Conditional embryonic lethality to improve the sterile insect technique in Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae).
BACKGROUND
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly method used in area-wide pest management of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann; Diptera: Tephritidae). Ionizing radiation used to generate reproductive sterility in the mass-reared populations before release leads to reduction of competitiveness.


RESULTS
Here, we present a first alternative reproductive sterility system for medfly based on transgenic embryonic lethality. This system is dependent on newly isolated medfly promoter/enhancer elements of cellularization-specifically-expressed genes. These elements act differently in expression strength and their ability to drive lethal effector gene activation. Moreover, position effects strongly influence the efficiency of the system. Out of 60 combinations of driver and effector construct integrations, several lines resulted in larval and pupal lethality with one line showing complete embryonic lethality. This line was highly competitive to wildtype medfly in laboratory and field cage tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The high competitiveness of the transgenic lines and the achieved 100% embryonic lethality causing reproductive sterility without the need of irradiation can improve the efficacy of operational medfly SIT programs.
Schetelig
Marc F
MF
Department of Developmental Biology, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, GZMB, Ernst-Caspari-Haus, Göttingen, Germany. marc.schetelig@ars.usda.gov
Caceres
Carlos
C
Zacharopoulou
Antigone
A
Franz
Gerald
G
Wimmer
Ernst A
EA
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D033622:Ceratitis capitata / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D014170:Transformation, Genetic