Huang Yunxin, Magori Krisztian, Lloyd Alun L, Gould Fred
Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA.
Evolution. 2007 Apr;61(4):717-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00075.x.
The use of genetic drive mechanisms to replace native mosquito genotypes with individuals bearing antipathogen transgenes is a potential strategy for repressing insect transmission of human diseases such as malaria and dengue. Antipathogen transgenes have been developed and tested, but efficient gene drive mechanisms are lacking. Here we theoretically assess the feasibility of introducing antipathogen genes into wild Aedes aegypti populations by using a naturally occurring meiotic drive system. We consider the release of males having both a Y-linked meiotic drive gene and an X-linked drive-insensitive response allele to which an antipathogen gene is linked. We use mathematical models and computer simulations to determine how the post-introduction dynamics of the antipathogen gene are affected by specific genetic characteristics of the system. The results show that when the natural population is uniformly sensitive to the meiotic drive gene, the antipathogen gene may be driven close to fixation if the fitness costs of the drive gene, the insensitive response allele, and the antipathogen gene are low. However, when the natural population has a small proportion of an X-linked insensitive response allele or an autosomal gene that strongly reduces the effect of the drive gene, the antipathogen gene does not spread if it has an associated fitness cost. Our modeling results provide a theoretical foundation for further experimental tests.
利用基因驱动机制，用携带抗病原体转基因的个体取代本地蚊子基因型，是抑制疟疾和登革热等人类疾病通过昆虫传播的一种潜在策略。抗病原体转基因已得到开发和测试，但缺乏有效的基因驱动机制。在此，我们从理论上评估了利用一种天然存在的减数分裂驱动系统，将抗病原体基因引入野生埃及伊蚊种群的可行性。我们考虑释放同时具有Y连锁减数分裂驱动基因和X连锁对驱动不敏感反应等位基因（与抗病原体基因相连）的雄性蚊子。我们使用数学模型和计算机模拟来确定抗病原体基因引入后的动态变化如何受到该系统特定遗传特征的影响。结果表明，当自然种群对减数分裂驱动基因普遍敏感时，如果驱动基因、不敏感反应等位基因和抗病原体基因的适合度代价较低，抗病原体基因可能会被驱动至接近固定状态。然而，当自然种群中有一小部分X连锁不敏感反应等位基因或一个能强烈降低驱动基因效应的常染色体基因时，如果抗病原体基因具有相关的适合度代价，它就不会传播。我们的建模结果为进一步的实验测试提供了理论基础。
