Deaf Mosquitoes: New Genetic Fix May Curb Disease Spread

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Deaf Mosquitoes

If you want less mosquitoes, improve their listening skills. Researchers found hearing to be a single point of failure for male mosquito mating.

• Male mosquitoes listen for female wingbeats to find a mate

• Mosquito hearing gene = trpVa

• Enhancing trpVa in sterile males could reduce populations

Genetically sterile and hearing-enhanced males would outcompete natural competition, so the females one and only mating attempt results in empty eggs. Offering an ethically complicated tool in the fight against diseases such as malaria, zika, and dengue fever.

Just don’t teach them sign language

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