Paratransgenesis to control malaria vectors: a semi-field pilot study. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mancini, Maria; Spaccapelo, Roberta; Damiani, Claudia; Accoti, Anastasia; Tallarita, Mario; Petraglia, Elisabetta; Rossi, Paolo; Cappelli, Alessia; Capone, Aida; Peruzzi, Giulia; Valzano, Matteo; Picciolini, Matteo; Diabaté, Abdoulaye; Facchinelli, Luca; Ricci, Irene; Favia, Guido
• Is Part Of: Parasites & vectors. Volume 9:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Asaia -- Anopheles -- Paratransgenesis -- Large cages trials; Parasitism -- Periodicals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Vector-pathogen relationships -- Periodicals; Animals as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; Insects as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1427-3
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-3305

Abstract

Abstract Background Malaria still remains a serious health burden in developing countries, causing more than 1 million deaths annually. Given the lack of an effective vaccine against its major etiological agent, Plasmodium falciparum, and the growing resistance of this parasite to the currently available drugs repertoire and ofAnopheles mosquitoes to insecticides, the development of innovative control measures is an imperative to reduce malaria transmission. Paratransgenesis, the modification of symbiotic organisms to deliver anti-pathogen effector molecules, represents a novel strategy againstPlasmodium development in mosquito vectors, showing the potential to reduce parasite development. However, the field application of laboratory-based evidence of paratransgenesis imposes the use of more realistic confined semi-field environments. Methods Large cages were used to evaluate the ability of bacteria of the genusAsaia expressing green fluorescent protein (Asaia gfp ), to diffuse inAnopheles stephensi andAnopheles gambiae target mosquito populations.Asaia gfp was introduced in large cages through the release of paratransgenic males or by sugar feeding stations. Recombinant bacteria transmission was directly detected by fluorescent microscopy, and further assessed by molecular analysis. Results Here we show the first known trial in semi-field condition on paratransgenic anophelines. Modified bacteria were able to spread at high rate in different populations ofAn. stephensi andAn. gambiae, dominant malaria vectors, exploring horizontal ways and successfully colonising mosquito midguts. Moreover, inAn. gambiae, vertical and trans-stadial diffusion mechanisms were demonstrated. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the considerable ability of modifiedAsaia to colonise different populations of malaria vectors, including pecies where its association is not primary, in large environments. The data support the potential to employ transgenicAsaia as a tool for malaria control, disclosing promising perspective for its field application with suitable effector molecules.