Biotech company announces results from first US trial of GM mosquitoes

  • 📰 Nature
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 41 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 20%
  • Publisher: 68%

Россия Новости Новости

Researchers have completed the first open-air study of genetically engineered mosquitoes in the United States

Biotechnology firm Oxitec ran the first open-air test of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States by placing boxes of its eggs in selected spots in the Florida Keys.. The results, according to the biotechnology firm running the experiment, are positive. But larger tests are still needed to determine whether the insects can achieve the ultimate goal of suppressing a wild population of potentially virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Oxitec researchers collected more than 22,000 eggs from the traps and brought them back to their laboratory to hatch under observation. The firm reported that all females that inherited the lethal gene died before reaching adulthood. Furthermore, the team found that the lethal gene persisted in the wild population for two to three months, or about three generations of mosquito offspring, and then disappeared.

The pilot study was not intended to determine how well the method suppresses the wild population. Oxitec plans to gather that data in an extension of the Florida Keys study. It first needs approval from state regulators, but hopes to begin soon. The company plans to release mosquitoes at a second study site in Visalia, California, where it is building a research and development facility.

 

Спасибо за ваш комментарий. Ваш комментарий будет опубликован после проверки

That's amazing but aren't mosquitoes an important part of the food chain for a lot of animals? Maybe they should focus on the virus instead of decimating the mosquitoes population?

Fuck around witb nature, we’ll sokn find out

Congratulation to the team

Мы обобщили эту новость, чтобы вы могли ее быстро прочитать.Если новость вам интересна, вы можете прочитать полный текст здесь Прочитайте больше:

 /  🏆 64. in RU

Россия Последние новости, Россия Последние новости