# GMO Mosquitos - what say you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361 "2015-01-30T18:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/1 "2015-01-30T18:47:36Z")
> **[Florida Health Officials Hope To Test GMO Mosquitoes This Spring](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/28/382168407/florida-health-officials-hope-to-test-gmo-mosquitoes-this-spring/)** > > The British firm that developed the strain of mosquito says it has already tested the insect in tropical countries and found it can reduce populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes by 90 percent. Apparently the males are released - shag the local mosquitos and then they all die. In my region some of our mosquitos now carry the chikungunya virus so there’s talk of releasing these frankenflies here. I’m not so sure … what say you? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/2 "2015-01-30T18:50:56Z")
I don’t see any way this could possibly go wrong. Release the _gmo_squitos! ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/3 "2015-01-30T18:53:09Z")
Hell yes. After that, lets do the same thing with deer flies and horse flies. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/4 "2015-01-30T19:37:20Z")
This sounds both evil and stupid. Hematophages are a protein vector from large warm-blooded animals to smaller animals. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/5 "2015-01-30T19:48:19Z")
Seems pretty safe to me. As I understand it, they genetically sterilize male mosquitos. Their offspring die. This decreases the population. I assume we know pretty well whether other native species of mosquitos will mate with _A. aegypti_, and they don’t. And even if they did start doing so, it’s not like the experiment is irreversible, since the released mosquitos cannot breed. If you stop releasing them before the population dies out, then the population will recover. So what’s the risk, exactly? Just an appeal to unknown unknowns? If so, then I’d rather stop the harms we know do exist. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/6 "2015-01-30T20:02:04Z")
Mentioned also in the recent thread about introduced organisms and particularly in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18081756#post18081756) by me. Relevant detail for this thread: It’s only the males that are being mutated and released. And males don’t bite people. > [@How often do Introduced Species work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-introduced-species-work/710902/10): > > I don’t quite see what the objections is. They are only going to release males, which don’t bite people. The males then compete with normal males for females, who will then lay eggs and the larva will die before they get around to biting anyone. There aren’t going to be any Peter Parker style mosquito-man people coming out of this. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/7 "2015-01-30T20:21:19Z")
It’s not like it’s kudzu you’re introducing into the environment. Nuke 'em from obit I say. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/8 "2015-01-31T02:03:31Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Hell yes. After that, lets do the same thing with deer flies and horse flies. And then deer ticks and lone star ticks. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/9 "2015-01-31T02:22:41Z")
I, for one, would like to be the first to welcome our new genetically modified mosquito overlords. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/10 "2015-01-31T03:59:50Z")
This is my primary research area. Been working on GM mosquito and similar strategies for the last (almost) 17 years. There are a number of GM and GM-like vector-borne disease control strategies currently being tested in the field. This is the Oxitech version, called “Release of Insects carrying a Dominant Lethal”, or RIDL. It was developed by my my colleague Dr. Luke Alphey at Oxford University way back in 2000(in fruit flies, took a few more years to get it to work in mosquitoes). Luke started a spin-of company (Oxitech) to commercialize the technology and has been at the forefront of this type of thing. They don’t just do mosquitoes - they have extended the RIDL approach to lots of pest insects. In fact, the first releases of GM insects into the wild wasn’t mosquitoes, but rather pink bollworm about 6 or 7 years ago. The RIDL strategy is in in principle identical to the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) that has been used for pest insect control for decades. In SIT, you mass rear millions of male insects, sterilize them by radiation, chemosterilants, or by creative classical genetic approaches. You release these sterile males into the environment, they mate with the wild females (who in most species where this works only mate once), and she doesn’t have offspring. You keep releasing sterile males every generation to suppress (or in theory eliminate) the population. In RIDL, instead of sterilizing the mosquitoes by radiation etc…, they are genetically engineered using some very clever science. The genetic modification only affects females - its a dominant trait (meaning a single copy of the gene is enough to cause the effect) that ONLY kills the female - males who carry the trait are fine. _ **That’s actually a simplification - in the released mosquitoes, the trait they ended up using doesn’t kill the female, but renders her flightless. Flightless female mosquitoes can’t feed or mate and are easy pickings for predators, so they are functionally dead from an evolutionary standpoint.** _ The transgene is also tetracyline-repressive. In the lab, the mosquitoes are reared with tetracycline which suppresses transgene expression leading to normal females.This allows you to mass rear them normally. In the wild, mosquitoes are not exposed to tetracycline and females carrying the gene are killed. Males homozygous for the gene are released, they mate with wild females. All of the females offspring are heterozygous for the gene. The female offspring die (because the gene is dominant and they are not exposed to tetracycline). The male offspring are fine and they go on to mate with normal females. Since they were heterozygous, they pass the gene on to 1/2 of their offspring. Again, male offspring with the gene are fine, females are killed. And so on and so forth. The endpoint being, you get multiple generations of control (that dampens by 1/2 each generation) from a single release. Because of this (and due to the fact that the transgenic mosquitoes are MUCH more fit that irradiated mosquitoes), RIDL is much more efficient than traditional SIT. The other upshot is that RIDL is not a self-sustaining process. There is a severe fitness load associated with being transgenic in this case, so the gene will rapidly be eliminated from the population. If something does go wrong, releases are stopped and within a couple generations everything is back to normal. Its very safe. Much more controllable that some other GM-like strategies that are currently being tested (such as Wolbachia, which I have worked on extensively). RIDL has a much smaller environmental footprint than just about any other strategy out there (including traditional pesticide use). It is very specific, non-target effects are just about impossible, it is controllable and safe, and has been tested in a bunch of countries at this point. The main downside is that it is labor-intensive; releases have to be continuous to work. If you stop releasing, the situation rebounds very quickly. But this isn;t a weakness limited to RIDL, its common to most strategies that don’t go all the way to complete mosquito elimination (very hard to pull off). In short, there is really only upside to this. It is a very cool example of very clever molecular biology in the lab being brought forth all the way to important field applications, and I’ve been able to watch it happen. I have a fun job. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/11 "2015-01-31T04:34:19Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > This is my primary research area. Been working on GM mosquito and similar strategies for the last (almost) 17 years. > \ > > RIDL has a much smaller environmental footprint than just about any other strategy out there (including traditional pesticide use). It is very specific, non-target effects are just about impossible, it is controllable and safe, and has been tested in a bunch of countries at this point. The main downside is that it is labor-intensive; releases have to be continuous to work. If you stop releasing, the situation rebounds very quickly. But this isn;t a weakness limited to RIDL, its common to most strategies that don’t go all the way to complete mosquito elimination (very hard to pull off). > > In short, there is really only upside to this. It is a very cool example of very clever molecular biology in the lab being brought forth all the way to important field applications, and I’ve been able to watch it happen. I have a fun job. Thx for posting as an expert on the topic. Much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/12 "2015-01-31T12:39:19Z")
Sweet to have **mozchron** chime in on this. I mentioned in the thread **Senegoid** linked to that I live in one of the test areas where Oxitec performed a release. It had rapid results with an 80% drop in the targeted _A aegpyti_ species. The release didn’t have any impact on the other mosquito species, so there were still plenty to eat for the bats and birds that feed on the little beasties. Our government’s Mosquito Research Control Unit is talking about bringing Oxitec back for [more releases of the genetically modified mosquitoes](http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2015/01/30/More-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-planned-for-Cayman/), probably to tamp out the local transmission of chikungunya. Bring 'em on. I’d welcome them back. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/13 "2015-01-31T13:52:41Z")
Well, the GMO mosquitoes kind of takes the fun out of it. I mean, c’mon, who wasn’t looking forward to their [ultimate mosquito zappers.](http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/microsoft-alum-fights-malaria-by-zapping-mosquitoes-with-lasers/) It basically just shoots them out of the sky with a ground to air laser, and leaves ‘em smokin’. It only targets the females since they are the ones that bite. The guy that was a former CTO employee of Microsoft said his software could shoot down about 50-100 a second. He says they could sell ‘em for about $50.00 a piece. Check out the video and the slow mo sequence. Man, that is too cool! These would be great for the next outdoor BBQ. Let’s keep this from PETA. Did a thread on this about five years ago on another board, not sure whatever became of it. **mozchron,** thanks as well for your informative post. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/14 "2015-01-31T14:31:11Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > … > [Snipped lots of educational and informative facts] Yeah, but, but…FRANKENSTEIN!!! And stuff! And DNA is scary!! I think it’s clear that both sides have arguments of equal weight. Seriously, though, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/15 "2015-01-31T14:42:32Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Mentioned also in the recent thread about introduced organisms and particularly in [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18081756#post18081756) by me. > > Relevant detail for this thread: It’s only the males that are being mutated and released. And males don’t bite people. Well yes, of course I found your thread seconds after posting my question. :smack: - equally as fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/16 "2015-01-31T14:50:34Z")
Thanks from me too **mozchron**. **razncain** I need one of those lazers NOW! I’m still fapping around with my electric mosquito bat and satisfying as it may be, I just can’t get them all. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/17 "2015-01-31T15:17:51Z")
I love the tech involved in the mosquito laser. I also think its completely ridiculous as a practical method of mosquito control. But its cool. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/18 "2015-02-01T23:08:58Z")
Mozchron, know of any GMO work going on with the pine beetle? Us Texans like to visit CO to escape our brutal summers, and also take in the natural beauty. But Forests have really taken a hit due to this pesky creature, as has much of the Western forests. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/19 "2015-02-02T21:32:37Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > Mozchron, know of any GMO work going on with the pine beetle? Us Texans like to visit CO to escape our brutal summers, and also take in the natural beauty. But Forests have really taken a hit due to this pesky creature, as has much of the Western forests. Not to my knowledge. Not too many beetles have actually been genetically modified - Harmonia ladybird beetles and Tribolium (flour) beetles have been. A couple others that I know of that are not published yet. To genetically engineer most insects, you need to be able to rear them and get lots of newly oviposited eggs. You inject the eggs with DNA transposons, or other constructs, rear those up, mate them, and screen the offspring for transgenics (in essence, you are transforming the offspring of the insects you inject). Not every critter is easy to rear, or get lots of eggs synchronously from, or the eggs don’t take well to microinjection, or a host of other things. Its as much an art as a science. There’s a reason most things are done with Drosophila (fruit flies) first - they are dead-easy to engineer. Its so easy that it isn’t cost-effective for us to make our own transgenic Drosophila, we do it (essentially) by mail-order. We just send off our DNA construct to a company and they send us back the transgenic flies in about a month. Costs a couple hundred dollars. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361/20 "2015-02-02T22:18:28Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > The transgene is also tetracyline-repressive. In the lab, the mosquitoes are reared with tetracycline which suppresses transgene expression leading to normal females Could you explain how this works? Is this a magical property of tetracycline, and is it related to it’s antibiotic properties? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gmo-mosquitos-what-say-you/711361.md?page=2)