CRISPR to control growth of mosquitoes

CRISPR to control growth of mosquitoes

Part of: Prelims and GS III – Sci and tech

Context Researchers from California have developed a CRISPR-based system to safely restrain mosquito vectors via sterilization. 

• It is called the new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT.

Mechanism

• pgSIT uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquitoes that can suppress populations.
• It alters genes linked to male fertility — creating sterile offspring — and female flight in Aedes aegypti.
  • The mosquito species is responsible for spreading wide-ranging diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika.
• pgSIT uses CRISPR to sterilize male mosquitoes and render female mosquitoes, which spread disease, as flightless.

Why is this significant?

• pgSIT eggs can be shipped to a location threatened by mosquito-borne disease 
• Once the pgSIT eggs are released in the wild, sterile pgSIT males will emerge and eventually mate with females, driving down the wild population as needed.

What is CRISPR?

• CRISPR technology is basically a gene-editing technology that can be used for the purpose of altering genetic expression or changing the genome of an organism. 
• It can be used for targeting specific genetic code or editing the DNA at particular locations.
• Potential applications: Correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving crops.