Cost of mating and insemination capacity of a genetically modified mosquito Aedes aegypti OX513A compared to its wild type counterpart

The idea of implementing genetics-based insect control strategies modelled on the traditional SIT is becoming increasingly popular. In this paper we compare a genetically modified line of Aedes aegypti carrying a tetracycline repressible, lethal positive feedback system (OX513A) with its wild type c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2011-10, Vol.6 (10), p.e26086-e26086
Main Authors: Bargielowski, Irka, Alphey, Luke, Koella, Jacob C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes - genetics
Aedes - physiology
Aedes aegypti
Animal reproduction
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Antibiotics
Aquatic insects
Binding sites
Biology
Body Size
Ceratitis capitata
Courtship
Culicidae
Diptera
Economic aspects
Female
Females
Gene expression
Genetic engineering
Genetic modification
Genetically modified organisms
Genetics
Gryllodes supplicans
Insect control
Insects
Insemination - physiology
Longevity - physiology
Low cost
Male
Males
Mating
Medicine
Mosquitoes
Orthoptera
Positive feedback
Rest - physiology
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
Sperm
Tropical diseases
Vectors (Biology)
Zoology
Zoonoses
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Summary:The idea of implementing genetics-based insect control strategies modelled on the traditional SIT is becoming increasingly popular. In this paper we compare a genetically modified line of Aedes aegypti carrying a tetracycline repressible, lethal positive feedback system (OX513A) with its wild type counterpart with respect to their insemination capacities and the cost of courtship and mating. Genetically modified males inseminated just over half as many females as the wild type males during their lifetime. Providing days of rest from mating had no significant effect on the total number of females inseminated by males of either line, but it did increase their longevity. Producing sperm had a low cost in terms of energy investment; the cost of transferring this sperm to a receptive female was much higher. Continued mating attempts with refractory females suggest that males could not identify refractory females before investing substantial energy in courtship. Although over a lifetime OX513A males inseminated fewer females, the number of females inseminated over the first three days, was similar between males of the two lines, suggesting that the identified cost of RIDL may have little impact on the outcome of SIT-based control programmes with frequent releases of the genetically modified males.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0026086