Engineered skin microbiome reduces mosquito attraction to mice.

ABSTRACT: The skin microbiome plays a pivotal role in the production of attractive cues detected by mosquitoes. Here, we leveraged recent advances in genetic engineering to significantly reduce the production of L-(+)-lactic acid as a strategy to reduce mosquito attraction to the highly prominent skin commensals Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium amycolatum. Engraftment of these engineered bacteria onto the skin of mice reduced mosquito attraction and feeding for up to 11 uninterrupted days, which is considerably longer than the several hours of protection conferred by the leading chemical repellent N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide. Taken together, our findings demonstrate engineering the skin microbiome to reduce attractive volatiles represents an innovative untapped strategy to

SUBMITTER: Liu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11287867 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature