A synthetic biology approach to transgene expression in insects

Philip T. Leftwich, Jessica C. Purcell, Michelle A. E. Anderson, Rennos Fragkoudis, Sanjay Basu, Gareth Lycett, Luke Alphey

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Abstract

The ability to control gene expression is pivotal in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. However, in most nonmodel and pest insect species, empirical evidence for predictable modulation of gene expression levels is lacking. This knowledge gap is critical for genetic control systems, particularly in mosquitoes, where transgenic methods offer novel routes for pest control. Commonly, the choice of RNA polymerase II promoter (Pol II) is the primary method for controlling gene expression, but the options are limited. To address this, we developed a systematic approach to characterize modifications in translation initiation sequences (TIS) and 3′ untranslated regions (UTR) of transgenes, enabling the creation of a toolbox for gene expression modulation in mosquitoes and potentially other insects. The approach demonstrated highly predictable gene expression changes across various cell lines and 5′ regulatory sequences, representing a significant advancement in mosquito synthetic biology gene expression tools.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3041–3045
Number of pages5
JournalACS Synthetic Biology
Volume13
Issue number9
Early online date28 Aug 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Sept 2024

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