BBC news reported on a recent study done at Johns Hopkins and published in PNAS in which transgenic mosquitoes, resistant to malaria, out-competed wild-type mosquitoes when placed together and exposed to malaria-infected food. (The inset picture shows the eyes of one of the transgenic mosquitoes, which were also made to glow with GFP.)
The scientists in charge of the study are aware of the potential ecological, social, ethical, and legal implications of releasing a transgenic animal into the environment, (they don't think it would be possible to do so for at least 10 to 20 years), but it's a pretty exciting prospect and an approach to eradicating disease that I hadn't really considered - instead of treating or curing the disease, genetically alter the carrier organism such that it can no longer carry it. It's a little frightening to think that it's within the realm of possibility to actually manipulate nature in this way...behold, the power of science!
(And FYI...this is post number 69.)
1 comment:
I wonder how long it will take malaria to evolve and infect the new mosquitoes? If it is really short, say before the mosquitoes can out compete a large portion of the wild type population, then it may not make any difference. But still a great concept! I hope that one day all species on earth will be man made.
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