Killing Mosquitoes With a Genetic Trick that Makes Digesting Blood Deadly

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 16:30 in Biology & Nature

In trying to curb malaria, biologists and epidemiologists have pulled some dirty tricks on mosquitoes (some quite literally dirty; remember the dirty sock trap from last week?). But after all the genetic tinkering to make mosquitoes disease resistant and the laser and nano-attacks that kill the insects on the wing, this one might be the meanest of all: a genetic trick that blocks mosquitoes' ability to digest blood. Not that we're taking the mosquitoes side or anything like that--we don't like them either, especially the malaria- and yellow fever-bearing bugs--but just imagine: You've just come back from your local haunt with a belly full of your favorite comfort food, when suddenly you find your self doubled over, bloating, and dying. It's no way to go. Related ArticlesGenetically Engineered Mosquitoes Are 100 Percent Resistant to Malaria ParasiteInfecting Mosquitoes With Genetically Altered Fungus Curbs Malaria ParasiteTo Curb Malaria, Researchers Create Gene That Rapidly Spreads...

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