:55:48.
The availability of the genomic sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae has in recent years sparked the development of transgenic technologies with the potential to be used as novel vector control tools. These technologies rely on genome editing that confer traits able to affect vectorial capacity. This can be achieved by either reducing the mosquito population or by making mosquitoes refractory to the parasite infection. For any genetically modified organism that is regarded for release, molecular characterization of the transgene and flanking sites are essential for their safety assessment and post-release monitoring. Despite great advancements, Whole-Genome Sequencing data are still subject to limitations due to the presence of repetitive and unannotated DNA sequences. Faced with this challenge, we describe a number of techniques that were used to identify the genomic location of a transgene in the male bias mosquito strain Ag(PMB)1 considered for potential field application. While the initial inverse PCR identified the most likely insertion site on Chromosome 3 R 36D, reassessment of the data showed a high repetitiveness in those sequences and multiple genomic locations as potential insertion sites of the transgene. Here we used a combination of DNA sequencing analysis and in-situ hybridization to clearly identify the integration of the transgene in a poorly annotated centromeric region of Chromosome 2 R 19D. This study emphasizes the need for accuracy in sequencing data for the genome of organisms of medical importance such as Anopheles mosquitoes and other tools available that can support genomic locations of transgenes.
Gene drives and Africa’s battle against malaria
23154Annonymous, Africa Verified, 2022-07-08 09:43:10.
As malaria cases rise, and the effectiveness of current methods begins to fall, the WHO’s target of reducing the global malaria burden by 90% by 2030 will not be met. It is critical for new and resilient treatment, prevention, and control methods to be developed and integrated into current strategies. Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium aiming to develop ‘cost-effective and sustainable genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission’ that would work alongside current anti-malaria efforts. They are pioneering research into genetically programmed mosquitoes, which when released into the wild to mate, reproduce offspring that either produce fewer female mosquitoes or are unable to transmit malaria parasites.
CRISPR-Mediated Genome Engineering in Aedes aegypti
23209R. Sun, M. Li, C. J. McMeniman and O. S. Akbari, piRNA: Methods and Protocols, 2022-07-01 06:21:38.
CRISPR-mediated genome engineering technologies have been adapted to a wide variety of organisms with high efficiency and specificity. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegyptiAedes aegypti, is one such organism. It is also responsible for transmitting a wide variety of deadly viruses including Dengue, Zika, Yellow fever, and Chikungunya. The key to successful CRISPR-mediated gene editingGene editing applications is the delivery of both Cas9 ribonuclease and single-guide RNA (sgRNASingle guide RNA (sgRNA)) to the nucleus of desired cells. Various methods have been developed for supplying the Cas9 endonuclease, sgRNASingle guide RNA (sgRNA), and donor DNA to Ae. aegypti. In this chapter, we focus on methods of direct embryoEmbryosdelivery of editing components, presenting detailed step-by-step CRISPR/Cas9-based genome-editing protocols for inducing desired heritable edits in mosquitoes as well as insights into successful application of these protocols. We also highlight potential opportunities for customizing these protocols to manipulate the mosquito genome for innovative in vivoIn vivo gene function studies.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District & Oxitec Announce Launch of Next Phase of Ground-Breaking Project
23093Oxitec, Oxitec, 2022-06-30 07:38:27.
In a continuation of the FKMCD-Oxitec Mosquito Project, Oxitec and FKMCD announced that a new phase of the project (“Pilot D”) will be initiated on or after July 7th, 2022. This phase of the project will examine single-point releases of Oxitec’s male mosquitoes. In March of this year the EPA granted an extension of the Experimental Use Permit (EUP) for the continuation of this pilot project. Following this national-level approval, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), reviewed and approved Oxitec’s state-level permit applications. The 2022 project launched with Pilot B during the week of May 9th, with the placement of Oxitec’s just-add-water mosquito boxes on private property of volunteer residents in three release areas, all on Vaca Key. Untreated comparison sites are monitored with mosquito traps on Key Colony Beach and Vaca Key.
Intron-derived small RNAs for silencing viral RNAs in mosquito cells
23054P. 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. 2022-06-23 15:14:23.
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 transmission cycle. We tested, in Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus cell lines, reporter based strategies for assessing the ability of two types of small RNAs to inhibit a chikungunya virus (CHIKV) derived target. Both types of small RNAs use a Drosophila melanogasterpremiRNA-1 based hairpin for their expression, either with perfect base-pairing in the stem region (shRNA-like) or containing two mismatches (miRNA-like). The pre-miRNA-1 stem loop structure was encoded within an intron; this allows co-expression of one or more proteins, e.g. a fluorescent protein marker tracking the temporal and spatial expression of the small RNAs in vivo. Three reporter-based systems were used to assess the relative silencing efficiency of ten shRNA-like siRNAs and corresponding miRNA-like designs. Two systems used a luciferase reporter RNA with CHIKV RNA inserted either in the coding sequence or within the 3’ UTR. A third reporter used a CHIKV derived split replication system. All three reporters demonstrated that while silencing could be achieved with both miRNA-like and shRNA-like designs, the latter were substantially more effective. Dcr-2 was required for the shRNA-like siRNAs as demonstrated by loss of inhibition of the reporters in Dcr-2 deficient cell lines. These positive results in cell culture are encouraging for the potential use of this pre-miRNA-1-based system in transgenic mosquitoes.
The AalNix3&4 isoform is required and sufficient to convert Aedes albopictus females into males
23070Y. 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. 2022-06-23 08:45:44.
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 whereas AaeNix has one. Little was known previously about which AalNix isoform(s) serve as the primary signal for sex determination. We cloned the promoter region of AalNix gene and constructed piggybac-based AalNix overexpression constructs with different isoform variants. Following transformation and recovery of transgenic lines, we observed that expression of the AalNix3&4 isoform could shift the alternative splicing of the sex determination genes, doublesex and fruitless, from female to male isoforms, and phenotypically masculinize females or completely convert females into males. Importantly, the sex-converted pseudo-males are fertile and capable of flight. Thus, AalNix is the primary signal for male sex determination in Aedes albopictus and provides a basis for sex segregation and further Cas9-mediated gene-drive population suppression.
Inside the Plan to Release Life-Saving Mosquitoes
22903WIRED, 2022-06-10 06:28:48.
The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is turning towards a novel tool to combat harmful insecticide-resistant mosquitoes like the Aedes aegypti. What are they doing exactly? They're releasing millions of genetically modified male mosquitoes engineered to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti. How exactly does this work? We'll break it down.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Fight Malaria in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Uganda: What Legal Response?
23275O. J. L. Tung, Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 25:1-42. 2022-06-07 10:05:47.
Advanced applied research on genetically modified (hereafter GM) insects is being undertaken to control insect vectors of human diseases such as mosquitoes. GM insect technologies are being developed in countries where there is a legal framework for genetically modified mosquitoes (hereafter GMM), but the beneficiaries of such insect technologies to control insect-borne diseases are most likely to be in malaria-endemic countries where the regulation of GM insect technologies is inadequate. Although no commercial release of GMM has been conducted in Africa yet, there may be prospects for the use of GMM to control malaria in malaria-endemic countries such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Uganda. Nigeria has the highest rate of deaths related to malaria in Africa and will potentially be targeted by companies seeking to introduce GMM as a public health tool in African countries. Research is being carried out on GMM in Burkina Faso, Mali and Uganda in collaboration with foreign companies. Whereas the control of diseases is certainly needed and there are potential public health benefits for GM insect technologies to address mosquito control, there are environmental and health concerns, and there is also the potential of the misuse of such technologies. Consequently, the use of GMM requires prior robust domestic, regional and international regulation. While the Cartagena Protocol on Transboundary Movements of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereafter the Cartagena Protocol)and voluntary guidelines on the testing of GM mosquitoes are applicable with respect to GM insect technologies, there is a lack of international and regional guidance on the regulation of such technologies. Domestic legislation tends to focus on GM crops and is inadequate for regulating GMM. This paper discusses the legal response for the above Africancountries which may perhaps use GMM as a public health tool and makes recommendations for the necessary regulatory response
Modifying mosquitoes to suppress disease transmission: Is the long wait over?
22854J. R. Powell, Genetics, 2022-06-02 08:31:17.
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 these efforts as applied to mosquitoes is presented; none proved to be effective in reducing disease prevalence. Only in the last few years have novel approaches been developed or proposed that indicate the long wait may be over. Three recent developments are particularly promising: CRISPR-Cas9 driven genetic modification, shifting naturally occurring allele frequencies, and microbe-based modifications. The last is the furthest along in implementation. Dengue fever incidence has been reduced between 40% and 96% in 4 different regions of the world where Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti have been established in the field. It is not yet clear how sustainable such control programs will prove to be, but there is good reason for optimism. In light of this, the time is ripe for reinvigorated research on vectors, especially genetics. Vector-borne diseases primarily affect under-developed countries and thus have not received the attention they deserve from wealthier countries with well-developed and funded biomedical research establishments.
Unfolding the Next Frontier of Innovation in Malaria: The Way Forward
22699ETHealthWorld, ET Healthworld, 2022-05-30 14:53:17.
Malaria innovation is on the verge of a challenging yet exciting frontier. Therefore, to ramp up current innovatins and expand effective therapeutic and prevenitive methods, the governments, international organizations, and the private sector must work together. Additionally, malaria eradication calls for multiple innovative approaches.
Importation of the non gene drive genetically modified male bias mosquito strain into Burkina Faso
22496A. Diabate, Target Malaria, 2022-05-11 07:37:11.
On March 16 and 21, the team at the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Target Malaria’s partner institution in Burkina Faso, received packages containing live genetically modified mosquito eggs from Italy. The National Biosafety Agency (ANB) officers were at the airport to inspect the packages. The eggs are of non gene drive genetically modified male bias mosquitoes. It is another strain of genetically modified mosquitoes, compared to the sterile male strain imported in 2016 and released in 2019. This male bias strain does not carry the gene drive technology. The mosquito is fertile and it is genetically modified to produce mainly male offspring (up to 95% in the laboratory). The male bias strain is not a vector control tool. The purpose of this phase is to understand this new fertile strain, develop capacity, train Target Malaria teams and engage with regulatory authorities and stakeholders.
Self-Deleting Genes Could Control Mosquitoes And Prevent Vector-Borne Diseases
22493A. Russell, Texas AM TODAY, 2022-05-11 07:33:02.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are testing a technology to make temporary genetic modifications in mosquitoes that self-delete over time. The mechanism to make temporary genetic changes could be important for scientists hoping to modify mosquitoes in ways that help manage populations and prevent vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus without permanently altering wild populations’ genetic makeup. An article detailing their test results is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ PNAS Nexus. The authors, Zach Adelman and Kevin Myles, both professors in the Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, describe a method for programming the removal of edited genes within populations of mosquitoes over multiple generations. The method is a first step toward building safeguards for genetic modifications developed to control populations of mosquitoes and the vector-borne diseases they carry. The idea is to test proposed changes without making the changes permanent and without the risk of transmitting them to wild populations, Adelman said.
Mosquitoes Genetically Modified to Stop Disease Pass Early Test
22448L. Rapaport, WebMD, 2022-05-09 08:57:53.
Genetically modified mosquitoes released in the U.S. appear to have passed an early test that suggests they might one day help reduce the population of insects that transmit infectious diseases. As part of the test, scientists released nearly 5 million genetically engineered male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes over the course of 7 months in the Florida Keys. Male mosquitoes don’t bite people, and these were also modified so they would transmit a gene to female offspring that causes them to die before they can reproduce. In theory, this means the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes would die off over time, so they wouldn’t spread diseases any more. The goal of this pilot project in Florida was to see if these genetically modified male mosquitoes could successfully mate with females in the wild, and to confirm whether their female offspring would indeed die before they could reproduce. On both counts, the experiment was a success, Oxitec, the biotechnology company developing these engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, said in a webina
Self-eliminating Genes Tested on Disease-carrying Mosquitoes
22292M. Taylor, Laboratory Equipment, 2022-05-09 08:25:47.
There’s good reason why CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing is not allowed at the germline. While international commissions are working hard to make this a possibility, potential unknown effects further down the ancestry line raise concerns about the process. The insect equivalent of this—gene drive transgene research—hasn’t been a cause of much concern for researchers working on genetic control of vector populations, especially disease-carrying mosquitoes. Scientists from Texas A&M, however, think the potential affects should be always be considered and have now devised a technology to make all genetic modifications in mosquitoes temporary—until a time when adequate testing ensures safety. Zach Adelman, author of a new paper on the research and a professor at Texas A&M, says many of today’s insect genetic control strategies are based on highly invasive, self-propagating transgenes that can rapidly spread the trait into other populations of mosquitoes. Adelman’s method, however, allows proposed genetic changes to be tested on a temporary basis—without the risk of transmitting them to wild populations. The temporary genetic modifications self-delete over multiple generations of mosquitoes.
The fight against malaria
22445F. Ammache, Year 2049, 2022-05-06 08:51:20.
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 Rome from invaders. Back then, we thought the disease was caused by people breathing “bad air”, or “mal aria”. The relationship between mosquitoes and malaria was unknown. Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest form of malaria, was introduced by a new breed of mosquitoes around the 5th century. Some historians speculate that P. falciparum played a key role in the fall of the Roman Empire. It wasn’t until 1897 that we understood that mosquitoes transmitted malaria. Sir Ronald Ross, a British doctor based in India, found the malaria parasite in the blood of Anopheles mosquitoes which proved a hypothesis that was first put forward by his predecessor Alphonse Laveran.
Brit firm sparks fury after ‘releasing genetically modified mosquitoes’ into wild
22069C. Lawrence-Jones, Daily Star, 2022-04-29 07:17:13.
A British company has sparked fury after releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild that critics say could produce new strains of super-mozzies. UK-based Oxitec say they've hacked the insects' genetic make up and hope it will ultimately kill off all-female offspring wiping out huge colonies of the bug. Mosquitoes are some of the deadliest creatures in the world with mosquito-borne diseases killing around a million people every year. In time, Oxitec argue, the hybrids could wipe out mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and yellow fever. But the experimental release in California and Florida Keys, an island chain at the very tip of Florida in the U.S. has angered critics.
Engineering a self-eliminating transgene in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti
21920K. Chae, C. Dawson, C. Valentin, B. Contreras, J. Zapletal, K. M. Myles and Z. N. Adelman, PNAS Nexus, 2022-04-28 08:54:37.
Promising genetics-based approaches are being developed to reduce or prevent the transmission of mosquito-vectored diseases. Less clear is how such transgenes can be removed from the environment, a concern that is particularly relevant for highly invasive gene drive transgenes. Here, we lay the groundwork for a transgene removal system based on single-strand annealing (SSA), a eukaryotic DNA repair mechanism. An SSA-based rescuer strain (kmoRG) was engineered to have direct repeat sequences (DRs) in the Ae. aegypti kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo) gene flanking the intervening transgenic cargo genes, DsRED and EGFP. Targeted induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the DsRED transgene successfully triggered complete elimination of the entire cargo from the kmoRG strain, restoring the wild-type kmo gene and thereby normal eye pigmentation. Our work establishes the framework for strategies to remove transgene sequences during the evaluation and testing of modified strains for genetics-based mosquito control.
The Financialisation of Malaria in Africa: Burkina Faso, rogue capital & GM/gene drive mosquitoes
22066S. Mentz-Lagrange and S. Swanepoel, African Centre for Biodiversity, 2022-04-28 07:02:28.
This paper seeks to understand the financialisation of malaria as a vehicle for rogue capital in a context of a weakened state (through capture, corruption and coups) and the power that limits effective interventions. It shows how malaria, along with other diseases, is increasingly financialised – financial markets, institutions, actors and motives play a pivotal role in disease response. Country and donor funds are invested into research and development non-profit organisations, for example, that partner with market actors (such as pharmaceutical companies) to bring the product to market. Patents are sought and royalties procured from the sale of the product to country governments. These royalties are then accumulated by the research and development company, using vehicles such as endowment funds, for example. It show cases Burkina Faso as a real-world example of how rogue capital can enter a country and experiment with patented products, with impunity and no fear of accountability. It also illustrates how both historical and modern factors create conducive conditions for philanthrocapitalists such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the companies they fund, to exploit Africa as a living laboratory. The outcomes of risky experimental research such as genetically modified (GM) and gene drive mosquitoes is not yet known. What is known is that it is Africans who bear the consequences – not the owners of the technologies foisted on the continent.
Self-eliminating genes tested on mosquitoes
21924A. Russell, AGRILIFE Today, 2022-04-27 09:13:46.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists have tested a technology to make temporary genetic modifications in mosquitoes. The modifications self-delete over time. Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists published an article detailing a mechanism to make temporary genetic alterations to mosquitoes. The mechanism to make temporary genetic changes could be important for scientists hoping to modify mosquitoes in ways that help manage populations and prevent vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus without permanently altering wild populations’ genetic makeup.
Biotech firm announces results from first US trial of genetically modified mosquito
21775E. Waltz, Nature, 2022-04-18 08:09:34.
Researchers have completed the first open-air study of genetically engineered mosquitoes in the United States. The results, according to the biotechnology firm running the experiment, are positive. But larger tests are still needed to determine whether the insects can achieve the ultimate goal of suppressing a wild population of potentially virus-carrying mosquitoes. The experiment has been underway since April 2021 in the Florida Keys, a chain of tropical islands near the southern tip of Florida. Oxitec, which developed the insects, released nearly five million engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes over the course of seven months, and has now almost completed monitoring the release sites. Based in Abingdon, UK, the firm reported the first results from the experiment during a webinar on 6 April, although it has not yet published the data.
Potential Adverse Effects of GE Mosquitoes Unknown
21773B. Giuffre, The Epoch Times, 2022-04-17 08:04:34.
“Safe and sustainable.” That’s what Oxitec, a British biological pest control company, calls its genetically modified (GM) or genetically engineered (GE) mosquito pesticide product. The company claims its product is nontoxic to humans and animals and won’t harm beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. The experiment’s goal is to test the use of GE mosquitoes for reducing the transmission of diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The method of action is post-CRISPR, but uses similar gene engineering technology—inserting a double whammy into the Aedes aegypti male mosquito: a lethal gene and a fluorescent gene (for tracking). “The goal here is not to kill mosquitoes,” said epidemiologist Thomas Scott of the GE mosquito projects in Science magazine, “It’s to prevent people from getting infected and sick and dying.”
Squashing malaria could save as many lives as covid-19 has taken
21012Anonymous, The Economist, 2022-03-19 06:25:31.
When it comes to covid-19 vaccines, poor countries in Africa have been stuck at the back of the queue. However, the continent’s long wait for another immunological miracle appears to be drawing to a close. Later this year, the world’s first malaria vaccine is scheduled for a roll-out. Although the current version leaves much to be desired—it requires four doses, is hard to manufacture at scale and reduces severe infections by a mere 30%—better alternatives may be on the way. A jab developed by scientists at Oxford has shown 77% effectiveness. If clinical trials go well, they aim to apply for pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation in September. Production at a rate of up to 200m doses per year could follow swiftly.
Combining two Genetic Sexing Strains allows sorting of non-transgenic males for Aedes genetic control
20642C. Lutrat, M. Burckbuchler, R. P. Olmo, R. Beugnon, A. Fontaine, T. Baldet, J. Bouyer and E. Marois, bioRxiv, 2022.03.11.483912. 2022-03-12 08:15:59.
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 is limited by the slow, error-prone, and wasteful sex-separation stage. Here, we present four genetic sexing strains (two for each Aedes species) based on fluorescence markers linked to the m and M sex loci, allowing the isolation of transgenic males. Furthermore, we show how combining these sexing strains allows the production of non-transgenic males. Scaling-up would allow the sorting of 100,000 neonate male larvae in under 1.5 hour with 0.01-0.1% female contamination. The resulting males present similar survival and flight ability to laboratory-reared wild-type males. By facilitating the sorting of transgenic or non-transgenic males, these Genetic Sexing Strains should enable a major upscaling in control programmes against these major vectors.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
Regulation of genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes as a public health tool: a public health ethics analysis
20480Z. Meghani, Globalization and Health, 18:21. 2022-02-21 08:33:18.
In recent years, genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes have been proposed as a public health measure against the high incidence of mosquito-borne diseases among the poor in regions of the global South. While uncertainties as well as risks for humans and ecosystems are entailed by the open-release of GE mosquitoes, a powerful global health governance non-state organization is funding the development of and advocating the use of those bio-technologies as public health tools.
Mark-release-recapture experiment in Burkina Faso demonstrates reduced fitness and dispersal of genetically-modified sterile malaria mosquitoes
20385F. A. Yao, A.-A. Millogo, P. S. Epopa, A. North, F. Noulin, K. Dao, M. Drabo, C. Guissou, S. Kekele, M. Namountougou, R. K. Ouedraogo, L. Pare, N. Barry, R. Sanou, H. Wandaogo, R. K. Dabire, A. McKemey, F. Tripet and A. Diabaté, Nature Communications, 13:796. 2022-02-10 09:11:33.
Every year, malaria kills approximately 405,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of them children under the age of five years. In many countries, progress in malaria control has been threatened by the rapid spread of resistance to antimalarial drugs and insecticides. Novel genetic mosquito control approaches could play an important role in future integrated malaria control strategies. In July 2019, the Target Malaria consortium proceeded with the first release of hemizygous genetically-modified (GM) sterile and non-transgenic sibling males of the malaria mosquito Anopheles coluzzii in Burkina Faso. This study aimed to determine the potential fitness cost associated to the transgene and gather important information related to the dynamic of transgene-carrying mosquitoes, crucial for next development steps. Bayesian estimations confirmed that GM males had lower survival and were less mobile than their wild type (WT) siblings. The estimated male population size in Bana village, at the time of the release was 28,000 - 37,000. These results provide unique information about the fitness and behaviour of released GM males that will inform future releases of more effective strains of the A. gambiae complex.
A flavivirus-inducible gene expression system that modulates broad-spectrum antiviral activity against dengue and Zika viruses
20281S.-C. Weng, Y.-X. Zhou and S.-H. Shiao, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 142:103723. 2022-02-02 11:40:32.
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 expression system, to block virus replication and transmission. Constructs containing the smallest replication units of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) with negative-stranded DENV2 artificial genomes and genes of interest were established in an Aedes aegypti cell line, resulting in expression of target genes after DENV2 infection. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) assays confirmed the system was virus-inducible. When we used one of two apoptosis-related genes, A. aegypti michelob_x (AaMx) and inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP)-antagonist michelob_x-like protein (AaIMP) instead of GFP, the production of viral RNA and proteins were inhibited for all five viruses tested (DENV1–4 and ZIKV), and effector caspase activity was induced. The system thus inhibited the production of infectious virus particles in vitro, and in mosquitoes it did so after DENV2 infection. This is a novel broad-spectrum antiviral approach using a flavivirus-inducible gene-expression system, which could lead to new avenues for mosquito-borne disease control.
An Introduction to Containment Recommendations for Gene Drive Mosquitoes and the Laboratory Rearing of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in Africa
20044S. Higgs, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2022-01-06 10:04:57.
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 past few years has this become feasible. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive and its application to mosquitoes have been a critical factor in bringing the dream to reality, but with opportunity also comes responsibility. Safe and secure handling of genetically engineered arthropods under laboratory/insectary conditions was considered in the original and revised ACGs, and under field conditions by Benedict et al. (2008). Although not discussed in these ACGs, hence the need for this addendum, Benedict et al. (2018) discussed containment and management of gene drive arthropods as distinct from genetically modified mosquitoes under laboratory conditions. A prerequisite for the application of engineered mosquitoes for mosquito-borne disease control is the rearing of these mosquitoes in countries where releases will ultimately occur. In 2018, three companion articles were published in VBZ that discussed this very issue (Mumford et al. 2018, Quinlan et al. 2018a, 2018b), with James et al. (2020) discussing efficacy and safety criteria for advancing gene drive-modified mosquitoes to field testing. In this issue of VBZ, we publish two highly relevant articles that coincidentally, although submitted independently, are complementary.
Preparing an Insectary in Burkina Faso to Support Research in Genetic Technologies for Malaria Control
20042C. Guissou, M. M. Quinlan, R. Sanou, R. K. Ouédraogo, M. Namountougou and A. Diabaté, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2022-01-06 09:53:59.
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 management capacity is needed to set up and run the first insectary for transgenic insects in a country that applied and adapted the existing biosafety framework, first developed for genetically modified (GM) crops, to this new area of research. The additional demands arise from the separate regulatory framework for biotechnology, referencing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the novelty of the research strain, making public understanding and acceptance early in the research pathway important. The IRSS team carried out extensive preparations following recommendations for containment of GM arthropods and invested efforts in local community engagement and training with scientific colleagues throughout the region. Record keeping beyond routine practice was established to maintain evidence related to regulatory requirements and risk assumptions. The National Biosafety Agency of Burkina Faso, Agence Nationale de Biosécurité (ANB), granted the permits for import of the self-limiting transgenic mosquito strain, which took place in November 2016, and for conducting studies in the IRSS facility in Bobo-Dioulasso. Compliance with permit terms and conditions of the permits and study protocols continued until the conclusion of studies, when the transgenic colonies were terminated. All this required close coordination between management and the insectary teams, as well as others. This article outlines the experiences of the IRSS to support others undertaking such studies. The IRSS is contributing to the ongoing development of genetic technologies for malaria control, as a partner of Target Malaria (https://targetmalaria.org). The ultimate objective of the innovation is to reduce malaria transmission by using GM mosquitoes of the same species released to reduce the disease-vectoring native populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l.
Laboratory Biosafety in Handling Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
19963J. Charles, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021-12-21 11:19:52.
One of the novel approaches in controlling vector-borne diseases is to release genetically modified mosquitoes in nature. Trial studies are done in different phases by the researches, both in the laboratory and in the fields. Before a GM mosquito is validated to be ready for field release, the same has to rigorously go through several phase studies, and Phase I being the laboratory is the most significant to set the future of the GM mosquito for future investigations. Though the risk of handling GM mosquitoes in laboratory is low, nevertheless there is a prescribed list of DOs and DON’Ts, and the laboratory workers are needed to strictly follow the SOPs or basic principles of biosafety like handling administrative controls, using biosafety equipment, wearing personal protective equipment, etc. The laboratory also should have a proper design as per the risk assessment. Accordingly, the biosafety laboratories (BSL) are classified into four types: type 1, 2, 3 and 4. The risks are assessed as per the factors in the host, vector and donor sequences and the environmental factors and their activities in such environments. As GMMs are of low risk, BSL 1 and 2 are enough for their manipulation, but occasionally BSL 3 may be needed. There may be chances of spillage on the working surfaces during manipulation of the genes which can be remedied by the spill management protocols. Biological wastes may be generated in all areas of manipulation. These can be properly treated by either chemical disinfection or autoclaving and disposed of by incineration. These wastes should be segregated in colour-coded bags before disposal. There may be some risks while transporting GMMs to distant places. They should be packed securely in triple-layer pack and sent for disposal following IATA and other road rules. For each process of the manipulation of gene, a separate standard operating procedure (SOP) should be maintained which has to be updated whenever any change in the procedure is made.
Safety Assessment of Novel Genetic Technologies for Vector Control: National and International Perspectives
19961V. Ahuja, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021-12-21 11:15:26.
Novel genetic technologies provide an alternative approach for control of vectors particularly those carrying deadly pathogens. Genetic control technologies aim to either suppress target populations or modify the vector by introducing a heritable factor that reduces or blocks their ability to transmit the diseases. These technologies are thus referred to as population suppression or population modification approaches. Both these approaches offer significant advantages for vector control; however, there are associated biosafety concerns related to possible ecosystem interactions. Therefore, extensive testing on a case-by-case basis is required before these can be used as a public health intervention. This paper provides details of the international initiatives towards development of guidelines and status of regulations in India.
Measuring Public Attitudes to Releases of Transgenic Mosquitoes for Disease Control, with Special Reference to Dengue and Malaria
19958L. A. De Las Llagas and M. S. T. Gunigundo, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021-12-21 11:10:05.
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 public life are dependent on public attitude, i.e., societal awareness and social acceptance. In the face of strong skepticism against genetically modified organisms in both developed and developing countries, public acceptance is therefore a requirement (Boete and Beisel 2013, and Bohannon 2002, as cited in De Souza et al. Understanding the requirements and factors necessary for the acceptance of genetically modified mosquitoes as a potential malaria control tool in Ghana: a questionnaire survey, AsPac J Biol Biotechnol 21(3):76–88, 2013).
Experiences and Outcomes from a Worldwide Training Programme on Genetically Modified Vectors (GMVs) Related Biosafety for Human Health and the Environment
19956B. K. Tyagi, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021-12-21 11:04:33.
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 the integrated vector management (IVM), on the other. Past few decades have witnessed surge of many effective and sustainable genetically and biotechnologically developed de novo technologies which tend to control mosquito vectors by working either to suppress (transgenesis) or replace (paratransgenesis), besides an array of other physiological interventions, on the vector populations. Several technologies such as, for example, Release of insect carrying Dominant Lethal (RIDL) gene system, Wolbachia (an endocellular symbiotic bacterium naturally present in many arthropods) induced cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) resulting in unviable egg production and transforming dengue vectors (Aedes spp.) and malaria vectors (e.g., Anopheles stephensi) into resistant to respective pathogens, i.e., viruses and Plasmodium, have offered promise in controlling vector-borne diseases. Notwithstanding unchallengeable significance, these technologies have also raised many questions from both societies and governments of many countries. To alleviate their scepticism and other queries, many international organizations conducted meetings to generate consensus for guidelines, but even this helped marginally to pacify global interrogations. It was, therefore, considered opportune by the Tropical Disease Research (TDR)/WHO to set up a series of multi-regional training workshops in Africa (Bamako, Mali), Asia (Madurai, India) and Latin America (Medellin, Colombia) between 2008 and 2011 (WHO 2015). About 150 trainees were drawn from as diverse disciplines/walks of life as science, health departments, academics, social, legal, non-governmental organization. The outcome, inculcated from the experiences expressed by the trainees themselves post-workshops, has been very encouraging as they all found the training courses highly beneficial to comprehend genetically modified vectors/mosquitoes (GMV/GMM) related biosafety to the human and the environment and thus become a potential ambassador in their areas or countries to strongly communicate and advocate about the lasting benefits of the various genetically evolved technologies in the control of mosquitoes responsible for transmission of dengue and malaria, in particular.
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
19898M. N. Islam, Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies, 2021-12-21 08:16:32.
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 vector-borne diseases is unacceptably high. It alludes toward their functional inappropriateness, untimeliness, and irrelevance in controlling vectors and vector-borne diseases. Modern technologies, coupled with other appropriate ones within the precincts of integrated vector management (IVM), can tide over this situation posed by conventional, mostly insecticide-based, methodologies. A lot of challenges, obstacles, and interruptive factors have warranted urgent deployment of new approaches for the control of VBDs keeping in mind the inbuilt ethical, social, and regulatory issues. Genetically modified mosquito (GMM) technology is a complex and highly sophisticated biotechnological intervention for suppression of vector populations. Wolbachia-associated sterile insect technique (SIT) has been proved highly significant and effective for replacement of mosquito populations. Adopting a highly sophisticated GMM technology to suppress or replace the mosquito populations’ density is a big question in developing countries because their priority is directed to foremost fulfill the basic human rights to sustain. Yet, notwithstanding foreseeable bottlenecks, of paramount importance is the need to deploy GMM technology with due consideration to socioeconomic factors and availability of advanced biotechnological facilities during the application of GMM in the developing countries.
Malaria vector control tools in emergency settings: What do experts think? Results from a DELPHI survey
19785C. Boete, S. Burza, E. Lasry, S. Moriana and W. Robertson, Conflict and Health, 15:11. 2021-12-20 14:16:22.
Background The use and implementation of novel tools for malaria control such as long lasting impregnated bednets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) over the last decade has contributed to a substantial reduction in malaria burden globally. However numerous challenges exist particularly in relation to vector control in emergency settings. This study seeks to explore expert opinion on the utility of existing tools within the emergency context setting and to better understand the attitude towards emerging and innovative tools (including Genetically Modified Mosquitoes) to augment current approaches. Methods 80 experts in the field of malaria and vector control were invited to participate in a two-round Delphi survey. They were selected through a combination of literature (academic and policy publications) review and snowball sampling reflecting a range of relevant backgrounds including vector control experts, malaria programme managers and emergency response specialists. The survey was conducted online through a questionnaire including the possibility for free text entry, and concentrated on the following topics: Utility and sustainability of current vector control tools, both in and outside emergency settings Feasibility, utility and challenges of emerging vector control tools, both in and outside emergency settings Current and unmet research priorities in malaria vector control and in malaria control in general. Results 37 experts completed the first round and 31 completed the second round of the survey. There was a stronger consensus about the increased utility of LLIN compared to IRS in all settings, while insecticide-treated covers and blankets ranked very high only in emergency settings. When considering the combination of tools, the ones deemed most interesting always involved LLINs and IRS regardless of the setting, and the acceptability and the efficacy at reducing transmission are essential characteristics. Regarding perceptions of tools currently under development, consensus was towards improvement of existing tools rather than investing in novel approaches and the majority of respondents expressed distrust for genetic approaches. Conclusion Malaria vector control experts expressed more confidence for tools whose efficacy is backed up by epidemiological evidence, hence a preference for the improvement rather than the combination of existing tools. Moreover, while several novel tools are under development, the majority of innovative approaches did not receive support, particularly in emergency settings. Stakeholders involved in the development of novel tools should involve earlier and raise awareness of the potential effectiveness amongst a wider range of experts within the malaria community to increase acceptability and improve early adoption once the evidence base is established.
No, genetically engineered mosquitoes aren’t about to be released in Berkeley
19619K. D. Rauch, Berkeleyside, 2021-12-13 21:34:24.
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 knowledge, anyway, and if it were official, she would know. The Berkeley City Council’s robust discussion of this at a council meeting in early November was based partially on misleading information, said Pierce.The council, at its Nov. 9 meeting, considered whether to send a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing a potential California pilot study of mosquitoes engineered to combat Zika, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and other diseases.Councilmember Ben Bartlett sponsored the item, sending out an email to constituents ahead of time urging them to take action to prevent the EPA from “releasing billions of genetically engineered mosquitoes across California, specifically in Alameda County.” The sample letter Bartlett presented to the council was focused statewide, but background information he shared, as well as discussion at the meeting, focused on keeping the mosquitoes out of the county.
In Real Life: GMOsquitoes
19544Newsy, 2021-12-06 20:41:41.
The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida gives hope of reducing the spread of disease while causing concerns among some citizens.
The economic value of genetically engineered mosquitoes as a Malaria control strategy depends on local transmission rates
19788K. Lacy, K. A. Schaefer, D. P. Scheitrum and E. Y. Klein, Biotechnology Journal, 10. 2021-12-06 14:26:13.
This paper assesses the economic value of genetically engineered (GE) Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes as a malaria control strategy. We use an epidemiological-economic model of malaria transmission to evaluate this technology for a range of village-level transmission settings. In each setting, we evaluate public health outcomes following introduction of GE mosquitoes relative to a "status quo" baseline scenario. We also assess results both in contrast to-and in combination with-a Mass Drug Administration (MDA) strategy. We find that-in low transmission settings-the present value (PV) public health benefits of GE mosquito release are substantial, both relative to status quo dynamics and MDA. In contrast, in high transmission settings, the release of GE mosquitoes may increase steady-state infection rates. Our results indicate that there are substantial policy complementarities when GE mosquito release is combined with local MDA-the combined control strategy can lead to local eradication.
New Arthropod Containment Recommendations Provide Essential Guidance for Safety of Gene Drive Research
19467S. James and D. O’Brochta, The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, tpmd211148. 2021-11-30 14:49:53.
Gene drive technologies have not yet been field tested, however, there are no data on the possible environmental or health effects of releasing gene drive–modified organisms. For this reason, there have been widespread calls for additional guidance on risk assessment and management, and some have even proposed a moratorium on gene drive research until such guidance is in place. One immediate need has been for guidance on appropriate containment measures that researchers should follow when investigating gene drive–modified organisms, given that these are meant to spread their transgenes by inter breeding with compatible local species. For example, a 2020 survey of biosafety professionals revealed that the majority felt existing guidance was inadequate for making risk assessments and containment decisions regarding gene drive–modified arthropods. Lack of standard guidance can lead to uneven application of containment measures among institutions and decreased public confidence in the research. The American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME)of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene has responded to this need with the recent publication of an addendum to its widely influential Arthropod ContainmentGuidelines. The new addendum6provides specific recommendations on containment practices for arthropods modified with engineered transgenes capable of gene drive.
Genome editing and its applications for insect pest control: Curse or blessing?
19401Hacker, I. , and Schetelig, M. F, AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Development and Field Application, 2021-11-29 18:00:39.
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 disciplines of insect genomics, molecular biology, and pest control together with the need for clear risk assessment, policy development and public approval of the application of such novel technologies. The goal is to generate innovative and sustainable pest control solutions applied in the best interest for the environment and human society. Here, starting from available genome editing technologies, the current strategies and applications for insect pest control are discussed, including approaches to overcome the evolution of resistance alleles and other potential pitfalls to be expected from selective pressures resulting from gene drive applications. They are supplemented by views on regulatory, policy and ethical considerations that in our opinion will be necessary to define how the different tools can be used in the future in a safe and responsible way.
Wolbachia cifB induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in the malaria mosquito vector
19439K. L. Adams, D. G. Abernathy, B. C. Willett, E. K. Selland, M. A. Itoe and F. Catteruccia, Nature Microbiology, 6:1575-1582. 2021-11-26 20:50:59.
Wolbachia, a maternally inherited intracellular bacterial species, can manipulate host insect reproduction by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in embryo lethality in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. CI is encoded by two prophage genes, cifA and cifB. Wolbachia, coupled with the sterile insect technique, has been used in field trials to control populations of the dengue vector Aedes albopictus, but CI-inducing strains are not known to infect the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Here we show that cifA and cifB can induce conditional sterility in the malaria vector An. gambiae. We used transgenic expression of these Wolbachia-derived genes in the An. gambiae germline to show that cifB is sufficient to cause embryonic lethality and that cifB-induced sterility is rescued by cifA expression in females. When we co-expressed cifA and cifB in male mosquitoes, the CI phenotype was attenuated. In female mosquitoes, cifB impaired fertility, which was overcome by co-expression of cifA. Our findings pave the way towards using CI to control malaria mosquito vectors.
Uncle Sam’s Dangerous Game
19218X. Ping, XINHUANET, 2021-11-07 21:33:52.
Since the very beginning, residents in Florida Keys doubted if the “self-limiting” gene of Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes brought and released there by Oxitec, a biotech firm, and approved by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD), was as powerful as the company described. Oxitec said that the male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carried a “self-limiting” gene that produces a fatal protein which can kill their female offspring. In this way, population of mosquitoes in FKMCD was expected to crash rapidly. But for many residents in Florida Keys, those GM mosquitoes were like a Trojan Horse: it was sent to their doorstep, without any notice in advance, but they did not know what could be hidden on the inside. In fact, this "horse" has already been sent to other places multiple times. Before 2021, when Oxitec started the GM mosquitoes experiment in Florida, the firm had already been testing their immature research in Brazil, Malaysia, and the Cayman Islands for a decade. Yet in 2019, scientists from Yale University found out that Oxitec’s technology might actually strengthen offspring of mosquitoes rather than kill them. Residents in Florida Keys therefore rejected the program, pointing out that the firm had not been forthright in telling them the possible health consequences of the experiment. The Florida Keys Environmental Coalition, a local voluntary organization, launched a petition with over 200,000 signatures against the Oxitec project.
Fighting Dengue Virus with Biological Weapons
19130Z. Ebrahim, Inter Press Service, 2021-11-02 14:34:03.
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 male (only) mosquitoes, when they mate with Aedes females (also the carrier of the virus), would produce offspring that would die while still at larvae or pupae stage, explained Ali, the only Pakistani with a doctorate in genetically modified mosquitoes. In addition, genetic modifications, he said, can also shorten the life span, cause sterility and even death of the transformed Aedes species. However, those who can decide have dawdled for too long with the result that the virus has gone out of control, he remarked. He has been trying to draw attention but with little success. “They [government officials] tell me if word gets out the government was fighting the virus by letting loose even more mosquitoes, they will have to confront the wrath of the public!”
Containment Practices for Arthropods Modified with Engineered Transgenes Capable of Gene Drive Addendum 1 to the Arthropod Containment Guidelines, Version 3.2
19069American Committee of Medical Entomology, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2021-10-28 20:19:33.
Responsible conduct of research is a cornerstone of rigorous scientific discovery. Institutional committees, independent advisory panels, and expert steering groups are among the frameworks in academia meant to provide guidance and assurances that research activities do not result in harm to the environment, research staff, or public safety. For research involving arthropods of public health importance, several documents currently exist to guide investigators in methodologies to consider for reducing risks from arthropod escape. However, to date, there has been no standardized set of recommendations on containment practices for arthropods modified with engineered transgenes capable of gene drive. This document is meant to serve as a practical reference to fill that gap. Recommendations outlined here address containment considerations when a risk assessment indicates a possibility of establishment of a new arthropod vector species or genetically modified arthropods in the local environment.
Sterilizing Male Mosquitoes with Gene Editing to Reduce Disease Spread
18938Global Biodefense Staff, Global Biodefense, 2021-10-11 20:42:18.
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 mosquitoes, which are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discerned how a mutation can suppress the fertility of female mosquitoes. To manage populations, scientists use a vector-control practice called the sterile insect technique in which they raise a lot of sterile male insects and they then release these males in numbers that overwhelm their wild counterparts. Females that mate with sterile males before finding a fertile one are themselves rendered infertile, thereby decreasing the size of the next generation. Repeating this technique several times has the potential to crash the population because each generation is smaller than the last; releasing a similar number of sterile males has a stronger effect over time.
Small-scale release of non-gene drive mosquitoes in Burkina Faso: from engagement implementation to assessment, a learning journey
18910L. Pare Toe, N. Barry, A. D. Ky, S. Kekele, W. Meda, K. Bayala, M. Drabo, D. Thizy and A. Diabate, Malaria Journal, 20:395. 2021-10-11 14:50:37.
This study provides a review of engagement activities relevant to field trials on non-gene drive genetically-modified mosquitoes as well as an assessment framework-using both qualitative and quantitative studies as well as an audit procedure. The latter was implemented to evaluate whether the release activities could proceed with the appropriate level of agreement from the community. RESULTS: This paper shows the importance of this first phase of work to innovate and learn about engagement processes for responsible research in the field of genetic approaches for malaria vector control. The function of these assessments is crucial for the learning agenda. The assessments demonstrated ways to increase understanding and ensure effective progress with field studies and, therefore, the pathway for responsible research.
Fighting the world’s most deadly animal: the mosquito
19227M. Rozenbaum, Understanding Animal Research, 2021-10-09 21:50:46.
n the first, sterile male mosquitos are mass produced and released into the wild. These sterile males mate with wild females who then lay sterile eggs which will not hatch. This approach has been shown to reduce wild populations by as much as 90% in trials with Aedes aegypt. The second approach is to introduce a gene that, if inherited, results in the death of the female, but not the male. Genetically modified males are mass produced and released. Only male offspring from matings between the modified males and wild females survive. They go on to breed, further spreading the female-killing gene and reducing the overall mosquito population. Genetically modified mosquitoes have been successfully used in parts of Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and India to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Since 2019, over one billion GM mosquitoes have been released. When genetically modified mosquitoes stop being released into an area, the Ae. aegypti mosquito population slowly returns to normal levels, so control requires regular release of modified mosquitos.
Genome engineering in insects for the control of vector borne diseases
18875V. E. Hillary and S. A. Ceasar, Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 179:197-223. 2021-10-05 19:22:57.
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 studies by targeting the genomes of insects may offer an alternative strategy. Developments with novel genome engineering technologies have stretched our ability to target and modify any genomic sequence in Eukaryotes including insects. Genome engineering tools such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and most recently discovered, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) systems hold the potential to control the vector-borne diseases. In this chapter, we review the vector control strategy undertaken by employing three major genome engineering tools (ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9) and discuss the future prospects of this system to control insect vectors. Finally, we also discuss the CRISPR-based gene drive system and its concerns due to ecological impacts.
Stakeholders call for adoption of emerging technologies to fight Malaria
18869C. Muchira, KBC, 2021-10-05 19:08:06.
Health stakeholders are calling for adoption of innovative and emerging technologies such as gene drive to change the focus of the war on malaria from just controlling its spread to actual elimination. The African Institute for Development Policy and other stakeholders have urged the government to allocate adequate resources to boost initiatives by institutions in fighting malaria and improve health.According to a 2020 World Health Organization report, in 2019, 229 million people were infected with Malaria in 87 malaria endemic countries. The African Region recorded an estimated 215 million cases in 2019 which accounted for about 94% of cases including Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%) and Niger (3%) accounted for about 51% of all cases globally. Although milestones have been made, the persisting high rates of illnesses and deaths have called for concerted efforts towards malaria elimination.
Scientists use gene editing tool to target mosquito-spread disease
18650Medical Research Council, Phys Org, 2021-09-13 20:12:56.
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 CRISPR/Cas9 could be used to successfully introduce a gene for a fluorescent protein into the genome of southern house mosquitoes. The gene could be passed on to the next generation through mating. This is a vital component of generating genetic pest management tools. It will allow the desired traits (such as the inability to spread a disease or produce fertile offspring) to be spread throughout a population. The inserted gene produces red fluorescence proteins so that mosquitoes with one or more edited gene fluoresce red. Scientists targeted an eye color gene for the insertion site of the fluorescence gene so mosquitoes that inherited two edited genes from their parents would have white eyes, not black. Both these traits make it easier for scientists to easily identify mosquitoes whose genomes had been modified.
Mosquitoes Sterilized by CRISPR Powered Precision System
18648A. A. Sarkar, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, 2021-09-13 20:06:53.
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 spread of A. aegypti, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), have now developed a CRISPR-based molecular genetic control system called precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) that alters insect genes to generate flightless female and sterile male mosquitoes. The pgSIT system can be deployed effectively at any stage in the life cycle of the mosquito. The authors used mathematical models to empirically demonstrate that once released, male A. aegypti mosquitoes sterilized using the pgSIT system can compete, suppress, and eliminate fertile mosquito populations in the wild. The pgSIT system is not limited to restricting mosquito populations, it can be adapted to different vectors to curb transmissible diseases in a safe, confinable, and reversible manner, the authors claim. These findings are reported in the Nature Communications article, “Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males.”
New precision-guided sterile insect technique designed to control disease-spreading mosquitoes
18674E. Henderson, News Medical Life Sciences, 2021-09-11 19:59:16.
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 insect technique, or pgSIT, alters genes linked to male fertility--creating sterile offspring--and female flight in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for spreading wide-ranging diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika.Details of the new pgSIT are described September 10, 2021, in the journal Nature Communications. pgSIT differs from "gene drive" systems that could suppress disease vectors by passing desired genetic alterations indefinitely from one generation to the next. Instead, pgSIT uses CRISPR to sterilize male mosquitoes and render female mosquitoes, which spread disease, as flightless. The system is self-limiting and is not predicted to persist or spread in the environment, two important safety features that should enable acceptance for this technology. Akbari says the envisioned pgSIT system could be implemented by deploying eggs of sterile males and flightless females at target locations where mosquito-borne disease spread is occurring.
Genetic engineering tech promises to sterilize disease-spreading mosquitoes
18525B. Hays, UPI, 2021-09-10 16:01:17.
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 pgSIT, relies on gene alterations that disrupt fertility in males and flight in females. Gene-altered males are released into a problematic population to compete with healthy males. "pgSIT is a new scalable genetic control system that uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquitoes that can suppress populations," corresponding author Omar Akbari said in a press release. Map of malaria parasite's gene activity reveals new targets for drugs, vaccines "Males don't transmit diseases so the idea is that as you release more and more sterile males, you can suppress the population without relying on harmful chemicals and insecticides," said Akbari, a professor of biological sciences at the University of California, San Diego.
Genetic Engineering Technology Promises To Sterilize Disease-Spreading Mosquito Populations
18519D. Gyllhem, VIGOURTIMES, 2021-09-10 15:00:02.
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 pgSIT, relies on gene alterations that disrupt fertility in males and flight in females. Gene-altered males are released into a problematic population to compete with healthy males. Scientists described the novel method in a new paper, published Friday in the journal Nature Communications. “pgSIT is a new scalable genetic control system that uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquitoes that can suppress populations,” corresponding author Omar Akbari said in a press release. “Males don’t transmit diseases so the idea is that as you release more and more sterile males, you can suppress the population without relying on harmful chemicals and insecticides,” said Akbari, a professor of biological sciences at the University of California, San Diego.
New Technology Designed to Genetically Control Disease-spreading Mosquitoes
18515M. Aguilera, UC San Diego News Center, 2021-09-10 14:49:00.
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 Stephanie Gamez depicts flightless females and sterile male mosquitoes, features of the new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, which is designed to control disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, alters genes linked to male fertility—creating sterile offspring—and female flight in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for spreading wide-ranging diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika. “pgSIT is a new scalable genetic control system that uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquitoes that can suppress populations,” said UC San Diego Biological Sciences Professor Omar Akbari. “Males don’t transmit diseases so the idea is that as you release more and more sterile males, you can suppress the population without relying on harmful chemicals and insecticides.”
Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males
18513M. 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. 2021-09-10 14:42:45.
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 needed. To complement existing measures, here we develop a molecular genetic control system termed precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) in Aedes aegypti. PgSIT uses a simple CRISPR-based approach to generate flightless females and sterile males that are deployable at any life stage. Supported by mathematical models, we empirically demonstrate that released pgSIT males can compete, suppress, and even eliminate mosquito populations. This platform technology could be used in the field, and adapted to many vectors, for controlling wild populations to curtail disease in a safe, confinable, and reversible manner.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes — What’s The Real Story?
18289SPW Staff, Southeast Product Weekly, 2021-09-02 14:58:32.
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 only male offspring. In a generation or two, there are no more girl mosquitoes to have baby mosquitoes. That’s the simple explanation. t might help to know this experiment was tried once before — successfully — in Brazil.There’s now a new, science-based online information resource about genetically modified mosquitoes from University of Florida scientists at the UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory. “Genetically Modified Mosquitoes” is the latest publication on Ask IFAS, UF/IFAS’ Electronic Data Information Source (EDIS) peer-reviewed site, that provides relevant information regarding the pilot projects in select areas of the Florida Keys. The experiments, which are a collaboration between the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and the biotechnology company Oxitec founded in the United Kingdom out of Oxford University, are permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Mosquito transgenesis for malaria control
18284S. Dong, Y. Dong, M. L. Simões and G. Dimopoulos, Trends in Parasitology, 2021-09-02 14:42:32.
Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases. Because of the ineffectiveness of current malaria-control methods, several novel mosquito vector-based control strategies have been proposed to supplement existing control strategies. Mosquito transgenesis and gene drive have emerged as promising tools for preventing the spread of malaria by either suppressing mosquito populations by self-destructing mosquitoes or replacing mosquito populations with disease-refractory populations. Here we review the development of mosquito transgenesis and its application for malaria control, highlighting the transgenic expression of antiparasitic effector genes, inactivation of host factor genes, and manipulation of miRNAs and lncRNAs. Overall, from a malaria-control perspective, mosquito transgenesis is not envisioned as a stand-alone approach; rather, its use is proposed as a complement to existing vector-control strategies.
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Amendment to Experimental Use Permit for Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes
18279PCT Staff, Pest Control Technology, 2021-09-01 14:19:37.
EPA is seeking public comment on a proposed amendment to extend and expand an approved Experimental Use Permit (EUP). The EUP currently allows Oxitec Ltd. to field test the use of genetically engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes as a way to reduce mosquito populations in Florida and Texas through April 2022. The proposed amendment would extend field testing in Florida by another 24 months on up to 6,240 acres and expand testing to California on up 84,600 acres. This amendment is still being reviewed by EPA and has not yet been approved. Once EPA finishes reviewing the proposed amendment and public comments, EPA will make a decision about whether to extend and expand the EUP. In May 2020, EPA granted Oxitec’s EUP after extensive evaluation of the best available science, consideration of public input, and consultation with technical experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Starting in late April 2021, Oxitec has been measuring how effective OX5034 genetically engineered mosquitoes are in suppressing Aedes aegypti mosquito populations in Florida. They release genetically engineered male mosquitoes that have a gene that makes a specific protein. This protein, as produced in female mosquitoes, prevents female offspring from surviving. The absence of female mosquito emergence in the release area results in mosquito population decline, and potentially, the reduction of vector pathogens that cause mosquito-borne illnesses such as the dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses.
UF/IFAS Researchers Explain Science Behind Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
18276PCT Staff, Pest Control Technology, 2021-09-01 14:14:47.
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 publication on Ask IFAS, UF/IFAS’ Electronic Data Information Source (EDIS) peer-reviewed site, that provides relevant information regarding the pilot projects in select areas of the Florida Keys. The experiments, which are a collaboration between the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and the biotechnology company Oxitec founded in the United Kingdom out of Oxford University, are permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The UF/IFAS publication describes the mosquito species being targeted, what to expect from the pilot projects, why this approach is being used as well as answers to other frequently asked questions about genetically modified mosquitoes. The publication also lists additional linked resources for readers interested in more detailed information on the topic and science. “The rationale for producing this document is to help inform the public and those who are interested or impacted by the current trials run by Oxitec,” said Eric Caragata, an assistant professor at UF/IFAS FMEL. “As scientists who are not directly involved in the project, we wanted to clearly address some of the important questions and concerns.”
Mobilizing Mutant Mosquitoes to Fight Malaria
18227D. Mclaughlin and J. Recht, United Nations Foundation, 2021-08-18 15:49:29.
World Mosquito Day today marks the 1897 discovery by Sir Ronald Ross that female Anopheles mosquitoes spread malaria. Since that breakthrough, the world has fought this deadly disease through scientific research and new technology. While astounding progress has been made against the ancient disease, more than 400,000 people died from malaria in 2019, two-thirds of them children under 5, the vast majority in Africa.Existing malaria controls such as spraying insecticides indoors or sleeping beneath long-lasting insecticidal bed nets work by blocking mosquitoes from biting people and transmitting malaria. Such tools have helped halve malaria in many countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Yet this remarkable progress is in jeopardy as mosquitoes develop resistance to these insecticides. As the dangerous mosquito continues to adapt, health interventions must continue evolving to protect families from this disease and move us closer to a malaria-free world. Now, there is a promising new tool, seemingly ripped from the pages of a science fiction novel, to stop malaria’s spread: genetically modified mosquitoes.
Why Genes That Make Mosquitoes Glow Can Help Reduce Vector-Borne Disease
18143E. Ricciuti, Entomology Today, 2021-08-17 17:21:36.
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, or transgenic, mosquitoes, scientists stich together a construct of mosquito DNA that endows them with a trait that kills off females before they can reproduce, eventually suppressing the surrounding population. Two genes are inserted together into the modified DNA. One is a self-limiting device that prevents female mosquitoes from maturing to adults. The other is a marker that makes the mosquitoes that possess it glow under certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light, facilitating identification when they are collected in monitoring efforts. Scientists at North Carolina State University (NCSU) are trying to give that glow more pizzazz, according to a new study published in July in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
18286E. P. Caragata, Y. Lee and E. A. Buckner, UF IFAS Extension Service, 2021-08-17 14:49:18.
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 investigated as a tool for mosquito control. Describes a GM mosquito pilot project in Florida, and includes FAQs and answers explaining how GM mosquitoes are created and their potential impacts on people and the environment.
2021 WHO guidelines on genetically modified mosquitoes
18084M. Makoni, The Lancet Microbe, 2:e353. 2021-08-01 17:27:59.
On May 19, 2021, WHO updated its guidelines for research and development on genetically modified mosquitoes, which define the standards for decision-making about how and when testing should proceed and describe best practices to ensure that research done in a public health context is safe, ethical, and rigorous. TDR, WHO's Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, and the GeneConvene Global Collaborative, an initiative of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, developed the updated guidelines building on the 2014 recommendations, integrating the latest advancements in mosquito genetic modification. “Vector-borne diseases are a major global public health issue. Over 100 countries are endemic for diseases such as dengue, malaria, and Zika. Dengue alone puts 2·5 billion people at risk”, says John Reeder (TDR and Department of Research for Health, WHO). Attacking the mosquitoes is an effective way of controlling the transmission of these diseases, but it is a massive task. “We are badly in need of new technologies that will change the game and allow effective, widespread control”, Reeder told The Lancet Microbe.
Oxitec and MosquitoMate in the United States: lessons for the future of gene drive mosquito control
17890C. E. Schairer, J. Najera, A. A. James, O. S. Akbari and C. S. Bloss, Pathogens and Global Health, 2021-07-27 12:51:01.
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? are in development. Systems based on genetic engineering are controversial and institutions around the world are grappling with the question of who should have a say in how such technologies are field-tested and used. Based on media coverage and public records, we created comparative timelines of the efforts of Oxitec and MosquitoMate to navigate federal and local governance and bring their products to market in the United States. We analyze these timelines with particular attention to the role of public input in technology governance. These cases illustrate how governance of technology in the US is diverse, complex, and opaque. Further, the public response to proposed field trials of the Oxitec product highlights inconsistencies between public expectations for governance and actual practice. As gene-drive mosquito control products develop, both federal and local agencies will find their legitimacy tested without a better procedure for transparently integrating public input.
The Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) hsp83 Gene Promoter Drives Strong Ubiquitous DsRed and ZsGreen Marker Expression in Transgenic Mosquitoes
18145S. H. Webster and M. J. Scott, Journal of Medical Entomology, 2021-07-24 17:29:43.
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 Ae. aegypti heat shock protein 83 (hsp83) promoter in transgenic mosquitoes. Transgenic larvae and pupae show strong full body expression of the red and green fluorescent proteins. This greatly assists in screening for transgenic individuals while making new or maintaining already established lines. Transient marker gene expression after embryo microinjection was readily visible in developing larvae allowing the separation of individuals that are more likely to produce transgenic offspring. The strongly expressed marker genes developed in this study should facilitate the detection of transgenic Ae. aegypti larvae or pupae in the field.
CRISPR/Cas-9 mediated knock-in by homology dependent repair in the West Nile Virus vector Culex quinquefasciatus Say
17811D.-K. Purusothaman, L. Shackleford, M. A. E. Anderson, T. Harvey-Samuel and L. Alphey, Scientific Reports, 11:14964. 2021-07-22 14:14:08.
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 (e.g. physical/chemical) are increasingly ineffective; use of insecticides also imposes hazards to both human and ecosystem health. Advances in genome editing have allowed the development of genetic insect control methods, which are species-specific and, theoretically, highly effective. CRISPR/Cas9 is a bacteria-derived programmable gene editing tool that is functional in a range of species. We describe the first successful germline gene knock-in by homology dependent repair in C. quinquefasciatus. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we integrated an sgRNA expression cassette and marker gene encoding a fluorescent protein fluorophore (Hr5/IE1-DsRed, Cq7SK-sgRNA) into the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (kmo) gene. We achieved a minimum transformation rate of 2.8%, similar to rates in other mosquito species. Precise knock-in at the intended locus was confirmed. Insertion homozygotes displayed a white eye phenotype in early-mid larvae and a recessive lethal phenotype by pupation. This work provides an efficient method for engineering C. quinquefasciatus, providing a new tool for developing genetic control tools for this vector.
GM mosquitoes to fight malaria
17818I. Khisa, The INDEPENDENT, 2021-07-19 14:40:06.
Scientists at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) plans to undertake a research on genetically engineered mosquitoes to tackle malaria. Dr. Jonathan Kayondo, the principal investigator Target Malaria Uganda and Senior Research Officer at UVRI had an email interview with The Independent’s Isaac Khisa about the research and here are the excerpts: n Uganda, Target Malaria’s research is still in early stages, currently at facility readiness. The Uganda Virus Research Institute became a primary Target Malaria project site in 2016. We have been laying the research groundwork by setting up the necessary infrastructure and building capacity of the teams. We constructed a new Arthropod Containment Level 2 (ACL2) insectary to facilitate future studies on development and evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes following international containment guidelines and best practices. It was inaugurated in July 2019. Our teams are currently testing the facility for functionality by studying the local wild mosquitoes under containment and developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) as part of the capacity building efforts. We are also busy developing stakeholder engagement strategies and preparing to apply for regulatory approval for the next stage of our research.
A new tool in the global fight against malaria
17666S. Laux, Brighter World, 2021-07-08 19:56:20.
McMaster researchers with the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI) have played a key role in developing updated international guidelines that will inform research and development on genetically modified mosquitoes – an initiative that could significantly affect global efforts to eradicate mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever, Zika virus and malaria. Released by the World Health Organization in late May, the guidelines describe best practices to ensure that the study of genetically modified mosquitoes is scientifically rigorous and meets essential standards of safety, effectiveness, accessibility and ethics. “The previous World Health Organization guidance for testing genetically modified mosquitoes was from 2014 – and since then, there have been multiple technological developments and considerable scientific progress,” explains Claudia Emerson, the director of IEPI and a professor of philosophy who, along with IEPI researchers Travis Ramsay and Aaron Roberts, developed the guidance’s chapter on ethical considerations. “Genetically modifying organisms isn’t new, at least not from an ethical or scientific perspective – but as the technology has developed over the years, especially with respect to mosquitoes, there has been a change in its perception and the receptivity to using it. It was important to update the guidance to reflect these changes.”
West African countries working together to develop framework to regulate genetically engineered mosquitos: Target Malaria
17663Anonymous, Global News, 2021-07-08 19:50:08.
Abdoulaye Diabaté, principal investigator for Target Malaria, says West African countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Benin are working with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to develop a pan-West African framework to regulate gene drive mosquitos.
Fighting disease: How are genetically engineered mosquitoes regulated?
17652A. Julie, Global News, 2021-07-08 19:26:36.
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 of mosquitoes, scientists hope to prevent them from passing on pathogens to humans and, therefore, control the spread of vector-borne diseases. To some, it is an exciting opportunity that could open up new possibilities in the fight against endemic diseases. But the practice has also raised questions from some in the scientific and environmental communities about the impact on local ecosystems, and the ripple effects such modifications could have on the mosquito populations themselves.
Bill Gates Releasing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in Florida? Here’s the Whole Story
17558M. Dapcevich, Snopes, 2021-06-03 14:44:33.
Bill Gates is not himself releasing mosquitoes into the wild. However, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation did award grants that funded biotech company Oxitec's work to develop genetically modified mosquitoes that may help reduce the spread of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. In April 2021, it was announced that approximately 150,000 mosquitoes would be released across six locations in Florida. Several state and federal agencies have been involved in the approval of this project. A multi-year research project to genetically modify Aedes aegypti, a mosquito species that is known to carry and transmit infectious diseases to humans, was slated to move from the lab to the fields of Texas and Florida in mid-2021. Under the project, thousands of A. aegypti were altered to make their reproduction more difficult, thus slowing and eventually preventing the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika, and dengue fever. But when the internet caught wind that Bill Gates may have been behind the project, posts circulated on social media that questioned the real motivation behind the project.
Genetically modified mosquitoes and Africa
17194S. Bagcchi, Sci Dev Net, 2021-06-02 20:30:12.
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 Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. For malaria, genetic modification has focused on reducing the ability of the female Anopheles mosquito to carry the parasite that causes the disease. The WHO guidance, released this month, relates to research and development of GM mosquitoes as well as issues around effectiveness, safety, affordability and ethics. GDN awards advert finalised Presently, measures against mosquito vectors include the use of insecticides and elimination of the breeding spots of mosquito larva, said the guidance, developed in partnership with WHO collaborators such as the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and the GeneConvene Global Collaborative.
Mutant mosquitoes carrying ‘death gene’ released as ‘bio-engineered’ insects terrify
17185J. Caven, Daily Star, 2021-06-02 20:16:02.
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 Keys, US. Although the males don’t bite, they carry a gene which passes on and kills female offspring in the early larval stages. The pilot project aims to wipe out a generation of potential disease-carriers. Scientists say usual methods to stop the spread of disease from mosquitoes are becoming less effective due to resistance. But critics have slammed the programme and say they are being used as “guinea pigs in a sci-fi experiment”, the Times reported.
‘Death gene’ in genetically modified male mosquitoes
17181J. Goddard, The Times, 2021-06-02 20:10:43.
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 mating with local populations of invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, whose female progeny are programmed to die before they mature, wiping out a generation of potential disease-carriers. “Mosquito-borne disease is a very real issue and conventional controls are losing their effectiveness,” said Dr Nathan Rose, head of regulatory affairs at Oxitec in Milton Park, Oxfordshire.
New CRISPR Tools Can Help Contain Mosquito Disease Transmission
17191Anonymous, labcompare, 2021-06-01 20:26:34.
Scientists have now developed several genetic editing tools that help pave the way to an eventual gene drive designed to stop Culex mosquitoes from spreading disease. As detailed in the journal Nature Communications, Xuechun Feng, Valentino Gantz and their colleagues at Harvard Medical School and National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories developed a Cas9/guide-RNA expression "toolkit" designed for Culex mosquitoes. Since such little attention in genetic engineering has been devoted to Culex mosquitoes, the researchers were required to develop their toolkit from scratch, starting with a careful examination of the Culex genome. While Culex mosquitoes are less problematic in the United States, they are much more of a health risk in Africa and Asia, where they transmit the worm causing filariasis, a disease that can lead to a chronic debilitating condition known as elephantiasis. The researchers also demonstrated that their tools could work in other insects.
African Experts Welcome WHO Guidance on Ethics, Standards, and Governance of Genetically Modified Mosquito Research
17200E. Nakkazi, Health Policy Watch, 2021-06-01 15:24:31.
Researchers engaged in mosquito gene drive technologies are optimistic that new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on best research practices will ensure that their work is safe and ethical. Such guidance also helps research results advance from laboratories to be used in the field, the researchers told Health Policy Watch. Due to limiting regulatory frameworks, most African countries doing research on genetically modified mosquitoes have been accused of carrying out unethical research. Some confine their work to laboratories because regulations mostly focus on handling plant-based genetically modified organisms. The WHO recently released essential standards for the study and evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes so use of this public health tool can be ethical, effective, and affordable. Malaria kills more than 400,000 people a year worldwide. “Genetically modified mosquitoes are one of a number of promising new tools that could help speed the pace of progress against malaria and other vector-borne diseases,” WHO Global Malaria Programme Director Dr Pedro Alonso said.
WHO releases new guidance for deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes
17130E. Henderson, News Medical Life Sciences, 2021-05-28 19:13:57.
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 Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. For malaria, genetic modification has focused on reducing the ability of the female Anopheles mosquito to carry the parasite that causes the disease. The WHO guidance, released this month, relates to research and development of GM mosquitoes as well as issues around effectiveness, safety, affordability and ethics. Presently, measures against mosquito vectors include the use of insecticides and elimination of the breeding spots of mosquito larva, said the guidance, developed in partnership with WHO collaborators such as the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and the GeneConvene Global Collaborative.
Researchers Create New CRISPR Tools to Help Contain Mosquito Disease Transmission
18225M. Aguilera, UC San Diego News Center, 2021-05-28 15:43:14.
Much less genetic engineering has been devoted to Culex genus mosquitoes, which spread devastating afflictions stemming from West Nile virus—the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States—as well as other viruses such as the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and the pathogen causing avian malaria, a threat to Hawaiian birds.University of California San Diego scientists have now developed several genetic editing tools that help pave the way to an eventual gene drive designed to stop Culex mosquitoes from spreading disease. Gene drives are designed to spread modified genes, in this case those that disable the ability to transmit pathogens, throughout the targeted wild population.As detailed in the journal Nature Communications, Xuechun Feng, Valentino Gantz and their colleagues at Harvard Medical School and National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories developed a Cas9/guide-RNA expression “toolkit” designed for Culex mosquitoes. Since such little attention in genetic engineering has been devoted to Culex mosquitoes, the researchers were required to develop their toolkit from scratch, starting with a careful examination of the Culex genome.
New CRISPR tools help contain mosquito disease transmission: Genetics toolkit targets less researched Culex mosquitoes, which transmit West Nile virus and avian malaria.
17145University of California - San Diego, ScienceDaily, 2021-05-28 13:29:00.
Since the onset of the CRISPR genetic editing revolution, scientists have been working to leverage the technology in the development of gene drives that target pathogen-spreading mosquitoes such as Anopheles and Aedes species, which spread malaria, dengue and other life-threatening diseases. Much less genetic engineering has been devoted to Culex genus mosquitoes, which spread devastating afflictions stemming from West Nile virus -- the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States -- as well as other viruses such as the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and the pathogen causing avian malaria, a threat to Hawaiian birds. University of California San Diego scientists have now developed several genetic editing tools that help pave the way to an eventual gene drive designed to stop Culex mosquitoes from spreading disease. Gene drives are designed to spread modified genes, in this case those that disable the ability to transmit pathogens, throughout the targeted wild population.
Mosquitoes are deadly pests, genetically-modified mosquitoes could help stop disease
17127T. Browne, ClickOrlando, 2021-05-27 19:04:12.
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 right now in the Florida Keys could help change the tide. Fenson works as the head of global public affairs for Oxitec and sat down with News 6 anchors Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden on Florida’s Fourth Estate podcast to talk about how genetically modified mosquitoes work, concerns surrounding their release and Oxitec’s plans to release more in the future. Aedes Aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, only makes up about 4% of the population in the Florida Keys but Fenson says they are responsible for virtually all the diseases spread from mosquitoes to humans. She says this includes Zika, dengue fever and Chikungunya.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes: What to Know
17138N. Pathak, WebMD, 2021-05-25 13:11:47.
It sounds like something out of a movie: a biotech company releases genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild. But this is the real deal, a test that’s been done in a handful of countries around the world and that is underway in the U.S. Scientists hope these bugs can help them stop the spread of some dangerous viruses over time. What Is a Genetically Modified Mosquito? There are more than 200 types of wild mosquitoes buzzing around America and the U.S. territories. One type that’s common in many parts of the country, Aedes aegypti, can spread diseases like dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya through its bite.Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that have had their genes changed in a lab are intended to control the disease-carrying wild ones. It’s a possible alternative to insecticides, which are used so much in the U.S. that some mosquitoes have become resistant to them, meaning they shrug off the deadly effects. And certain insecticides can be toxic to beneficial bugs like bees.
Q&A: WHO updates guidance on testing genetically modified mosquitoes
17135E. N. Dreisbach, Healio, 2021-05-24 13:04:56.
Researchers have been exploring the use of genetically modified mosquitos as a potential control method for vector-borne diseases. Just last month, Oxitec began releasing its genetically modified (GM), self-limiting male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in the hope of reducing the mosquito population.This month, WHO released the second edition of its guidance for testing GM mosquitos (GMMs), updating guidelines that were originally released in 2014. We spoke with Jan Kolaczinski, PhD, MSc, head of the vector control and insecticide resistance unit in WHO’s Global Malaria Program, about the new guidance and what it means for researchers.
Genetically modified mosquitoes; WHO issues new guidance for research
17084DTE Staff, Down To Earth, 2021-05-20 15:10:16.
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 global protocols or standards on the breeding of GMMs. The World Health Organization has addressed this by setting essential standards for the research and development of GMMs. These standards are mainly about ethics, safety, affordability and effectiveness of GMMS. GMMs are male mosquitoes modified to carry a lethal gene. When they mate, the genes get passed on to their offspring. The gene prevents female offspring from building an essential protein and causes them to die before reaching maturity. GMMs could become a cost-effective and powerful tool to control mosquitoes. Over 40,000 people die from malaria and 100-400 million people get infected with dengue each year. They can reach mosquito populations and mosquito larval breeding sites that are currently expensive and difficult to reach. It can target specific mosquito species and thus avoid the ecological and environmental hazards of usual insecticides.
Burkina Faso Testing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Curb Malaria
17082H. Wilkins, Voice of America, 2021-05-20 15:06:44.
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 Institute for Science and Health, said the objective of Target Malaria is to develop a genetic control tool specifically applied to mosquitoes to be able to drastically reduce or eliminate the density of mosquitoes. The scientists are genetically modifying mosquitoes so their offspring will be only male, and any females they mate with after release will also produce just males. Since only female mosquitoes spread malaria, the disease should drop off quickly along with their population. In village of Bana, where the genetically modified mosquitoes were first tested in 2019, locals were initially worried about the experiment. Kiesiara Sanou, a Bana village elder, said that at the beginning, people thought the survey would release mosquitoes in the village that could cause more diseases. But since working with Target Malaria, they’ve come to understand exactly what the purpose is and now even help them with tasks like collecting the mosquitoes. Genetically modified mosquitoes are just one malaria solution that has been tested in Burkina Faso. The country also pioneered pesticide-infused mosquito nets.
Florida Environmental Group Says GMO Mosquitoes Fall Short on Scientific Rigor
17079C. Drukier, NTD, 2021-05-20 15:01:00.
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 like Dengue fever, yellow fever, and the Zika virus. Some people who live in the Keys aren’t happy about being part of a science experiment. Barry Wray, executive director of the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition explains why his organization has been fighting the GMO bugs for the last decade.
Optimized CRISPR tools and site-directed transgenesis towards gene drive development in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes
17147X. Feng, V. López Del Amo, E. Mameli, M. Lee, A. L. Bishop, N. Perrimon and V. M. Gantz, Nature Communications, 12:2960. 2021-05-20 13:34:20.
Culex mosquitoes are a global vector for multiple human and animal diseases, including West Nile virus, lymphatic filariasis, and avian malaria, posing a constant threat to public health, livestock, companion animals, and endangered birds. While rising insecticide resistance has threatened the control of Culex mosquitoes, advances in CRISPR genome-editing tools have fostered the development of alternative genetic strategies such as gene drive systems to fight disease vectors. However, though gene-drive technology has quickly progressed in other mosquitoes, advances have been lacking in Culex. Here, we develop a Culex-specific Cas9/gRNA expression toolkit and use site-directed homology-based transgenesis to generate and validate a Culex quinquefasciatus Cas9-expressing line. We show that gRNA scaffold variants improve transgenesis efficiency in both Culex quinquefasciatus and Drosophila melanogaster and boost gene-drive performance in the fruit fly. These findings support future technology development to control Culex mosquitoes and provide valuable insight for improving these tools in other species.
WHO issues new guidance for research on genetically modified mosquitoes to fight malaria and other vector-borne diseases
17076WHO, reliefweb, 2021-05-19 14:55:10.
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 vector-borne diseases, including dengue and Zika, affect millions globally. More than 400 000 people a year die from malaria alone. If proven safe, effective and affordable, genetically modified vector mosquitoes could be a valuable new tool to fight these diseases and eliminate their enormous health, social and economic burden. The guidance framework for testing genetically modified mosquitoes, developed in partnership with TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, and the GeneConvene Global Collaborative, an initiative of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, describes best practices to ensure that the study and evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes as public health tools is safe, ethical and rigorous. Current strategies for limiting transmission of mosquito-borne diseases are only partially effective. New, complementary approaches are needed to close the gaps in current vector control interventions, such as effective control of outdoor biting, and to provide alternatives to manage the increasing threat of insecticide resistance. Research suggests genetically modified mosquitoes could be a powerful and cost-effective tool to supplement existing interventions.
Guidance framework for testing of genetically modified mosquitoes, second edition
17049WHO, WHO-TDR, 2021-05-19 10:41:03.
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 and guidance, the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR) and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) published in 2014 the first WHO Guidance framework for testing genetically modified mosquitoes. This revised version takes into account the technical progress made and lessons learned in this rapidly advancing field of research. Like the original guidance framework, it is intended to provide standards that foster quality and consistency in the processes for developing, testing and regulating these new genetic technologies. Best practices recommended in the 2021 guidance framework will further contribute to the comparability of results and credibility of conclusions in order to facilitate decision-making by countries interested in the potential use of GMMs as public health tools for the control of vector-borne diseases.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Take Flight to Fight Invasive Species in Florid
17073T. Machemer, Smithosonian Magazine, 2021-05-17 14:46:06.
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 developed into full-grown male mosquitoes and taken flight, Susan Millis reports for Science News. About 12,000 of Oxitec’s male mosquitoes will fly out of the boxes each week for the next 12 weeks. Over several mosquito generations, Oxitec’s genetically modified Aedes aegypti could reduce the population of female mosquitoes—which bite and spread disease—and then lower the entire population in the Florida Keys in turn. The current trial marks the first time that genetically modified mosquitoes have been released to fly freely in the United States.
Genetically modified mosquitoes may help scientists swat dreaded midge
17057W. Jean, The Times, 2021-05-16 13:41:37.
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 mosquitoes in Florida to help curb dengue and yellow fever, and ultimately malaria, may give hope in the fight against the annual Scottish scourge. Oxford-based Oxitec and its American partners recently released genetically modified male mosquito larvae into the Florida Keys to control the wild, disease-carrying mosquito population rather than use pesticides. While midges share some characteristics with mosquitoes, Dr Simon Carpenter, a Pirbright Institute entomologist who was part of the team that built the first complete genome of the Highland biting midge, said the gene-editing process
First Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released in U.S. Are Hatching Now
17046D. Coffey, Scientific American, 2021-05-14 11:50:11.
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 federally approved experiment to study the use of genetic engineering—rather than insecticides—to control disease-carrying mosquito populations. The move targets an invasive species, called Aedes aegypti, that carries Zika, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and other potentially deadly diseases, some of which are on the rise in Florida. The experiment relies on a genetic alteration that will be lethal to a large number of future offspring. In this case, male mosquitoes have been modified to carry a gene that makes their female progeny dependent on the antibiotic tetracycline—and thus fated to die in the wild. As the mating cycle repeats over generations, female numbers are depleted, and the population is suppressed. The modified insects eventually die off, making this approach self-limiting. Oxitec overcame significant regulatory hurdles before getting the go-ahead from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016 and then the Environmental Protection Agency in 2020. If the current pilot effort is successful, the firm is set to release as many as 20 million more males in the prime of Florida’s mosquito season later this year. The results of the experiment could ultimately help address concerns about releasing genetically modified organisms into the wild.
In a World-First, Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Are Hatching in the US
17044B. Bergan, INTERSTING ENGINEERING, 2021-05-14 11:44:58.
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 could see millions more released this year. The biotechnology firm called Oxitec delivered the modified mosquito eggs late in April as part of a federally-endorsed experiment to study the use of genetic engineering, as opposed to insecticides, to control the populations of illness-spreading mosquitoes. This project targets one specific species of mosquito called Aedes aegypti, known to carry Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, dengue, and other possibly deadly diseases. And some of these diseases have been on the rise in Florida. The new genetic contribution given to the mosquitoes will be deadly to many future offspring, with males altered to carry a gene causing female offspring to become dependent on the antibiotic called tetracycline — which is a death sentence for the female mosquitoes. After several generations, there won't be enough female mosquitoes of the species to maintain population numbers, putting a ceiling on them. But this is a temporary measure, since the genetically modified male mosquitoes will eventually all die.
The U.S.’s first open-air genetically modified mosquitoes have taken flight
17041S. Milius, Science News, 2021-05-14 11:35:37.
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 growing from tiny eggs set out in toaster-sized, hexagonal boxes on suburban private properties in late April. On May 12, experiment monitors confirmed that males had matured enough to start flying off on their own to court American female mosquitoes. This short-term Florida experiment marks the first outdoor test in the United States of a strain of GM male mosquitoes as a highly targeted pest control strategy. This strain is engineered to shrink local populations of Ae. aegypti, a mosquito species that spreads dengue and Zika (SN: 7/29/16). That could start happening now that the GM mosquitoes have reached mating age because their genetics makes them such terrible choices as dads.
Use of genetically modifed mosquitoes to minimize the burden of diseases casused by mosquitoes in South Texas.
17016MDN Staff, MegaDoctor News, 2021-05-11 13:00:04.
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 and/or control mosquito-borne illness have yielded success, but it remains a serious global challenge. More recently, several approaches to create transgenic mosquitoes with the ultimate objective of preventing and/or controlling mosquito-borne illness have undergone field studies. Infecting mosquitoes with different strains of Wolbachia resulted in the reduction of egg laying rates, transmission ability and shorter lifespan. Similarly, using genetic technology, a self-limiting strain of male mosquitoes (OX513A) when released in the field have shown an 81%-95% suppression of population of this strain as compared to adjacent no-release control field. These encouraging results prompted the issuance of authorization by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the use of second generation genetically modified mosquitoes (OX5034) in Florida and Texas” said Sohail Rao, MD, MA, DPhil, President and Chief Executive Officer, DHR Health Institute for Research & Development. As the first-ever use of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States, over 750 million OX5034 will be ultimately released in the Florida Keys an area devastated by mosquito-borne illnesses
Monster Mosquito–Why the Technology of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes is Dangerous and Should Be Stopped Worldwide
17001B. Dogra, counter currents, 2021-05-10 15:32:17.
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 pilot project to release millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes in Monroe County over a period of two years or so. The stated aim is to control the population of Aedes aegypti, a species that can carry both the dengue and the yellow fever virus. The idea is for genetically altered male, non-biting mosquitoes to mate with local , biting females , producing offspring that die at larval stage. Pointing out the inherent dangers of such technologies a spokesperson of Florida Key Environmental Coalition said that everyone should be writing to the White House to stop the release, at least until regulations to protect people are in place. Friends of the Earth has commented—scientists have raised concerns that genetically engineered mosquitoes could create hybrid wild mosquitoes which could worsen the spread of mosquito borne diseases and could be more resistant to insecticides than the original wild mosquitoes.
Florida releases genetically modified mosquitoes in hopes to reduce spread of disease
17011A. Fahim, Reuters, 2021-05-10 12:50:27.
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 decade to secure regulatory approval, British-based biotechnology firm Oxitec, along with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD)launched the project in hope of reducing the Aedes aegypti species that spread the diseases.While Oxitec and local authorities have high hopes for the program, local residents and environmental groups worry that not enough is known about the long-term effects of the new technology.Nevertheless, the Environmental Protection Agency granted an experimental use permit (EUP) to Oxitecon May 1.A half-dozen boxes containing the OX5034 mosquito created by Oxitec have been deployed in the Florida Keys, an archipelago stretching 120 miles (195 km) off the southern tip of the state.Only female Aedes aegypti bite and spread disease, so Oxitec has created males that pass on a gene that kills female offspring before they mature. Their male offspring then continue mating and passing on the altered gene.
Why Florida is releasing genetically modified mosquitoes
16999M. Murphy, The Telegraph, 2021-05-09 15:19:45.
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 splashed with the words “risky, unnecessary, unwanted” aside a giant picture of the blood-thirsty insect. “The word ‘genetically modified’ scares people,” says Douglas Mader, a local vet and newspaper columnist living in the Lower Keys. “They think oh my god, they’re releasing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and they are going to bite me and I’m going to turn into a zombie”. The creatures are the creation of Oxitec, a Bill Gates-backed biotechnology company based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Grey Frandsen, its chief executive, and around 20 scientists at Oxitec’s labs, have made it their mission to stop the spread of diseases such as dengue, Zika and malaria by controlling mosquitoes’ reproduction.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Have Come to the U.S. Will They Work?
16996A. de la Garza, TIME, 2021-05-09 15:13:05.
“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 contentious plan to release millions of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes here to test a new method of bioengineered pest control. It’s the first-ever such experiment in the United States, and one that has turned this chain of sun-soaked island communities into a battleground over scientific truth, government authority, and humanity’s right to modify nature. Even this bit of roadside signage is contested. Four months ago, the billboard carried a different ad, paid for by the Coalition Against GMO Mosquitoes, an organization with the mission of stopping releases of the genetically modified insects in the U.S., “WARNING!!!,” it read then, “GENETICALLY MODIFIED MOSQUITOES TO BE RELEASED IN THE KEYS!!” That release began in late April, when, after a decade of planning, regulatory review and debate, Oxitec workers and local mosquito control personnel added water to a dozen plastic boxes containing the company’s “Friendly™” mosquito eggs in six locations around the Keys, triggering their hatching process. Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti mosquitoes—which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved for use last year—are genetically modified to include a “self-limiting” gene that produces a fatal protein. The mosquitoes are raised in a laboratory in the presence of tetracycline, an antibiotic that prevents the added gene from activating. The mosquitoes’ eggs are then left to hatch in the wild, without the antibiotic. The gene kills immature egg-laying females—the only ones that bite—but the males reach maturity, mate with wild females, and pass on their faulty gene. Then their female progeny die, causing the bloodsuckers’ population to crash.
Bill Gates finances the creation of transgenic mosquitoes
16992Explica.co, explica, 2021-05-07 15:03:11.
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 survive, and the Aedes aegypti population will be controlled in this way.. The Aedes aegypti mosquito makes up about four percent of the mosquito population in the Keys. The project has the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the collaboration of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD). In 2021, the United States expects the release of 750 million transgenic mosquitoes. “An important part of the FKMCD’s mission is to protect the residents of the Florida Keys from the disease-transmitting mosquito, Aedes aegypti. As we are seeing the development of resistance to some of our current control methods, we need new tools to fight this mosquito. And given the unique ecosystem we live in, those tools must be safe, environmentally friendly and specific. That’s why we collaborate with Oxitec on this project. With the full approval of the US EPA and from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and with the support of the US Centers for Disease Control and an independent advisory board, we are pleased to announce that this project will be underway soon, ”says Andrea Leal, executive director of the FKMCD.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released In US For First Time To Combat Disease
16985J. Van Zijl, IFL Science, 2021-05-06 16:11:16.
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 mosquito species responsible for spreading mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and Zika in the region. Aedes aegypti only accounts for about 4 percent of the total mosquito population in Florida keys – however, it is responsible for almost all mosquito-borne diseases to humans. Current methods to control the species, such as spraying or fogging chemical insecticides, have failed due to the species becoming resistant. So an alternative solution was needed.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released In Florida ‘Jurassic Park Experiment’
16978D. Richardson, UNILAD, 2021-05-06 15:58:18.
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 deadly diseases, including yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus. The Florida Keys project, which was greenlit by the US Environment Protection Agency in May 2020, has approved the release of 750 million modified mosquitos. However, at the moment only 144,000 will be released during a three-month trial period. Nonetheless, some people in the trial areas are concerned.
Gravitas: Genetically modified mosquitoes arrive in Florida
16962P. Sharma, WION, 2021-05-06 15:03:25.
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
17021S. W. Tan, The Washington Times, 2021-05-06 13:12:32.
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 mosquitoes to carry a lethal gene that gets passed onto their offspring when they mate with wild biting female mosquitoes. The offspring are unable to survive, hence controlling the population of disease-carrying species, according to the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD), one of the entities that approved the firm’s project. Release boxes containing the genetically engineered male mosquitoes were placed in six locations last week — two on Cudjoe Key, one on Ramrod Key and three on Vaca Key — with thousands starting to emerge this month. Around 12,000 mosquitoes are expected to emerge each week for about 12 weeks.
First genetically modified mosquitoes released in US
16972N. Lanese, LiveScience, 2021-05-05 15:42:05.
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 previously released its modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama and Malaysia, and the company reported that local A. aegypti populations fell by at least 90% in those locations, Live Science previously reported. A. aegypti can carry diseases such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, and releasing modified mosquitoes offers a way to control the population without using pesticides. Oxitec's modified mosquitoes, all male, have been engineered to carry a lethal gene; when the modified pests mate with wild female mosquitoes, the lethal gene gets passed on to their offspring. Though the gene does not affect the males' survival, it prevents female offspring from building an essential protein and thus causes them to die before reaching maturity. Only female mosquitoes bite people (male mosquitoes exclusively drink nectar), so the modified mosquitoes and their surviving male offspring can't pass diseases to humans.
Bill Gates-backed startup releases millions of genetically modified mosquitoes
16952ENTREPRENEUR STAFF, Entrepreneur, 2021-05-04 20:35:48.
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 Gates Foundation , released the mosquitoes a week ago from the Florida Keys. In a statement, Oxitec explained that this experiment seeks to study ways to stop the reproduction of Aedes aegypti , the main transmitters of potentially fatal diseases. Why are Oxitec mosquitoes different? According to the company , the males in their insect cloud have a modified gene, called OX5034, that restricts the survival of the females they mate with. Thus, mosquitoes will not grow large enough to bite humans (only females consume blood; males feed on nectar). Oxitec noted that this species only represents 4% of the mosquito population in Florida, but it is the most disease-transmitting species. The startup has already released millions of modified insects around the world, including in Brazil and the Cayman Islands.
First US Field Test of GM Mosquitoes Begins in Florida
16950C. Wilcox, The Scientist, 2021-05-04 20:30:49.
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 approved for release over the next two years by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The trial aims to test whether the mosquitoes are effective at reducing populations of invasive Aedes aegypti, a species that can transmit dangerous diseases to people. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, which has partnered with Oxitec, has said this species makes up only 4 percent of the mosquito community in the Keys but is responsible for nearly all disease transmission and has become increasingly resistant to available pesticides, Nature reports. According to Oxitec, the modified mosquitoes are all male and carry a gene that makes female mosquitoes dependent on an antibiotic not available in the animals’ environment, thereby killing all of the male’s female offspring. Adult mosquitoes only live for a few weeks, and just the females bite, so the firm expects its modified males can spread the female-killing insert through the population and drastically reduce the number of potential disease vectors in the region. If successful, the mosquitoes could be used in place of pesticides in control efforts. A small but vocal group of Florida residents that has opposed the “mutant mosquitoes” from the get-go are continuing to seek legal action to stop it, CNN reports. Key Largo resident Mara Daly tells CNN she hopes “civil unrest happens,” and suggests residents could have their communities sprayed with pesticides in an effort to “opt out” of the trial.
The first transgenic mosquitoes were releaseed in the United States.
16947D. Davis, Prudent Press Agency, 2021-05-04 20:19:07.
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 testing a method for suppressing populations of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which can transmit diseases such as Zika, dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever mosquitoes. Oxitec, the UK-based company Abingdon that developed mosquitoes, has previously tested the insects in the field in Brazil, Panama, the Cayman Islands and Malaysia. But so far, due to a tortuous series of regulatory decisions and Florida residents’ disapproval (see “Long Road”), no GM mosquitoes have been tested in the United States, although the country had previously allowed evidence of a GM diamond. Moth (Plutella xylostella) in New York and pink worm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in Arizona, both developed by Oxitec. “When something new and revolutionary comes along, people’s immediate reaction is to say, ‘Wait,’” says Anthony James, a molecular biologist specializing in mosquito bioengineers at the University of California, Irvine. [Oxitec] Was able to conduct a trial on the ground in the United States a big problem. “
The Bill Gates Corporation, Backed by Bill Gates, Releases Thousands of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
16975T. Meeks, Aviation Analysis, 2021-05-04 15:50:15.
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 the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced the placement of its confined release funds, non-release funds, and quality control funds this week in six locations: two in Cudjoe Key, one in Ramrod Key, and three in Vaca Key. Why is the Oxitec mosquito different? According to the company, the males in its insect cloud carry a modified gene called OX5034, which restricts the survival of the females they mate with. As of early next month, fewer than 12,000 mosquitoes are expected to appear per week for about 12 weeks. Untreated comparison sites will be controlled with mosquito traps at Key Colony Beach, Little Torch Key, and Summerland Key. “We started looking at this a decade ago because we were in the middle of an outbreak of dengue fever in the Florida Keys,” Andrea Lyell, executive director of the Florida Keys area for mosquito control, said during a videoconference. “So we are very excited to further this partnership, and work with both Oxitec and members of the community.” Last year the Keys authorities approved the pilot project with mosquitoes Aedes aegyptiShe is not a Florida native. This insect transmits many diseases to humans, especially in the Keys island chain, where dozens of dengue cases were recorded last year.
Genetically modified mosquitos: Biohacking for disease prevention.
16941D. Maloney, HACKADAY, 2021-05-03 15:02:07.
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 wetlands carries potentially huge impacts on a wide range of species, as does the indiscriminate use of pesticides — the search for new control methods with less harmful ecological side-effects has led to research into genetic methods of reducing mosquito populations. The idea of genetically engineering insects is nothing new. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has had its genome extensively modified for over 100 years, first using standard mating and crossing techniques and later using transgenic methods to insert, delete, and edit genes. The result has been a wealth of knowledge about how the genetics of higher organisms work, as well as models for human diseases ranging from diabetes to Parkinson’s. But in general, transgenic fruit flies are simply model organisms destined to live and die in the lab. The concept of building a genetically modified insect for release into the wild is fairly new. Oxitec, the company behind the planned releases of transgenic mosquitos in Florida, has been working on the genetic control of a range of pest insect species since it was founded in 2002. They are currently on their second generation of genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitos, which is the insect that will soon be tested in Florida. The mosquito, dubbed OX5034, has been genetically engineered to be self-limiting. Both male and female OX5034 mosquitos carry a synthetic gene that is lethal only to females. The plan is to release OX5034 male mosquitos into a wild population where they’ll breed with unmodified females. These females will take a blood meal and lay eggs that carry the synthetic gene. Only the male eggs in the clutch will develop into adulthood; the females will all die during the larval and pupal stage, which will eventually reduce the number of blood meals taken and the potential for disease spread.
First genetically modified mosquitoes released in the United States
16939E. Waltz, Nature, 2021-05-03 14:56:33.
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 of some local critics — tests a method for suppressing populations of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which can carry diseases such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. Oxitec, the firm based in Abingdon, UK, that developed the mosquitoes, has previously field-tested the insects in Brazil, Panama, the Cayman Islands and Malaysia. But until now, owing to a circuitous series of regulatory decisions and pushback from Florida residents (see ‘A long road’), no genetically engineered mosquito had been trialled in the United States — even though the country previously allowed tests of a genetically engineered diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) in New York and an engineered pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in Arizona, both developed by Oxitec. “When something new and revolutionary comes along, the immediate reaction of a lot of people is to say: ‘Wait.’,” says Anthony James, a molecular biologist focused on bioengineered mosquitoes at the University of California, Irvine. “So the fact that [Oxitec] was able to get the trial on the ground in the United States is a big deal.”
Oxitec releases first genetically modified mosquitoes in U.S.
16928J. Knutson, Axios, 2021-05-01 15:46:09.
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 it matters: It marks the first release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the U.S. and has some locals worried about how this will impact the broader ecosystem, according to CNN. How it works: Oxitec expects to target Aedes aegypti, an invasive species of mosquito that carries several dangerous diseases like yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus.
Genetically modified mosquitoes have landed in the Keys. Here’s what you need to know
16918G. Filosa, Miami Herald, 2021-05-01 13:54:49.
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 pilot program and the first trial began over the past week. The project is aimed at reducing the population of the invasive Aedes aegypti, which carries diseases like Zika. This is the first time in the country that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the “experimental use permit” for this method.
What Are GMO Mosquitoes and What Is Their Purpose?
17038A. Krosofsky, GREENMATTERS, 2021-05-01 11:29:18.
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 problem for a huge portion of the planet’s population? As it turns out, GMO mosquitoes are a way to fight fire with fire. By creating and releasing their own genetically modified mosquitoes into existing populations, a few clever scientists have managed to curb the spread of dangerous mosquito-borne diseases like the Zika virus. According to the CDC, GMO mosquitoes are modified from the Aedes aegypti mosquito species. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are commonly found in many parts of the U.S., including Florida and Texas. They are well known for spreading and carrying viruses like Zika, dengue, and chikungunya, but the GMO versions of these insects are designed to stop the spread of those diseases right at the source: the carriers themselves.
Genetically modified mosquitoes | Connect the Dots
16905thv11, THV11, 2021-04-30 17:56:23.
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
16925Anonymous, B and T MAGAZINE, 2021-04-30 15:40:06.
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 laboratory in London by British biotech firm Oxitec, in a bid to kill-off a species in the Florida Keys that carries dengue fever, Zika virus, and yellow fever. It comes after more than 7,300 dengue cases were reported in the US in the past decade, Vice reports. While most were contracted outside America, 71 were transmitted in Florida, according to the CDC.
The Release of 1 Billion Exterminator Mosquitoes Has Begun
16922D. Noor, Gizmodo, 2021-04-30 15:32:45.
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 states—but it’s giving some folks the heeby jeebies. Workers placed boxes of mosquitoes’ eggs—two on Cudjoe Key, one on Ramrod Key and three on Vaca Key—on Thursday, and expect them to hatch in about a week. They’ll repeat the process over the coming months, releasing 12,000 of the bugs per week for 12 weeks. That’s 144,000 mosquitoes overall—gross. The project marks the first time GMO mosquitoes have ever been released in the U.S., was launched by the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) with the private British firm biotech Oxitec. It’s an attempt to curb the spread of dengue, Zika and yellow fever.
First-ever US release of genetically modified mosquitoes begins in Florida Keys
16920S. LaMotte, CNN, 2021-04-30 15:27:44.
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 insecticides in the region.For the first 12-week phase, blue-and-white boxes containing about 12,000 GMO eggs developed by a US-owned, British-based company called Oxitec have been placed in six small areas of Ramrod Key, Cudjoe Key and Vaca Key. When water is added, the mosquitoes hatch, mature and enter the environment over the next week or so. A small, vocal group of Florida Key residents have fought the release of what they call "mutant mosquitoes" since the project was announced -- and they are incensed. "Our opposition has been long and strong," said Barry Wray, the executive director of the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition. "We live here, this our home, and they're forcing this down people's throats." "The only thing you can do legally at this point is stand in your yard with an insect fogger," said Mara Daly, a resident of Key Largo, Florida, who has fought the release for eight years. "You can't touch a box, but you can fog the s**t out of your own yard if you don't want to be a part of the trial."
Driving genetic destruction
16899Anonymous, Alliance for Natural Health, 2021-04-29 17:41:37.
Genetically-engineered (GE) mosquitoes have been released in a number of countries, including the US. We’ve known for some time that these experiments have not gone to plan, but a new paper provides a better understanding of how they’ve went awry, and provides a harrowing warning for what could go wrong with a new era of gene editing known as “gene drives” in which the genetics of entire species can be tampered with. This could create a nightmare scenario where, instead of a disease-carrying mosquito population being controlled or eliminated, unpredicted changes occur that make them even more virulent and dangerous. Current GE experiments involve altering the genetics of mosquitoes to be “self-limiting,” meaning that offspring inherit a gene that prevents them from surviving to adulthood, thus driving the population down. The goal is to limit the spread of diseases like dengue and yellow fever. But what has happened is that a certain percentage of the offspring of the GE mosquitoes are surviving and integrating into the gene pool of the local population. Scientists note this will have unpredictable consequences and could lead to more pathogenic disease strains—the very opposite of what these experiments were supposed to accomplish.
The first genetically modified mosquitoes released in the U.S. to buzz in the Florida Keys
16897K. Weintraub, USA Today, 2021-04-29 17:37:24.
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 genetically modified mosquitoes to be released in the United States. Local officials argue the trial is necessary at a time when pesticides are increasingly ineffective against these dangerous pests. A 2016 vote on the project claimed a solid majority of support in most of the surrounding counties. "At the end of the day, our hope is to be able to control this mosquito more efficiently and keep our population below any sort of disease transmission threshold," said Andrea Leal, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito District. "Our toolbox for Aedes aegypti control is shrinking, unfortunately, and that's making us think outside of the box."
A Billion Lab-Grown Mosquitos Are Being Released and People Are Freaking Out
16895V. Kipnis, Vice, 2021-04-29 17:08:03.
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 waiting to see what happens next. That’s because these aren’t just any mosquitoes: These are genetically-modified organisms, known as the OX5034, and they were made in a laboratory in London. Under a two-year Experimental Use Permit approved by the EPA, the British biotech firm Oxitec has been green-lit to release over 1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes across 6,600 acres in Florida and Texas. For their pilot project, they’re focusing on the lower Florida Keys, where in the coming 12 weeks, they plan to release 144,000 non-biting male mosquitoes from six different locations—making this the first time ever that a genetically-engineered mosquito will be let out into an open ecosystem in the United States.
The mosquito-bite fight begins
16883F. Billingsley, Click2Houston, 2021-04-29 15:10:43.
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 begins after more than a decade of getting there. The company Oxitec will be releasing 144,000 Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in the Florida Keys designed to fight the mosquito population. Did you ever take the antibiotic tetracycline? I took it to fight acne as a kid but it treats lots of other bacterial infections. Oxitec has engineered all their mosquitoes with a gene that makes only the females depend on tetracycline. Without it, the females die and it’s the females that bite. So all the eggs from the engineered mosquitoes will be shipped to Florida and when they hatch, the engineered female mosquitoes won’t have any tetracycline and they are toast.
Nearly 144K GMO Mosquitoes to be Released in South Florida: What We Know
16902J. Prigeon, 6 South Florida, 2021-04-28 17:46:54.
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 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area. The project will place boxes loaded with Oxitec’s non-biting male mosquitoes in six areas around the Florida Keys to mate with biting female mosquitoes. As a result of the encounters, the female offspring will not survive and – hopefully – will reduce the dangerous mosquito's population in the area.
Selection of Sites for Field Trials of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes with Gene Drive
16932G. C. Lanzaro, M. Campos, M. Crepeau, A. Cornel, A. Estrada, H. Gripkey, Z. Haddad, A. Kormos, S. Palomares and W. Sharpee, bioRxiv, 2021.04.28.441877. 2021-04-28 15:53:05.
Novel malaria control strategies using genetically engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) are on the horizon. Population modification is one approach wherein mosquitoes are engineered with genes rendering them refractory to the malaria parasite coupled with a low-threshold, Cas9-based gene drive. When released into a wild vector population, GEMs preferentially transmit these beneficial genes to their offspring, ultimately modifying a vector population into a non-vector one. Deploying this technology awaits evaluation including ecologically contained field trials. Here, we consider a process for site selection, the first critical step in designing a trial. Our goal is to identify a site that maximizes prospects for success, minimizes risk, and serves as a fair, valid, and convincing test of efficacy and impacts of a GEM product intended for large-scale deployment in Africa. We base site selection on geographical, geological, and biological, rather than social or legal, criteria. We recognize the latter as critically important but not preeminent. We propose physical islands as being the best candidates for a GEM field trial and present an evaluation of 22 African islands. We consider geographic and genetic isolation, biological complexity, island size, topography, and identify two island groups that satisfy key criteria for ideal GEM field trial sites.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.
Nation’s first trial of genetically modified mosquitoes starts in Florida Keys
16889S. Brock, TODAY, 2021-04-28 15:15:04.
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
16886Anonymous, The Weather Channel, 2021-04-28 15:11:10.
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
16880NBC News, WRCBtv, 2021-04-28 15:02:40.
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 Oxitec that are meant to mate with biting females, with any resulting female offspring unable to survive. The project was approved after years of public comment and official review. "As we are seeing development of resistance to some of our current control methods, we are in need of new tools to combat this mosquito," Andrea Leal, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District said in a press release. The project is meant to control the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can spread dengue fever, Zika virus and yellow fever, as well as heartworm to pets and animals.
Nearly 150,000 Gene-Hacked Mosquitoes to Be Unleashed in Florida
16878S. Kim, Newsweek, 2021-04-28 14:58:55.
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 local mosquito population (the Aedes aegypti mosquito species) that is responsible for "virtually all mosquito-borne diseases transmitted to humans" such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever, the company says. Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Oxitec said: "We are releasing 12,000 [mosquitoes] per week for 12 weeks," which equates to a total of 144,000 mosquitoes, the spokesperson added. The experiment—a collaboration between the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) and Oxitec—received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). It is also supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as an independent advisory board, Oxitec says.
Genetically modified mosquito larvae to be released in Florida Keys
16869E. Helmore, The Guardian, 2021-04-28 14:13:40.
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 British firm biotech Oxitec announced last week that 12,000 of the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito species are expected to emerge each week for twelve weeks from six locations: two on Cudjoe Key, one on Ramrod Key and three on Vaca Key. US researchers seek citizen scientists as billions of Brood X cicadas set to emerge Eventually it is planned that hundreds of millions of the mosquitoes might be released. Oxitec’s non-biting male mosquitoes will mate with the local biting female mosquitoes and since the female offspring cannot themselves survive to reproduce, the population of Aedes aegypti is subsequently controlled. According to the CDC, the genetically modified mosquitoes carry two types of genes: a fluorescent marker gene that glows under a special red light, and a self-limiting gene that prevents female mosquito offspring from surviving to adulthood.
Florida set to release swarms of GMO mosquitoes as residents decry ‘criminal experiment’ by Bill Gates-backed biotech
16866rt com, rt com, 2021-04-28 14:04:30.
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 District (FKMCD) and Oxitec, a British biotech firm that’s received backing from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the project aims to turn the first swarms of gene-edited bugs loose into the Keys starting sometime this week, the two bodies announced in a joint statement. For the first leg of the plan, set to be expanded later, mosquito boxes will be placed at six locations, which over 12 weeks will release around 144,000 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, a species most closely linked with transmitting illnesses such as dengue, Zika and yellow fever. If all goes according to plan, the male, non-biting bugs will mate with local biting females, whose female offspring are programmed to die off, helping to control the Aedes aegypti population and reduce the spread of disease. While the particular species makes up only about 4% of the overall population in the Keys, it is behind “virtually all” mosquito-borne diseases passed to humans, as well as some that are transmitted to animals, such as heartworm, according to Oxitec.
BUZZ OFF Florida residents blast pest control ‘TERRORISTS’ over plans to unleash a BILLION mutant mosquitoes in the Keys
16857J. Bentley-York, The SUN, 2021-04-27 20:46:15.
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 control chiefs have been branded “terrorists” over the plans. The trial is set to begin this week, seeing a first phase of up to 144,000 modified mosquitoes released over the next 12 weeks. The project aims to reduce the numbers of Aedes aegypti species which are known for carrying diseases including dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever. The male mosquitoes, developed by British biotech company Oxitect, do not bite, and will be introduced in small areas in a select number of neighborhoods in the Monroe area. However, Florida residents are calling on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end "this live experiment" as they blasted the organisation as “terrorists.” Barry Wray of the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition said: “People here in Florida do not consent to the genetically engineered mosquitoes or to being human experiments.”
Florida to release a billion genetically modified mosquitoes and people are worried
16871B. Robinson, indy100, 2021-04-27 14:19:58.
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 biotechnology a UK-based biotechnology company, announced plans to release the critters over a two year period in Monroe County, in the Florida Keys section of the state. But why? In a press release from Friends of the Earth, they state that the project attempts to reduce the number of Aedes aegypti, one of the many species of mosquitoes that carry infectious diseases such as Yellow Fever and Zika.
Thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes being released in Florida
16863T. Lapin, New York Post, 2021-04-27 13:58:39.
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, which can spread diseases such as Zika and dengue fever, The Miami Herald reported. The project aims to have genetically modified male mosquitoes mate with non-modified females, which are the ones that bite. A so-called “death mechanism” would then act to prevent any resulting female offspring from surviving.
Halt This Nightmare’: Alarm as Florida Set to Begin Release of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes
16861J. Johnson, Common Dreams, 2021-04-26 20:59:02.
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 Monroe County over a two-year period. Presented by local authorities as an effort to control the population of Aedes aegypti—a mosquito species that can carry both the dengue and yellow fever virus—critics warn that the effort's supposed benefits and its potential negative consequences have not been sufficiently studied. Responding to news that the first boxes of genetically modified mosquitos are set to be placed in six locations in Monroe County this week, Friends of the Earth noted in a press release that "scientists have raised concerns that GE mosquitoes could create hybrid wild mosquitoes which could worsen the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and could be more resistant to insecticides than the original wild mosquitoes."
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’
16859S. Liberatore, Daily Mail, 2021-04-26 20:54:47.
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. release of genetically engineered (GE) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes this week, which will see up to a billion over a two-year period. The project aims to reduce the numbers of Aedes aegypti, one of several mosquito species that can carry diseases including dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever. Floridians, however, are calling on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end 'this live experiment' saying they are being subjected to terrorism by the FKMCD.
Coalition Against GMO Mosquito Condemns Release of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes
16853GMO Free USA, 3BL CSRwire, 2021-04-26 20:40:26.
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 genetically engineered mosquitoes in two phases. GMO Free USA and the Coalition Against GMO Mosquitoes condemn the uncontrolled release and are airing radio spots to educate Florida Keys residents about the health and environmental risks. This unprecedented mass release of a genetically engineered insect is the first of its kind in the United States and many Florida Keys residents remain unaware. The Coalition Against GMO Mosquitoes recently launched an educational website, StopGMM.com, and sponsored a local billboard to increase public awareness and galvanize opposition. The new radio spot will run daily on multiple stations. Oxitec and the FKMCD have failed to provide sufficient answers to the most pressing questions posed by concerned residents. Some residents have reached out to government officials at the EPA, in Congress and the White House to request intervention to halt the experiment until thorough research is conducted.
Nation’s First Trial Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Starts In Florida Keys
16851N. Klingener, WLRN, 2021-04-26 20:35:50.
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 intended so that female offspring won't survive. Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite and can transmit diseases like dengue and zika. The genetically modified males are supposed to breed with wild females — and then their female offspring won't survive, either. Andrea Leal is in charge of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. The district has been working with the British firm Oxitec for more than a decade, since a 2009-10 outbreak of dengue fever in Key West.
Does Gene Technology Offer Potential to Wipe Out Malaria?
16845Anonymous, AFIDEP, 2021-04-25 13:15:13.
The persisting high numbers of Malaria deaths and illnesses mean that the current tools will not get us to zero Malaria. For this reason, experts have continued to explore new tools for Malaria elimination. The gene drive technology is one of the tools being explored for Malaria elimination in Africa. The technology, developed in the past decade, enables precise editing of the genes of living organisms. For Malaria, the technology could be applied to modify the genes of Malaria-causing mosquitoes (the Anopheles) to either reduce their survival or deactivate genes that enable them to carry the Malaria parasite. If successfully applied, scientists believe that gene drive mosquitoes could significantly accelerate the path to Malaria elimination, or zero Malaria. In 2017, the African Union recognized the potential of the gene drive technology in controlling and eliminating Malaria on the continent, and committed to invest in the development and regulation of the technology. This commitment is being implemented by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA/NEPAD), which is currently spearheading efforts to build capacity and support countries to establish the necessary regulatory framework for guiding the research to test the gene drive technology for elimination of Malaria on the continent.
Fighting mosquitoes with mosquitoes
16825W. Feng, The Daily Targum, 2021-04-21 16:38:39.
When you think about the animal that has killed the greatest number of humans in the world, you generally tend to think of large predators. Is it perhaps the great white shark or maybe the cute but deadly hippopotamus? While these animals are certainly deadly, the number of annual fatalities caused by them are eclipsed by the number of individuals killed by the tiny blood-sucking mosquito. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 725,000 people are killed every year by mosquito-borne diseases. The mosquito has been the center of numerous pathogenic outbreaks over the last couple decades, such as the West Nile virus, malaria and the Zika virus. While conventional control strategies have been employed, these have all failed to stop the spread of these viruses. To combat this issue, one solution that has been proposed is gene drives. While further testing and research is still required to ensure the safety and efficacy of gene drives, the benefits of this technology far outweigh any potential consequences, lending them to be extremely helpful in the battle against insect-borne diseases.
Transgenic mosquito resistant to multiple serotypes of the dengue virus
34972Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo in collaboration with the Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, University of Colombo, 2021-04-10 10:39:01.
The dengue virus causes epidemics in more than 100 tropical and sub-tropical countries, where over 2.5 billion people (over 40% of the world’s population) are currently at risk of dengue infections. In recent years, dengue has become the number one vector-borne disease in Sri Lanka. The worst ever dengue virus outbreaks experienced in 2009, 2010, and 2013 transformed dengue into a major health issue in Sri Lanka. There are no medicines or effective vaccines developed for dengue; therefore, mosquito vector control is the most promising option to control dengue virus transmission. The conventional vector control methods used currently have only limited success. In an attempt to find a solution to this problem, the research team lead by Professor Ranil Dassanayake, Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo in collaboration with Professor Nilmini Gunawardene, Molecular Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya undertook to develop a dengue virus resistant transgenic Aedes aegypti mosquito (the primary vector of dengue virus transmission) line using an RNA interference (RNAi) based technology, as a component of the Ph.D. research project of Mr. Kalindu Ramyasoma.
Hybrid mosquitoes? Evidence from rural Tanzania on how local communities conceptualize and respond to modified mosquitoes as a tool for malaria control
16567M. 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. 2021-03-06 14:11:52.
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 prevailing community perceptions of mosquito modification is, therefore, crucial for effective design and implementation of these interventions. This study investigated community perceptions regarding genetically-modified mosquitoes (GMMs) and their potential for malaria control in Tanzanian villages where no research or campaign for such technologies has yet been undertaken.
Genetically modified mosquitoes for better health
16527D. Devis, COSMOS, 2021-03-04 18:24:41.
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 disease-carrying mozzies is to introduce disease resistant, genetically modified mozzies. These transgenic mozzies could be part of a gene drive system where they have a newly introduced disease-resistant gene, linked up with CRISPR mechanisms that help the gene dominate in the population by continuing to copy itself through the genome. All of this requires very thorough risk assessment.
Quantifying the risk of vector-borne disease transmission attributable to genetically modified vectors
16530G. R. Hosack, A. Ickowicz and K. R. Hayes, Royal Society Open Science, 8:201525. 2021-03-03 18:28:51.
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 of the relative risk of lymphatic filariasis, malaria and o'nyong'nyong arbovirus transmission by mosquito vectors to human hosts given a released transgenic strain of Anopheles coluzzii carrying a dominant sterile male gene construct. Harm is quantified by a logarithmic loss function that depends on the causal risk ratio, which is a quotient of basic reproduction numbers derived from mathematical models of disease transmission. The basic reproduction numbers are predicted to depend on the number of generations in an insectary colony and the number of backcrosses between the transgenic and wild-type lineages. Analogous causal risk ratios for short-term exposure to a single cohort release are also derived. These causal risk ratios were parametrized by probabilistic elicitations, and updated with experimental data for adult vector mortality. For the wild-type, high numbers of insectary generations were predicted to reduce the number of infectious human cases compared with uncolonized wild-type. Transgenic strains were predicted to produce fewer infectious cases compared with the uncolonized wild-type.
Proceedings of an expert workshop on community agreement for gene drive research in Africa – Co-organised by KEMRI, PAMCA and Target Malaria [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
16224D. Thizy, L. Pare Toe, C. Mbogo, D. Matoke-Muhia, V. P. Alibu, S. K. Barnhill-Dilling, T. Chantler, G. Chongwe, J. Delborne, L. Kapiriri, E. Nassonko Kavuma, S. Koloi-Keaikitse, A. Kormos, K. Littler, D. Lwetoijera, R. Vargas de Moraes, N. Mumba, L. Muten, Gates Open Research, 2021-01-28 16:25:31.
Target Malaria, the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the Pan African Mosquito Control Association co-organised a workshop with researchers and practitioners on this topic to question the model proposed by Target Malaria in its research so far that involved the release of genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes and how this could be adapted to future studies involving gene drive mosquito releases for them to offer reflections about potential best practices. This paper shares the outcomes of that workshop and highlights the remaining topics for discussion before a comprehensive model can be design
A patent review on strategies for biological control of mosquito vector
15377K. Parihar, M. Telang and A. Ovhal, World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 36:23. 2020-12-09 20:28:33.
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 modified (GM) agents. In the category of non-recombinant agents, toxic peptides from microbes and biological consortia seemed to be the earliest technology noted right from the year 1965 whereas the patent filings for suppression of mosquito population using genetic modification techniques have emerged from the year 2000 onwards. The United States of America is the leading patent filing jurisdiction followed by China and the Great Britain. Academic institutes have filed higher number of patent applications as compared to private companies. University of Florida was found to be the leading patent filing entity and its patents were focused on suppression of vector population using techniques such as release of insects with dominant lethal (RIDL) and RNA interference (RNAi).
Educating the Public on Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
18527Buckner, Eva A., UF - IFAS, 2020-10-26 16:04:58.
In May 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved Oxitec’s Experimental Use Permit to carry out pilot projects in the Florida Keys. Oxitec is a biotechnology company founded in 2002 out of Oxford University in the United Kingdom. They will be collaborating with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. One of the pilot projects will involve releasing Oxitec’s GM Ae. aegypti male mosquitoes (strain OX5034) into a small area to test their ability to reduce the population of wild Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. This project will be the first time that GM mosquitoes are released into nature in the U.S. and is expected to begin in early spring 2021 and continue through spring 2022. The purpose of this document is to provide essential information about GM mosquitoes to the public and those involved in mosquito control in Florida, the U.S., and beyond. Below we present a series of answers to frequently asked questions about the nature of GM mosquitoes, the argument for using GM mosquitoes to control mosquito-transmitted diseases, and the potential impact of this project on the environment and human health. Our hope is that these answers will provide readers with insight into the reasons why GM mosquitoes are being tested for mosquito control in Florida and elsewhere.
Mosquito transgenics and courtship songs
14824H. Hurd, BugBitten BMC, 2020-10-23 17:38:45.
As a female flies into the swarm she is detected by the sound of her wing beat and males identify females by a phonotactic response to the specific sound frequency produced by her wing beat. A male and female will then attune to each other by altering the frequency of their wingbeats in a form of reciprocal tuning that is highly specific.
Ethics and vector-borne diseases
14904Geneva: World Health Organization, WHO Guidance, 2020-10-14 18:57:10.
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 considerations related to VBD prevention and control, including the social and environmental determinants of health; vector control methods, including emerging technologies; screening, surveillance and research; vaccine campaigns; and mass drug administration.
Fighting malaria with genetically modified mosquitoes
13609E. Nakkazi, BMJ, 370:m2172. 2020-08-04 12:53:14.
Could a bold project to genetically engineer mosquitoes curb the scourge of malaria in Africa? Finding out will require careful science—and public acceptance, writes Esther Nakkazi
CSOs raise alarm over genetically-engineered mosquitoes in Nigeria
13179A. Oboh, Vanguard, 2020-07-11 17:41:57.
No fewer than 75 civil society organisations, CSOs, across the world have raised the alarm over moves to release genetically-modified mosquitoes in Nigeria, noting that the country was about to be used as a guinea pig for the project, which will endanger humans, biodiversity and to ecosystem balance. The CSOs noted that the shortcoming of transgenic mosquitoes was evident from the experiments done in Brazil and in Burkina Faso.
Groups warn against release of genetically-engineered mosquitoes in Nigeria
13172C. Onyesi, Daily Post, 2020-07-07 14:52:15.
C. Onyesi (2020). Daily Post. Over 75 Civil Society Organizations from Nigeria, Africa and the world have condemned moves to open the way for the release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Nigeria.
Beyone the buzz
13166C. Watson, The Journal Gazette, 2020-07-07 14:45:26.
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 reduce the mosquito population. Mosquitoes, by biting people and injecting some of their saliva, spread diseases such as yellow fever, dengue fever and malaria. Malaria kills about 600,000 people a year, mostly outside the U.S. The new tool being developed involves modifying the genes of male mosquitoes. The goal is to design a male mosquito that will behave typically, but whose female offspring die almost immediately.
Malaria: Over 75 CSOs raise alarm over plans to release nautically engineered mosquitoes
13174News Agency of Nigeria, WorldStage, 2020-07-06 14:56:01.
Mre than 75 Environmental Civil Society Organisations from Nigeria, Africa and other countries have condemned moves to open way for release of genetically modified mosquitoes to control malaria infection. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that at a virtual meeting of the West African Integrated Vector Management Programme, on June 6, Mr Rufus Ebegba, Vice Chairman of the Programme said: “There is the need to accelerate the development of regulatory pathways for genetically based vector control methods such as transgenic mosquitoes.”
GMO Mosquitoes to be launched in Florida
13162Administration, Editorials 360, 2020-07-01 14:38:18.
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 current granting of an experimental use allow (EUP) for the GMO (genetically modified organism) mosquitoes to allow them to be launched in Florida in 2020 and in Texas in 2021.2 The mosquitoes, engineered from the Aedes aegypti mosquito species,3 have been created by the U.S.-owned, Britain-based firm Oxitec, which originated as a spin-off firm from Oxford College and subsidiary of Intrexon.4 The corporate has additionally created genetically modified pink bollworm moths and GMO cabbage moths.
Who is afraid of genetically modified mosquitoes?
12738G. Odogwu, The PUNCH, 2020-06-25 13:27:54.
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 of the moment, we can only boast of the development of the PBR cowpea as the only genetically modified food crop to be approved by the Nigerian government.
Mosquito district workshop focuses on Keys trials
12732S. Matthis, KEYSWEEKLY, 2020-06-25 13:21:52.
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 as dengue fever (there are two new cases in the Keys; see sidebar) and zika.
Genetically modified mosquitoes to be released in Florida and Texas
12735O. Ron, The Jerusalem Post, 2020-06-24 13:24:12.
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, which are the ones who bite, and thus preventing the spread of such illnesses as dengue fever and Zika.
Before genetically modified mosquitoes are released, we need a better EPA
12720N. Kofler and J. Kuzma, The Boston Globe, 2020-06-22 13:07:55.
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 environment for generations to come. Last month, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved the release of genetically modified mosquitoes. Under a 2-year Experimental Use Permit, a company called Oxitec has been granted permission to release over 1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes across 6,600 acres in Florida and Texas.
Are Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Coming To Florida?
12726M. Taylor, Y100, 2020-06-19 13:13:35.
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 most annoying feeling in the world.
The Florida Keys are one step closer to getting genetically modified mosquitoes
12723D. Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2020-06-19 13:10:57.
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 lab-made male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes throughout Monroe County. The goal is to wipe out the Keys population of the invasive bugs, which carry diseases like dengue fever, Zika and yellow fever. The Florida Department of Health reported a case of dengue fever in the Keys in March.
EPA Approves Genetically Modified Mosquito Trial For Florida Keys
11450Nancy Klingener, WLRN, 2020-05-07 18:22:34.
A plan to test genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys has received approval from the federal government.
Mutant mosquitoes one step closer to release in Florida, Texas this summer. Why?
11596K. Camero, The Charlotte Observer, 2020-05-07 15:45:03.
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
Genetically Engineered Male Mosquitos to be Released in Florida and Other Parts of US to Curb Zika and Dengue Spread
11598Staff Reporter, The Science Times, 2020-05-06 15:47:02.
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
11594A. J. Dellinger, Mic, 2020-05-06 15:42:53.
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.
The development of complex and controversial innovations. Genetically modified mosquitoes for malaria eradication
11431V. Cisnetto and J. Barlow, Research Policy, 49:103917. 2020-05-04 13:32:20.
e use a longitudinal process approach and qualitative system dynamics modelling to study the development of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes for malaria eradication in an African country.
EPA Grants First Permit to Test Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
11436Adam Allington, Bloomberg Law, 2020-05-01 14:05:51.
British biotech company Oxitec Ltd was granted an experimental use permit to release a genetically engineered type of the mosquito species Aedes aegypti, which is a known vector of Zika virus and viruses that cause yellow fever and dengue fever, the Environmental Protection Agency office of Chemical Safety and Pollution announced.
EPA Approves Experimental Use Permit to Test Innovative Biopesticide Tool to Better Protect Public Health
11434EPA, EPA, 2020-05-01 14:02:09.
Today, after extensive evaluation of the best available science and public input, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted an experimental use permit (EUP) to Oxitec Ltd. to field test the use of genetically engineered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes as a way to reduce mosquito populations to protect public health from mosquito-borne illnesses.
Editorial Expression of Concern: Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Transfer Genes into a Natural Population
16199B. 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. 2020-03-24 15:17:41.
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.
Two unresolved issues in community engagement for field trials of genetically modified mosquitoes
13541D. B. Resnik, Pathogens and Global Health, 113:238-245. 2019-09-25 19:32:29.
There is an emerging consensus among scientists, ethicists, and public health officials that substantive and effective engagement with communities and the wider public is required prior to releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into the environment.
Transgenic Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes Transfer Genes into a Natural Population
16197B. 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. 2019-09-10 15:09:04.
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 transgenic strain genome have been incorporated into the target population. Evidently, rare viable hybrid offspring between the release strain and the Jacobina population are sufficiently robust to be able to reproduce in nature. The release strain was developed using a strain originally from Cuba, then outcrossed to a Mexican population. Thus, Jacobina Ae. aegypti are now a mix of three populations. It is unclear how this may affect disease transmission or affect other efforts to control these dangerous vectors. These results highlight the importance of having in place a genetic monitoring program during such releases to detect un-anticipated outcomes.
For the first time, researchers will release genetically engineered mosquitoes in Africa
11444Ike Swetitz, STAT, 2018-09-05 18:02:01.
The government of Burkina Faso granted scientists permission to release genetically engineered mosquitoes anytime this year or next, researchers announced Wednesday. It’s a key step in the broader efforts to use bioengineering to eliminate malaria in the region.
Transgenic Mosquitoes – Fact or Fiction?
5907Wilke, A. B. B., J. C. Beier and G. Benelli, Trends in Parasitology, 34:456-465. 2018-03-08 16:14:34.
echnologies for controlling mosquito vectors based on genetic manipulation and the release of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) are gaining ground. However, concrete epidemiological evidence of their effectiveness, sustainability, and impact on the environment and nontarget species is lacking; no reliable ecological evidence on the potential interactions among GMMs, target populations, and other mosquito species populations exists; and no GMM technology has yet been approved by the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group. Our opinion is that, although GMMs may be considered a promising control tool, more studies are needed to assess their true effectiveness, risks, and benefits. Overall, several lines of evidence must be provided before GMM-based control strategies can be used under the integrated vector management framework.
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Probably Headed to Florida Keys to Fight Zika
23519T. Elfrink, Miami New Times, 2016-04-11 05:12:57.
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 vaccine for the virus. The good news: Scientists still might have a way to stop its spread — by releasing a swarm of genetically modified mosquitoes across the Florida Keys. Yes, it sounds like the premise of pulpy Michael Crichton novel that ends with a zombie horde infected with GMO mosquito viruses. But it's looking ever more likely to happen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given tentative approval to the plan, and the New York Times published a lengthy op-ed this weekend arguing in favor of the plan. And several new polls show that most of the public supports giving it a sho
Mating competitiveness of sterile genetic sexing strain males (GAMA) under laboratory and semi-field conditions: Steps towards the use of the Sterile Insect Technique to control the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in South Africa
25911G. Munhenga, B. D. Brooke, J. R. L. Gilles, K. Slabbert, A. Kemp, L. C. Dandalo, O. R. Wood, L. N. Lobb, D. Govender, M. Renke and L. L. Koekemoer, Parasites and Vectors, 9:122. 2016-03-02 13:00:23.
Anopheles arabiensis Patton is primarily responsible for malaria transmission in South Africa after successful suppression of other major vector species using indoor spraying of residual insecticides. Control of An. arabiensis using current insecticide based approaches is proving difficult owing to the development of insecticide resistance, and variable feeding and resting behaviours. The use of the sterile insect technique as an area-wide integrated pest management system to supplement the control of An. arabiensis was proposed for South Africa and is currently under investigation. The success of this technique is dependent on the ability of laboratory-reared sterile males to compete with wild males for mates. As part of the research and development of the SIT technique for use against An. arabiensis in South Africa, radio-sensitivity and mating competitiveness of a local An. arabiensis sexing strain were assessed.
Guidance framework for testing of genetically modified mosquitoes
15162WHO, WHO-TDR, 2014-06-01 18:49:50.
As the research progresses, a need has been expressed both within the scientific community and by the public for additional standards and guidance. WHO-TDR and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) co-sponsored a technical consultation meeting in 2009 to assess current progress and future development of genetically modified mosquito technologies. The meeting was attended by participants from around the world with expertise in molecular biology, medical entomology, ecology, regulatory requirements, ethical, social and cultural issues, as well as staff from WHO, FNIH and other research funders WHO-TDR, 2010). Participants recommended the establishment by WHO and FNIH of a working group to develop a comprehensive guidance framework to provide quality standards for assessing the safety and efficacy of genetically modified xv mosquitoes and addressing legal, ethical, social and cultural issues that arise during their development and deployment. A multidisciplinary effort was subsequently commissioned and over 40 experts recruited to contribute at various stages of development. In accordance with the recommendations, the group included many members who possessed a broad knowledge in their topic areas but were not involved directly in research on GMMs. A draft guidance framework was produced and opened for public comment in late 2012. Responses to public comment have been incorporated into this current version.
Ethical issues in field trials of genetically modified disease-resistant mosquitoes
13538D. B. Resnik, Developing World Bioethics, 14:37-46. 2012-07-29 19:12:07.
Mosquito-borne diseases take a tremendous toll on human populations, especially in developing nations. In the last decade, scientists have developed mosquitoes that have been genetically modified to prevent transmission of mosquito-borne diseases, and field trials have been conducted. Some mosquitoes have been rendered infertile, some have been equipped with a vaccine they transmit to humans, and some have been designed to resist diseases.
Why RIDL is not SIT
26699W. C. Black, L. Alphey and A. A. James, Trends in Parasitology, 27:362-370. 2011-08-01 07:23:46.
History teaches that sterile insect technique (SIT) is a feasible strategy for mosquito population suppression. Female killing (FK) technologies developed later theoretically had greater potential than SIT, but depended upon chromosomal translocations. Unfortunately these were genetically unstable. New transgenic strategies have been misinterpreted as a replacement for SIT. Instead these strategies provide a means to revisit FK. Conditional lethal mutations inserted into mosquito genomes allow for adjustment of the age of mortality, female-specific lethality, bisexual lethality and manipulation of germline-specific gene expression. A recent Aedes aegypti case study demonstrates the viability of one of these new transgenic strategies.
Progress and prospects for the use of genetically modified mosquitoes to inhibit disease transmission
16052A. A. James, J. D. Mumford, S. L. James and Y. T. Touré, WHO/TDR, 2010-04-01 20:29:20.
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 for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), TDR has developed a series of planning meetings on Progress and prospects for the use of genetically modified mosquitoes to inhibit disease transmission. These technical and public consultations will focus on current status and planning for future development.
First Anopheles arabiensis germline transformation: Toward the development of a transgenic genetic sexing strain
16649H. C. Bossin, J. Thailayil, F. Catteruccia, J. P. Benton, A. Crisanti, M. Q. Benedict, B. G. Knols and A. S. Robinson, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 75:66-66. 2006-11-01 20:17:39.
The ability to genetically engineer mosquitoes is likely to have major implications for the development and implementation of genetic control systems against mosquito disease vectors such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). In particular, genetically transformed mosquito strains can be created for genetic marking and sexing, two key factors known to influence the effectiveness of SIT programmes. In addition, the removal of biting females before releasing sterile males in the field will be of critical importance as they contribute to disease transmission and reduce the efficiency of the release campaign. Parallel to the creation of a conventional genetic sexing strain (Y-translocation of a resistance marker), our group is undertaking a transgenic approach to the development of an A. arabiensis genetic sexing strain (GSS). The sex separation strategy under investigation relies on the sex-specific properties of the A. gambiae B2tubulin gene regulatory regions. It is hoped this approach will achieve the high sex separation efficiency (above 99%) and strain stability required for safe and efficient male-only SIT releases. We report here the successful development of transgenic A. arabiensis lines using the pPB[DsRed]B2EGFP construct. Wild-type A. arabiensis embryos were injected with a mixture of pPB[DsRed]B2EGFP and helper plasmid phsppBac (700 and 300 ng/µI respectively) following an appropriate protocol. Injections generated several transgenic sexing lines. The effectiveness of the transgenic-based sex-separation procedure, the stability of transgenic mosquito GSS under various (mass-)rearing regimes, as well as the viability and reproductive competitiveness of transgenic sterile males are being assessed.
An Anopheles transgenic sexing strain for vector control
16647F. Catteruccia, J. P. Benton and A. Crisanti, Nature Biotechnology, 23:1414-1417. 2005-10-09 20:04:20.
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 by their fluorescent gonads in as early as their 3(rd) instar larval stage, and can be efficiently separated from females using both manual methods and automated sorting machines. Importantly, beta 2-EGFP males are not impaired in their mating ability and viable fluorescent spermatozoa are also detected in spermathecae of wild-type females mated with transgenic males. The transgenic mosquito lines described here combine most of the features desired and required for a safe application of transgenic methodologies to malariacontrol programs.
Malaria Control with Genetically Manipulated Insect Vectors
16035L. 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. 2002-10-04 19:49:32.
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.
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