Can transgenic mosquitoes afford the fitness cost?
In a recent study, SM1-transgenic Anopheles stephensi, which are resistant partially to Plasmodium berghei, had higher fitness than non-transgenic mosquitoes when they were maintained on Plasmodium-infected blood. This result should be interpreted cautiously with respect to malaria control using transgenic mosquitoes because, despite the evolutionary advantage conferred by the transgene, a concomitant cost prevents it from invading the entire population. Indeed, for the spread of a resistance transgene in a natural situation, the transgene's fitness cost and the efficacy of the gene drive will be more crucial than any evolutionary advantage.
Lambrechts
Louis
L
Department of Entomology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Koella
Jacob C
JC
Boëte
Christophe
C
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000472:pathogenicity