New CRISPR Genetic Tools to Help Contain Mosquito Disease Transmission Created

Scientists from the University of California, San Diego have in a new technological breakthrough developed some genetic that would help in a gene drive aimed to stop the dreaded culex mosquitoes from spreading disease.

The gene drive worked upon were designed to spread modified genes that would prevent the mosquito from transmitting pathogens to the wider human population, causing diseases like malaria, dengue and other infections.

Scientists have been looking for ways to mitigate the effect of pathogen-spreading mosquitoes and had been researching on the use of gene drives, latching on the CRISPR genetic editing revolution.

The Culex mosquitoes are very dangerous species of insects that causes devastating afflictions that stemmed from the West Nile virus, causingmosquito-borne disease in the USA, other viruses like the Japan encephalitis virus and the avian malaria.

The researchers aware that little attention in genetic engineering has been given to the mitigation of Culex mosquitoes had to develop their toolkit from the start, beginning with the careful examination of the Culex genome.

Mr. Gantz, an assistant research scientist, Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago, San Diego had this to say about the impact of their study:

“My coauthors and I believe that our work will be impactful for scientists working on the biology of the Culex disease vector since new genetic tools are deeply needed in this field. We also believe the scientific community beyond the gene drive field will welcome these findings since they could be of broad interest.” 

The Culex mosquitoes may be less severe in the United States but they pose more health risks in Africa and Asia, where the worm causing ‘filariasis’ is being transmitted, leading to chronic debilitating  sickness in humans called elephantiasis.

Gantz while further demonstrating that the toolsused could work in other insects said:

“These modified RNAs can increase gene drive performance in the fruit fly and could potentially offer better alternatives for future gene drive and gene-editing products in other species,”

The team have now tested their tools to make sure a proper genetic expression of the CRISPR components will enable them apply it to the principles of a gene drive in Culex mosquitoes. This in another way could prevent biting by suppressing the mosquito population.

Reference: “Optimized CRISPR tools and site-directed transgenesis towards gene drive development in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes” by Xuechun Feng, Víctor López Del Amo, EnzoMameli, Megan Lee, Alena L. Bishop, Norbert Perrimon and Valentino M. Gantz, 20 May 2021 Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23239-0