«Breaking News» New hope in battle against malaria as scientists WIPE OUT whole colony of mosquitoes

Scientists say that there is new hope in the fight against malaria after a major research breakthrough.

A series of laboratory experiments involving scientists from Imperial College London succeeded in wiping out a population of caged mosquitoes using a type of genetic engineering known as a gene drive. 

This allowed them to tweak the genes of the mosquitoes and block female reproduction.

The researchers, whose work was published on Monday in the journal Nature Biotechnology, managed to eliminate the population in less than 11 generations.

Scientists have revealed a new breakthrough that could help to stop the spread of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa (file photo)

This suggests that the gene drive technique could be used to control the spread of malaria.

Malaria is a parasitic disease that is carried by Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes.

Andrea Crisanti, a professor at Imperial College London who co-led the work, said: 'It will still be at least five to 10 years before we consider testing any mosquitoes with gene drive in the wild, but now we have some encouraging proof that we're on the right path.'

The results mark the first time this technology has been able to completely suppress a population.  

In future, scientists intend to release mosquitoes carrying a gene drive and they will then spread female infertility within local malaria-carrying mosquito populations, causing them to collapse.

Gene drives alter DNA and drive genetic changes through multiple generations by overriding normal biological processes.

The new technique designed to target the specific mosquito species Anopheles gambiae that is responsible for malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

The new breakthrough comes after the World Health Organization warned that global progress against malaria is stalling

The new breakthrough comes after the World Health Organization warned that global progress against malaria is stalling and could be reversed if momentum in the fight to wipe it out was lost.

The disease infected around 216 million people worldwide in 2016 and killed 445,000 of them. 

The vast majority of malaria deaths are in babies and young children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Crisanti's team designed their gene drive to selectively alter a region of a so-called 'doublesex gene' in the mosquitoes, which is responsible for female development.

Males who carried this modified gene showed no changes, and neither did females with only one copy of it. 

But females with two copies of the modified gene showed both male and female characteristics - they failed to bite and did not lay eggs.

The experiments found the gene drive transmitted the genetic modification nearly 100 percent of the time, and after 7-11 generations the populations collapsed due to lack of offspring.

Crisanti said the results showed that gene drive solutions can work, offering 'hope in the fight against a disease that has plagued mankind for centuries'.

He added, however, that 'there is still more work to be done, both in terms of testing the technology in larger lab-based studies and working with affected countries to assess the feasibility of such an intervention'.

Linkhienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/25/new-hope-in-battle-against-malaria-as-scientists-wipe-out-whole-colony-of-mosquitoes/
Main photo article Scientists say that there is new hope in the fight against malaria after a major research breakthrough.
A series of laboratory experiments involving scientists from Imperial College London succeeded in wiping out a population of caged mosquitoes using a type of genetic engineering known as a...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca





https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2018/09/24/22/4523838-6202281-image-a-1_1537823179661.jpg