TSU scientists proposed to fight malaria changing mosquitoes sex

TOMSK, Mar 30 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of Tomsk State University (TSU), together with foreign colleagues were able to decipher the Y-chromosome of malarial mosquitoes, what in the future, for example, will make it possible to fight against malaria, changing mosquitoes sex and sterilising them, is informed on Wednesday on the university site.

"TSU scientists have taken part in the project on sequencing (decoding) and mapping of Y-chromosomes at Anopheles mosquitoes – the genetic factor determining a sex and fertility. <…> The Y-chromosome at mosquitoes basically consists of repeating DNA sequences, which make it difficult to work <…>. Therefore till now it was not possible to fully decipher it", – it is told in the message.

According to the university, in addition to Tomsk scientists, in the project participated researchers from the USA, Italy, UK and Russia.It is specified that a full knowledge of the genomic puzzle will help to clarify the genetic basis of the biology of male mosquitoes (only females suck blood, which is necessary for the development of the eggs, but the male gene affects the posterity). This, in particular, will allow to develop genetic methods of struggle against the mosquitoes, based on creation and release in the nature of a large number of mosquitoes with certain characteristics.

"Now genetics can use the new information on a Y-chromosome to change a sex of mosquitoes at early stages of development and to create sterile males, or even to develop competitive males to develop new strategies of struggle against infectious diseases ", – noted in the university.

Earlier it was informed that Tomsk biologists predict that the next years in Siberia could spread malaria mosquitoes: one of of the types of dangerous insects adapted to migrate in transport.