# Modified Mosquitos - Yea or Nay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 20, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526 "2020-08-20T00:25:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/41 "2021-04-29T17:38:09Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > If you have the time its worth a listen in context. So with a mosquito ecologist expert behind me, my opinion generally leans in the direction of nuke the motherfuckers from orbit. On the other hand, in the transcript of the interview, Besansky says “only male mosquitoes take a blood meal from their hosts”. Which made me think WTF? And sure enough there’s a disclaimer at the bottom of the transcript: > [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION: In the original audio version of this story, Professor Besansky said only male mosquitoes take a blood meal from their hosts. In fact, it’s females mosquitoes that take the blood meal.] How much can you trust a supposed ‘mosquito expert’ who gets their facts that wrong? I’m guessing maybe the janitor was cleaning the real Professor Besansky’s office and picked up the ringing phone on a lark. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/42 "2021-04-29T18:01:19Z")
Its quite obviously just a misspeak - talking to the media can be difficult. I know Nora quite well (friends for more than 20 years) - she’s one of the most knowledgable and prolific mosquito researchers working today, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She knows her stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/43 "2021-04-29T18:01:33Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > According to what I read, if I am not mistaken, this technique adds a bit to the standard sterile insect technique. In this case, the female, human-biting, offspring do not survive, but the males do and carry the trait into the next generation. I think this is the key, because if all the offspring are sterile, then the non-sterile version would eventually rebound in future generations. It would make sense if it’s true that the males are not sterile, because if the species can’t reproduce at all, then how would they get 750 million of them? ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/44 "2021-04-29T18:05:13Z")
The lethal gene is tetracycline-repressible. You add tetracycline to the breeding water when rearing them in the lab and they develop normally for mass rearing. When released they’re not exposed to tetracycline and the lethal gene turns on. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/45 "2021-04-29T18:06:06Z")
Sorry, didn’t mean to insult your friend. I suppose I was being too snarky. I would probably misspeak a lot more than she did if I was to give a national radio interview. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/46 "2021-04-29T18:26:28Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > > > So Florida is planning on releasing 750m mosquitos in the wild > > 750-metre mosquitoes? 😵 😱 We needed a way to fight against Mothra! ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/47 "2021-04-29T18:34:06Z")
> [@solost](#): > > How much can you trust a supposed ‘mosquito expert’ who gets their facts that wrong? I’m guessing maybe the janitor was cleaning the real Professor Besansky’s office and picked up the ringing phone on a lark. Or, you know, he misspoke. I know my job very well, but I can’t tell you how many times I said “vendor” when I meant “customer”. Eta: I see this was already addressed 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/48 "2021-04-29T18:40:53Z")
So this is gene drive technology and not just release of sterile males? About time, I say. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/49 "2021-04-29T18:42:25Z")
No this is sterile male. Gene drive isn’t approved for open field releases anywhere yet. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/50 "2021-04-29T18:57:10Z")
Wasn’t there a similar trial being done with mice on Martha’s Vineyard? How did that end up? Eta: it looks like they aren’t trying to wipe out the mice, just introduce immunity to carrying Lyme disease, and the genes involved all come from the same mouse species: > **[Mice Against Ticks: an experimental community-guided effort to prevent...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6452264/)** > > Mice Against Ticks is a community-guided ecological engineering project that aims to prevent tick-borne disease by using CRISPR-based genome editing to heritably immunize the white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) responsible for infecting many... ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/51 "2021-04-29T19:22:27Z")
The mouse trial was never done, and I have serious doubts that it will ever be performed. The authors are at the MIT Media lab who are great at self promotion, public relations, and fundraising but who are less good at actually doing the work. We have no gene drive developed or optimized in mice. We have no effector molecules that can be expressed in mice to block _Borellia_ transmission to ticks. And it is unlikely that regulatory approval would ever be given to do it even if the technical hurdles could be overcome. It’s the GMO equivalent of vaporware. And mice aren’t the only vertebrate hosts for the bacteria, so even if it went forward its not clear that it would eliminate Lyme. (in my professional opinion only of course) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/52 "2021-04-29T20:26:20Z")
Any reason a 200m candle wouldn’t work? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/53 "2021-07-28T20:51:49Z")
Bumping this thread with some recent news… > **[How An Altered Strand Of DNA Can Cause Malaria-Spreading Mosquitoes To...](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/07/28/1020932493/how-an-altered-strand-of-dna-can-cause-malaria-spreading-mosquitoes-to-self-dest)** > > For the first time, scientists have shown that a new kind of genetic engineering can crash populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes. _Müller and her colleagues decided to use CRISPR, a technique that enables scientists to make precise changes in DNA easily to genetically modify the Anopheles gambiae species of mosquito, which spreads malaria in sub-Saharan Africa._ _The modification consisted of a mutation in a gene known as “doublesex,” which female mosquitoes need for normal development. The mutation deforms their mouths, making them unable to bite and spread the parasite. It also deforms their reproductive organs, rendering them unable to lay eggs._ Seems like a good process and outcome to me, but there is always that law of unintended consequences. I am not sure what will satisfy those opposed to this sort of thing short of not doing anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/54 "2021-07-30T12:04:15Z")
I should first say, the strategy in this new paper is not the same as the strategy in the OP. This thread started with transgenic sterile mosquitoes. This new paper is gene drive female lethality. Both population suppression, but 2 very different things. This same group in this new paper (the Crisanti lab in the UK) has been doing this for the last several years. The mosquito strain used in the study was already developed and published. The main difference in this paper is instead of doing small cage experiments they used large laboratory population cages with lots of mosquitoes (for a lab study) and overlapping generations. The next step will probably be using something called a “mosquitosphere”, which is essentially a very large cage in the open environment rather than a laboratory. Then maybe a field release? In short, this is an interesting paper but it’s not a “groundbreaking advance”. Its the next logical step in a planned and organized program. As it should be. But you can’t control what will or will not be picked up by the media. ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/55 "2021-07-30T12:17:40Z")
[Not so much.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/04/28/what-would-happen-if-we-killed-all-mosquitos/100082920/) ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/56 "2021-07-30T12:26:33Z")
Also, remember there are around 3000 species of mosquitoes. Less than a hundred are of public health importance. Kill those leave the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/57 "2021-07-30T20:23:43Z")
Maybe I am being bloody-minded, but did we worry about unintended consequences when we drove smallpox into extinction? What about unintended consequences of driving passenger pigeons into extinction? I am not going to worry about driving one or a few species of mosquitos into extinction. Other, more benign species will take their place as food for birds. Not only malaria, but also dengue fever and other diseases will go with them. And tropical diseases are spreading polewards with climate change. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/58 "2021-07-30T21:24:15Z")
I’m actually fairly critical of gene drive strategies, but not because I think they’re going to have unintended consequences. I just think they’re unlikely to work in the real world (particularly the crash-the-population- gene drive technologies). But who knows, they may get lucky. Worth a shot. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/59 "2021-07-31T22:27:47Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > Also, remember there are around 3000 species of mosquitoes. Less than a hundred are of public health importance. Kill those leave the rest. And if I recall correctly, not only do not all mosquito species feed on humans, some don’t need to feed on any mammals. I wonder if CRISPR could eventually “fix” the ones that do need blood to reproduce so they’re like their teetotalling sisters… ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526/60 "2021-08-01T00:07:13Z")
I addressed this exact question back in 2016. Although subsequent research has suggested that Aedes head peptide doesn’t function the way we thought it did back then. Still, in concept it’s possible. > [@Mosquitos: "the eco-system doesn't need them"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosquitos-the-eco-system-doesnt-need-them/744882/57): > > What we do isn’t magic you know, its hard! That being said, there might be a kernel of wisdom in this. In Aedes aegypti (and ONLY in Aedes aegypti - this doesn’t apply to other mosquito species) there is a gene called “Aedes head peptide” which is a protein hormone turned on in the mosquito brain after taking a blood meal. When it is expressed, it turns off host-seeking behavior and the mosquito doesn’t feed anymore. Other mosquitoes presumably have similar head peptide genes, but they are so… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modified-mosquitos-yea-or-nay/918526.md?page=4)