Use of Insect Promoters in Genetic Engineering to Control Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Abstract

Mosquito transgenesis and gene-drive technologies provide the basis for developing promising new tools for vector-borne disease prevention by either suppressing wild mosquito populations or reducing their capacity from transmitting pathogens. Many studies of the regulatory DNA and promoters of genes with robust sex-, tissue- and stage-specific expression profiles have supported the development of new tools and strategies that could bring mosquito-borne diseases under control. Although the list of regulatory elements available is significant, only a limited set of those can reliably drive spatial-temporal expression. Here, we review the advances in our ability to express beneficial and other genes in mosquitoes, and highlight the information needed for the development of new mosquito-control and anti-disease strategies.

Keywords: gene expression; marker genes; mosquito transgenesis; regulatory DNA.

Figure 1

Genes whose promoters and 5′- and 3′ end DNA sequences are used in genetic engineering of mosquitoes. The promoters and control DNA of a number of genes have been used to drive expression of genetic components or effector molecules in different tissues of the mosquito. Details and references on the promoters listed are included in the text. Abbreviations: aapp, anopheline antiplatelet gene; Aper1, adult peritrophic matrix gene; Apy, apyrase; Cp, zinc carboxypeptidase A1; D7r, D7-related gene; Hsp70, heat-shock protein 70.