Toxic love is a new pest control method, which could cut back outbreaks of insect-borne disease and halt agricultural pests.
Toxic men: The Toxic Male Technique involves genetically engineering the male insect’s semen with venom proteins for their species. Then when a mom insect and a dad insect really love each other… the poisoned proteins get transferred and the female dies pretty quickly. Macquarie University researchers found the lifespan of mated females reduced by 64%.
For some mosquitoes, it’s the females who bite. The bloodsuckers’ untimely death keeps them from spreading diseases like Zika and yellow fever.
Step aside, pesticides: Researchers noted that overreliance on pesticides as the first line of defense for insect pressure has caused resistance and impacts to ecosystems. Other genetic biocontrol methods have been developed to target the insects’ offspring, but this is the first approach that aims to impact the biting female population.
Soundbite: “By targeting the female mosquitoes themselves rather than their offspring, TMT is the first biocontrol technology that could work as quickly as pesticides without also harming beneficial species” — Sam Beach, lead author of the study reported in Nature Communications
Toxic but safe: The mix of proteins in venoms used in the Toxic Male Technique are targeted at invertebrates. Their oral toxicity is low, so even if the engineered insects become a snack for beneficial insects, they aren’t likely to cause harm.
Where this goes: The first step is trying it on mosquitoes through rigorous safety testing. After that, study authors hope this technique could change pest control and create a more sustainable future.