title: High-throughput sorting of mosquito larvae for laboratory studies and for future vector control interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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 mosquitoes into field populations, whether they are based on the use of sterile males (sterile insect technique, SIT) or on introducing genetic traits conferring refractoriness to disease transmission (population replacement). However, the current absence of high-throughput techniques for sorting different mosquito populations impairs the application of these control measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A method was developed to generate large mosquito populations of the desired sex and genotype. This method combines flow cytometry and the use of Anopheles gambiae transgenic lines that differentially express fluorescent markers in males and females.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fluorescence-assisted sorting allowed single-step isolation of homozygous transgenic mosquitoes from a mixed population. This method was also used to select wild-type males only with high efficiency and accuracy, a highly desirable tool for genetic control strategies where the release of transgenic individuals may be problematic. Importantly, sorted males showed normal mating ability compared to their unsorted brothers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed method will greatly facilitate both laboratory studies of mosquito vectorial capacity requiring high-throughput approaches and future field interventions in the fight against infectious disease vectors.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, INSERM U963, CNRS UPR9022, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marois
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scali
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soichot
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kappler
authors.forename: Elena A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Levashina
authors.forename: Flaminia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catteruccia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005838:Genotype; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012723:Sex