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GM Mosquito Could Fight Malaria
qw0ntum writes "The BBC is reporting that a genetically modified (GM) variety of mosquitoes could be effective in combating the spread of malaria to humans. These GM insects carry a gene that prevents them from being infected by the malaria parasite and has the added benefit of providing a fitness advantage to the mosquitoes. From the article: 'In the laboratory, equal numbers of genetically modified and ordinary wild-type mosquitoes were allowed to feed on malaria-infected mice. As they reproduced, more of the GM, or transgenic, mosquitoes survived. According to the researchers, whose results appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, after nine generations, 70% of the insects belonged to the malaria-resistant strain. [...] The modified mosquitoes had a higher survival rate and laid more eggs.' This has major implications for the billions of people living in areas with endemic malaria. The question in my mind, though, is what effects on the ecosystems of these areas will replacing an organism low on the food chain with a GM version? Between the news we saw last week and biomagnification, could this wind up substituting one problem for another?"
The protein that is introduced is specific for malaria. And that is specific for the entry of Plasmodium, the protozoa (i.e. eukaryote) that causes malaria. I's not a virus, not even a bacterium. So your fears are unfounded, at least in the form that you stated them.
Where are you getting this BS about more resistent to population control? The reason that mosquitoes were in greater numbers was a lack of the malaria parasite in the mosquitoes. If the malaria parasite somehow mutated or evolved to these new mosquitoes, I would believe we would be back to square one, not worse off.
There is no ban against using DDT for disease control. It's still used to fight malaria--in countries where widespread agricultural use of DDT has not made the local mosquitoes evolve DDT resistance. If it weren't for Silent Spring, there'd be a lot more DDT-resistant mosquitoes out there.
See here for details.
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This is a really risky move.
To be sure, but from TFA:
"I think it will be 10 to 20 years before transgenic mosquitoes are released into nature. It's very difficult to predict what will happen when we release these things," he added.
"There is quite a lot of research that needs to be done, both in terms of genetics and the ecology of the mosquitoes; and also research to address all the social, ethical and legal issues associated with releasing transgenic organisms into the environment."
It is good to see that the scientists involved are, well, being good scientists.
Actually, they are low on the food web
The food chain implys there are no cycles and cross-linkages so to speak.
Mosquitos eat plant matter normally, only the females drink blood, and then only when they are pregnant. So most of the time they are quite low, and plenty of stuff eats them. Actually, the only mosquitos that are truely carnivorus for at least part of their life cycles (and in both genders), only eat other mosquito species at that stage...
Just beacause it's a predator in some cases, doen't mean it can't be prey in others: Consider that a wild dog/wolf will eat a a samller cat (or would be eaten by a lion or other big cat). In all of these cases of eating, it is a predator that eats another predator.
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I think maybe you misunderstood. The only reason the GM mosquitoes survive better is because they do not have their health compromised by the malaria parasite. Specifically
"However, when both sets of insects were fed non-infected blood they competed equally well."
They aren't harder to kill.
The only advantage the parasite free mosquitoes have is that they don't carry the parasite. Its not like they increased their breeding rate or anything. When there is a source of uninfected blood the GM mosquitoes lose their advantage.