GM Mosquitoes with Toxic Semen Offer Faster Solution to Control Mosquito Populations

A new biological pest control method, called Toxic Male Technique (TMT), could be a faster and more effective solution for reducing the threat of insect pests, such as disease-carrying mosquitoes, compared to current methods. TMT was developed by experts from Applied BioSciences and the ARC Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology at Macquarie University.

Insect pests, particularly mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, are a major threat to global health and agriculture, causing widespread diseases and economic losses each year. In mosquitoes, only the females bite and transmit diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and Zika. As pesticide resistance grows and environmental harm increases, genetic biocontrol is gaining attention as a promising alternative for pest management.

TMT works by genetically engineering male insects to produce venom proteins in their semen, which will be transferred to females during mating. These proteins significantly shorten the females' lifespan and reduce their ability to transmit diseases. Laboratory tests showed that modified males shorten females' lifespan by 37-64%, and computer simulations suggest this method could reduce blood-feeding rates by 40-60% compared to traditional methods.

For more information, read the study from Nature Communications.