Genetically modified insect

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The fruit-fly Drosophila melanogaster, often used in genetic modification studies

A genetically modified (GM) insect is an

silkworms) have been genetically modified in nature by the wasp bracovirus.[6]

Types of genetic pest management

The sterile insect technique (SIT) was developed conceptually in the 1930s and 1940s and first used in the environment in the 1950s.[7][8][9] SIT is a control strategy where male insects are sterilized, usually by irradiation, then released to mate with wild females. If enough males are released, the females will mate with mostly sterile males and lay non-viable eggs. This causes the population of insects to crash (the abundance of insects is extremely diminished), and in some cases can lead to local eradication. Irradiation is a form of mutagenesis which causes random mutations in DNA.

Release of Insects carrying Dominant Lethals (RIDL)

Release of Insects carrying Dominant Lethals or RIDL is a control strategy using genetically engineered insects that have (carry) a lethal gene in their genome (an organism's DNA).

olive fly (Bactrocera oleae).[17]

Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT)

Wolbachia

Maternal Effect Dominant Embryonic Arrest (MEDEA)

X-Shredder

Concerns

There are concerns about using tetracycline on a routine basis for controlling the expression of lethal genes. There are plausible routes for resistance genes to develop in the

E. coli bacteria and into fruit by GM-Mediterranean fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata
).

Releases

Oxitec released its genetically modified in various countries, including Brazil, Grand Cayman, Malaysia, Panama, and the US.

Modified species

Biological research

  • Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are model organisms used in an array of biological disciplines (i.e. neurobiology, population genetics, ecology, animal behavior, systematics, genomics, and development).[18][19][20] Many studies done with Drosophila species have been foundational in their respective fields, and they remain important models for other organisms, including humans. For example, they have contributed to understanding economically important insects and researching human disease and development.[21][22] Fruit flies are often preferred over other animals due to their short life cycle, reproduction rate, low maintenance requirements, and amenability to mutagenesis. They are also the model genetic organism for historical reasons, being one of the first model organism and have a high quality completed genome.

Genetic pest management

Diamondback moth

Diamondback moth

The diamondback moth's

ultraviolet light, caused by a coral transgene.[29]

Opponents claim that the protein made by the synthetic gene could harm non-target organisms that eat the moths. The creators claim to have tested the gene's protein on mosquitoes, fish, beetles, spiders and

parasitoids without observing problems. Farmers near the test site claim that moths could endanger nearby farms' organic certification. Legal experts say that national organic standards penalize only deliberate GMO use. The creators claim that the moth does not migrate if sufficient food is available, nor can it survive winter weather.[29]

Mediterranean fruit fly

Mediterranean fruit fly

The Mediterranean fruit fly is a global agricultural pest. They infest a wide range of crops (over 300) including wild fruit, vegetables and nuts, and in the process, cause substantial damage.[30] The company Oxitec has developed GM-males which have a lethal gene that interrupts female development and kills them in a process called "pre-pupal female lethality". After several generations, the fly population diminishes as the males can no longer find mates. To breed the flies in the laboratory, the lethal gene can be "silenced" using the antibiotic tetracycline.[30]

Opponents argue that the long-term effects of releasing millions of GM-flies are impossible to predict. Dead fly larvae could be left inside crops. Helen Wallace from

Genewatch, an organisation that monitors the use of genetic technology, stated "Fruit grown using Oxitec's GM flies will be contaminated with GM maggots which are genetically programmed to die inside the fruit they are supposed to be protecting". She added that the mechanism of lethality was likely to fail in the longer term as the GM flies evolve resistance or breed in sites contaminated with tetracycline which is widely used in agriculture.[30]

Legislation

In July 2015, the House of Lords (U.K.) Science and Technology Committee launched an inquiry into the possible uses of GM-insects and their associated technologies. The scope of the inquiry is to include questions such as "Would farmers benefit if insects were modified in order to reduce crop pests? What are the safety and ethical concerns over the release of genetically modified insects? How should this emerging technology be regulated?"[31]

Notes and references

  1. ^ "National Center for Biotechnology Information". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  2. ^ Group, FlyBase Web Development. "FlyBase Homepage". flybase.org. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  3. ^ "Welcome to VectorBase! | VectorBase". www.vectorbase.org. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  4. ^ "BeetleBase |". beetlebase.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  5. ^ "5,000 Insect Genome Project (i5k) Launched | Entomological Society of America". Archived from the original on 2016-03-29. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  6. PMID 26379286
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  24. ^ Roberts, Michelle (24 November 2015). "Mutant mosquitoes 'resist malaria'". BBC News Health. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  25. PMID 26598698
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  27. ^ .
  28. ^ Miyata, Tadashi; Saito, Tetsuo; Noppun, Virapong, Studies on the mechanism resistance to insecticides of diamondback moth (PDF), Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Nematology, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-15, retrieved September 7, 2015
  29. ^
    New York Times
    . Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  30. ^ a b c Hogenboom, M. (August 14, 2015). "Genetically modified flies 'could save crops'". BBC. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  31. ^ "Genetically modified insects subject of new Lords inquiry". www.parliament.co.uk. July 20, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.

See also

External links