What mosquito species are being studied for gene drive modification so far?

Category: Vector Borne Disease

 Most research has been conducted in Anopheles gambiae (Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anophleles coluzzii) mosquitoes thus far, which are important vectors of malaria in Africa. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are important vectors of arboviral infections,  have not proven to be as amenable to CRISPR/Cas-mediated homing gene drive systems as Anopheles. However, CRISPR-based drive systems have recently shown success in the laboratory and antiviral effector genes for population replacement have been identified. Work to apply gene drive technology to Culex mosquitoes, which transmit a number of human and animal diseases, is at an even earlier stage but tools to support genome editing have been developed.

For more information: https://elifesciences.org/articles/51701; https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/1/52; https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.08.471839v1; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23239-0

 

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