Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William T. Garrood, Nace Kranjc, Karl Petri, Daniel Y. Kim, Jimmy A. Guo, Andrew M. Hammond, Ioanna Morianou, Vikram Pattanayak, J. Keith Joung, Andrea Crisanti, Alekos Simoni
Summary: The study shows that off-target mutations induced by CRISPR-Cas9 in mosquitoes can be reduced to undetectable levels, with judicious design of the guide RNA and strict temporal control of Cas9 expression in the germline being key factors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cynthia E. Schairer, Cynthia Triplett, Omar S. Akbari, Cinnamon S. Bloss
Summary: Scientists conducted online focus groups with California residents to understand public attitudes towards gene drive mosquitoes for vector control. The study found that many participants expressed pragmatic concerns such as cost, control, and challenges related to trust and institutional cooperation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joanna K. Konopka, Darya Task, Danny Poinapen, Christopher J. Potter
Summary: This study labeled all neurons in the sensory appendages of Anopheles mosquitoes using a neurogenetic approach. They also characterized the neurons in the chemosensory appendages and predicted the expression of ionotropic receptors and other chemosensory receptors. The findings provide a valuable genetic tool for studying the neurobiology and behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes.
Review
Parasitology
Shengzhang Dong, Yuemei Dong, Maria L. Simoes, George Dimopoulos
Summary: Mosquito transgenesis and gene drive are promising tools for preventing the spread of malaria by self-destructing or replacing mosquito populations. Mosquito transgenesis is proposed as a complement to existing vector-control strategies rather than a stand-alone approach.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Cecilia S. S. Engdahl, Chinmay V. V. Tikhe, George Dimopoulos
Summary: Vector control plays a key role in reducing the burden of mosquito-borne diseases. Synthetic insecticides used in current strategies can have negative environmental impact and become ineffective due to mosquito resistance. This study presents the discovery and evaluation of natural product-based biological control agents as potential biopesticides for mosquito control. Several natural products were identified as capable of killing mosquito larvae, including those responsible for transmitting diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The study also explores the usefulness of crude extracts from two bacterial sources for mosquitocidal activity.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gerard Terradas, Anna B. Buchman, Jared B. Bennett, Isaiah Shriner, John M. Marshall, Omar S. Akbari, Ethan Bier
Summary: CRISPR-based gene-drive systems have the potential to revolutionize vector control, but mutant alleles resistant to Cas9 cleavage can interrupt gene spread. Targeting essential genes with recoded rescue elements may reduce the appearance of NHEJ alleles and leave no trace of Cas9.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
Bianca B. Kojin, Austin Compton, Zach N. Adelman, Zhijian Tu
Summary: This article reviews the recent progress in understanding sex determination and sex chromosomes in mosquitoes and discusses new methods for achieving sex separation and sex ratio distortion to control mosquito-borne infectious diseases. Several critical areas for future research are suggested.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Mahima Yadav, Nisha Dahiya, Neelam Sehrawat
Summary: Mosquitoes are important vectors for many diseases, and traditional control strategies have failed. However, RNA interference technology may be an effective method to control vector mosquitoes without disrupting the natural ecosystem.
FUNCTIONAL & INTEGRATIVE GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rene Geci, Katie Willis, Austin Burt
Summary: The sterile insect technique (SIT) is not practical for controlling many pest species due to the large number of individuals needed. Previous computer models have shown that releasing males carrying a gene editor on their Y chromosome could be more efficient than SIT. This study proposes a self-propagating double drive design to further improve control efficiency. Modelling results show that this design can effectively suppress populations even with low release rates and low homing rates.
Review
Biology
Alice Namias, Ndey Bassin Jobe, Krijn Petrus Paaijmans, Silvie Huijben
Summary: Monitoring mosquito populations for insecticide resistance is crucial for disease control; however, standard testing conditions do not accurately reflect field conditions, making efficacy evaluation challenging. Additional testing guidelines are needed to determine practical resistance for programmatic impact.
Article
Microbiology
Chinmay V. Tikhe, George Dimopoulos
Summary: The microbiota of mosquitoes plays a significant role in their biology, impacting processes from larval development to adulthood. By manipulating the microbiota during the larval stage, it is possible to alter mosquito life history traits. Bacteriophages can be used as tools to modulate the mosquito microbiota, providing a potential mechanism for mosquito control.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Leila Nourani, Akram Abouie Mehrizi, Sakineh Pirahmadi, Zeinab Pourhashem, Elahe Asadollahi, Babak Jahangiri
Summary: Malaria, a vector-borne disease, remains a significant global health concern with more than 200 million cases. It is crucial to develop novel antimalarial drugs and effective vaccines to eliminate and eradicate malaria. The CRISPR/Cas nuclease system has been confirmed as a proficient genome editing tool for species-specific diagnosis, drug resistance research, and gene drive to control the Anopheles population. The integration of traditional and novel molecular techniques can greatly enhance research quality. The development of a CRISPR/Cas-based diagnostic kit for specific detection of Plasmodium species or drug resistance markers is urgently needed, as well as the ability to modify parasite genomes to better understand pathogenesis.
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Alexander Kwarteng, Augustina Sylverken, Ebenezer Asiedu, Samuel Terkper Ahuno
Summary: Filarial infections are vector-borne nematode infections with high prevalence in developing countries, causing severe disabilities and a cycle of poverty and disease. Global initiatives to eradicate these infections face challenges in mass treatments, vector control, and vaccine development. Integration of genome editing techniques in future control strategies offers the best option for eliminating filarial infections.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam, Sandthya Pramasivan, Jonathan Wee Kent Liew, Lun Van Low, Wan-Yusoff Wan-Sulaiman, Romano Ngui, Jenarun Jelip, Indra Vythilingam
Summary: The study evaluated the potential of Mosquito Magnet as a collection tool for Anopheles mosquito vectors of simian malaria and found that while it was slightly less efficient compared to human trapping methods, it showed superior performance in catching certain Anopheles species.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biology
Robert T. Jones, Thomas H. Ant, Mary M. Cameron, James G. Logan
Summary: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a growing global health challenge, with a need for innovative and diverse control technologies. Various technologies are currently under development, ranging from genetic modifications to alterations in housing design.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alekos Simoni, Andrew M. Hammond, Andrea K. Beaghton, Roberto Galizi, Chrysanthi Taxiarchi, Kyros Kyrou, Dario Meacci, Matthew Gribble, Giulia Morselli, Austin Burt, Tony Nolan, Andrea Crisanti
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Stephanie L. James, John M. Marshall, George K. Christophides, Fredros O. Okumu, Tony Nolan
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ludvik M. Gomulski, Mose Manni, Davide Carraretto, Tony Nolan, Daniel Lawson, Jose M. Ribeiro, Anna R. Malacrida, Giuliano Gasperi
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paola Pollegioni, Ace R. North, Tania Persampieri, Alessandro Bucci, Roxana L. Minuz, David Alexander Groneberg, Tony Nolan, Philippos-Aris Papathanos, Andrea Crisanti, Ruth Mueller
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qicheng Ma, Satyam P. Srivastav, Stephanie Gamez, Garg Dayama, Fabiana Feitosa-Suntheim, Edward Patterson, Rebecca M. Johnson, Erik M. Matson, Alexander S. Gold, Douglas E. Brackney, John H. Connor, Tonya M. Colpitts, Grant L. Hughes, Jason L. Rasgon, Tony Nolan, Omar S. Akbari, Nelson C. Lau
Summary: Mosquitoes exhibit little impact of viral infection on their health due to the RNA interference pathways generating antiviral siRNAs and piRNAs. An integrated mosquito small RNA genomics resource was developed to analyze viral and transposon small RNA profiles across different mosquito species, revealing a novel piRNA cluster locus and regular periodicity in piRNA biogenesis patterns coinciding with the expansion of Piwi pathway genes. The resource enables detection of cross talk between piRNA and siRNA populations in mosquito cells during virus infection.
Article
Entomology
Nace Kranjc, Andrea Crisanti, Tony Nolan, Federica Bernardini
Summary: Malaria, transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, is a major public health burden, with gene drive being a genetic engineering method developed for mosquito population control. The efficacy of gene drives relies heavily on selecting target sites that are functionally or structurally constrained to prevent hindering mutations. This study utilizes genome-wide analysis to identify highly conserved regions in Anopheles gambiae, offering valuable insights for gene drive target selection and population control strategies.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Andrew Hammond, Xenia Karlsson, Ioanna Morianou, Kyros Kyrou, Andrea Beaghton, Matthew Gribble, Nace Kranjc, Roberto Galizi, Austin Burt, Andrea Crisanti, Tony Nolan
Summary: Research has shown that alternative germline regulatory sequences can enhance the effectiveness of gene drives and reduce the propensity for resistant mutations, highlighting the importance of nuclease expression regulation in developing robust homing-based gene drives for population suppression.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Samantha M. O'Loughlin, Annie J. Forster, Silke Fuchs, Tania Dottorini, Tony Nolan, Andrea Crisanti, Austin Burt
Summary: The study identified a large number of conserved DNA sequences in Anopheles genomes with potential value for selecting and testing new targets for gene-drive modification in mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew Hammond, Paola Pollegioni, Tania Persampieri, Ace North, Roxana Minuz, Alessandro Trusso, Alessandro Bucci, Kyros Kyrou, Ioanna Morianou, Alekos Simoni, Tony Nolan, Ruth Mueller, Andrea Crisanti
Summary: This study demonstrates the suppressive activity of a CRISPR-based gene-drive targeting the doublesex gene in Anopheles gambiae populations. The gene-drive element spreads rapidly through the populations, achieving full suppression within one year without inducing resistance. Approximate Bayesian computation allows for a more accurate prediction of gene-drive behavior in ecologically-relevant settings.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Charlotte Quinn, Amalia Anthousi, Charles Wondji, Tony Nolan
Summary: The use of CRISPR genome editing tools has enabled the successful implementation of transgenesis in many mosquito species that are vectors of human diseases, enhancing our understanding of their biology and paving the way for novel genetic control approaches. This technology may also be well suited for gene drives to work effectively in controlling mosquito populations.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Linda Grigoraki, Ruth Cowlishaw, Tony Nolan, Martin Donnelly, Gareth Lycett, Hilary Ranson
Summary: The study demonstrates that introducing the 1014F allele in Anopheles mosquitoes significantly increases resistance to pyrethroids and DDT, while reducing mortality after exposure to pyrethroid-treated bednets. Combining 1014F with over-expression of detoxification enzymes further enhances resistance, although mosquitoes carrying the 1014F allele exhibit fitness disadvantages.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Silke Fuchs, William T. Garrood, Anna Beber, Andrew Hammond, Roberto Galizi, Matthew Gribble, Giulia Morselli, Tin-Yu J. Hui, Katie Willis, Nace Kranjc, Austin Burt, Andrea Crisanti, Tony Nolan, Harmit S. Malik
Summary: Gene drives have the potential to control disease-transmitting mosquitoes, but resistance and high conservation sequences can impact their efficacy. Studies have shown significant variations in the tolerance to resistance of conserved sequences, indicating a need for functional validation of future gene drive target sites.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ioanna Morianou, Andrea Crisanti, Tony Nolan, Andrew M. Hammond
Summary: The introduction of small unmarked edits to the genome of insects is essential for studying important biological traits. A two-step method based on CRISPR-mediated cassette exchange (CriMCE) has been developed to facilitate the generation and isolation of precise marker-less edits. This method has shown higher rates of editing compared to homology-directed repair or prime editing.
Article
Biology
Nicole Page, Chrysanthi Taxiarchi, Daniel Tonge, Jasmina Kuburic, Emily Chesters, Antonios Kriezis, Kyros Kyrou, Laurence Game, Tony Nolan, Roberto Galizi
Summary: Understanding the development and genetic regulation of the Anopheles gambiae germline is crucial for developing effective genetic control strategies against this malaria mosquito. This study provides a comprehensive dataset that characterizes the expression profiles of different cell types in the male germline using scRNA-seq.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
