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Article
Open AccessTargeting mosquito X-chromosomes reveals complex transmission dynamics of sex ratio distorting gene drives
Engineered sex ratio distorters (SRDs) have been proposed as a powerful component of genetic control strategies designed to suppress harmful insect pests. Two types of CRISPR-based SRD mechanisms have been pro...
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Article
Open AccessNeofunctionalization driven by positive selection led to the retention of the loqs2 gene encoding an Aedes specific dsRNA binding protein
Mosquito borne viruses, such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever and Chikungunya, cause millions of infections every year. These viruses are mostly transmitted by two urban-adapted mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and A...
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Article
Open AccessThe sex-specific factor SOA controls dosage compensation in Anopheles mosquitoes
The Anopheles mosquito is one of thousands of species in which sex differences play a central part in their biology, as only females need a blood meal to produce eggs. Sex differentiation is regulated by sex chro...
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Article
Open AccessCombining two genetic sexing strains allows sorting of non-transgenic males for Aedes genetic control
Chemical control of disease vectoring mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti is costly, unsustainable, and increasingly ineffective due to the spread of insecticide resistance. The Sterile Insect Technique...
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Article
Mosquito vector competence for dengue is modulated by insect-specific viruses
Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes are the main vectors for dengue virus (DENV) and other arboviruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Understanding the factors that affect transmission of arboviruses from m...
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Article
Open AccessTransgenic expression of Nix converts genetic females into males and allows automated sex sorting in Aedes albopictus
Aedes albopictus is a major vector of arboviruses. Better understanding of its sex determination is crucial for develo** mosquito control tools, especially genetic sexing strains. In Aedes aegypti, Nix is the p...
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Article
Control of dengue virus in the midgut of Aedes aegypti by ectopic expression of the dsRNA-binding protein Loqs2
Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes1. In the insect vector, the small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is an important antiviral mechanism against DENV2–5. However, it rem...
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Article
A CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive system targeting female reproduction in the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae
Development of a CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive system in Anopheles gambiae, the main vector for the malaria parasite, paves the way for control of this pest insect.
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Article
Open AccessHigh-throughput sorting of mosquito larvae for laboratory studies and for future vector control interventions
Mosquito transgenesis offers new promises for the genetic control of vector-borne infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. Genetic control strategies require the release of large number of male mo...
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Protocol
RNAi in the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway: pFRiPE, a Vector for Temporally and Spatially Controlled RNAi in Drosophila
RNA interference (RNAi) has become an irreplaceable tool for reverse genetics in plants and animals. The universality and specificity of this phenomenon allows silencing of virtually any chosen gene to examine...
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Article
Lipoprotein particles are required for Hedgehog and Wingless signalling
Wnt and Hedgehog family proteins are secreted signalling molecules (morphogens) that act at both long and short range to control growth and patterning during development. Both proteins are covalently modified ...
