New Genetic Technology Developed to Combat Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have successfully created a revolutionary system called Ifegenia, which employs CRISPR technology to eliminate female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are the primary carriers of malaria in Africa. By disrupting a specific gene responsible for the sexual development of mosquitoes, the system effectively halts the spread of the disease. The scientists behind this breakthrough believe that this approach, characterized by its safety, controllability, and scalability, could be adapted to suppress other species that transmit diseases.
The implementation of this groundbreaking mosquito suppression system in Africa has the potential to significantly reduce child mortality rates and contribute to economic development in the region.
Malaria continues to be one of the deadliest diseases worldwide, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives annually, with children under the age of five being the most vulnerable. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the detection of five cases of mosquito-borne malaria in the United States, marking the first reported instances of its transmission in the country in two decades. However, there is hope in the form of safe technologies currently being developed to halt the transmission of malaria by genetically modifying the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the disease. Led by Professor Omar Akbari, researchers at the University of California San Diego have devised an innovative method to genetically suppress populations of Anopheles gambiae, the main malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in Africa, which significantly contribute to economic hardships in affected areas. This new system specifically targets and eliminates female A. gambiae mosquitoes, as they are responsible for transmitting the disease through their bites.
The University of California San Diego researchers have made noteworthy progress in suppressing Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the primary carriers of malaria in Africa and key contributors to economic challenges in affected regions. The team, led by Professor Omar Akbari, has developed a novel technology that can effectively suppress the mosquito population. The results of their research were published on July 5 in the journal Science Advances. Andrea Smidler, a postdoctoral scholar in the UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences, along with former master’s students James Pai and Reema Apte, played key roles in this groundbreaking study. They introduced a system named Ifegenia, an acronym for “inherited female elimination by genetically encoded nucleases to interrupt alleles.” This system utilizes CRISPR technology to disrupt a gene known as femaleless (fle), which controls the sexual development of A. gambiae mosquitoes.
To achieve this, the researchers incorporated the two primary components of CRISPR into the genetic makeup of African mosquitoes. These components include a Cas9 nuclease, responsible for the genetic edits, and a guide RNA that directs the system to the target gene. By genetically modifying two mosquito families to express Cas9 and the fle-targeting guide RNA separately, they successfully eliminated all female mosquitoes in the offspring. Remarkably, male A. gambiae mosquitoes inherit Ifegenia without any impact on their reproductive capabilities. They can continue to mate and spread Ifegenia, thereby leading to the eventual cessation of parasite transmission as the female population diminishes. The authors emphasize that this new system overcomes obstacles faced by other approaches, such as gene drives, by keeping the Cas9 and guide RNA components separate until the population is ready to be suppressed.
Conventional methods like bed nets and insecticides, which have been used to combat malaria spread, have proven increasingly ineffective. Widespread insecticide use poses health and ecological risks in regions of Africa and Asia, where it is primarily employed to control malaria.
Andrea Smidler, who obtained a PhD in Biological Sciences of Public Health from Harvard University and joined UC San Diego in 2019, is leveraging her expertise in genetic technology development to address the spread of malaria and the accompanying economic repercussions. The success of the Ifegenia system came as a pleasant surprise to her and her colleagues, as they witnessed its remarkable effectiveness as a suppression system.
Professor Omar Akbari, from the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, envisions that this technology could be the long-awaited solution to eliminate malaria safely, effectively, and on a large scale. However, the next steps involve seeking social acceptance, regulatory approvals, and funding opportunities to fully test and implement this system for the suppression of wild malaria-transmitting mosquito populations. The researchers also suggest that the technology behind Ifegenia could be adapted to combat other disease-transmitting species, including mosquitoes responsible for dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses.
The research was funded by a DARPA Safe Genes Program Grant (HR0011-17-2-0047), a National Institutes of Health award (R01AI151004), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-017683).
[Note: The original text contains some specific names and details, such as the names of the authors and the research funding sources, that have been retained in this rewrite for accuracy and clarity.]
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about malaria-transmitting mosquitoes
What is Ifegenia?
Ifegenia is a genetic technology developed by scientists at the University of California San Diego. It utilizes CRISPR to suppress female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, which are the primary carriers of malaria in Africa.
How does Ifegenia work?
Ifegenia works by genetically modifying mosquitoes to disrupt a gene called femaleless (fle) that controls the sexual development of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. By targeting and eliminating female mosquitoes, the spread of malaria is halted.
Can Ifegenia be adapted for other disease-spreading species?
Yes, the researchers believe that the technology behind Ifegenia can be adapted to suppress other species that transmit diseases, such as mosquitoes that spread dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses.
What are the potential benefits of Ifegenia?
The implementation of Ifegenia as a mosquito suppression system in Africa could significantly reduce child mortality rates and contribute to economic development in affected regions by combating the spread of malaria.
How effective is Ifegenia?
Initial results have shown that Ifegenia is highly effective as a suppression system. It successfully eliminates all female mosquitoes in the targeted populations, leading to a halt in parasite transmission.
What are the next steps for Ifegenia?
The researchers aim to seek social acceptance, regulatory use authorizations, and funding opportunities to fully test and implement Ifegenia for the suppression of wild malaria-transmitting mosquito populations.
More about malaria-transmitting mosquitoes
- University of California San Diego: Link
- CRISPR technology: Link
- Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes: Link
- Malaria: Link
- Ifegenia study: Link
3 comments
about time someone took action against those nasty mosquitoes! they ruin summer nights and spread diseases. glad to see progress being made with Ifgenia. lets hope it works as good as they say it does!
wow this is amazin! malaria is such a deadly disese and these sciencists are doin’ some realy cool stuff to stop it. hope they can adapt this thingy to other bugs too!
CRISPR is sooo fascinating! and now they’re using it to mess with mosquitos and stop malaria? mind blown! can’t wait to see what else they can do with this technology.