%0 Journal Article
%1 D’Amato2024
%A D'Amato, R
%A Taxiarchi, C
%A Galardini, M
%A Trusso, A
%A Minuz, R L
%A Grilli, S
%A Somerville, A G T
%A Shittu, D
%A Khalil, A S
%A Galizi, R
%A Crisanti, A
%A Simoni, A
%A Müller, R
%D 2024
%J Nat Commun
%K haeussler
%N 1
%P 952
%R 10.1038/s41467-024-44907-x
%T Anti-CRISPR Anopheles mosquitoes inhibit gene drive spread under challenging behavioural conditions in large cages
%U https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38296981/
%V 15
%X CRISPR-based gene drives have the potential to spread within populations and are considered as promising vector control tools. A doublesex-targeting gene drive was able to suppress laboratory Anopheles mosquito populations in small and large cages, and it is considered for field application. Challenges related to the field-use of gene drives and the evolving regulatory framework suggest that systems able to modulate or revert the action of gene drives, could be part of post-release risk-mitigation plans. In this study, we challenge an AcrIIA4-based anti-drive to inhibit gene drive spread in age-structured Anopheles gambiae population under complex feeding and behavioural conditions. A stochastic model predicts the experimentally-observed genotype dynamics in age-structured populations in medium-sized cages and highlights the necessity of large-sized cage trials. These experiments and experimental-modelling framework demonstrate the effectiveness of the anti-drive in different scenarios, providing further corroboration for its use in controlling the spread of gene drive in Anopheles.