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BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES / APPLIED BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
nanos gene control DNA mediates developmentally regulated transposition in the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti
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Departments of *Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697; and Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Edited by John H. Law, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, and approved April 30, 2007 (received for review February 18, 2007)
Transposable elements (TEs) are proposed as a basis for developing drive systems to spread pathogen resistance genes through vector mosquito populations. The use of transcriptional and translational control DNA elements from genes expressed specifically in the insect germ line to mediate transposition offers possibilities for mitigating some of the concerns about transgene behavior in the target vector species and eliminating effects on nontarget organisms. Here, we describe the successful use of the promoter and untranslated regions from the nanos (nos) orthologous gene of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, to control sex- and tissue-specific expression of exogenously derived mariner MosI transposase-encoding DNA. Transgenic mosquitoes expressed transposase mRNA in abundance near or equal to the endogenous nos transcript and exclusively in the female germ cells. In addition, MosI mRNA was deposited in developing oocytes and localized and maintained at the posterior pole during early embryonic development. Importantly, four of five transgenic lines examined were capable of mobilizing a second MosI transgene into the mosquito genome, indicating that functional transposase was being produced. Thus, the nos control sequences show promise as part of a TE-based gene drive system.
dengue | gene drive | transposon
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
This article is a PNAS Direct Submission.
To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, 3205 McGaugh Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3900. E-mail: aajames{at}uci.edu
© 2007 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
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