Today, mosquitoes are spreading diseases and affecting lives.

Mosquitoes live almost

everywhere, buzzing in homes and waiting outside to give out a bite. By learning about DNA

and gene editing, scientists will stop mosquito-borne diseases. Once the diseases are prevented it

can save many lives. Mosquitoes produce both health and economic issues. Mosquitoes that

carry diseases are dangerous, but with gene editing can be safe.

“Beyond the nuisance factor, mosquitoes are carriers, or vectors, for some of humanity’s

most deadly illnesses, and they are public enemy number one in the fight against global

infectious disease.”told by National Geographic (Mosquitoes). There are over 3,500 different

species of mosquitoes. Different species of mosquitoes carry certain diseases. For instance, the

Culex mosquitoes transmit the West Nile Virus. The Anopheles mosquito transmits Malaria, and

the Aedes transmits the Zika virus. The spread of disease is from parasites or saliva within the

mosquito. Mosquitoes are not just carriers of diseases, mosquitoes are also a integral part of the

food chain. For animals such as frogs, birds, and bats, mosquitoes are meals. The female

mosquitoes feed on horses, cattle, birds and human blood - the blood is for their eggs to create

protein. By using their proboscis mosquitoes suck blood from the host. The proboscis contains

two tubes to help the bloodsucking process. One tube places enzyme into the blood, and the

other tube sucks the blood from the host. The mosquitoes must breed in water, a form of

controlling the mosquito population is by eradicating water sources.

The mosquitoes life cycle contains four stages consisting of eggs, larva, pupa and adult.

Water is essential for first three stages of a mosquitoes’ life. When the eggs hatch they submerge

in the water. It takes from up to 48 hours to a few months. Female adult mosquitoes lay the

eggs one at a time, the eggs soon float above the water creating something similar to a raft. The

mosquito hatches from the egg becoming a larva. The larva feeds on microorganisms living in
the water before turning into a pupa. Larvae molt four times before turning into a pupa. During

the fourth molt the larva morphs into the pupa. During the pupal stage, there is no feeding. It is

the process of turning into an adult. The pupal stage is like metamorphosis when a caterpillar

transforms into a butterfly. Once the adult emerges, for a short time above the water the

mosquito waits to dry out. It begins feeding and mating later in growth. The length of each

stage varies depending on the species and surrounding temperature.

Mosquito-borne diseases create many problems and issues. Diseases such as the Zika

virus and malaria spread through the immune system. When the mosquito is feeding the host

does not notice, which allows the mosquito continue to transmit the virus. When the mosquito

bite is over and the disease is transmitted, the host’s immune system is triggered. The bite

reduces blood clotting for the virus to enter the body and into the bloodstream. The host’s

immune system’s response is to protect the body from the pathogen. Instead it fails to do so and

actually spreads the disease. Neutrophils are an immune cells released during the infection to

stop the virus. Neutrophils are attracted to the virus and becomes infected. Neutrophils then

send off cytokines which attract myeloid cells to venture where the virus is. Cytokinesis, a

protein that is important for signaling other cells. By doing so myeloid cells go to neutrophils,

containing the virus and becoming infected. Myeloid cells enter the bloodstream spreading the

pathogen around to body. The immune system spread and cause the disease to infect the host.

“Why would our immune system evolve to do something so foolish as trafficking a virus?”

(Schneider).

“In 2016 an estimated 216 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 445,000

people died, mostly children in the African Region” C.D.C reported (Malaria). Malaria is a

disease caused by a parasite in the Anopheles mosquito transmitted to humans when feeding.
There are approximately 3.2 billion people at risk of getting malaria because of the area they live

in. The symptoms of malaria can vary, from being barely noticeable to severe including death.

After the bite from the Anopheles mosquito, there is an incubation stage before symptoms begin

to show. While having malaria, the malaria attack is common and consist of three stages.

Starting first, with a cold stage consisting of shivering and feeling cold. Next the hot stage of

fever, headaches, vomiting and for some children even causing seizures. The final stage, is a

sweating stage with sweating, normal temperatures and tiredness. This attack happens every 2 to

3 days depending on the parasite in the body. Classic symptoms of malaria are fevers, sweats,

malaise, aches in the body, vomiting, headaches, chills and nausea. Things such as weakness,

high temperatures, perspiration and enlargement of organs are also caused by malaria. Malaria

may create abnormalities in the blood or metabolism, neurologic defects, organ failures and

death in severe cases. The malaria parasite has two hosts, the Anopheles mosquito and human.

The life cycle of a parasite starts with a mosquito feeding on a human. Entering the liver as a

sporizite (a life stage for a parasite, the one infecting the host). It infects the liver as it matures

into schizonts (a cell that divides into other cells), erupting and releasing merozoites (parasites

occurring within cells). The merozoites travel in red blood cells infecting them. While in the

erythrocytes, the parasites multiply and become trophozoites (growing stage of protozoan

parasites). The trophozoite again become schizonts erupting releasing merozoites. The

parasites travels back into a mosquito while feeding on the host and the process restarts. Malaria

can be treated, although the treatment depends on the infected area, parasite and person.

The Zika virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito bite and from pregnant woman to

her child. The mosquito can carry the virus by biting an already infected host. The mosquito

then transmits the Zika virus by biting other hosts. When a pregnant woman is infected the Zika
virus it can be spread to her fetus, both during pregnancy and during the time of birth. Once a

person is infected with the Zika virus there are only mild symptoms. The infected will

symptoms such as get red eyes, fevers, rashes, headaches, joint and muscle pain. The symptoms

only last a few day to a week. Often people do not realize they are infected with the Zika virus

for these reasons. “Diagnosis of Zika is based on a person’s recent travel history, symptoms, and

test results” C.D.C explaining how the Zika virus is diagnosed (Zika Virus). Blood or urine

sample are used to test if the person has the Zika virus. There are no medications or vaccines for

the Zika virus. The fetus of a pregnant woman with the Zika virus will likely have microcephaly,

a birth defect causing the infant’s head to be smaller than normal. Babies with microcephaly

usually have smaller brains and do not develop properly. With severe microcephaly, the skull

has slightly collapsed. The brain tissue is decreased and also damage in the back of the eye

which causes poor vision. The best way for preventing the Zika virus, is to not get bitten by a

mosquito. Applying insect repellent on bare skin and wearing long pants and sleeves. Also,

checking items containing water to control mosquito breeding.

Gene editing is a way to stop mosquito-borne diseases with the gene editor CRISPR-

Cas9. CRISPR(clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) now places scientists

where they can alter, delete and rearrange DNA with ease. By working with animals to further

research what CRISPR can do. For instance, finding cures for other things such as AIDS.

CRISPR-Cas9 is made of two components. First being the enzyme that cuts the DNA like a

scalpel, Cas9. The second component is an RNA guide leading the scalpel. Scientists can

replace any location in the genome with CRISPR-Cas9. Cas9 deletes the DNA sequence and

then replaces it. By editing the gene in the larva it can no longer carry or transmit the disease.

The larva will glow red under a laser light resulting the gene was successful. "It's definitely
working," he says. "We can see it glowing up in the eyes. And glowing down the body. It's

beautiful — beautiful scientifically and beautiful visually." Andrew Hammond said in NPR’s

article (To Fight Malaria, Scientists Try Genetic Engineering To Wipe Out Mosquitoes). The

scientists use a type of genetic engineering known as a gene drive. With a gene drive, once the

mosquito reproduces all of the offspring will now carry the gene preventing mosquitoes from

carrying the parasites. By having the gene drive the the wild population will be modified.

Therefore, slowing the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and the Zika virus.

Mosquitoes are unique insects and carriers of disease. Mosquitoes are an integral part of

gene editing, teaching scientist about genes, diseases, cures, issues and bringing the world

together.