Mutant mosquitoes 'resist malaria'


mosquitoImage copyrightSPL
US scientists say they have bred a genetically modified (GM) mosquito that can resist malaria infection.
If the lab technique works in the field, it could offer a new way of stopping the biting insects from spreading malaria to humans, they say.
The scientists put a new "resistance" gene into the mosquito's own DNA, using a gene editing method called Crispr.
And when the GM mosquitoes mated - their offspring inherited the same resistance,PNAS journal reports.
In theory, if these mosquitoes bite people, they should not be able to pass on the parasite that causes malaria.
About 3.2bn people - almost half of the world's population - are at risk of malaria.
Bed nets, insecticides and repellents can help stop the insects biting and drugs can be given to anyone who catches the infection, but the disease still kills around 580,000 people a year.

'Pivotal role'

Scientists have been searching for new ways to fight malaria.
The University of California team believe their GM mosquito could play a pivotal role - breeding resistant offspring to replace endemic, malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
They took a type of mosquito found in India - Anopheles stephensi - on which to experiment.
Dr Anthony James and his team showed that they could give the insect new DNA code to make it a poor host for the malaria parasite.
The DNA, which codes for antibodies that combat the parasite, was inherited by almost 100% of the mosquito offspring and across three generations.
Genetically modified mosquito larvaeImage copyrightScience Photo Library
Image captionMosquito larvae can be genetically modified to carry 'useful' new genes, such as resistance to the Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria
The researchers say the findings offer hope that the same method could also work in other mosquito species.
Although it would not be a sole solution to the malaria problem, it would be a useful additional weapon, they say.
Prof David Conway, UK expert from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "It's not the finished product yet but it certainly looks promising. It does look like the genetic editing works."
Other scientists have been looking at genetically modifying mosquitoes to render them infertile, so that they die out. But some experts fear that eliminating mosquitoes entirely may have unforeseen and unwanted consequences. Replacing disease-carrying mosquitoes with harmless breeds is a potential alternative.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Global warming computer models collapse; Arctic ice sheets rapidly expand as planet plunges into global cooling

Image
(NaturalNews) For years, we've all heard that global warming is threatening our planet. But now, in a stunning turnaround, world scientists are warning that an era of global cooling seems to be upon us, complete with extraordinary expansions of ocean ice being recorded in just the past year. Even the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report seems to indicate that an era of global cooling is now underway, according to many scientists. It turns out that global warming predictions were little more than doom-and-gloom fear mongering based on failed computer models. For example, in 2007, the BBC reported that the Arctic would be "ice-free" by the summer of 2013. Here's exactly how that fear mongering was published by the BBC: Scientists in the US have presented one of the most dramatic forecasts yet for the disappearance of Arctic sea ice. Their latest modelling studies indicate northern polar waters could be ice-free in summers with
Read more

Top 5 Foods to Fight Breast Cancer

Image
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, dedicated to recognizing those impacted, as well as providing support for family, friends and research efforts. According to the American Cancer Society, odds are that 1 in 8 women will have invasive breast cancer in her life. A healthy lifestyle that incorporates certain foods may help fight breast cancer. Top 5 Foods to Optimize Breast Health & Help Fight Cancer 1. Broccoli: According to research, consuming cruciferous vegetables can help provide the body with cancer-fighting elements like vitamin C, phytochemicals and calcium. Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli ranks highest in vitamin C content, an antioxidant that may assist with stimulating anti-cancer cells, stopping tumors from spreading and helping the body repair after cancer surgery. It’s been suggested that individuals with higher levels of vitamin C in their blood have a reduced risk of developing cancer than those with lower levels. Adding brocc
Read more

6 Surprising Things That Affect Your Brain

Image
Brain scientists in recent years have discovered a number of surprising ways that the brain influences our overall health, as well as how our behavior influences the health of our brain. And unlike in the days of old — when scientists believed the brain was “fixed” after childhood, only to start an inexorable decline in the middle to later years — today, research is showing that the brain is perfectly capable of changing, healing and “rewiring” itself to an unexpected degree. It turns out that the age of your brain may be a lesser influence on its structure than what you do with it. Pursuits that require intense mental focus, like language learning, “switch on” the nucleus basalis, the control mechanism for neuroplasticity. In short, neuroplasticity means you have some control over your cranial fitness. While brain function naturally deteriorates somewhat as you age (though not nearly as muc
Read more