Abstract
Background Genetic modification offers opportunities to introduce artificially created molecular defence mechanisms to vector mosquitoes to counter diseases causing pathogens such as the dengue virus, malaria parasite, and Zika virus. RNA interference is such a molecular defence mechanism that could be used for this purpose to block the transmission of pathogens among human and animal populations. In our previous study, we engineered a dengue-resistant transgenic Ae. aegypti using RNAi to turn off the expression of dengue virus serotype genomes to reduce virus transmission, requiring assessment of the fitness of this mosquito with respect to its wild counterpart in the laboratory and semifield conditions. Method Developmental and reproductive fitness parameters of TM and WM have assessed under the Arthropod Containment Level 2 conditions, and the antibiotic treatment assays were conducted using co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, and doxycycline to assess the developmental and reproductive fitness parameters. Results A significant reduction of developmental and reproductive fitness parameters was observed in transgenic mosquito compared to wild mosquitoes. However, it was seen in laboratory-scale studies that the fitness of this mosquito has improved significantly in the presence of antibiotics such as co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, and doxycycline in their feed. Conclusion Our data indicate that the transgenic mosquito produced had a reduction of the fitness parameters and it may lead to a subsequent reduction of transgenic vector density over the generations in field applications. However, antibiotics of co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, and doxycycline have shown the improvement of fitness parameters indicating the usefulness in field release of transgenic mosquitoes.
Highlights
Dengue virus (DENV) is one of such arboviruses carried by Aedine mosquito vectors, which are some of the most dangerous arbovirus carriers worldwide, and Aedes aegypti is one of such vectors which transmit dengue, Zika, yellow fever, chikungunya viruses, etc. and is responsible for dengue (DEN) epidemics in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries [1]
Wild mosquito poses an evolutionary advantage of fitness than transgenic mosquitoes and this will result in the subsequent reduction of transgenic mosquito proportions in the future generation
Hemizygous transgenic mosquito (TM) and subsequent generations of wild mosquito (WM) were maintained at the Arthropod Containment Level 2 (ACL2) Facility, Molecular Medicine Unit, Ragama
Summary
Dengue virus (DENV) is one of such arboviruses carried by Aedine mosquito vectors, which are some of the most dangerous arbovirus carriers worldwide, and Aedes aegypti is one of such vectors which transmit dengue, Zika, yellow fever, chikungunya viruses, etc. and is responsible for dengue (DEN) epidemics in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries [1]. We engineered a dengue-resistant transgenic Ae. aegypti using RNAi to turn off the expression of dengue virus serotype genomes to reduce virus transmission, requiring assessment of the fitness of this mosquito with respect to its wild counterpart in the laboratory and semifield conditions. A significant reduction of developmental and reproductive fitness parameters was observed in transgenic mosquito compared to wild mosquitoes. It was seen in laboratory-scale studies that the fitness of this mosquito has improved significantly in the presence of antibiotics such as co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, and doxycycline in their feed. Antibiotics of co-trimoxazole, amoxicillin, and doxycycline have shown the improvement of fitness parameters indicating the usefulness in field release of transgenic mosquitoes
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