Keywords: Mosquitoes

Scientists explore new solutions to fight insecticide resistance, emerging mosquito species

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Milliam Murigi,  People Daily,  2024.
Africa has long been the epicenter of malaria, battling the deadly disease with a combination of strategies, including insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying. However, the landscape of this fight is rapidly changing. Mosquitoes are increasingly developing resistance to ...

Scientists want to use mosquito stomach bacteria to end malaria

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

Malaria & Dengue; distinguishing mosquito-borne diseases

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Grace Matheka,  HapaKenya,  2024.
World Mosquito Day is commemorated every year on the 20th of August. The day brings an opportunity to raise awareness on the dangers posed by mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue, and the ongoing efforts to combat them. Both malaria and dengue are transmitted by female ...

Genetically Modified Wolbachia mosquitoes help reduce virus transmission

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Precision Vaccinations,  2024.
Every year on World Mosquito Day, diseases spread by mosquitoes, which account for over 17% of all infectious diseases and lead to more than 700,000 deaths annually, are highlighted. Parasites, bacteria, or viruses can cause these diseases, including chikungunya, malaria, dengue, ...

Scientists’ novel technology to conserve mosquitoes

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Milliam Murigi,  People Daily,  2024.
As the world celebrates World Mosquito Day today, scientists have introduced a revolutionary technology that could conserve mosquitoes instead of killing them while eliminating some of the diseases transmitted by mosquitos. Known as gene drive technology, this innovative ...

Mosquitoes On The Run Due To Wolbachia Programmes.

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Anonymous,  St Kitts and Nevis Observer,  2024.
Dengue is becoming an increasingly common disease in Central America and the Caribbean, according to PAHO, even as deaths from the mosquito-born condition have fallen in recent years due to improved identification of the condition and medical care. However the World Mosquito ...

Former minister wants modified mosquitoes to fight dengue spread

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Otto Carrington,  Trinidad and Tobago Guardian,  2024.
With this coun­try re­port­ing more dengue cas­es this year than last year and two dengue deaths re­port­ed so far, for­mer health min­is­ter Dr Fuad Khan is urg­ing the Gov­ern­ment to con­sid­er ge­net­i­cal­ly mod­i­fied mos­qui­toes to help fight the ...

Effects of a blood-free mosquito diet on fitness and gonotrophic cycle parameters of laboratory reared Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto

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Mosi, F.A., Rutha, I., Velez, R. et al.,  Parasites and Vectors,  17. 2024.
The current rise of new innovative tools for mosquito control, such as the release of transgenic mosquitoes carrying a dominant lethal gene and Wolbachia-based strategies, necessitates a massive production of mosquitoes in the insectary. However, currently laboratory rearing ...

Culex-Transmitted Diseases: Mechanisms, Impact, and Future Control Strategies using Wolbachia

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Madhav, M.; Blasdell, K.R.; Trewin, B.; Paradkar, P.N.; López-Denman, A.J.,  Viruses,  16:1134. 2024.
Mosquitoes of the Culex genus are responsible for a large burden of zoonotic virus transmission globally. Collectively, they play a significant role in the transmission of medically significant diseases such as Japanese encephalitis virus and West Nile virus. Climate change, ...

FILMS: Gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control

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Sarah Hartley and Tom Law,  Gene Drive Governance,  2024.
Gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control is a short documentary film that is beautifully shot in Uganda and explores Ugandan stakeholders’ hopes for gene drive mosquitoes – a radical new tool that offers a way to eliminate or change the mosquitoes that cause malaria. Uganda ...

Mosquito population structure and gene-drive

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Heredity Podcast,  2024.
Gene-drives hold great potential for the control of biological pests, but first they need to be thoroughly tested under appropriate conditions. In this episode we discuss some new work assessing whether mosquito populations in Northern Australia could be used to test a gene-drive ...

Djibouti Unleashes Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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Palki Sharma,  Firstpost,  2024.

Genetically modified mosquitoes to fight malaria

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The Naked Scientists,  2024.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes are taking to the air in an experiment to attempt to curtail malaria in Djibouti. The tiny African nation all but eliminated malaria just over a decade ago. But rising population and urbanisation has seen disease cases skyrocketing again, making ...

Investigating the ecological role of malaria mosquitoes

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Talya D. Hackett,  Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research,  2024.
A team of entomologists and ecologists at the University of Ghana have been working with colleagues from the University of Oxford and the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics at the University of Guelph on a groundbreaking project to investigate the potential ecological ...

Gene drive mosquitoes designed to eliminate malaria – but governance is complex, new film shows

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Russell Parton,  University of Exeter,  2024.
A radical new biotechnology could eliminate the mosquitoes that cause malaria, but in Uganda – where malaria is the leading cause of death – a lack of information and debate is undermining public debate on the issue. Professor Sarah Hartley’s new research documentary ...

How to Use Genetic Biocontrol to Manage Insect Pests

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Scientific Animations Without Borders,  YouTube,  2024.

How could genetic approaches be integrated in the malaria toolkit?

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Damaris Matoke-Muhia,  Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research,  2024.
The Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research organized a symposium on the margins of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM Society)’s 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference held last week in Kigali, Rwanda. The event explored how novel genetic approaches could be integrated ...

To fend off aggressive female mosquitoes, L.A. is releasing thousands of sterile males

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Evan Bush,  NBC News,  2024.
In Los Angeles, those who wage war on mosquitoes are adding a weapon to their arsenal: more mosquitoes. The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District on Thursday launched a pilot program to release tens of thousands of irradiated, lab-raised mosquitoes into the local ...

Genetic and geographic population structure in the malaria vector, Anopheles farauti, provides a candidate system for pioneering confinable gene-drive releases

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Ambrose, L., Allen, S.L., Iro’ofa, C. et al.,  Heredity,  132:232-246. 2024.
Indoor insecticide applications are the primary tool for reducing malaria transmission in the Solomon Archipelago, a region where Anopheles farauti is the only common malaria vector. Due to the evolution of behavioural resistance in some An. farauti populations, these ...

Wolbachia infection-responsive immune genes suppress Plasmodium falciparum infection in Anopheles stephensi

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Vandana V, Dong S, Sheth T, Sun Q, Wen H, Maldonado A, et al.,  PLoS Pathogens,  20. 2024.
Wolbachia, a maternally transmitted symbiotic bacterium of insects, can suppress a variety of human pathogens in mosquitoes, including malaria-causing Plasmodium in the Anopheles vector. However, the mechanistic basis of Wolbachia-mediated Plasmodium suppression in mosquitoes is ...

A naturally isolated symbiotic bacterium suppresses flavivirus transmission by Aedes mosquitoes

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Liming Zhang et al.,  Science,  384. 2024.
Flavivirus diseases are increasing in incidence and prevalence owing to the urban proclivities of its Aedes mosquito vector species. Extirpation of mosquitoes is considered key for the control of several human diseases but often involves toxic chemicals that prompt mosquito ...

African health ministers commit to concerted action to end malaria deaths

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Felista Tarimo,  Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research,  2024.
On March 6, health ministers from African countries with the highest burden of malaria met in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and signed a declaration committing to the fundamental principle “that no one should die from malaria.” The Declaration for Accelerated Malaria Mortality ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes could one day end malaria

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Alexis Akwagyiram,  Semafor,  2024.
Abdoulaye Diabaté, a scientist from Burkina Faso, is at the vanguard of efforts to eliminate malaria by editing the genetic makeup of male mosquitoes and releasing them in the wild to prevent the reproduction of female mosquito species that transmit malaria. The technique is ...

Bacteria found in mosquito guts could help scientists fight dengue, Zika

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Catherine Offord,  Science,  2024.
A team in China probing the guts of local mosquitoes has found a potential helper in the fight against two human diseases. Researchers identified a new bacterium that disables the viruses responsible for dengue and Zika before they can establish an infection in the insects. ...

Genetic and geographic population structure in the malaria vector, Anopheles farauti, provides a candidate system for pioneering confinable gene-drive releases

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Ambrose, L., Allen, S.L., Iro’ofa, C. et al.,  Heredity,  2024.
Indoor insecticide applications are the primary tool for reducing malaria transmission in the Solomon Archipelago, a region where Anopheles farauti is the only common malaria vector. Due to the evolution of behavioural resistance in some An. farauti populations, these ...

Talking About Gene Drive in Uganda: The Need for Science Communication to Underpin Engagement

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Hartley, S., Stelmach, A., Opesen, C., Openjuru, G. L., and Neema, S.,  Science Communication,  2024.
Uganda may host the world’s first field trials of gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control. Global North discourses pre-suppose African publics have access to information about gene drive and are ready to make decisions about its governance. We explore assumptions about the ...

Biotech company implements controversial offspring-killing method to address dengue fever: ‘Will show a reduction of 20%’

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Jeremiah Budin,  The Cool Down,  2024.
"We can get out of this state of emergency."

Uganda and Djibouti seek Friendly mosquitoes to fight malaria

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Richard Wetaya,  Alliance for Science,  2024.
According to Oxitec CEO Grey Frandsen, the Friendly technology platform was ideally equipped to produce a safe, sustainable solution to manage the Anopheles stephensi mosquito vector based on years of experience creating and deploying other Oxitec solutions at scale.

Between the lab and the Wild: Establishing the Potential of Gene Drive Mosquitoes for Malaria Control

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Mäkelin, M.,  Science as Culture,  2024.
Malaria control has been one of the defining goals in global health.

On EAC’s GMO disharmony and little-known GM mosquito research

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Gitura Mwaura,  The New Times,  2024.
A meeting in Dar es Salaam in November 2022 sought to chart the legal way forward for the Target Malaria and Transmission Zero Project, as the research initiative is called.

Efficacy of Wolbachia-based mosquito control: Predictions of a spatially discrete mathematical model

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David Dye, John W. Cain,  PLoS One,  19. 2024.
Wolbachia is an endosymbiont bacterium present in many insect species. When Wolbachia-carrying male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes mate with non-carrier females, their embryos are not viable due to cytoplasmic incompatibility. This phenomenon has been exploited successfully for the ...

Aedes aegypti Controls Ae. aegypti: SIT and IIT—An Overview

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Robert L. Aldridge; Seth Gibson; Kenneth J. Linthicum,  Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association,  20:32-49. 2024.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and the incompatible insect technique (IIT) are emerging and potentially revolutionary tools for controlling Aedes aegypti (L.), a prominent worldwide mosquito vector threat to humans that is notoriously difficult to reduce or eliminate in ...

Flight Against Infections: The Role of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes, with Dr. Stephanie James

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EeKs on Health,  YouTube,  2024.

Effectiveness evaluation of mosquito suppression strategies on dengue transmission under changing temperature and precipitation

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Kaihui Liu, Shuanghui Fang, Qiong Li, et al.,  Acta Tropica,  2024.

Mosquito Control releases over 100K sterile male mosquitos to combat Aedes aegypti population

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NBC2 News,  YouTube,  2024.

Gene Drive Systems To Control Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes Make Headway

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Joshua Ang,  Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research,  2024.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are known vectors of several diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, which impact millions of people worldwide each year. The effectiveness of existing insecticide-based methods to control this mosquito is threatened by growing ...

Taking the fight against disease to mosquitoes

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Gregory Devine,  Setopati,  2024.
In the medium term it's likely that suppression strategies involving self-limiting genetic modifications, Wolbachia infection and irradiation will be extended to a small number of our most important mosquito vectors of disease.

South American cities release mosquitoes to stem disease

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Roberto González,  SciDev.Net,  2024.
When Waldeir Barbosa da Silva explained to his family that he was going to release hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes into the open, infected with a bacterium, they were surprised. In Niterói, southeast Brazil, where da Silva lives, diseases spread by mosquitoes, such as ...

Off the news: Gene-altered mosquitoes to the rescue

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Star Advertiser,  2024.
A legal attempt to block deployment of genetically modified mosquitoes in a Maui forest was rejected in Circuit Court on Tuesday — cause for celebration among those hoping to save near-extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreepers. State and federal wildlife officials plan a staged ...

Opinion: A cautionary tale of experimenting with genetically modified mosquitoes in Uganda

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Barbara Ntambirweki,  The Independent,  2024.
The Uganda Virus Research Institute is pressing forward with gene drive technology which provides a way to rapidly, permanently, and genetically modify wild animals or plants. Gene drive organisms, are a genetically modified organism (GMO) designed to spread a genetic ...

Anti-CRISPR Anopheles mosquitoes inhibit gene drive spread under challenging behavioural conditions in large cages

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D’Amato, R., Taxiarchi, C., Galardini, M. et al.,  Nature Communications,  15:952. 2024.
CRISPR-based gene drives have the potential to spread within populations and are considered as promising vector control tools. A doublesex-targeting gene drive was able to suppress laboratory Anopheles mosquito populations in small and large cages, and it is considered for field ...

Targeting sex determination to suppress mosquito populations

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Ming Li, Nikolay P Kandul,Ruichen Sun, Ting Yang, Elena D Benetta, Daniel J Brogan, Igor Antoshechkin, Héctor M Sánchez C, Yinpeng Zhan, Nicolas A DeBeaubien, YuMin M Loh, Matthew P Su, Craig Montell, John M Marshall, Omar S Akbari,  eLife,  12. 2024.
Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insufficient, necessitating innovations. ...

Gene driver flies and quantum finance: News from Imperial

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Bryony Ravate, Hayley Dunning,  Imperial College London,  2024.
Researchers have created the first gene drive for the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), a global agricultural pest affecting food production. The team was led by Dr Nikolai Windbichler and Dr Angela Meccariello at Imperial's Department of Life Sciences, and included ...

New gene-editing tools may help wipe out mosquito-borne diseases

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Greg Allen,  NPR,  2024.
In the age-old war of human versus mosquitoes, the bugs have been winning. At least 700,000 people die every year from mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, West Nile and yellow fever. Global trade and climate change have helped disease-carrying species become ...

Scientists create first transgenic mosquito strain in Africa

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CGTN Africa,  YouTube,  2024.

The epidemiology of imported and locally-acquired dengue in Australia, 2012–2022

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Asma Sohail, Katherine L Anders, Sarah L McGuinness, Karin Leder,  Journal of Travel Medicine,  2024.
Dengue is the most important arboviral disease globally, and poses ongoing challenges for control including in non-endemic countries with competent mosquito vectors at risk of local transmission through imported cases. We examined recent epidemiological trends in imported and ...

Maxizyme-mediated suppression of chikungunya virus replication and transmission in transgenic Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

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Mishra P, Balaraman V, Fraser Jr. M,  Frontiers in Microbiology,  14. 2024.
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne pathogen of significant public health importance. There are currently no prophylactic vaccines or therapeutics available to control CHIKV. One approach to arbovirus control that has been proposed is the replacement of ...

Mosquito makeover: Tahiti’s groundbreaking solution to disease

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Atutahi Potaka-Dewes,  Pacific Media Network,  2024.
Mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting such diseases as dengue, malaria, zika, chikungunya, or filariosis, causing millions of deaths worldwide. French Polynesia is taking a groundbreaking initiative to address public health concerns and demonstrate a commitment to finding ...

Genetically modified mosquitoes

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The SoCal Scene Staff,  Spectrum News 1,  2024.
In the battle against pests, the deadliest insect in the world has become the mosquito. There’s no silver bullet to eradicate it, but one company is looking to change that, using a method that seems out of the future. 

Sex or poison? Genetic pest management in the 21st century

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Luke Alphey,  BMC Biology,  21:289. 2024.
Pests do enormous damage to human and animal health, to agriculture and to biodiversity, with mosquitoes transmitting pathogens, insect larvae eating crops or invasive rodents threatening the last island refuges of endangered birds. This commentary focuses on insects, ...

The mosquito knows no borders: Regional challenges for global confrontation in the dengue battle

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Barçante JMdP, Cherem J,  PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  18. 2024.
Dengue fever is a neglected disease with a global impact, and its incidence and geographical reach are rapidly expanding. Global warming marked by higher average temperatures, precipitation, and longer periods of drought could prompt a record number of dengue fever infections ...

Gene drives, mosquitoes, and ecosystems: An interdisciplinary approach to emerging ethical concerns

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Ricardo D. Moreno, Luca Valera, Cristián Borgoño, Juan Carlos Castilla, José Luis Riveros,  Frontiers in Environmental Science,  11. 2023.
Gene drives are genetic elements that in sexually reproducing organisms spread faster than those transmitted through a Mendelian fashion. Since gene drives can be engineered to modify different aspects of physiology and reproduction, they have been proposed as a new and ...

Gene Drive Technology Unlocks Innovative Potential Solutions At The Intersection Of Climate Change And Public Health

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Krystal Birungi,  African Media Agency,  2023.
The inaugural ‘Day of Health’ at the UN Climate Conference (COP-28) highlighted the dramatic impact of climate change on health, diseases and in particular on malaria. Heads of State and climate experts converged in Dubai to emphasise the indisputable link between climate ...

Large-scale releases and establishment of wMel Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes throughout the Cities of Bello, Medellín and Itagüí, Colombia

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Velez ID, Uribe A, Barajas J, Uribe S, Ángel S, Suaza-Vasco JD, et al.,  PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  2023.
The wMel strain of Wolbachia has been successfully introduced into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and has been shown to reduce the transmission of dengue and other Aedes-borne viruses. Here we report the entomological results from phased, large-scale releases ...

Different mechanisms of X-ray irradiation-induced male and female sterility in Aedes aegypti

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Zhang, H., Trueman, E., Hou, X. et al.,  BMC Biology,  21. 2023.
Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) is the major vector that transmits many diseases including dengue, Zika, and filariasis in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to the growing resistance to chemical-based insecticides, biological control methods have become an emerging direction to ...

Advances and challenges in synthetic biology for mosquito control

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

Scientific report urges debate on genetic modification to control insect pests

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Bob Weber,  CTV News,  2023.
Scientists are learning to turn the genetics of insect pests against themselves, altering the genome of familiar foes in ways that give farmers and doctors new ways to fight them. The burgeoning field offers fresh hope against old scourges such as malaria. And it could provide ...

Aedes aegypti microbiome composition covaries with the density of Wolbachia infection

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Jane Pascar, Henry Middleton & Steve Dorus,  Microbiome,  11. 2023.
Wolbachia is a widespread bacterial endosymbiont that can inhibit vector competency when stably transinfected into the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, a primary vector of the dengue virus (DENV) and other arboviruses. Although a complete mechanistic understanding of pathogen blocking is ...

The suppression of a selfish genetic element increases a male’s mating success in a fly

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Sophie Lyth, Andrea J. Betancourt, Tom A. R. Price, Rudi L. Verspoor,  Ecology and Evolution,  2023.
X chromosome meiotic drive (XCMD) kills Y-bearing sperm during spermatogenesis, leading to the biased transmission of the selfish X chromosome. Despite this strong transmission, some natural XCMD systems remain at low and stable frequencies, rather than rapidly spreading through ...

What are gene drives?

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Anonymous,  MalariaGEN,  2023.
Among the new generation of technological tools being developed to combat malaria, there is a lot of buzz around gene drives. This is a method for genetically modifying malaria-spreading mosquitoes and ultimately reducing or replacing their populations. But how exactly do gene ...

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

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

Conceptual risk assessment of mosquito population modification gene-drive systems to control malaria transmission: preliminary hazards list workshops

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A. Kormos, G. Dimopoulos, E. Bier, G. C. Lanzaro, J. M. Marshall and A. A. James,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  11. 2023.
The field-testing and eventual adoption of genetically-engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) to control vector-borne pathogen transmission will require them meeting safety criteria specified by regulatory authorities in regions where the technology is being considered for use and other ...

Symbiotic Wolbachia in mosquitoes and its role in reducing the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases: updates and prospects

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Awoke Minwuyelet, Giulio Petronio Petronio, Delenasaw Yewhalaw, Andrea Sciarretta, Irene Magnifico, Daria Nicolosi, Roberto Di Marco, Getnet Atenafu,,  Frontiers in Microbiology,  14. 2023.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, chikungunya, Zika fever, and filariasis have the greatest health and economic impact. These mosquito-borne diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Due to the ...

Wolbachia enhances the survival ofDrosophila infected with fungal pathogens

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J. Perlmutter, I., A. Atadurdyyeva, M. Schedl, E. and R. Unckless, L.,  bioRxiv,  2023.09.30.560320. 2023.
Wolbachia bacteria of arthropods are at the forefront of basic and translational research on multipartite host-symbiont-pathogen interactions. These microbes are vertically inherited from mother to offspring via the cytoplasm. They are the most widespread endosymbionts on the ...

Effect of 2 sex-sorting time schedules on SIT facility management

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M. Malfacini, A. Puggioli, F. Balestrino, M. Carrieri, M. L. Dindo and R. Bellini,  Journal of Insect Science,  23:9. 2023.
Improvements are needed in mosquito mass-rearing to effectively implement the sterile insect technique (SIT). However, managing this technique is challenging and resource intensive. SIT relies on mass rearing, sterilization, and release of adult males to reduce field populations. ...

MGDrivE 3: A decoupled vector-human framework for epidemiological simulation of mosquito genetic control tools and their surveillance

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A. Mondal, C. H. M. Sanchez and J. M. Marshall,  bioRxiv,  2023.09.09.556958. 2023.
We present MGDrivE 3 (Mosquito Gene Drive Explorer 3), a new version of a previously-developed framework, MGDrivE 2, that investigates the spatial population dynamics of mosquito genetic control systems and their epidemiological implications. The new framework incorporates three ...

Can Gene-Drives Combat Vector-Borne Diseases?

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Anonymous,  tomorrow.bio,  2023.
Scientists, technophiles, and the medical community are abuzz with a topic that sounds like science fiction: gene-drives. Given the growing fear of vector-borne diseases, wouldn’t it be marvelous if we could meddle with genetics to drive vectors like mosquitoes to extinction? ...

Malaria’s latest foe? Bacteria.

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M. Coulson,  Johns Hopkins,  2023.
In a new paper published in Science, Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, PhD, professor emeritus in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and his colleagues, in collaboration with researchers at GSK Global Health Medicines R&D, show that a naturally occurring bacterium and a chemical it ...

Suppression Trial through an Integrated Vector Management of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) Based on the Sterile Insect Technique in a Non-Isolated Area in Spain

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C. Tur, D. Almenar, M. Zacarés, S. Benlloch-Navarro, I. Pla and V. Dalmau,  Insects,  14. 2023.
In recent years, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1984) has expanded its distribution globally due to its high ecological plasticity. This expansion has increased the population’s susceptibility to contracting diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, among others, which are ...

Unleashing the swarm: Battling the global mosquito menace and defending public health

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J. Entine and S. Moxon,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2023.
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 ...

Draft environmental assessment released for using modified mosquitoes to save native birds on Kauaʻi

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Anonymous,  Big Island NOW,  2023.
Today, the draft environmental assessment was made public for the use of Wolbachia-based incompatible male mosquitoes on Kauaʻi to stop the spread of avian malaria that is decimating native forest bird populations. The public has 31 days — from June 23 until July 24 — to ...

CRISPR-mediated germline mutagenesis for genetic sterilization of Anopheles gambiae males

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A. L. Smidler, D. G. Paton, G. M. Church, W. R. Shaw and F. Catteruccia,  bioRxiv,  2023.06.13.544841. 2023.
Rapid spread of insecticide resistance among anopheline mosquitoes threatens malaria elimination efforts, necessitating development of alternative vector control technologies. Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been successfully implemented in multiple insect pests to suppress ...

Generation game: gene-edited mosquitos to fight malaria

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J. Opara,  Sci Dev Net,  2023.
Population-level changes in the genetic make-up of one of the world’s deadliest animals could provide a key in the fight against malaria, proponents of a radical new technology argue. So-called gene drive technology, where genetic changes are passed down through generations, ...

Holobiont perspectives on tripartite interactions among microbiota, mosquitoes, and pathogens

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R. Zheng, Q. Wang, R. Wu, P. N. Paradkar, A. A. Hoffmann and G. H. Wang,  ISME,  2023.
Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria cause a significant global health burden. Unfortunately, current insecticides and environmental control strategies aimed at the vectors of these diseases are only moderately effective in decreasing disease burden. Understanding and ...

Mosquito gene targeted RNAi studies for vector control

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

Adversarial interspecies relationships facilitate population suppression by gene drive in spatially explicit models

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Y. Liu, W. Teo, H. Yang and J. Champer,  Ecology Letters,  2023.
Abstract Suppression gene drives bias their inheritance to spread through a population, potentially eliminating it when they reach high frequency. CRISPR homing suppression drives have already seen success in the laboratory, but several models predict that success may be elusive ...

The boundary problem: Defining and delineating the community in field trials with gene drive organisms

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N. de Graeff, I. Pirson, R. van der Graaf, A. L. Bredenoord and K. R. Jongsma,  Bioethics,  2023.
Despite widespread and worldwide efforts to eradicate vector-borne diseases such as malaria, these diseases continue to have an enormous negative impact on public health. For this reason, scientists are working on novel control strategies, such as gene drive technologies (GDTs). ...

Defining transformation events for gene drive in species complexes

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J. B. Connolly,  IOBC-WPRS Bulletin,  163:8-20. 2023.
Engineered gene drives (EGDs) that allow the super-Mendelian inheritance of genetic traits could one day be used to reduce the vectorial capacity of Anopheles species that transmit human malaria in Africa. Many Anopheles species belong to complexes of closely related sibling ...

In The Face Of Nigerian Mosquito Nets, Westerners’ Gene Editing Offers Hope

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O. Onwumere,  The Nigerian Voice,  2023.
In Nigeria, the utilization of mosquito nets is prevalent, while in the Western world, optimism is associated with the implementation of gene editing technology. In this article, ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE reports that malaria could soon be eradicated in Nigeria. According to US ...

A bacterium against the tiger: further evidence of the potential of non-inundative releases of males with manipulated Wolbachia infection in reducing fertility of Aedes albopictus field populations in Italy

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B. Caputo, R. Moretti, C. Virgillito, M. Manica, E. Lampazzi, G. Lombardi, P. Serini, V. Pichler, N. W. Beebe, A. Della Torre and M. Calvitti,  Pest Management Science,  2023.
BACKGROUND: Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) is a population suppression approach based on the release of males with manipulated Wolbachia infection inducing egg inviability in wild females. We here present results of multiple field releases of incompatible ARwP males carried ...

Regulatory and policy considerations for the implementation of gene drive-modified mosquitoes to prevent malaria transmission

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S. L. James, B. Dass and H. Quemada,  Transgenic Research,  32:17. 2023.
Gene drive-modified mosquitoes (GDMMs) are being developed as possible new tools to prevent transmission of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. To date no GDMMs have yet undergone field testing. This early stage is an opportune time for developers, supporters, and possible ...

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

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

First report of natural Wolbachia infections in mosquitoes from Cuba

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A. Ruiz, G. Gutiérrez-Bugallo, R. Rodríguez-Roche, L. Pérez, R. González-Broche, L. A. Piedra, L. C. Martínez, Z. Menéndez, A. Vega-Rúa and J. A. Bisset,  Acta Tropica,  242:106891. 2023.
Mosquitoes are extensively responsible for the transmission of pathogens. Novel strategies using Wolbachia could transform that scenario, since these bacteria manipulate mosquito reproduction, and can confer a pathogen transmission-blocking phenotype in culicids. Here, we ...

A mosquito population suppression model with a saturated Wolbachia release strategy in seasonal succession

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Z. Zhang, L. Chang, Q. Huang, R. Yan and B. Zheng,  J Math Biol,  86:51. 2023.
Releasing Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes to suppress wild female mosquitoes through cytoplasmic incompatibility has shown great promise in controlling and preventing mosquito-borne diseases. To make the release logistically and economically feasible, we propose a saturated ...

Alleviating the burden of malaria with gene drive technologies? A biocentric analysis of the moral permissibility of modifying malaria mosquitoes

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N. de Graeff, K. R. Jongsma and A. L. Bredenoord,  Journal of Medical Ethics,  2023.
Gene drive technologies (GDTs) have been proposed as a potential new way to alleviate the burden of malaria, yet have also raised ethical questions. A central ethical question regarding GDTs relates to whether it is morally permissible to intentionally modify or eradicate ...

Wolbachia RNase HI contributes to virus blocking in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

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M. Hussain, G. Zhang, M. Leitner, L. M. Hedges and S. Asgari,  iScience,  26:105836. 2023.
The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis blocks replication of several arboviruses in transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, the mechanism of virus blocking remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized an RNase HI gene from Wolbachia, which is rapidly ...

East Maui project hopes mosquito v. mosquito mating battle will save endangered birds

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K. Cerizo,  MAUINOW,  2022.

A comprehensive overview of the existing microbial symbionts in mosquito vectors: An important tool for impairing pathogentransmission

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V. Vandana, M. P. Kona, J. Kumar, O. P. Singh and K. C. Pandey,  Experimental Parasitology,  243. 2022.
The emergence of drug-resistant parasites and/or insecticide-resistant mosquito vectors necessitates developing alternative tools that either supplement or replace the conventional malaria control strategies. Trans-infecting the mosquito vector with symbionts that can either ...

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

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

Cross-kingdom RNAi to enhance the efficacy of insect pathogens

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

Justifying an Intentional Species Extinction: The Case of Anopheles gambiae

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D. E. Callies and Y. Rohwer,  Environmental Values,  31:193-210. 2022.
Each year, over 200 million people are infected with the malaria parasite, nearly half a million of whom succumb to the disease. Emerging genetic technologies could, in theory, eliminate the burden of malaria throughout the world by intentionally eradicating the mosquitoes that ...

How We’re Reducing Disease With Genetically Modified Mosquitoes

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V. Wise,  HealthMatch,  2022.
We all know mosquitoes as those annoying insects we swat away from our faces. They carry diseases, so we don’t want them anywhere near us. There are over 200 types of wild mosquitoes bugging us across America and the U.S. territories. Approximately 12 types can spread disease, ...

Gene drive mosquitoes can aid malaria elimination by retarding Plasmodium sporogonic development

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Hoermann, Astrid, Habtewold, Tibebu, Selvaraj, Prashanth, Del Corsano, Giuseppe, Capriotti, Paolo, Inghilterra, Maria Grazia, Kebede, Temesgen M., Christophides, George K. and Windbichler, Nikolai,  Science Advances,  2022.
Gene drives hold promise for the genetic control of malaria vectors. The development of vector population modification strategies hinges on the availability of effector mechanisms impeding parasite development in transgenic mosquitoes. We augmented a midgut gene of the malaria ...

Can a bold new plan to stop mosquitoes catch on?

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

Can mosquitoes be used for biological warfare?

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Health Desk,  Health Desk,  2022.
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 ...

Life-history traits of a fluorescent Anopheles arabiensis genetic sexing strain introgressed into South African genomic background

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N. L. Ntoyi, T. Mashatola, J. Bouyer, C. Kraupa, H. Maiga, W. Mamai, N. S. Bimbile-Somda, T. Wallner, D. O. Carvalho, G. Munhenga and H. Yamada,  Malaria Journal,  21:12. 2022.
Background South Africa has set a mandate to eliminate local malaria transmission by 2023. In pursuit of this objective a Sterile Insect Technique programme targeting the main vector Anopheles arabiensis is currently under development. Significant progress has been made towards ...

An evaluation of fusion partner proteins for paratransgenesis in Asaia bogorensis

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

Release the Beast? Genetically modified mosquitos for diease control

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

Larval mosquito management and risk to aquatic ecosystems: A comparative approach including current tactics and gene-drive Anopheles techniques

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R. K. D. Peterson and M. G. Rolston,  Transgenic Research,  2022.
Genetic engineering of mosquitoes represents a promising tactic for reducing human suffering from malaria. Gene-drive techniques being developed that suppress or modify populations of Anopheles gambiae have the potential to be used with, or even possibly obviate, microbial and ...

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

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

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

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K. L. Werling, R. M. Johnson, H. C. Metz and J. L. Rasgon,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:219. 2022.
Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) is an insect-specific, single-stranded DNA virus that infects An. gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), the major mosquito species responsible for transmitting malaria parasites throughout sub-Saharan Africa. AgDNV is a benign virus that is very ...

Gene Drives: A Potentially New Weapon Against Mosquitoes

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M. Sherman,  Times Union Online,  2022.
Scientists have studied gene drives for more than 50 years, and to most of us this has been a well-kept secret. The development of a powerful genome editing tool in 2012, CRISPR/Cas9,1 led to recent breakthroughs in gene drive research that built on that half century’s worth ...

Current Status of Mosquito Handling, Transporting and Releasing in Frame of the Sterile Insect Technique

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J. Guo, X. Zheng, D. Zhang and Y. Wu,  Insects,  13. 2022.
The sterile insect technique (SIT) and its related technologies are considered to be a powerful weapon for fighting against mosquitoes. As an important part of the area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs, SIT can help reduce the use of chemical pesticides for ...

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

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E. Waymire, S. Duddu, S. Yared, D. Getachew, D. Dengela, S. R. Bordenstein, M. Balkew, S. Zohdy, S. R. Irish and T. E. Carter,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:178. 2022.
About two out of three Ethiopians are at risk of malaria, a disease caused by the parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Anopheles stephensi, an invasive vector typically found in South Asia and the Middle East, was recently found to be distributed across eastern ...

Self-Deleting Genes Could Control Mosquitoes And Prevent Vector-Borne Diseases

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A. Russell,  Texas AM TODAY,  2022.
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 ...

The fight against malaria

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

Self-eliminating genes tested on mosquitoes

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A. Russell,  AGRILIFE Today,  2022.
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 ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Should we kill every mosquito on Earth?

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J. Phelan,  LiveScience,  2022.
Before you grab that can of bug spray, know this: While some mosquitoes are dangerous to us, not all are. Even those that are sometimes harmful tend not to feed on humans, preferring honeydew, plant sap and nectar, according to Mosquito Joe, a mosquito control company. There are ...

Increased biting rate and decreased Wolbachia density in irradiated Aedes mosquitoes

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

A UC malaria initiative program receives grant for work researching genetically engineered mosquitoes

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S. Slater,  The California Aggie,  2022.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease, was discovered in 1880, and has remained widespread in tropical regions around the equator including parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, resulting in thousands of deaths and a significant blow to economic development in these ...

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

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H. Dehghan, S. H. Mosa-Kazemi, B. Yakhchali, N. Maleki-Ravasan, H. Vatandoost and M. A. Oshaghi,  Parasites and Vectors,  15:63. 2022.
Malaria is one of the most lethal infectious diseases in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Paratransgenesis using symbiotic bacteria offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly strategy to combat this disease. In the study reported here, we evaluated the ...

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

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M. L. Simões, Y. Dong, G. Mlambo and G. Dimopoulos,  PLOS Biology,  20:e3001515. 2022.
Anopheles gambiae melanization-based refractoriness to the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has rarely been observed in either laboratory or natural conditions, in contrast to the rodent model malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei that can become completely melanized by ...

Quality Control Methods for Aedes albopictus Sterile Male Transportation

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G. D. Mastronikolos, A. Kapranas, G. K. Balatsos, C. Ioannou, D. P. Papachristos, P. G. Milonas, A. Puggioli, I. Pajović, D. Petrić, R. Bellini, A. Michaelakis and N. T. Papadopoulos,  Insects,  2022.
Genetic based mosquito control methods have been gaining ground in recent years for their potential to achieve effective suppression or replacement of vector populations without hampering environments or causing any public health risk. These methods require the mass rearing of ...

Could Crispr Flip the Switch on Insects’ Resistance to Pesticides?

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E. Mullin,  WIRED,  2022.
WHILE THE COVID-19 pandemic raged across the world in 2020, another disease was quietly infecting more than 220 million people on the continent of Africa: malaria. That year, the disease led to more than 600,000 deaths, most of them children. Caused by the parasite Plasmodium, ...

Crisp Genes

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J. Mckenna,  The Simple Science,  2022.
Imagine we had the power to use genetic technologies to stop one of humanity’s most dangerous predators. What is that predator? Sharks? Crocodiles? Snakes? Think far, far smaller. It is in fact, the mosquito.Mosquitos cause all sorts of nasty diseases like the Zika Virus, ...

CRISPR Technology Can Eliminate Disease-Spreading Mosquitoes

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

Genetic strategy reverses insecticide resistance

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M. Aguilera,  Phys Org,  2022.
University of California San Diego biologists have now developed a method that reverses insecticide resistance using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. As described in Nature Communications, researchers Bhagyashree Kaduskar, Raja Kushwah and Professor Ethan Bier with the Tata Institute for ...

Nuclear technique cuts mosquito numbers in Cuban trial

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M. A. Madsen,  IAEA,  2022.
A pilot trial of a SIT campaign was conducted between April and August 2020 in an area of 50 hectares in El Cano, an isolated neighbourhood of southwest Havana. Arroyo Arenas, another neighbourhood of similar size, was used as an untreated control site. In the pilot trial, almost ...

Effects of Sterile Males and Fertility of Infected Mosquitoes on Mosquito-Borne Disease Dynamics

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X. L. Sun, S. Q. Liu, Y. F. Lv and Y. Z. Pei,  Bulletin of Mathematical Biology,  84:33. 2022.
By studying an infection-age structured model, we consider the effects of releasing sterile males and the fertility of infected mosquitoes on the mosquito-borne diseases transmission including the extinction of mosquitoes, the elimination and persistence of diseases. Firstly, ...

Reversing insecticide resistance with allelic-drive in Drosophila melanogaster

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B. Kaduskar, R. B. S. Kushwah, A. Auradkar, A. Guichard, M. Li, J. B. Bennett, A. H. F. Julio, J. M. Marshall, C. Montell and E. Bier,  Nature Communications,  13:291. 2022.
A recurring target-site mutation identified in various pests and disease vectors alters the voltage gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene (often referred to as knockdown resistance or kdr) to confer resistance to commonly used insecticides, pyrethroids and DDT. The ubiquity of kdr ...

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

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

Introgression of the Aedes aegypti red-eye genetic sexing strains into different genomic backgrounds for sterile insect technique applications

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A. A. Augustinos , K. Nikolouli , L. D. De La Fuente , M. Misbah-Ul-Haq, D. O. Carvalho and K. Bourtzis,  Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology,  2022.
Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito species and major vector of human arboviruses. A wide variety of control methods have been employed to combat mosquito populations. One of them is the sterile insect technique (SIT) that has recently attracted considerable research efforts ...

Lab-scale characterization and semi-field trials of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB in a Taiwan Wolbachia introgressed Ae. aegypti strain

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W. L. Liu, H. Y. Yu, Y. X. Chen, B. Y. Chen, S. N. Leaw, C. H. Lin, M. P. Su, L. S. Tsai, Y. Chen, S. H. Shiao, Z. Y. Xi, A. C. C. Jang and C. H. Chen,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  16:24. 2022.
Author summaryPrior to open field release, new genetic approaches that interfere with mosquito abilities and reduce mosquito population density require progressive evaluation both in the laboratory and contained field trials. Trials in contained outdoor systems are thus an ...

The Need for a Tiered Registry for US Gene Drive Governance

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K. L. Warmbrod, A. L. Kobokovich, R. West, G. K. Gronvall and M. Montague,  Health Security,  2022.
A great deal of attention has been focused on the potential risks of gene drives, the kinds of biosafety protections they may require, and how they may be reversed; however, less attention has been paid to the systems that would be useful to have in place in the future, when ...

Information Sharing in Senegal on the Gene Drive Technology as a potential Complementary Tool for Malaria Vector Control

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AUDA-NEPAD,  AUDA-NEPAD,  2022.
AUDA-NEPAD in partnership with the National Biosafety Authority (Autorité Nationale de Biosécurité (ANB) in Senegal organized an Information sharing meeting on the gene drive technology as a complementary tool for malaria vector control, from 22-23 December 2021, in Somone, ...

Driving the Self-Destruction of Malaria-Transmitting Mosquitos

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H. Aliouche,  News Medical Life Sciences,  2021.
Self-destruction of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes can be driven by gene drives deployed to manipulate natural populations. In particular, they can be used to reduce the number of individuals in a population or to modify their composition; this is particularly useful when such ...

Temporal Viability of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Eggs Using Two Hygroscopic Substances as Preservatives under a Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) Program in Southern Mexico

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E. N. Martínez-García, E. E. Díaz-González, C. F. Marina, J. G. Bond, J. J. Rodríguez-Rojas, G. Ponce-García, R. M. Sánchez-Casas and I. Fernández-Salas,  Insects,  13. 2021.
Dengue and other Aedes-borne diseases have dramatically increased over the last decades. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been successfully used as part of integrated pest strategies to control populations of insect-plant and livestock pests and is currently being tested as ...

Integrated Management of Malaria Vectors in Africa

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

Advances in Aedes Mosquito Vector Control Strategies Using CRISPR/Cas9

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

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

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

Field Trials of Gene Drive Mosquitoes: Lessons from Releases of Genetically Sterile Males and Wolbachia-infected Mosquitoes

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J. M. Marshall and V. N. Vásquez,  Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies,  2021.
The discovery of CRISPR-based gene editing and its application to homing-based gene drive has been greeted with excitement, for its potential to control mosquito-borne diseases on a wide scale, and concern, for the invasiveness and potential irreversibility of a release. At the ...

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

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

Genetically Modified and other Innovative Vector Control Technologies

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

How Israelis help the world fight mosquito-borne diseases

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

Towards Integrated Management of Dengue in Mumbai

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P. N. Paradkar, P. R. Sahasrabudhe, M. Ghag Sawant, S. Mukherjee and K. R. Blasdell,  Viruses,  13. 2021.
With increasing urbanisation, the dengue disease burden is on the rise in India, especially in large cities such as Mumbai. Current dengue surveillance in Mumbai includes municipal corporation carrying out specific activities to reduce mosquito breeding sites and the use of ...

Wolbachia cifB induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in the malaria mosquito vector

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K. L. Adams, D. G. Abernathy, B. C. Willett, E. K. Selland, M. A. Itoe and F. Catteruccia,  Nature Microbiology,  6:1575-1582. 2021.
Wolbachia, a maternally inherited intracellular bacterial species, can manipulate host insect reproduction by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in embryo lethality in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. CI is encoded by two prophage genes, cifA ...

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

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P. J. Beaghton and A. Burt,  bioRxiv,  2021.11.11.468225. 2021.
Synthetic gene drive constructs are being developed to control disease vectors, invasive species, and other pest species. In a well-mixed random mating population a sufficiently strong gene drive is expected to eliminate a target population, but it is not clear whether the same ...

High Temperature Cycles Result in Maternal Transmission and Dengue Infection Differences Between Wolbachia Strains in Aedes aegypti

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M. V. Mancini, T. H. Ant, C. S. Herd, J. Martinez, S. M. Murdochy, D. D. Gingell, E. Mararo, P. C. D. Johnson and S. P. Sinkins,  mBio,  e0025021. 2021.
Environmental factors play a crucial role in the population dynamics of arthropod endosymbionts, and therefore in the deployment of Wolbachia symbionts for the control of dengue arboviruses. The potential of Wolbachia to invade, persist, and block virus transmission depends in ...

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

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

Containment Practices for Arthropods Modified with Engineered Transgenes Capable of Gene Drive Addendum 1 to the Arthropod Containment Guidelines, Version 3.2

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American Committee of Medical Entomology,  Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases,  2021.

Gene drive revolution: How genetically tweaked mosquitoes could tip the balance in the battle to contain malaria

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F. Okumu,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2021.
In 2016, a World Health Organisation (WHO) panel concluded that even with the best use of current approaches, there would still be 11 million malaria cases in 2050. What’s needed are longer-term integrated strategies to complement current methods. These may include large-scale ...

Symbiotic Interactions Between Mosquitoes and Mosquito Viruses

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

Predicting the spread and persistence of genetically modified dominant sterile male mosquitoes

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A. Ickowicz, S. D. Foster, G. R. Hosack and K. R. Hayes,  Parasites and Vectors,  14:480. 2021.
Reproductive containment provides an opportunity to implement a staged-release strategy for genetic control of malaria vectors, in particular allowing predictions about the spread and persistence of (self-limiting) sterile and male-biased strains to be compared to outcomes before ...

Africa must not rest until Malaria rests: What is the role of emerging technologies?

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R. Oronje,  AFIDEP,  2021.
As we mark the World Mosquito Day today, it is a sad reminder that Malaria still kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, majority of these people in Africa. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Malaria killed 409,000 people in 2019, and 94% of these deaths ...

The Complex Lives of Mosquitoes: The Key for Malaria Control

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F. Okumu,  ISGlobal,  2021.
Mosquitoes spread diseases to millions of people around the world, yet they remain poorly understood by most. Studying their biology and behaviours can help us combat, and eventually eliminate, dangerous diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.There are nearly 3,500 species of ...

New mosquito control tools are critical

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

Breakthrough in non-GMO malaria control

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C. Robinson and J. Matthews,  GM Watch,  2021.
A just-published study carried out in a high-security lab claims to show that a CRISPR gene drive (a way of forcing a heritable genetic modification through a whole species or population) can crash populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes. But why crash mosquito populations ...

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

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

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

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

Wolbachia as translational science: controlling mosquito-borne pathogens

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

Yes, genetically modified mosquitoes do exist, but they don’t bite and aren’t harmful to humans

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E. Jones and M. Chamberlin,  WKYC Studios,  2021.
In 2021, Oxitec, a biotechnology company that develops genetically modified insects that safely and sustainably control pests that spread disease, damage crops and harm livestock across the globe, partnered with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) to evaluate the ...

Combating mosquito-borne diseases using genetic control technologies

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

Gene Drives – Engineering the Wild

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L. Sharratt,  Sentinel,  2021.
So far, genetically engineered organisms have been mostly limited to agricultural use, with partial success. Around the world, a few major crops (mostly corn, soy, and cotton) are genetically engineered, predominantly for herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. However, the ...

Scientists develop new technology that gives greater control for managing malaria mosquitoes

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Keele University,  Phy Org,  2021.
Researchers including a Keele University scientist have engineered an innovative approach to disable highly powerful genetic devices that control harmful insect populations. Dr. Roberto Galizi from Keele's School of Life Sciences was part of a research team that previously ...

The (Losing) Battle Against Mosquitoes In Texas

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

A genetically encoded anti-CRISPR protein constrains gene drive spread and prevents population suppression

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C. Taxiarchi, A. Beaghton, N. I. Don, K. Kyrou, M. Gribble, D. Shittu, S. P. Collins, C. L. Beisel, R. Galizi and A. Crisanti,  Nature Communications,  12:3977. 2021.
CRISPR-based gene drives offer promising means to reduce the burden of pests and vector-borne diseases. These techniques consist of releasing genetically modified organisms carrying CRISPR-Cas nucleases designed to bias their inheritance and rapidly propagate desired ...

CRISPR-mediated knock-in of transgenes into the malaria vector Anopheles funestus

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C. Quinn, A. Anthousi, C. Wondji and T. Nolan,  G3 Genes Genomes Genetics,  11. 2021.
The ability to introduce mutations, or transgenes, of choice to precise genomic locations has revolutionized our ability to understand how genes and organisms work. In many mosquito species that are vectors of various human diseases, the advent of CRISPR genome editing tools has ...

Fine-scale estimation of key life-history parameters of malaria vectors: implications for next-generation vector control technologies

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A. L. Morris, A. Ghani and N. Ferguson,  Parasites and Vectors,  14:311. 2021.
Mosquito control has the potential to significantly reduce malaria burden on a region, but to influence public health policy must also show cost-effectiveness. Gaps in our knowledge of mosquito population dynamics mean that mathematical modelling of vector control interventions ...

What is wrong in extinguishing a species? Charting the Ethical Challenges of using Gene-Drive Technologies to eradicate A. gambiae vector populations

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M. Annoni and T. Pievani,  Biolaw Journal-Rivista Di Biodiritto,  2021.
This article analyses three ethical arguments against the use of gene-drive technologies to control for, and possibly extinguish, a particular species of vector mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae) causing the malaria infection. We conclude that none of these arguments is truly ...

Sterilizing skeeters using CRISPR/Cas9

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H. Tasoff,  Phy Org,  2021.
Mosquitoes are one of humanity's greatest nemeses, estimated to spread infections to nearly 700 million people per year and cause more than one million deaths. UC Santa Barbara Distinguished Professor Craig Montell has made a breakthrough in one technique for controlling ...

Why the EU should back research into gene drive – even if Europe never uses it

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R. Müller,  The Brussels Times,  2021.
As the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy reaches the European Parliament, it has reopened a worrying debate about research into gene drive technology, a tool which could pave the way for biasing the inheritance of desired genetic traits through targeted species. Advances in this kind ...

Malaria-Resistant Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae); The Principle is Proven, But Will the Effectors Be Effective?

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Z. N. Adelman and B. B. Kojin,  Journal of Medical Entomology,  58:1997-2005. 2021.
Over the last few decades, a substantial number of anti-malarial effector genes have been evaluated for their ability to block parasite infection in the mosquito vector. While many of these approaches have yielded significant effects on either parasite intensity or prevalence of ...

Small-Cage Laboratory Trials of Genetically-Engineered Anopheline Mosquitoes

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R. Carballar-Lejarazú, T. B. Pham, V. Bottino-Rojas, A. Adolfi and A. A. James,  J Vis Exp,  2021.
Control of mosquito-borne pathogens using genetically-modified vectors has been proposed as a promising tool to complement conventional control strategies. CRISPR-based homing gene drive systems have made transgenic technologies more accessible within the scientific community. ...

Next gen insect control

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

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

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

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

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C. L. Jeffries, C. Cansado-Utrilla, A. H. Beavogui, C. Stica, E. K. Lama, M. Kristan, S. R. Irish and T. Walker,  Royal Society Open Science,  8:18. 2021.
Wolbachia, a widespread bacterium which can influence mosquito-borne pathogen transmission, has recently been detected within Anopheles (An.) species that are malaria vectors in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although studies have reported Wolbachia strains in the An. gambiae complex, ...

CRISPR-mediated knock-in of transgenes into the malaria vector Anopheles funestus

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C. Quinn, A. Anthousi, C. Wondji and T. Nolan,  bioRxiv,  2021.03.31.437891. 2021.
We describe herein an optimised transformation system based on the germline delivery of CRISPR components that allows efficient cleavage of a previously validated genomic site and preferential repair of these cut sites via homology-directed repair (HDR), which allows introduction ...

Double drives and private alleles for localised population genetic control

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K. Willis and A. Burt,  PLOS Genetics,  17. 2021.
ynthetic gene drive systems that are able to spread though populations because they are inherited at a greater-than-Mendelian rate have the potential to form the basis for new, highly efficient pest control measures. The most efficient such strategies use natural gene flow to ...

Current Effector and Gene-Drive Developments to Engineer Arbovirus-Resistant Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) for a Sustainable Population Replacement Strategy in the Field

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W. R. Reid, K. E. Olson and A. W. E. Franz,  J Med Entomol,  2021.
Conventional mosquito control efforts based on insecticide treatments and/or the use of bednets and window curtains are currently insufficient to reduce arbovirus prevalence in affected regions. Novel, genetic strategies that are being developed involve the genetic manipulation ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eliminating Mosquitoes with Precision Guided Sterile Males

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M. Li, T. Yang, M. Bui, S. Gamez, T. Wise, N. P. Kandul, J. Liu, L. Alcantara, H. Lee, J. R. Edula, R. Raban, Y. Zhan, Y. Wang, N. DeBeaubien, J. Chen, H. M. Sanchez C, J. B. Bennett, I. Antoshechkin, C. Montell, J. M. Marshall and O. S. Akbari,  bioRxiv,  2021.03.05.434167. 2021.
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 sterile males that are deployable at any life stage. Supported by mathematical models, we ...

In Uganda, genetically modified mosquitoes bring hope and fear

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Anonymous,  africanews,  2021.
Scientists here are investigating whether populations of the malaria-carrying insects can be reduced by genetic modification. They're looking at the viability of releasing large numbers of genetically modified mosquitos into the wild to influence future generations. The study ...

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey in Greece before the Implementation of Sterile Insect Technique against Aedes albopictus

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A. Stefopoulou, S. L. LaDeau, N. Syrigou, G. Balatsos, V. Karras, I. Lytra, E. Boukouvala, D. P. Papachristos, P. G. Milonas, A. Kapranas, P. Vahamidis and A. Michaelakis,  Insects,  12. 2021.
A KAP tool was used to shed light on the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of local community members in order to better prepare and motivate participation in household mosquito control and to assess current understanding of SIT. Each household also received specific ...

Sterile Insect Technique: Lessons From the Past

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

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) against Aedes Species Mosquitoes: A Roadmap and Good Practice Framework for Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Pilot Field Trials

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C. F. Oliva, M. Q. Benedict, C. M. Collins, T. Baldet, R. Bellini, H. Bossin, J. Bouyer, V. Corbel, L. Facchinelli, F. Fouque, M. Geier, A. Michaelakis, D. Roiz, F. Simard, C. Tur and L.-C. Gouagna,  Insects,  12. 2021.
We offer here a pragmatic and accessible ‘roadmap’ for the pre-pilot and pilot phases to guide any interested party. This will support stakeholders, non-specialist scientists, implementers, and decision-makers. Applying these concepts will ensure, given adequate resources, a ...

Mosquitoes genetically modified to be resistant to Zika

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

Regulating the expression of gene drives is key to increasing their invasive potential and the mitigation of resistance

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A. Hammond, X. Karlsson, I. Morianou, K. Kyrou, A. Beaghton, M. Gribble, N. Kranjc, R. Galizi, A. Burt, A. Crisanti and T. Nolan,  PLOS Genetics,  17:e1009321. 2021.
Here we show that restricting the cutting activity of the gene drive to the germline tissue is crucial to maintaining its potency and we illustrate how failure to restrict this activity can lead to the generation of mutations that can make mosquitoes resistant to the gene drive.

Sexual Competitiveness and Induced Egg Sterility by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Gamma-Irradiated Males: A Laboratory and Field Study in Mexico

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J. G. Bond, S. Aguirre-Ibáñez, A. R. Osorio, C. F. Marina, Y. Gómez-Simuta, R. Tamayo-Escobar, A. Dor, P. Liedo, D. O. Carvalho and T. Williams,  Insects,  12. 2021.
The sterile insect technique may prove useful for the suppression of mosquito vectors of medical importance in regions where arboviruses pose a serious public health threat. In the present study, we examined the effects of sterilizing irradiation doses across different ratios of ...

Genetically-modified mosquitoes key to stopping Zika virus spread

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

Exploring Gene Drive Technologies in Agriculture, Biodiversity and Human Disease

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The GBIRd Partnership and The GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  Gene Drive Research Forum,  2021.

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

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

Double drives and private alleles for localised population genetic control

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K. Willis and A. Burt,  bioRxiv,  2021.01.08.425856. 2021.
In this paper we propose and model a series of low threshold double drive designs for population suppression, each consisting of two constructs, one imposing a reproductive load on the population and the other inserted into a differentiated locus and controlling the drive of the ...

Self-Deleting Genes Project To Tackle Mosquito-Borne Diseases

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D. Ozdemir,  INTERESTING ENGINEERING,  2021.
Did you know that mosquitoes kill at least 725,000 persons every year? They truly are one of the world's deadliest animals which is the reason why scientists from all around are trying to find new ways of dealing with them. Controlling mosquito populations and preventing them ...

Mosquito Sexual Selection and Reproductive Control Programs

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L. J. Cator, C. A. S. Wyer and L. C. Harrington,  Trends in Parasitology,  37:330-339. 2021.
The field of mosquito mating biology has experienced a considerable expansion in the past decade. Recent work has generated many key insights about specific aspects of mating behavior and physiology. Here, we synthesize these findings and classify swarming mosquito systems as ...

Mosquito Sexual Selection and Reproductive Control Programs

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

His Passion Was Contagious

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

Self-deleting genes promise risk-free genetic engineering of mosquitoes

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D. Quick,  New Atlas,  2020.
A new project by Texas A&M AgriLife Research is looking to enable "test runs" of genetic changes to mosquitoes that are automatically deleted. Various angles of attack using genetic engineering to combat mosquitoes have been pursued in recent years, including modifying them so ...

Self-deleting genes to be tested as part of mosquito population control concept

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B. Hays,  UPI,  2020.
Scientists at Texas A&M have developed a new technique for altering the genes of mosquitoes -- the new technology will cause genetic changes to self-delete from the mosquitoes' genome. Thanks to the breakthrough, described Monday in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal ...

$3.9M project on self-deleting genes takes aim at mosquito-borne diseases

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O. Kuchment,  AGRILIFE Today,  2020.
To control mosquito populations and prevent them from transmitting diseases such as malaria, many researchers are pursuing strategies in mosquito genetic engineering. A new Texas A&M AgriLife Research project aims to enable temporary “test runs” of proposed genetic changes in ...

Self-deleting genes tested as part of the concept of mosquito population control

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charlottelarson,  NEWYORK NEWS TIMES,  2020.
Most genetic engineering strategies designed to control mosquito populations, and their ability to spread diseases such as malaria, require gene editing to be combined with gene drives. Gene drives allow altered DNA to spread rapidly throughout the population.

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

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

A patent review on strategies for biological control of mosquito vector

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

A Gene Drive Could Wipe Out Mosquitoes. But What If We Want To Turn It Off?

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A. Winkler,  freethink,  2020.
Gene drives are powerful tools: they allow scientists to hack how animals pass down genes to their offspring. They could allow us to wipe out malaria-carrying mosquitoes, preserve endangered species, or fight off crop-eating pests. But once it's out in the wild, a gene drive ...

Targeting female flight for genetic control of mosquitoes

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

Evaluating Gene Drive Approaches for Public Benefit

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M. R. Santos,  GMOs: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Processes,  2020.
Gene drive approaches—those which bias inheritance of a genetic element in a population of sexually reproducing organisms—have the potential to provide important public benefits. The spread of selected genetic elements in wild populations of organisms may help address certain ...

Modelling the Wolbachia incompatible insect technique: strategies for effective mosquito population elimination

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D. E. Pagendam, B. J. Trewin, N. Snoad, S. A. Ritchie, A. A. Hoffmann, K. M. Staunton, C. Paton and N. Beebe,  BMC Biology,  18:13. 2020.
We introduce a simple Markov population process model for studying mosquito populations subjected to a Wolbachia-IIT programme which exhibit an unstable equilibrium threshold. The model is used to study, in silico, scenarios that are likely to yield a successful elimination ...

Split drive killer-rescue provides a novel threshold-dependent gene drive

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M. P. Edgington, T. Harvey-Samuel and L. Alphey,  Scientific Reports,  10:13. 2020.
We show that although end-joining repair mechanisms may cause the system to break down, under certain conditions, it should persist over time scales relevant for genetic control programs. The potential of such a system to provide localised population suppression via sex ratio ...

Assessment of a Novel Adult Mass-Rearing Cage for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Anopheles arabiensis (Patton).

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H. Maïga, W. Mamai, N. S. Bimbilé Somda, T. Wallner, B. S. Poda, G. Salvador-Herranz, R. Argiles-Herrero, H. Yamada and J. Bouyer,  Insects,  11:801. 2020.
Successful implementation of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against Aedes albopictus and Anopheles arabiensis relies on a continuous supply of sterile males. To meet this requirement, optimization of the mass-rearing techniques is needed. This study, therefore, aims to assess ...

Brave New Planet: Reshaping Nature Through Gene Drives

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E. Lander,  Brave New Planet,  2020.
A new technology, called gene drives, has the power to spread any genetic instructions you wish across an entire animal or plant species in the wild. It might let us restore ecosystems ravaged by invasive species, or help species adapt to climate change. And, it might save ...

Gene Drives: A Controversial Tool to Fight Malaria

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H. Albert,  LABIOTECH.eu,  2020.
The possibility of creating gene drives was introduced into the scientific community in 2003 by Austin Burt, a professor at Imperial College London. Burt was studying ‘selfish genes’ that can copy themselves into a specific target DNA sequence. He suggested that these genes, ...

Genetic engineering and bacterial pathogenesis against the vectorial capacity of mosquitoes

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M. Qasim, H. M. Xiao, K. He, M. A. A. Omar, F. L. Liu, S. Ahmed and F. Li,  Microbial Pathogenesis,  147:8. 2020.
Here we aimed to focus on the role of bacterial pathogenesis and molecular tactics for the management of mosquitoes and their vectorial capacity.

Mutant mosquitoes: GM insects ‘engineered’ in ‘new approach to pest control’

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T. Fish,  EXPRESS,  2020.
This cutting-edge research provides the foundations for plans to prevent genetically modified organisms from reproducing with wild organisms.

GeneConvene Global Collaborative Webinar Series

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David O'Brochta and Hector Quemada,  GeneConvene Global Collaborative,  2020.
This is a series of public scientific and technical seminars by researchers actively involved in the research and development of engineered gene drive and related systems. Presentations will be aimed at other researchers and scientists, highlighting the latest investigations in ...

Vector genetics, insecticide resistance and gene drives: An agent-based modeling approach to evaluate malaria transmission and elimination

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P. Selvaraj, E. A. Wenger, D. Bridenbecker, N. Windbichler, J. R. Russell, J. Gerardin, C. A. Bever and M. Nikolov,  PloS Computational Biology,  16:21. 2020.
Here, we investigate the reduced efficacy of current vector control measures in the presence of insecticide resistance and evaluate the likelihood of achieving local malaria elimination using gene drive mosquitoes released into a high transmission setting alongside other vector ...

Genome Editing 2020: Ethics and Human Rights in Germline Editing in Humans and Gene Drives in Mosquitoes

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G. J. Annas,  American Journal of Law and Medicine,  46:143-165. 2020.
G. J. Annas (2020). American Journal of Law and Medicine. doi: 10.1177/0098858820933492. I begin with a discussion of so far disastrously unsuccessful attempts to regulate germline editing in humans, including a summary of the first application of germline genome editing in ...

The need for new vector control approaches targeting outdoor biting anopheline malaria vector communities

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S. Sougoufara, E. C. Ottih and F. Tripet,  Parasites & Vectors,  13:15. 2020.
Since the implementation of Roll Back Malaria, the widespread use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) is thought to have played a major part in the decrease in mortality and morbidity achieved in malaria-endemic regions. In the past decade, ...

Modeling confinement and reversibility of threshold-dependent gene drive systems in spatially-explicit Aedes aegypti populations

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H. M. Sánchez C, J. B. Bennett, S. L. Wu, G. Rašić, O. S. Akbari and J. M. Marshall,  BMC Biology,  18:50. 2020.
Here, we model hypothetical releases of two recently engineered threshold-dependent gene drive systems—reciprocal chromosomal translocations and a form of toxin-antidote-based underdominance known as UDMEL—to explore their ability to be confined and remediated.

Guidance Framework for Testing the Sterile Insect Technique as a Vector Control Tool against Aedes-Borne Diseases

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WHO & IAEA,  WHO & IAEA,  2020.
This document is intended to be a comprehensive guide for programme managers tasked with recommending a “go/no-go” decision on testing, full deployment and scale-up of the sterile insect technique (SIT) in regions of the world affected by diseases transmitted by Aedes ...

Opinions of key stakeholders on alternative interventions for malaria control and elimination in Tanzania

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M. F. Finda, N. Christofides, J. Lezaun, B. Tarimo, P. Chaki, A. H. Kelly, N. Kapologwe, P. Kazyoba, B. Emidi and F. O. Okumu,  Malaria Journal,  19:164. 2020.
Malaria control in Tanzania currently relies primarily on long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying, alongside effective case management and behaviour change communication. This study explored opinions of key stakeholders on the national progress towards malaria ...

Can we kill the dreaded mosquito? Do we even want to?

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Stacey McKenna,  Sierra,  2020.
As a major vector for disease, the mosquito has harmed more human beings than just about any other animal, and a changing climate is only boosting those numbers. As the range of disease-carrying species of mosquitoes expands, so does their ability to transmit the parasites and ...

‘Gene Drive’ to curb malaria raises ethical questions as well

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Gyanedra Nath Mitra,  The Pioneer,  2020.
A new technology ‘Gene Drive’ for mosquito control is currently confined to the laboratory since it raises an ethical question, if such a technology could in future be misused to the detriment of humanity.

Should the humans be allowed to genetically modify insects?

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Olivia Abbe,  NYK Daily,  2020.
Genetic engineering, also called Genetic modification or Genetic manipulation, is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across ...

Public health concerns over gene-drive mosquitoes: will future use of gene-drive snails for schistosomiasis control gain increased level of community acceptance?

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D. O. Famakinde,  Pathogens and Global Health,  2020.
With the advent of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-based gene drive, present genetic research in schistosomiasis vector control envisages the breeding and release of transgenic schistosome-resistant (TSR) snail vectors to curb the spread of the ...

The Buzz About Genetically Modified Mosquitoes – a podcast

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The Scientist Creative Services Team,  The Scientist,  podcast. 2020.
Mosquito-borne diseases afflict a large portion of the world. In this month’s episode, we consider genetic methods to eradicate diseases such as Zika fever, Dengue fever, and malaria. We spoke with Omar Akbari, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of ...

Disrupting female flight in the vector Aedes aegypti

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O'Leary, S. and Z. N. Adelman,  bioRxiv,  862300:862300. 2019.
Aedes aegypti is a vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. Current vector control strategies such as community engagement, source reduction, and insecticides have not been sufficient to prevent viral outbreaks. Thus, interest in novel strategies involving genetic ...

Genetic Control of Mosquitoes

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Alphey, L.,  Annual Review of Entomology,  59:205-224. 2019.
Genetics can potentially provide new, species-specific, environmentally friendly methods for mosquito control. Genetic control strategies aim either to suppress target populations or to introduce a harm-reducing novel trait. Different approaches differ considerably in their ...

Out for blood: the fight against the planet’s deadliest creature

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Matsangou, E.,  The New Economy,  2019.
The deadliest creature on the planet is not a great white shark, a starved lion, an enraged hippopotamus or a poisonous snake – it’s the minute mosquito. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mosquitoes kill millions of people each year, with malaria – the most ...

A Controversial Swarm Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In A Lab In Italy

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NPR,  2019.
An international team of scientists is conducting a controversial experiment in Italy. The experiment is designed to test genetically modified mosquitoes that researchers hope could provide a powerful new weapon to fight malaria, which remains one of the world's greatest ...

Dit Afrikaanse dorp krijgt, als eerste plek ter wereld, gentechmuggen tegen malaria

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Boersma, Hidde,  de Volkskrant,  2019.
Dit Afrikaanse dorp krijgt, als eerste plek ter wereld, gentechmuggen tegen malaria

Gene drive mosquitoes and the new era of medical colonialism

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Mayet, MC, L. I.; Sirinathsingji, E,  GM Watch,  2019.
The highly contentious issue of gene drive technologies – a novel extreme form of genetic engineering designed to alter or even eradicate entire populations and species – was at the heart of the international negotiations at the biennial UN Biodiversity Conference held in ...

Male competition and the evolution of mating and ire-history traits in experimental populations of Aedes aegypti

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Qureshi, AA, A.; Hollis, B.; Ponlawat, A.; Cator, L. J.,  Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences,  286:20190591. 2019.
Aedes aegypti is an important disease vector and a major target of reproductive control efforts. We manipulated the opportunity for sexual selection in populations of Ae. aegypti by controlling the number of males competing for a single female. Populations exposed to higher ...

Population genetics of Anopheles funestus, the African malaria vector, Kenya

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Ogola, EOO, J. O.; Mwangangi, J. M.; Masiga, D. K.; Tchouassi, D. P.,  Parasites & Vectors,  12:15. 2019.
Anopheles funestus is among the major malaria vectors in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa and has been recently implicated in persistent malaria transmission. However, its ecology and genetic diversity remain poorly understood in Kenya.MethodsUsing 16 microsatellite loci, we examined ...

CRISPR in Parasitology: Not Exactly Cut and Dried!

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Bryant, JMB, S.; Glover, L.; Hutchinson, S.; Rachidi, N.,  Trends in Parasitology,  35:409-422. 2019.
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been developing rapidly in the field of parasitology, allowing for the dissection of molecular processes with unprecedented efficiency. Optimization and implementation of a new technology like CRISPR, especially in nonmodel organisms, requires ...

Modelling the potential of genetic control of malaria mosquitoes at national scale

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North, ARB, Austin; Godfray, H. Charles J.,  BMC Biology,  17:26. 2019.
The persistence of malaria in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa has motivated the development of novel tools to complement existing control programmes, including gene-drive technologies to modify mosquito vector populations. Here, we use a stochastic simulation model to explore ...

A Question of Consent: Exterminator Mosquitoes in Burkina Faso

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ETC group,  2019.

Large-cage assessment of a transgenic sex-ratio distortion strain on populations of an African malaria vector

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Facchinelli, LN, A.; Collins, C.; Menichelli, M.; Persampieri, T.; Bucci, A.; Spaccapelo, R.; Crisanti, A.; Benedict, M.,  Parasites & Vectors,  12:70. 2019.
Novel transgenic mosquito control methods require progressively more realistic evaluation. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of a transgene that causes a male-bias sex ratio on Anopheles gambiae target populations in large insectary cages. Life history ...

The Release of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in Burkina Faso: Bioeconomy of Science, Public Engagement and Trust in Medicine

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Beisel, UG, J. K.,  African Studies Review,  62:164-173. 2019.
Malaria, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, continues to be responsible for a significant number of disease episodes and childhood deaths on the African continent. A variety of mosquito control strategies are currently inplace, but since case numbers are rising again, and drug ...

Modeling the mutation and reversal of engineered underdominance gene drives

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Edgington, MPA, Luke S.,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  479:14-21. 2019.
A range of gene drive systems have been proposed that are predicted to increase their frequency and that of associated desirable genetic material even if they confer a fitness cost on individuals carrying them. Engineered underdominance (UD) is such a system and, in one version, ...

Gene drive for population genetic control: non-functional resistance and parental effects

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Beaghton, AKH, Andrew; Nolan, Tony; Crisanti, Andrea; Burt, Austin,  Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,  286:20191586. 2019.
Gene drive is a natural process of biased inheritance that, in principle, could be used to control pest and vector populations. As with any form of pest control, attention should be paid to the possibility of resistance evolving. For nuclease-based gene drive aimed at suppressing ...

Construction of an efficient genomic editing system with CRISPR/Cas9 in the vector mosquito Aedes albopictus

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Liu, TY, W. Q.; Xie, Y. G.; Liu, P. W.; Xie, L. H.; Lin, F.; Li, C. Y.; Gu, J. B.; Wu, K.; Yan, G. Y.; Chen, X. G.,  Insect Science,  26:1045-1054. 2019.
Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is a mosquito which originated in Asia. In recent years, it has become increasingly rampant throughout the world. This mosquito can transmit several arboviruses, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses, ...

Alternative strategies for mosquito-borne arbovirus control

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Achee, NLG, J. P.; Vatandoost, H.; Seixas, G.; Pinto, J.; Ching-Ng, L.; Martins, A. J.; Juntarajumnong, W.; Corbel, V.; Gouagna, C.; David, J. P.; Logan, J. G.; Orsborne, J.; Marois, E.; Devine, G. J.; Vontas, J.,  PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases,  13:e0006822. 2019.
Mosquito-borne virusessuch as Zika, chikungunya, dengue fever, and yellow fever, among othersare of global importance. Although vaccine development for prevention of mosquito-borne arbovirus infections has been a focus, mitigation strategies continue to rely on vector control. ...

CRISPR Gene Drive (Complete guide 2019)

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Every Cell A Universe,  2018.

Ecological effects on underdominance threshold drives for vector control

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D. Khamis, C. El Mouden, K. Kura and M. B. Bonsall,  Journal of Theoretical Biology,  456:1-15. 2018.
Here, ecological and epidemiological dynamics are coupled to a model of mosquito genetics to investigate theoretically the impact of different types of underdominance gene drive on disease prevalence. We model systems with two engineered alleles carried either on the same pair ...

Why is this African village letting mosquitoes in?

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BBC,  BBC,  2018.
This is a BBC spot about the first release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Africa by the Target Malaria team. Very little information about gene drive but the context of this spot is notable.

Gene drive used to turn all female mosquitos sterile

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Timmer, J,  ARS Technica,  2018.
We've known for a long time that we can limit malaria infections by controlling the mosquitos that transmit them. But that knowledge hasn't translated into control efforts that have always been completely successful. Many of the approaches we've used to control mosquitos have ...

Malaria mosquitoes wiped out in lab trials of gene drive testing

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Kelland, K,  The Wire,  2018.
London: Scientists have succeeded in wiping out a population of caged mosquitoes in laboratory experiments using a type of genetic engineering known as a gene drive, which spread a modification blocking female reproduction.; ; The researchers, whose work was published on Monday ...

Gene drives breakthrough needs urgent restraint

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Steinbrecher, R,  GMWatch,  2018.
Gene drive researchers associated with Target Malaria and funded by US DARPA, the GATES Foundation and the UK BBSRC have just managed to crash a population of caged mosquitoes after 7-11 generations.(1); ; This is a first, and it has brought this technology beyond the proof of ...

Here’s the Plan to End Malaria With Crispr-Edited Mosquitoes

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Molteni, M,  Wired,  2018.
In 2003, scientists at London’s Imperial College hatched a somewhat out-there idea. They wanted to deal with the increasingly pesticide-resistant mosquitoes that were killing half a million people a year by spreading malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. What biologists Austin Burt ...

For the first time, researchers will release genetically engineered mosquitoes in Africa

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Ike Swetitz,  STAT,  2018.
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.

Gene drive to reduce malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa

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A. Burt, M. Coulibaly, A. Crisanti, A. Diabate and J. K. Kayondo,  Journal of Responsible Innovation,  5:S66-S80. 2018.
Gene drive is a natural process by which some genes are inherited at a greater-than-Mendelian rate and can spread through a population even if they cause harm to the organisms carrying them. Many different synthetic gene drive systems have been proposed to suppress the number of ...

Population seasonality and release timing significantly affect the probability of establishment for small releases of gene drive mosquitoes

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Nikolov, MO, A. L.; Beaghton, A. K.; Beaghton, P. J.; Wenger, E. A.; Burt, A.; Welkhoff, P. A.,  American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,  99:367-367. 2018.
Highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9 gene-drive systems have recently been developed, targeting reproductive-capacity and malaria-competency loci of malaria transmitting vector species, such as An. gambiae. The resulting drive systems aim to either suppress the local wild-type population ...

Identifying and detecting potentially adverse ecological outcomes associated with the release of gene-drive modified organisms

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Hayes, KRH, G. R.; Dana, G. V.; Foster, S. D.; Ford, J. H.; Thresher, R.; Ickowicz, A.; Peel, D.; Tizard, M.; De Barro, P.; Strive, T.; Dambacher, J. M.,  Journal of Responsible Innovation,  5:S139-S158. 2018.
Synthetic gene drives could provide new solutions to a range of old problems such as controlling vector-borne diseases, agricultural pests and invasive species. In this paper, we outline methods to identify hazards and detect potentially adverse ecological outcomes at the ...

A CRISPR–Cas9 gene drive targeting doublesex causes complete population suppression in caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes

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Kyrou, KH, Andrew M.; Galizi, Roberto; Kranjc, Nace; Burt, Austin; Beaghton, Andrea K.; Nolan, Tony; Crisanti, Andrea,  Nature Biotechnology,  36:1062–1066. 2018.
In the human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, the gene doublesex (Agdsx) encodes two alternatively spliced transcripts, dsx-female (AgdsxF) and dsx-male (AgdsxM), that control differentiation of the two sexes. The female transcript, unlike the male, contains an exon (exon 5) ...

Gene drive for Malaria control | Andrea Crisanti |

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TEDx,  2017.

Driving out malaria

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Nolan, TC, A.,  Scientist,  2017.
In recent years, researchers have sequenced the genomes of several Anopheles mosquito species, including those responsible for nearly all of the malaria transmission in Africa. With this information, they have begun to identify the genes underlying the insects’ ability to ...

Using Gene Drive to Control Malaria

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The Scientist,  The Scientist,  2016.
This article provides illustrations for how gene drive works, how gene drives spread, and how gene drive could be used to control malaria using population-wide gene knockout, skewed sex ratio, and population-wide gene knock-in techniques. Visit the article to view all ...

Gene silencing and gene drive in dengue vector control

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Paulraj, MGI, S.; Reegan, A. D.,  Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources,  7:193-200. 2016.
Vector-borne diseases are the most feared diseases throughout the world. Mosquitoes are the prime human disease vectors as they are responsible for nearly one million human deaths every year. So they are declared as the most dangerous insects to mankind. Aedes aegypti and Ae. ...

Back to the future: the sterile insect technique against mosquito disease vectors

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R. S. Lees, J. R. L. Gilles, J. Hendrichs, M. J. B. Vreysen and K. Bourtzis,  Current Opinion in Insect Science,  10:156-162. 2015.
With the global burden of mosquito-borne diseases increasing, and some conventional vector control tools losing effectiveness, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is a potential new tool in the arsenal. Equipment and protocols have been developed and validated for efficient ...

Genetic Control of Mosquitoes.

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Alphey, L.,  Annual Review of Entomology,  59:205-224. 2014.
Genetics can potentially provide new, species-specific, environmentally friendly methods for mosquito control. Genetic control strategies aim either to suppress target populations or to introduce a harm-reducing novel trait. Different approaches differ considerably in their ...

A synthetic homing endonuclease-based gene drive system in the human malaria mosquito

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Windbichler, NM, M.; Papathanos, P. A.; Thyme, S. B.; Li, H.; Ulge, U. Y.; Hovde, B. T.; Baker, D.; Monnat, R. J.; Burt, A.; Crisanti, A.,  Nature,  473:212-215. 2011.
Genetic methods of manipulating or eradicating disease vector populations have long been discussed as an attractive alternative to existing control measures because of their potential advantages in terms of effectiveness and species specificity(1-3). The development of ...

Ethical, legal and social aspects of the approach in Sudan

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B. B. El Sayed, C. A. Malcolm, A. Babiker, E. M. Malik, M. A. H. El Tayeb, N. S. Saeed, A. H. D. Nugud and B. G. J. Knols,  Malaria Journal,  8:S3. 2009.
The global malaria situation, especially in Africa, and the problems frequently encountered in chemical control of vectors such as insecticide resistance, emphasize the urgency of research, development and implementation of new vector control technologies that are applicable at ...

Spatial and temporal distribution of the malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensis in northern Sudan: influence of environmental factors and implications for vector control

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T. B. Ageep, J. Cox, M. M. Hassan, B. G. J. Knols, M. Q. Benedict, C. A. Malcolm, A. Babiker and B. B. El Sayed,  Malaria Journal,  8:14. 2009.
Background: Malaria is an important public health problem in northern Sudan, but little is known about the dynamics of its transmission. Given the characteristic low densities of Anopheles arabiensis and the difficult terrain in this area, future vector control strategies are ...

Deployment of innovative genetic vector control strategies: progress on regulatory and biosafety aspects, capacity building and development of best-practice guidance

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Beech, CV, S.S.; Quinlan, M.M.; Capurro, Margareth L.; Alphey, L.; Bayard, V.; Bouare, M.; McLeod, M.C.; Kittayapong, P.; Lavery, J.; Lim, L.H.; Marrelli, M.T.; Nagaraju, J.; Ombongi, K.; Othman, R.Y.; Pillai, V.; Ramsey, J.; Reuben, R.; Rose, R.I.; Tyagi, B.K.; Mumford, J.,  AsPac J. Mol. Biol. Biotechnol.,  17:75-85. 2009.
In the ongoing fight against vectors of human diseases, disease endemic countries (DECs) may soon benefit from innovative control strategies involving modified insect vectors. For instance, three promising methods (viz. RIDL® [Release of Insects with a Dominant Lethal], ...

Researchers eliminate mosquito population through CRISPR gene editing technology

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Goss, L,  Pharmafile,  2008.
Researchers at Imperial College London have been able to wipe out a population of mosquitoes through ‘gene drive’ technology. The study, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology saw a CRISPR edited gene being used to prevent female mosquitos from being born.; ; As such ...

Towards a sterile insect technique field release of Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes in Sudan: Irradiation, transportation, and field cage experimentation

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M. E. H. Helinski, M. M. Hassan, W. M. El-Motasim, C. A. Malcolm, B. G. J. Knols and B. El-Sayed,  Malaria Journal,  7:10. 2008.
Background: The work described in this article forms part of a study to suppress a population of the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in Northern State, Sudan, with the Sterile Insect Technique. No data have previously been collected on the irradiation and transportation of ...

Targeting the X chromosome during spermatogenesis induces Y chromosome transmission ratio distortion and early dominant embryo lethality in Anopheles gambiae

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Windbichler, NP, P. A.; Crisanti, A.,  PLOS Genetics,  4:1-9. 2008.
We have exploited the high selectivity of the homing endonuclease I-PpoI for the X-linked Anopheles gambiae 28S ribosomal genes to selectively target X chromosome carrying spermatozoa. Our data demonstrated that in heterozygous males, the expression of I-PpoI in the testes ...

Homing endonuclease mediated gene targeting in Anopheles gambiae cells and embryos

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Windbichler, NP, P. A.; Catteruccia, F.; Ranson, H.; Burt, A.; Crisanti, A.,  Nucleic Acids Research,  35:5922-5933. 2007.
Homing endonuclease genes (HEGs) are selfish genetic elements that combine the capability to selectively disrupt specific gene sequences with the ability to rapidly spread from a few individuals to an entire population through homologous recombination repair events. Because of ...

Meiotic drive by the Y-linked D gene in Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera : Culicidae) is associated with disruption of spermiogenesis, leading to premature senescence of spermatozoa

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Owusu-Daaku, KOB, R. D.; Wood, R. J.,  Arthropod Structure & Development,  36:233-243. 2007.
Y chromosome meiotic drive in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, due to the gene D (Distorter) in coupling with M (male determination) [the MD haplotype], is associated with spermiogenic disruption, leading to senescence, at a rate Proportionate to male excess. Spermiogenesis was ...

A synthetic maternal-effect selfish genetic element drives population replacement in Drosophila

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Chen, CHH, H. X.; Ward, C. M.; Su, J. T.; Schaeffer, L. V.; Guo, M.; Hay, B. A.,  Science,  316:597-600. 2007.
One proposed strategy for controlling the transmission of insect-borne pathogens uses a drive mechanism to ensure the rapid spread of transgenes conferring disease refractoriness throughout wild populations. Here, we report the creation of maternal-effect selfish genetic elements ...

The Sterile Insect Technique: can established technology beat malaria?

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M. E. H. Helinski, B. El-Sayed and B. G. J. Knols,  Entomologische Berichten,  66:13-20. 2006.
The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is the mass production, sterilisation and subsequent release of sterile insects into a target population in an area-wide integrated approach. The released sterile males mate with wild females; they thus no longer produce offspring and therefore ...

Malaria Control with Genetically Manipulated Insect Vectors

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L. Alphey, C. B. Beard, P. Billingsley, M. Coetzee, A. Crisanti, C. Curtis, P. Eggleston, C. Godfray, J. Hemingway, M. Jacobs-Lorena, A. A. James, F. C. Kafatos, L. G. Mukwaya, M. Paton, J. R. Powell, W. Schneider, T. W. Scott, B. Sina, R. Sinden, S. Sink,  Science,  298:119. 2002.
At a recent workshop, experts discussed the benefits, risks, and research priorities associated with using genetically manipulated insects in the control of vector-borne diseases.

Variation in Y chromosome meiotic drive in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): a potential genetic approach to mosquito control

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OwusuDaaku, KOW, R. J.; Butler, R. D.,  Bulletin of Entomological Research,  87:617-623. 1997.
Reciprocal crosses between strains of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) from different geographical areas have revealed an unexpectedly complex pattern of holandrically inherited male biased sex ratios in F2. The variation has been interpreted in terms of a web of X-Y interactions in F1, ...

Combining the meiotic drive gene-D and the translocation T-1 in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti(L) .2: Recombination

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Pearson, AMW, R. J.,  Genetica,  54:79-85. 1980.
Recombination on the sex-chromosome of Aedes aegypti has been studied in male genotypes incorporating the sex-linked translocation T1 and the meiotic drive gene D from three different strains (Trinidad, Bozo and Caracas).

Possible replacement of malaria mosquitoes

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S. Avery Jones,  Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,  51:469-470. 1957.
Sir,--The purpose of this letter is to draw the attention of research workers in control of mosquito colonies to the possible value of investigating the factors governing the infection of mosquitoes with parasites of human malaria. If a strain of a vector species could be ...