Assessing the Potential of Hztransip as a Genetic Drive in Anopheles Mosquitoes

Abstract

Malaria kills millions of people across the globe and measures to control this disease are not simple and definite. While anti-malarial effector genes have been identified and successfully engineered into the human malaria vector, Anopheles mosquitoes, a mechanism to drive these genes through wild Anopheles populations is needed. This study utilizes and assesses the Hztransib transposable element from Helicoverpazea as a potential candidate for the genetic drive mechanism. Specifically, this study tries to determine whether Hztransib is capable of duplicating and remobilizing the effector within the germ line of the Anopheles mosquitoes. To do that a helper line of DsRed representing Transib transgenic line is crossed with the ECFP/EYFP donor line. The progeny from this cross (G1 progeny) is examined for the eye expression of ECFP, EYFP and DsRed. Positive DsRed/ECFP/EYFP are then mated with wild-type mosquitoes and a large sample of individual progeny (G2 progeny) is screened for the expression of DsRed, EYFP and ECFP markers to determine the transpositional activity from Hztransib. The results from G2 progeny screens showed only Mendelian crossings suggesting that Hztransib might have been silenced or not sufficiently activated in the mosquito germ line.