Microhomology-mediated end joining is the predominant form of DNA repair in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with implications for gene editing, gene drive, and transgene removal.

ABSTRACT: Programmable site-specific nucleases have revolutionized the field of genetics, and in the field of mosquito vector control, gene editing by these tools has inspired a new wave of population control approaches that aim to prevent disease transmission. Little is known of how DNA repair is prioritized in mosquitoes, which diverged from the nearest model system (Drosophila) by >200 million years, despite site-specific gene editing now being commonplace. Here, we report a scalable, high-throughput platform for studying DNA double-stranded DNA break (DSB) repair in mosquitoes by delivering CRISPR/Cas9, I-SceI, or other nucleases to Aedes aegypti embryos, capable of measuring single-strand annealing (SSA), non-homologous end joining, and microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ) repair outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Romanowski JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12809539 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature