Work

Synthetic miRNAs induce dual arboviral-resistance phenotypes in the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Mosquito-borne arboviruses are responsible for recent dengue, chikungunya, and Zika pandemics. The yellow-fever mosquito,Aedes aegypti, plays an important role in the transmission of all three viruses. We developed a miRNA-based approach that results in a dual resistance phenotype in mosquitoes to dengue serotype 3 (DENV-3) and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses. The target viruses are from two distinct arboviral families and the antiviral mechanism is designed to function through the endogenous miRNA pathway in infected mosquitoes. Challenge experiments showed reductions in viral transmission efficiency of transgenic mosquitoes. Several components of mosquito fitness were examined, and transgenic mosquitoes with thePUbpromoter showed minor fitness costs at all developing stages. Further development of these strains with gene editing tools could make them candidates for releases in population replacement strategies for sustainable control of multiple arbovirus diseases.

Source: Communications Biology

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-017-0011-5

Authors: Pei-Shi Yen, Anthony James, Jian-Chiuan Li, Chun-Hong Chen, Anna-Bella Failloux

Institutions: Institut Pasteur, Department of Virology, University of California, Irvine, National Health Research Institutes

Language: English

Topic: Mosquito-borne diseases and control

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,157