GM mosquito to fight malaria

Kijori writes: "The BBC is reporting that "a genetically-modified (GM) strain of malaria-resistant mosquito has been created that is better able to survive than disease-carrying insects. The insect carries a gene that prevents infection by the malaria parasite. In the laboratory, equal numbers of genetically modified and ordinary "wild-type" mosquitoes were allowed to feed on malaria-infected mice. As they reproduced, more of the GM, or transgenic, mosquitoes survived. After nine generations, 70% of the insects belonged to the malaria-resistant strain. The scientists also inserted the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) into the transgenic mosquitoes which made their eyes glow green. This helped the researchers to easily count the transgenic and non-transgenic insects." Read the full article here."