Pantropic retroviral vectors integrate and express in cells of the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae

Tomoyo Matsubara, Richard W. Beeman, Hiroko Shike, Nora J. Besansky, Odette Mukabayire, Stephen Higgs, Anthony A. James, Jane C. Burns

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

The lack of efficient mechanisms for stable genetic transformation of medically important insects, such as anopheline mosquitoes, is the single most important impediment to progress in identifying novel control strategies. Currently available techniques for foreign gene expression in insect cells in culture lack the benefit of stable inheritance conferred by integration. To overcome this problem, a new class of pantropic retroviral vectors has been developed in which the amphotropic envelope is completely replaced by the G glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus. The broadened host cell range of these particles allowed successful entry, integration, and expression of heterologous genes in cultured cells of Anopheles gambiae, the principle mosquito vector responsible for the transmission of over 100 million cases of malaria each year. Mosquito cells in culture infected with a pantropic vector expressing hygromycin phosphotransferase from the Drosophila hsp70 promoter were resistant to the antibiotic hygromycin B. Integrated provirus was detected in infected mosquito cell clones grown in selective media. Thus, pantropic retroviral vectors hold promise as a transformation system for mosquitoes in vivo.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6181-6185
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume93
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 11 1996

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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