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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.07.05.736587

Modeling population control via tunable sex ratio distorter gene drives in Aedes aegypti

Childs, L. M.·Shabani, S.·Tauber, U.·Tu, Z.
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Abstract

Aedes aegypti, a major vector of arboviruses, belong to subfamily Culicinae, a diverse group of mosquitoes with homomorphic sex-determining chromosomes. Males are the heterogametic sex with a dominant male-determining locus (M locus). The M locus and its counterpart m locus are embedded in a region of suppressed recombination, with a large portion of this recombination desert showing significant molecular differentiation despite homomorphy. We developed a mathematical framework to examine M-linked genome editors that specifically target the m-chromosome during spermatogenesis, mimicking the naturally occurring sex ratio distorters (SRDs) in Culicinae that produce male-biased meiotic drives. Unlike previous models for species with heteromorphic sex chromosomes (e.g., X and Y), we incorporate features stemming from the homomorphic nature of the Ae. aegypti sex chromosomes such as varied linkage to the M locus, making the degree of super-Mendelian inheritance readily tunable. We evaluated in silico SRDs with a range of M-linkage and editing efficiencies and established the theoretical foundation for developing highly efficient SRDs that outperform several methods of population suppression. These SRDs can be tuned to mitigate impact on a neighboring population. The framework developed here is suitable for exploring SRD-mediated genetic biocontrol of numerous pest species with homomorphic sex chromosomes.

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Childs, L. M., Shabani, S., Tauber, U., Tu, Z.. 2026-07-09. Modeling population control via tunable sex ratio distorter gene drives in Aedes aegypti. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.05.736587

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