Tabachnick Walter J
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, IFAS, 200 9th St., SE, Vero Beach, FL 32968, USA.
J Med Entomol. 2003 Sep;40(5):597-606. doi: 10.1603/0022-2585-40.5.597.
The completion of the Anopheles gambiae Giles genome sequencing project is a milestone toward developing more effective strategies in reducing the impact of malaria and other vector borne diseases. The successes in developing transgenic approaches using mosquitoes have provided another essential new tool for further progress in basic vector genetics and the goal of disease control. The use of transgenic approaches to develop refractory mosquitoes is also possible. The ability to use genome sequence to identify genes, and transgenic approaches to construct refractory mosquitoes, has provided the opportunity that with the future development of an appropriate genetic drive system, refractory transgenes can be released into vector populations leading to nontransmitting mosquitoes. An. gambiae populations incapable of transmitting malaria. This compelling strategy will be very difficult to achieve and will require a broad substantial research program for success. The fundamental information that is required on genome structure, gene function and environmental effects on genetic expression are largely unknown. The ability to predict gene effects on phenotype is rudimentary, particularly in natural populations. As a result, the release of a refractory transgene into natural mosquito populations is imprecise and there is little ability to predict unintended consequences. The new genetic tools at hand provide opportunities to address an array of important issues, many of which can have immediate impact on the effectiveness of a host of strategies to control vector borne disease. Transgenic release approaches represent only one strategy that should be pursued. A balanced research program is required.
冈比亚按蚊（Anopheles gambiae Giles）基因组测序项目的完成是朝着制定更有效策略以减少疟疾和其他媒介传播疾病影响迈出的一个里程碑。利用蚊子开发转基因方法所取得的成功为基础媒介遗传学的进一步发展以及疾病控制目标提供了另一个重要的新工具。利用转基因方法培育抗性蚊子也是可行的。利用基因组序列识别基因以及利用转基因方法构建抗性蚊子的能力，提供了这样一个机会：随着未来合适的基因驱动系统的发展，抗性转基因可以释放到媒介种群中，从而产生不传播疾病的蚊子。即无法传播疟疾的冈比亚按蚊种群。这一引人注目的策略很难实现，需要一个广泛而充实的研究项目才能成功。关于基因组结构、基因功能以及环境对基因表达的影响等所需的基础信息在很大程度上尚不清楚。预测基因对表型影响的能力还很初级，尤其是在自然种群中。因此，将抗性转基因释放到自然蚊子种群中的过程并不精确，而且几乎没有能力预测意外后果。现有的新基因工具为解决一系列重要问题提供了机会，其中许多问题可能会立即影响到许多控制媒介传播疾病策略的有效性。转基因释放方法只是应该采用的一种策略。需要一个平衡的研究项目。
