Scientists have found a way to mutate a smell-related gene in mosquitoes which makes them unable to sniff out humans and other prey, scientists said in a study released Wednesday.
The research not only demonstrates that mosquitoes can be genetically altered using the latest research techniques, but it can help scientists understand why the insect are attracted to humans and potentially prevent malaria.
"The time has come now to do genetics in these important disease-vector insects. I think our new work is a great example that you can do it," says Leslie Vosshall, an HHMI investigator at The Rockefeller University who led the new research, published May 29, 2013 in the journal Nature.
By disrupting a single gene, we can fundamentally confuse the mosquito from its task of seeking humans," Vosshall said, according to a statement from Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
In another experiment, Vosshall's team measured how the insect mutants responded to DEET, the active ingredient in many insect repellants. The mosquitoes were offered a choice of a human arm slathered in DEET or a clean arm.
Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading diseases such as malaria killed close to 700,000 people worldwide in 2010, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Mosquitoes with the mutant scent gene flew toward both arms indiscriminately. Upon landing, however, the bugs found the DEET arm strongly repulsive. The findings suggest mosquitoes use two distinct mechanisms to detect DEET - one that acts at a distance and one used in close proximity to the skin.
