Scientists at the University of Arizona are altering the bug’s DNA, making it 100 percent resistant to the disease and shortening its life span enough to stymie the growth of malarial parasites.
For more than a century, people have battled malaria by fighting its carrier, the indomitable mosquito. But last month, scientists at the University of Arizona found a way to turn this blood-sucking enemy into a potential ally. They performed the trick by altering the bug’s DNA, making it 100 percent resistant to the disease and shortening its life span enough to stymie the growth of malarial parasites. The next step would be to give this malaria-proof insect an evolutionary edge and release it into the wild, where it can conquer the world’s existing mosquito species.
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Source: Newsweek