Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40001184›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2025

Evaluation of ebony as a potential selectable marker for genetic sexing in Aedes aegypti.

Katerina Nikolouli, Austin Compton, Zhijian Jake Tu, Kostas Bourtzis

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Article in Parasites & vectors, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Katerina Nikolouli *Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, IAEA Laboratories, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria. k.nikolouli@iaea.org.
Austin Compton *Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA24061, USA.
Zhijian Jake TuDepartment of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA24061, USA.
Kostas BourtzisInsect Pest Control Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, IAEA Laboratories, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria.

Funding

Mechanism and application of male determination in aedine mosquitoesR01AI123338 · NIAID · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · PI TU, ZHIJIAN JAKE · 2016 to 2020
$2.9M
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases AI123338NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI123338
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAedes aegypti is expected to invade previously unoccupied areas, mainly due to the climate change, the increase in travel and trade activities and the continuous transformation of the rural environment into urban areas. The sterile insect technique (SIT), which relies on the mass production and release of sterile males, is an environmentally friendly approach that can be applied for population control of Ae. aegypti. SIT programs can be greatly benefited by a genetic sexing strain (GSS) and a reliable sex sorting system to minimize any accidental female release. Visually detectable or conditionally lethal selectable markers can be used for the development of new GSSs. In this study, we evaluated the suitability and competence of a mutant Ae. aegypti ebony strain for the development of a new GSS. The ebony gene is known to be involved in the pigmentation pathway of several dipteran insects, including Ae. aegypti.

methodsAn ebony gene knockout was developed though CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. G

resultsAn Ae. aegypti ebony knockout mutant carrying a 5-bp deletion was obtained, which presented darker head and siphon phenotypes at the larval stage. However, genetic analysis revealed that this ebony mutation results in incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. The establishment of a pure ebony mutant line was not possible because of the fitness costs conferred by the mutation.

conclusionsIn this study, the adequacy and suitability of the ebony gene as a selectable marker for the development of a GSS in Ae. aegypti were assessed. Despite its clear phenotype early in larval development, the homozygous mutant line presented phenotypic inconsistency and loss of fertility. These drawbacks clearly indicate that this particular mutation is not suitable for the development of a new GSS. Nonetheless, it cannot be excluded that a different mutation will lead to a different expression and penetrance profile and a viable homozygous mutant line.

Indexed as

AedesInsect ProteinsAnimalsCRISPR-Cas SystemsFemaleGene Knockout TechniquesGenetic MarkersMaleMosquito ControlMutationGenetic MarkersInsect ProteinsAedes aegyptiEbonyGenetic sexing strainSterile insect technique

Identifiers

PMID40001184
PMCPMC11863432

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