Bacteria-mediated dsRNA delivery for mosquito-borne virus control

Mine Altinli; Sean P. Leonard; Alain Kohl; Grant L. Hughes

doi:10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.015

Bacteria-mediated dsRNA delivery for mosquito-borne virus control

Mine Altinli, Sean P. Leonard, Alain Kohl, Grant L. Hughes

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Mosquito-borne viruses represent an increasing global public health threat, exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change, thus making effective mosquito control essential. RNA interference (RNAi), a sequence-specific gene regulation mechanism, can be a flexible vector control tool. RNAi effectors, such as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), can target mosquito genes or the viruses they carry, disrupting development or suppressing infection. However, current RNAi delivery methods are ineffective. Engineered bacterial symbionts offer a promising alternative for delivery, as they can produce dsRNA directly within mosquitoes. However, bacterial RNAi delivery in mosquitoes remains underexplored. We review emerging genetic tools, insights from RNAi and bacteria–mosquito interactions to outline priorities for realising bacterial RNAi as an efficient and sustainable vector control strategy.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	880-893
Number of pages	14
Journal	Trends In Parasitology
Volume	41
Issue number	10
Early online date	22 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.015
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Aug 2025

Keywords

arbovirus
bacteria
mosquito
RNAi
symbiont engineering
vector control

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.015Licence: CC BY-NC

PIIS1471492225002193Final published version, 807 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

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title = "Bacteria-mediated dsRNA delivery for mosquito-borne virus control",

abstract = "Mosquito-borne viruses represent an increasing global public health threat, exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change, thus making effective mosquito control essential. RNA interference (RNAi), a sequence-specific gene regulation mechanism, can be a flexible vector control tool. RNAi effectors, such as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), can target mosquito genes or the viruses they carry, disrupting development or suppressing infection. However, current RNAi delivery methods are ineffective. Engineered bacterial symbionts offer a promising alternative for delivery, as they can produce dsRNA directly within mosquitoes. However, bacterial RNAi delivery in mosquitoes remains underexplored. We review emerging genetic tools, insights from RNAi and bacteria–mosquito interactions to outline priorities for realising bacterial RNAi as an efficient and sustainable vector control strategy.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Bacteria-mediated dsRNA delivery for mosquito-borne virus control

AU - Altinli, Mine

AU - Leonard, Sean P.

AU - Kohl, Alain

AU - Hughes, Grant L.

PY - 2025/8/22

Y1 - 2025/8/22

N2 - Mosquito-borne viruses represent an increasing global public health threat, exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change, thus making effective mosquito control essential. RNA interference (RNAi), a sequence-specific gene regulation mechanism, can be a flexible vector control tool. RNAi effectors, such as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), can target mosquito genes or the viruses they carry, disrupting development or suppressing infection. However, current RNAi delivery methods are ineffective. Engineered bacterial symbionts offer a promising alternative for delivery, as they can produce dsRNA directly within mosquitoes. However, bacterial RNAi delivery in mosquitoes remains underexplored. We review emerging genetic tools, insights from RNAi and bacteria–mosquito interactions to outline priorities for realising bacterial RNAi as an efficient and sustainable vector control strategy.

AB - Mosquito-borne viruses represent an increasing global public health threat, exacerbated by urbanisation and climate change, thus making effective mosquito control essential. RNA interference (RNAi), a sequence-specific gene regulation mechanism, can be a flexible vector control tool. RNAi effectors, such as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), can target mosquito genes or the viruses they carry, disrupting development or suppressing infection. However, current RNAi delivery methods are ineffective. Engineered bacterial symbionts offer a promising alternative for delivery, as they can produce dsRNA directly within mosquitoes. However, bacterial RNAi delivery in mosquitoes remains underexplored. We review emerging genetic tools, insights from RNAi and bacteria–mosquito interactions to outline priorities for realising bacterial RNAi as an efficient and sustainable vector control strategy.

KW - arbovirus

KW - bacteria

KW - mosquito

KW - RNAi

KW - symbiont engineering

KW - vector control

U2 - 10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.015

DO - 10.1016/j.pt.2025.07.015

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:105013998592

SN - 1471-4922

VL - 41

SP - 880

EP - 893

JO - Trends In Parasitology

JF - Trends In Parasitology

IS - 10

ER -

Bacteria-mediated dsRNA delivery for mosquito-borne virus control

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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