Nootkatone tested as a mosquito repellent

Abstract

Nootkatone, a grapefruit-scented terpene, may become a new addition to the small arsenal of mosquito-control tools that could help stop the spread of the Zika virus, according to Evolva, a Swiss biotechnology firm. A common flavor and fragrance molecule, nootkatone can be extracted from grapefruit skins or the bark of the Alaska yellow cedar. But it is a popular target molecule of synthetic biology firms working to scale-up less-expensive fermentation production routes. In 2014, Evolva acquired Allylix, a start-up that developed an early process to make nootkatone via sugar fermentation. At the time, Allylix was promoting the potential use of nootkatone to prevent the spread of ticks that carry Lyme disease. Now, Evolva says it is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to research nootkatone’s ability to repel and kill mosquitoes including the species Aedes aegypti, which can carry Zika and yellow fever. Evolva is also