Only the female mosquitoes bite and transmit viral diseases such as Dengue Fever. Scientists have finally discovered the elusive genetic switch called Nix, that determines the sex of these blood sucking insects, and hope to selectively eliminate females
to control the spread of diseases. "Nix provides us with exciting
opportunities to harness mosquito sex in the fight against infectious
diseases because maleness is the ultimate disease-refractory trait,"
explained Zhijian Jake Tu, an affiliate of the Fralin Life Science
Institute and a biochemistry professor from Virginia Tech's College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences.
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