A genetic approach to malaria control
Malaria is a devastating disease for which there is yet no reliable protection. The morbidity and mortality levels are increasing, especially in African children less than five years of age.
Amongst the measures currently implemented or proposed to stop transmission by the Anopheles mosquito is the use of pesticides and bed nets, aiming to prevent parasite transmission by eradicating the mosquito.
Our approach looks at a malaria control alternative, which is to inhibit parasite development within the mosquito using genetically modified mosquitoes or genetically modified bacteria, expressing anti-parasitic molecules in the mosquito midgut. We have identified a number of potential anti-malarial peptides and proteins (both synthetic and natural), and will determin whether such molecules can act without killing the midgut bacteria. We have also identified bacterial species within field caught mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex as well as in lab reared Anopheles gambiae. Some of the bacteria identified are related to known insect symbionts. These we look at in more detail; how they interact with their vector host, if they can be genetically modified etc.
Our goal is to bring the various facets of our investigations together to prevent malaria transmission through the mosquito vector. Two main research themes are currently under investigation:
* In vivo characterization in transgenic Anopheles of a putative anti-parasitic hemolin encoding gene, originally identified in Lepidoptera moths and not present in Diptera.
* Genome sequencing and analyses of the mosquito midgut bacteria Elizabethkingia anophelis.
Last updated:
July 25, 2013
Page editor:
Christina Jansson
Source: Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute
