Article
Genetics & Heredity
Amanda R. Stahlke, Jennifer Chang, Sivanandan Chudalayandi, Chan C. Heu, Scott M. Geib, Brian E. Scheffler, Anna K. Childers, Jeffrey A. Fabrick
Summary: The pink bollworm is a major pest of cotton worldwide, and current management practices have included chemical insecticides, cultural strategies, sterile insect releases, and transgenic cotton. However, the pest has developed resistance to transgenic cotton in Asia, and a complete annotated reference genome is needed to improve resistance management.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
G. T. Kumara, Omprakash Navik, T. Venkatesan, Arunkumar Hosamani, Jagadeesh Patil, M. Mohan, S. K. Jalali
Summary: This study evaluated 16 trichogrammatid species/strains for their effectiveness in managing the pink bollworm in transgenic Bt cotton. The results showed that Trichogrammatoidea nr. robusta, Trichogrammatoidea bactrae, and Trichogramma chilonis had higher parasitism rates on pink bollworm eggs. Field experiments demonstrated that the release of Trichogrammatoidea bactrae significantly reduced pink bollworm incidence and increased cotton yield.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paige Matheson, Elahe Parvizi, Jeffrey A. Fabrick, Hamid Anees Siddiqui, Bruce E. Tabashnik, Tom Walsh, Angela McGaughran
Summary: The pink bollworm is a destructive pest of cotton and is found in almost all cotton-growing countries. In this study, genomic data from pink bollworm populations in Australia, India, Pakistan, and the United States were analyzed to assess population structure. The researchers found high genetic differentiation between the Australian population and populations from other regions, reducing concerns about gene flow to Australia from regions with resistant populations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Jacob Sebesta, Wei Xiong, Michael T. Guarnieri, Jianping Yu
Summary: Genetically engineered algae can convert light and carbon dioxide into industrially and commercially relevant chemicals. However, there is a need to address the potential risks of releasing these engineered algae into the natural environment, and develop effective biocontainment strategies.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Entomology
Jeffrey A. Fabrick, Xianchun Li, Yves Carriere, Bruce E. Tabashnik
Summary: The pink bollworm is a destructive pest of cotton and has been controlled by genetically engineered cotton producing insect-killing proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt proteins in crops have advantages such as pest suppression and decreased use of conventional insecticides. In China, Bt cotton has been effective against pink bollworm, but in India, resistance to Bt cotton has arisen. Lab selection can help identify genes important for field-evolved resistance to Bt crops, and differences in management practices among countries have caused different outcomes.
Article
Immunology
A. L. Reyaz, N. Balakrishnan, V. Udayasuriyan
Summary: This study reports a novel indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate, T26, with spores and crystals showing pathogenicity against pink bollworm, as well as a unique genome assembly lacking known lepidopteran active genes. Further investigation of the genome sequence and protein sequencing may reveal novel factors responsible for its virulence and potential use in insect resistance management.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bruce E. Tabashnik, Leighton R. Liesner, Peter C. Ellsworth, Gopalan C. Unnithan, Jeffrey A. Fabrick, Steven E. Naranjo, Xianchun Li, Timothy J. Dennehy, Larry Antilla, Robert T. Staten, Yves Carriere
Summary: The successful multi-tactic strategy described above effectively combated the invasive pink bollworm in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico by releasing sterile insects and planting transgenic Bt cotton. This approach synergistically reduced the pest population and led to significant economic and social benefits, demonstrating the advantages of using agricultural biotechnology in combination with classical pest control tactics.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Zhi-Kui Hao, Shao-Yong Zhang, Huan Qi, Wen-Sheng Xiang, Jian-Song Li, Ji-Dong Wang
Summary: A novel spiro-heterocycle milbemycin, milbemycin R, was obtained from metabolites produced by a mutant strain, S. bingchenggensis BCJ60B11. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses, and it showed better acaricidal activity than milbemycins A3/A4.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guiding Li, Zengguang Zhang, Mengxia Wu, Xuemei Chen, Min Yin, Yi Jiang, Xueshi Huang, Chenglin Jiang, Li Han
Summary: In this study, germacradienol synthase B7C62_00490 was identified and germacradienol and its glycosylated derivative were successfully synthesized through engineered strains. Evaluation results showed that germacradienol exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, while its glycosylated derivative was inactive.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jian-Song Li, Huan Qi, Shao-Yong Zhang, Wen-Sheng Xiang, Li-Qin Zhang, Hai-Yan Wang, Zhi-Kui Hao, Ji-Dong Wang
Summary: Two new milbemycin derivatives, milbemycin M and milbemycin N, isolated from a genetically engineered strain, showed potent acaricidal and nematocidal activities against Tetranychus cinnabarinus and Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN NATURAL PRODUCTS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hamza Rafeeq, Nadia Afsheen, Sadia Rafique, Arooj Arshad, Maham Intisar, Asim Hussain, Muhammad Bilal, Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
Summary: In the recent era, the persistence of hazardous contaminants has had a severe impact on the world. Conventional approaches to remediation have failed to effectively remove these contaminants, leading to an increase in the use of genetically engineered microbes (GEMs) for bioremediation. GEMs are more powerful and cost-effective in degrading various pollutants, making genetic engineering a worthwhile process for environmental improvement and human health.
Article
Agronomy
Bruce E. Tabashnik, Gopalan Chandran Unnithan, Alexander J. Yelich, Jeffrey A. Fabrick, Timothy J. Dennehy, Yves Carriere
Summary: Pink bollworm shows differential susceptibility to Cry toxins and Vip3Aa, with higher resistance to Cry toxins and higher susceptibility to Vip3Aa in laboratory-selected strains. Cross-resistance between Cry toxins and Vip3Aa is not observed, suggesting the lack of shared midgut receptors. Vip3Aa can be utilized as an effective tool in integrated pest management when used together with novel Cry toxins.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinbang Jiang, Xiangyun Zhang, Chen Guo, Boya Ma, Zhuang Liu, Yunzheng Du, Biao Wang, Nan Li, Xinglu Huang, Lailiang Ou
Summary: Genetically engineered cell membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles are used for the enrichment of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in this study. The nanoparticles show high purity, capture efficiency, and specificity, indicating the promising potential for CTC detection.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Nishta Krishnan, Fei-Xing Peng, Animesh Mohapatra, Ronnie H. Fang, Liangfang Zhang
Summary: In recent years, researchers have increasingly explored nanoparticles derived from cellular membranes for disease prevention and treatment. These biomimetic nanoparticles, with their flexible design and effective interaction with the surrounding environment, can outperform traditional synthetic nanoparticles. Genetic manipulation has proven to be a robust and flexible method to generate nanoformulations with augmented functionalities. This review provides an overview of genetic engineering approaches to express novel surface proteins and discusses the various biomedical applications of genetically modified cellular nanoparticles.
Article
Biology
Frank K. Lee, Jane C. Lee, Bo Shui, Shaun Reining, Megan Jibilian, David M. Small, Jason S. Jones, Nathaniel H. Allan-Rahill, Michael Re Lamont, Megan A. Rizzo, Sendoa Tajada, Manuel F. Navedo, Luis Fernando Santana, Nozomi Nishimura, Michael Kotlikoff
Summary: Optogenetic effectors and sensors in mice offer a powerful tool to study cellular signaling and have immense potential for investigating physiological processes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helen Ward, Matthew Whitaker, Barnaby Flower, Sonja N. Tang, Christina Atchison, Ara Darzi, Christl A. Donnelly, Alexandra Cann, Peter J. Diggle, Deborah Ashby, Steven Riley, Wendy S. Barclay, Paul Elliott, Graham S. Cooke
Summary: Population antibody surveillance is crucial for tracking immune responses to COVID-19 vaccinations. The study found that antibody positivity peaks 4-5 weeks after the first dose of the vaccine and then declines. Age, gender, comorbidities, and infection history affect antibody positivity rates.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Joshua Xin De Ang, Katherine Nevard, Rebekah Ireland, Deepak-Kumar Purusothaman, Sebald A. N. Verkuijl, Lewis Shackleford, Estela Gonzalez, Michelle A. E. Anderson, Luke Alphey
Summary: This study reports the effects of sequence mismatches and donor template forms on gene integration rates and infers the mechanism responsible for gene integration in this species. These findings will guide future construct designs for optimal homology-directed repair rates in mosquitoes.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kris Parag, Christl A. Donnelly
Summary: The article highlights the difficulty in detecting epidemic resurgence in real time while emphasizing the faster detection of epidemic suppression. The presence of spatial or demographic heterogeneities further hampers the detection of resurgence. Therefore, the article argues that proactive prevention of resurgence, informed by diverse surveillance data, is more important than optimizing statistical models.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Liubov Cherkashchenko, Kai Rausalu, Sanjay Basu, Luke Alphey, Andres Merits
Summary: Alphaviruses, which are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, induce resistance to superinfection in infected cells through the blockage of RNA replication. The replication proteins of alphaviruses, nsP1-4, are produced from nonstructural polyprotein precursors and are processed by the protease activity of nsP2. Studies on the effects of nsP2 on alphavirus RNA replication using trans-replicase systems and replicon vectors demonstrated that nsP2 reduces the RNA replicase activity of the homologous virus. This inhibitory effect is partially dependent on the protease active site of nsP2. Mutations in the replicase polyprotein that prevent its cleavage by nsP2 attenuate the negative effect of nsP2, indicating that nsP2-mediated inhibition of RNA replicase activity is primarily due to its protease activity. Moreover, co-expression of nsP2 also suppresses the replicase activity of heterologous alphaviruses. Overall, these findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying superinfection exclusion in alphaviruses and may facilitate the development of anti-alphavirus strategies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Priscilla Y. L. Tng, Leonela Z. Carabajal Paladino, Michelle A. E. Anderson, Zach N. Adelman, Rennos Fragkoudis, Rob Noad, Luke Alphey
Summary: Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the main vectors of mosquito-borne viruses, and this study investigates the use of small RNAs to inhibit the replication of chikungunya virus. The results show that short hairpin-like designs are more effective than microRNA-like designs in knocking down the expression of their targets, and this knockdown requires the presence of Dcr-2, indicating the involvement of the endo-siRNA pathway. These findings suggest the potential use of this system in transgenic mosquitoes.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tigist F. Menkir, Christl A. Donnelly
Summary: This study assesses the impact of early testing frequency on population-level benefits of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It highlights the importance of high coverage and short delays from test to treatment. Regular rapid testing can identify infectious individuals and provide early positive tests for effective antiviral treatment.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Guolei Tang, Zhuoyao Zhao, Lele Cao, Yue Qi, Xuhui Yu, Wenjing Liu
Summary: An agent-based simulation model is developed to simulate traffic flow and conflicts in dredging works, which is then integrated with an optimization model to find the optimal fleet scheduling plan. The results show the effectiveness of this approach in identifying bottlenecks and obtaining the best plan. This research contributes to decision making in planning dredging works under uncertainty.
JOURNAL OF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tim Harvey-Samuel, Xuejiao Xu, Michelle. A. E. Anderson, Leonela. Z. Carabajal Paladino, Deepak Purusothaman, Victoria. C. Norman, Christine. M. Reitmayer, Minsheng You, Luke Alphey
Summary: This study elucidates the sex determination cascade in the globally important pest Plutella xylostella and highlights the role of retrotransposition events in the evolution of complex molecular cascades.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Younjung Kim, Christl A. Donnelly, Pierre Nouvellet
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, national testing programs on an unprecedented scale were conducted worldwide. This study examines the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, disease susceptibility/severity, risk perception, and public health measures on testing behavior in England. The results show that testing behavior is complex and influenced by various factors such as transmission level, disease severity, vaccination, testing strategies, and risk perception.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Matthew J. J. Penn, Daniel J. J. Laydon, Joseph Penn, Charles Whittaker, Christian Morgenstern, Oliver Ratmann, Swapnil Mishra, Mikko S. S. Pakkanen, Christl A. A. Donnelly, Samir Bhatt
Summary: This study characterizes the uncertainty in infectious disease outbreaks, including intrinsic randomness and imperfect knowledge of parameters, using a time-varying general branching process model. They find that substantial variation in outbreak size can occur even without superspreading, and the uncertainty of outbreaks grows rapidly. Forecasting that only considers imperfect knowledge of parameters significantly underestimates the true extent of potential risk.
COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew Whitaker, Bethan Davies, Christina Atchison, Wendy Barclay, Deborah Ashby, Ara Darzi, Steven Riley, Graham Cooke, Christl A. Donnelly, Marc Chadeau-Hyam, Paul Elliott, Helen Ward
Summary: The value of SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow immunoassay tests for estimating individual disease risk is unclear. The authors linked testing data from the REACT-2 study in England to hospital and death records and found that vaccinated individuals with a negative LFIA test were at a higher risk of hospitalisation and death.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Younjung Kim, Guillaume Fournie, Raphalle Metras, Daesub Song, Christl A. Donnelly, Dirk U. Pfeiffer, Pierre Nouvellet
Summary: This article discusses recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in two cat shelters in South Korea and emphasizes the need to enhance surveillance for cross-species viral transmission from a One Health perspective.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christina J. Atchison, Bethan Davies, Emily Cooper, Adam Lound, Matthew Whitaker, Adam Hampshire, Adriana Azor, Christl A. Donnelly, Marc Chadeau-Hyam, Graham S. Cooke, Helen Ward, Paul Elliott
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has a lasting impact on health and well-being. People with ongoing symptoms post-COVID experience worse mental health and health-related quality of life compared to those who never had COVID-19 or have recovered. The median duration of COVID-related symptoms is 13 weeks, with 75% reporting symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks. Female sex, comorbidity, and infection during the dominance of the wild-type variant are associated with longer symptom duration and recovery time.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sarah Hayes, Kennedy Lushasi, Maganga Sambo, Joel Changalucha, Elaine A. Ferguson, Lwitiko Sikana, Katie Hampson, Pierre Nouvellet, Christl A. Donnelly
Summary: The study investigates the impact of domestic dog vaccination on the incidence of animal rabies cases in southeast Tanzania and finds that an increase in vaccination coverage is associated with a decrease in rabies cases in both domestic dogs and jackals. The study also identifies seasonal trends in the incidence of probable rabies cases and suggests potential implications for future vaccination campaigns.
VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Kris Parag, Christl A. Donnelly, Alexander E. Zarebski
Summary: Reliably estimating the dynamics of transmissible diseases is a persistent problem in modern epidemiology. This study develops an analytical framework to quantify the uncertainty induced by reporting errors and delays, and evaluates the informativeness of surveillance data. The assumption that death curves are more reliable for estimating reproduction number may not hold true in many cases.
NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE
(2022)