Insect Transgenesis: Methods and Applications
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Summary
Imagine scientists controlling the transmission of certain diseases through the genetic modification of mosquitoes. Eradicating harmful insects without the use of pesticides. Or increasing the fertility of some insects who in turn eat harmful arthropods or even a plant pathogen. Those are just a few of the real-world applications of insect transgenesis, which offers substantial benefits to humankind-whether it be in improving agricultural productivity or reducing the spread of insect-vectored diseases.
Insect Transgenesis: Methods and Applications is the first publication to describe in a comprehensive manner the various methodologies available, possible applications, and the risk assessment and regulatory issues involved in this fascinating area of research.
Divided into several areas of interest, the book starts with an overview of the history and methodology of insect gene transfer. The book then examines gene targeting by homologous recombination and recombination systems, and systems for transgenic selection, including visible eye color markers, chemical resistance, and fluorescent proteins. Other sections consider the use of various vector systems to integrate DNA into a host genome or to express foreign genes in a host organism.
The work concludes with strategies for the use of transgenic insects, including examples for agricultural pests and vectors of disease. Of particular interest are the final chapters that discuss risk assessment considerations and governmental regulatory procedures for the transport and release of transgenic insects.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
An Introduction to the History and Methodology of Insect Gene Transfer - A.M. Handler
Gene Targeting
Targeted Transformation of the Insect Genome - P. Eggleston and Y. Zhao
Site-specific Recombination for the Genetic Manipulation of Transgenic Insects - Y.S. Rong and K.G. Golic
Transgenic Selection
Eye Color Genes for Selection of Transgenic Insects - A. Sarkar and F.H. Collins
Green Fluorecent Protein (GFP) as a Marker for Transgenic Insects - S. Higgs and D. Lewis
Resistance Genes as Candidates for Insect Transgenesis - R. ffrench-Constant and M. Benedict
Viral Vectors
Pantropic Retroviral Vectors for Insect Gene Transfer - J.C. Burns
Densonucleosis Virus as Transducing Vectors for Insects - J.C. Carlson, B. Afanasiev, and E. Suchman
Sindbis Virus Expression Systems in Mosquitoes: Background, Methods and Applications - K.E. Olson
Retrotransposons and Retroviruses in Insect Genomes - C. Terzian, A. Pélisson, and A. Bucheton
Polydnaviruses and Insect Transgenic Research - B.A. Webb
Transposable Element Vectors
Hermes and Other hAT Elements as Gene Vectors in Insects - P.W. Atkinson and D.A. O'Brochta
Genetic Engineering of Insects with mariner Transposons - D.J. Lampe, K.K.O. Walden, J.M. Sherwood, and H.M. Robertson
The TTAA-specific Family of Transposable Elements: Identification, Functional Characterization, and Utility for Transformation of Insects - M.J. Fraser
Symbiont Vectors
Wolbachia as a Vehicle to Modify Insect Populations - S.P. Sinkins and S.L. O'Neill
Bacterial Symbiont Transformation in Chagas Disease Vectors - C.B. Beard, R.V. Durvasula and F.F. Richards
Strategies, Risk Assessment and Regulation
The Application of Transgenic Insect Technology in the Sterile Insect Technique - A.S. Robinson and G. Franz
Control of Disease Transmission Through Genetic Modification of Mosquitoes - A.A. James
Deploying Transgenic Arthropods in Pest Management Programs: Risks and Realities - M.A. Hoy
Regulation of Transgenic Arthropods and other Invertebrates in the United States - O.P. Young, S.P. Ingebritsen and A.S. Foudin
Editorial Reviews
"… covers a dynamic and diverse field of research activities … provide[s] an extremely useful breadth and depth of information within one volume … Insect Transgenesis: Methods and Applications is a welcome and highly recommended addition to the bookshelf of insect molecular biologists. …brings together major contributors to present a wide-ranging overview of the history, approaches, methodologies and applications of insect transgenesis. …The editors have done a fine job of allowing the authors enough freedom while still ensuring sufficient consistency for the chapters to form a coherent whole….cross-referencing between chapters is extremely good for such a multi-author text."
Peter F. Billingsley, Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
"… a highly technical and scholarly treatise of the state of the art and science of one of the daughter fields of modern genetics … for a complete and focused discussion of the techniques and applications of genetically manipulated insects, this reviewer strongly recommends Insect Transgenesis."
-Abelardo C. Moncayo, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA in Annals of the Entomological Society of America
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