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Controlling populations of disease-transmitting mosquito species by gene editing

14 July 2021

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With insecticide resistance on the rise, gene editing offers an alternative approach to tackling insect vectors of disease. Scientists are beginning to test out the CRISPR/Cas9 system to alter specific genes in an organism’s DNA, and propagate these changes to future generations, a process known as gene drive. Key elements of this toolkit include an enzyme, Cas9, which cuts DNA, and a guide RNA, directing Cas9 to the correct sequence. Cells carrying an engineered gene variant and these components will cleave other copies of the target sequence, then repair them following the template of the modified sequence. This ensures the variant effectively spreads through a population, such as wild mosquitoes. After Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, researchers recently designed effective tools for Culex mosquitoes (shown here as larvae), which transmit serious diseases including West Nile virus and avian malaria, paving the way for potential gene drive methods to control these species.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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