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Review
. 2020 Aug:40:18-23.
doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.05.002. Epub 2020 May 13.

Advances in oral RNAi for disease vector mosquito research and control

Rachel M Wiltshire  1 , Molly Duman-Scheel  2
Affiliations
Review

Advances in oral RNAi for disease vector mosquito research and control

Rachel M Wiltshire et al. Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Mosquito vectors in the genera Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex transmit a variety of medically important pathogens. Current vector control tools are reaching the limits of their effectiveness, necessitating the introduction of innovative vector control technologies. RNAi, which facilitates functional characterization of mosquito genes in the laboratory, could one day be applied as a new method of vector control. Recent advances in the oral administration of microbial-based systems for delivery of species-specific interfering RNA pesticides to mosquitoes may facilitate translation of this technology to the field. Oral RNAi-based pesticides represent a new class of biorational pesticides that could combat increased global incidence of insecticide resistance and which could one day become critical components of integrated human disease vector mosquito control programs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement:

RW: Nothing declared. MDS is an inventor on pending Patent Applications PCT/US2017/041919 and PCT/US2019/058232. These applications did not impact her interpretation of the data described in this review.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.. Oral RNAi-based vector control product commercialization process.
The pathway for commercialization, initiating with target gene discovery and concluding with product registry, is summarized. See text for further discussion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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      This methods protocol describes a detailed procedure for generation of S. cerevisiae strains that express interfering RNA, yeast culturing, larvicide tablet preparation, mosquito larval feeding assays, and methods for confirming gene silencing. The protocol, which was prepared in an effort to help other laboratories use the yeast interfering RNA delivery procedure to study genes of interest, includes an introduction which describes the benefits and challenges of using RNAi and a methodology troubleshooting section that will assist researchers.

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      Readers are referred to this comprehensive review for further discussion of the history, present status, and challenges for development of RNAi strategies for mosquito control, including a more comprehensive discussion of environmental considerations, gene targets, and interfering RNA delivery systems.

    1. Whitten MM: Novel RNAi delivery systems in the control of medical and veterinary pests. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2019, 34:1–6. - PMC - PubMed

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