mosquito are one of the deadliest creatures in the world . If we require to wipe out their blood - sucking buzz , perhaps some midget - sized “ birthing control ” is in order . In this pillowcase , that means wiping out a protein paint to the formation of their delicate shell .

Female mosquitoes are the vectors of diseases such as malaria , yellow fever , and Zika – they tip on line to produce nut , which are covered in a protective shell . Tens   of   millions of multitude worldwide endure from diseases transport by the insects , with zillion of deaths each twelvemonth , according to theWorld Health Organization .   In a   study put out inPLOS Biology , researchers have consider of a potential new route to an insect powder .

" Our destination is to help assuage human woe in expanse of the earth where mosquitoes are broadcast human pathogens , " squad lead Roger Miesfeld ,   University of Arizona ( UA ) professor of alchemy and biochemistry ,   say IFLScience .

In the lab , the   UA squad used an artificial methamphetamine feeder to nurture the female insects on expired human descent donated by the American Red Cross . Only the in full overindulge mosquitoes were used in the study , with the females up to of put down around 100 eggs three days after such a feast .

The teamdiscoveredthat a certain protein , which they aptly named Eggshell Organizing Factor 1 ( EOF-1 ) , is critical to the development of eggshells inAedes aegyptimosquitoes . When they blocked the activity of this protein , it lead in almost 100 percent of females put down nonviable eggs due to a incorrect eggshell layer .

More than 3,500 mosquitoes species live , but only a few affect our health . The team made sure to identify genes singular to mosquitoes and not to loosely related louse such as honeybees .   However , an RNAi shot typically only lasts for one full egg - laying cycle , but that did n’t seem to be the case here . To the squad ’s surprisal , the females could no longer produce practicable eggs for the remainder of their lifetime , even after three bountiful bloodline repast .

The team pop the question get a belittled - molecule inhibitor drug to selectively point the EOF-1 protein in region where mosquito - borne human diseases are predominant . This strategy may bring down the chance of harm   other organisms .

" DDT make to reduce the level of mosquito - borne human disease because it broke the bicycle of contagion , however it also had unwanted side force , " say Miesfeld . " We propose to utilize a safer alternative to action the same thing , which is selectively reduce mosquito populations to break the infection cycle . "

But are the scientists walking on eggshells by change the bionomic landscape ? Pastresearchsuggests that pass over out malaria mosquitoes ( Anopheles gambiae ) could be fine , although ecosystem changes will happen . However , recent research is a bit more cautious about the unintended consequences . The squad themselves note   that they do n’t destine to eliminate mosquito from our ecosystem . Instead , they ’d wish to reduce mosquito populations at specific times of the year , such as the showery season when disease transmission is eminent .

" winnow out any species from the ecosystem is a bad idea , even mosquitoes . Aedes aegyptimosquitoes have eggs that pull through with alive conceptus for up to six month in between showery seasons , which is why we think we found the EOF-1 gene to be singular to mosquitoes ; these egg are alone in that they are desiccation insubordinate . "

" Using subsist technologies to apply EOF-1 inhibitor to bed nets and spray around where mass live is an light modulation , we just call for new insect powder , " sum   Miesfeld .   Transgenic mosquito are another approach .

The squad has taken   a footmark to bring   this discovery to the theater of operations where it is needed most , file a provisional patent of invention on the find through the UA ’s technology transfer office .