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- PARIS (AFP) - European scientists
have created the world's first genetically-modified mosquito, in what they
believe may be a step towards eliminating malaria by introducing harmless
versions of the insect into the wild.
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- The team introduced a piece of foreign DNA into mosquito
eggs, which then "jumped" into the chromosomes of the larva,
according to their research, published in Thursday's issue of the British
weekly Nature.
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- The DNA comprises small circular molecules called plasmids
that include mobile sequences of genetic material.
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- In this case, the plasmids controlled a fluorescent protein,
which makes the mosquito glow an eerie green when it is exposed to ultraviolet
light.
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- The glow has a laboratory use -- to show researchers
at a glance whether the modified gene has been conferred to subsequent
generations of the insect.
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- But, the scientists write, other genes could also be
inserted, with a potential boon for humanity.
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- A strain of mosquitoes could be bred that no longer harbours
or transmits the malaria parasite, which is passed on to humans when the
insect drinks their blood.
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- Work could draw on a wealth of experience in figuring
out the genetic makeup of a cousin species, the fruitfly Drosophila.
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- "The successful transformation of a mosquito vector
of human malaria is a notable advance in our ability to combat this devastating
disease," adds Craig Coates, of Texas A and M University, in an adjoining
commentary in Nature.
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- He cautions, however, that the environmental impact of
releasing the modified flies would have to carefully assessed.
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- The research was conducted by scientists from London's
Imperial College; the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg,
Germany; and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in Crete,
Greece.
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- Hundreds of millions of people living in tropical and
sub-tropical climates are affected by malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
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- Ninety percent of cases, accounting for an estimated
one million deaths a year, are in sub-Saharan Africa, where the main culprit
is a strain of mosquito called Anopheles gambiae.
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- There is no viable vaccine against the malaria parasite,
which is also becoming resistant to the most commonly used drugs.
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- In addition, control of mosquito populations is being
hampered by resistance to insecticides and environmental worries about
the long-term impact from the most effective chemicals, such as DDT.
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