Anti-CRISPR Anopheles mosquitoes inhibit gene drive spread under challenging behavioural conditions in large cages

D’Amato, Rocco; Taxiarchi, Chrysanthi; Galardini, Marco; Trusso, Alessandro; Minuz, Roxana L.; Grilli, Silvia; Somerville, Alastair G. T.; Shittu, Dammy; Khalil, Ahmad S.; Galizi, Roberto; Crisanti, Andrea; Simoni, Alekos; Müller, Ruth

Abstract

CRISPR-based gene drives have the potential to spread within populations and are considered as promising vector control tools. A doublesex-targeting gene drive was able to suppress laboratory Anopheles mosquito populations in small and large cages, and it is considered for field application. Challenges related to the field-use of gene drives and the evolving regulatory framework suggest that systems able to modulate or revert the action of gene drives, could be part of post-release risk-mitigation plans. In this study, we challenge an AcrIIA4-based anti-drive to inhibit gene drive spread in age-structured Anopheles gambiae population under complex feeding and behavioural conditions. A stochastic model predicts the experimentally-observed genotype dynamics in age-structured populations in medium-sized cages and highlights the necessity of large-sized cage trials. These experiments and experimental-modelling framework demonstrate the effectiveness of the anti-drive in different scenarios, providing further corroboration for its use in controlling the spread of gene drive in Anopheles.

Citation

D’Amato, R., Taxiarchi, C., Galardini, M., Trusso, A., Minuz, R. L., Grilli, S., …Müller, R. (2024). Anti-CRISPR Anopheles mosquitoes inhibit gene drive spread under challenging behavioural conditions in large cages. Nature Communications, 15(1), Article 952. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44907-x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 10, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 1, 2024
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Feb 5, 2024
• Journal: Nature Communications
• Electronic ISSN: 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 952
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44907-x
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/721542
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-44907-x