Paratransgenic system for the biocontrol of disease-transmitting mosquitos
AssigneePebble Labs Inc.
InventorsRichard Sayre, Jiaannong Xu
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Abstract
The inventive technology relates to novel paratransgenic strategies for the control of pathogens. The inventive technology may specifically include a novel paratransgenic system configured to deliver one or more inhibitory RNA molecules to pathogen/disease-transmitting organisms. In a preferred embodiment, the invention may include one or more genetically engineered enteric bacteria configured to deliver one or more interfering RNA molecules to pathogen/disease-transmitting mosquitos.
Claims14
A method of controlling Zika virus in a mosquito comprising the Zika virus, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing into the mosquito a genetically modified bacteria that colonizes the mosquito, wherein the bacteria comprises an expression control sequence operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous double stranded RNA (dsRNA) polynucleotide that inhibits expression of an essential gene of the Zika virus;
- wherein the dsRNA polynucleotide is selected from one of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO:s. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5;
- and
- wherein expression of the dsRNA polynucleotide within the mosquito inhibits expression of the essential gene expression of the Zika virus.
A paratransgenic system for the bio-control of a Zika virus-carrying mosquito comprising the steps of:
- generating a genetically modified endosymbiotic bacteria comprising an expression control sequence operably linked to at least one heterologous nucleotide encoding at least one inhibitory RNA polynucleotide that downregulates expression of at least one Zika virus gene, and wherein the genetically modified endosymbiotic bacteria is paratransgenic with the mosquito;
- introducing into the mosquito an effective amount of the genetically modified endosymbiotic bacteria that colonizes the mosquito and expresses the at least one inhibitory RNA polynucleotide that downregulates expression of the at least one Zika virus gene;
- and
- wherein the at least one inhibitory RNA polynucleotide is selected from the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID No:s 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.