We are working on genetic approaches that target vector mosquitoes to control transmission of malaria parasites. We are testing the hypothesis that the introduction into a population of vector mosquitoes of a gene conferring resistance to malaria parasites will decrease pathogen transmission and result in less disease and mortality In humans. The goals that must be met to test this hypothesis Include the development of mosquitoes engineered genetically to be incapable of the transmission of malaria parasites. Major steps in the laboratory efforts to develop these insects Included the adaptation of transgenesis technologies for the stable introduction of genes into the appropriate vector mosquito species, the discovery of promoter sequences from mosquito genes that could be used to express effector molecules at a time and place In the insects so as to optimize the impact on the target pathogens, and the formulation of effector genes that efficiently prevent the development of pathogens while at the same time Impose negligible fitness loads on the mosquitoes carrying them.
The Specific Aims of this proposal address the working hypothesis that it should be possible to engineer the effector genes so as to achieve the target of zero parasite prevalence (percent of all mosquitoes with an infection) and mean intensities of infection (average number of parasites in only those mosquitoes infected) in the salivary glands of parasite-challenged mosquitoes.
The Specific Aims are 1) optimize expression of single-chain antibodies (scFv) that disable Plasmodium falciparum In the midgut and hemolymph of transgenic Anopheles stephensi; 2) construct and test in parasite-challenge assays transgenic An. stephensi carrying single and multiple optimized scFvs for their ability to prevent parasites from infecting midguts and salivary glands; and 3) evaluate the fitness of strains of An. stephensi carrying one or more transgenes expressing anti-parasite scFvs relative to control laboratory colonies using life-table parameters. Gene cloning, transgenesis (both transposon- and site-specific recombination-mediated), fitness assays and parasite-challenge assays are used to develop and test genes that confer resistance In An. stephensi to the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum.

Public Health Relevance

Malaria eradication will require vector-control strategies that are both self-sustaining and not affected by migration of infected humans and mosquitoes. Replacement of wild malaria-susceptible mosquito populations with transgenic strains that block parasite development could Interrupt the cycle of disease transmission and support eradication efforts.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
4R37AI029746-23
Application #
8233655
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Costero, Adriana
Project Start
1989-09-01
Project End
2017-06-30
Budget Start
2012-07-01
Budget End
2013-06-30
Support Year
23
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$398,254
Indirect Cost
$138,805
Name
University of California Irvine
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
046705849
City
Irvine
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92697
Bottino-Rojas, Vanessa; Talyuli, Octavio A C; Carrara, Luana et al. (2018) The redox-sensing gene Nrf2 affects intestinal homeostasis, insecticide resistance, and Zika virus susceptibility in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Biol Chem 293:9053-9063
Macias, Vanessa M; Jimenez, Alyssa J; Burini-Kojin, Bianca et al. (2017) nanos-Driven expression of piggyBac transposase induces mobilization of a synthetic autonomous transposon in the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 87:81-89
Carballar-Lejarazú, Rebeca; James, Anthony A (2017) Population modification of Anopheline species to control malaria transmission. Pathog Glob Health 111:424-435
Peng, Z; Xu, W W; Sham, Y et al. (2016) Mosquito salivary allergen Aed a 3: cloning, comprehensive molecular analysis, and clinical evaluation. Allergy 71:621-8
Liu, Hongmei; Liu, Tong; Xie, Lihua et al. (2016) Functional analysis of Orco and odorant receptors in odor recognition in Aedes albopictus. Parasit Vectors 9:363
Kojin, Bianca B; Costa-da-Silva, André Luis; Maciel, Ceres et al. (2016) Endogenously-expressed NH2-terminus of circumsporozoite protein interferes with sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands. Malar J 15:153
Carballar-Lejarazú, R; Brennock, P; James, A A (2016) Suppressor of hairy-wing, modifier of mdg4 and centrosomal protein of 190 gene orthologues of the gypsy insulator complex in the malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi. Insect Mol Biol 25:460-9
Alonso-Morales, Alberto; González-López, Lorena; Cázares-Raga, Febe Elena et al. (2015) Protein phosphorylation during Plasmodium berghei gametogenesis. Exp Parasitol 156:49-60
Lo, Eugenia; Yewhalaw, Delenasaw; Zhong, Daibin et al. (2015) Molecular epidemiology of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria among Duffy-positive and Duffy-negative populations in Ethiopia. Malar J 14:84
Chen, Xiao-Guang; Jiang, Xuanting; Gu, Jinbao et al. (2015) Genome sequence of the Asian Tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, reveals insights into its biology, genetics, and evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:E5907-15

Showing the most recent 10 out of 40 publications