# Advances in male sex separation for the support of mosquito control programs

## TL;DR

This paper reviews methods for separating male mosquitoes to support eco-friendly population control techniques like SIT and IIT.

## Contribution

The paper introduces RNAi yeast as a novel method for male sex selection during larval rearing.

## Key findings

- RNAi yeast can be incorporated into larval diets to enable male sex selection in mosquitoes.
- Combining RNAi with mechanical, genetic, and automated methods can scale male mosquito production.
- RNAi-based sex sorting is extendable to other insect species beyond mosquitoes.

## Abstract

Several mosquito control technologies, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), the incompatible insect technique (IIT), and a variety of genetic technologies are emerging as promising solutions for combatting insecticide resistance and the spread of vector-borne diseases. These approaches involve mass releases of male mosquitoes in an effort to suppress mosquito populations in an eco-friendly manner. At small scale, male mosquito selection can be achieved through the use of mechanical separation techniques, but such methods are not sufficient for scaled implementation of emerging mosquito population control technologies. This review discusses mechanical, genetic, and automated mosquito sex sorting techniques that have emerged to address the need for scaled male mosquito production, as well as the potential contributions of RNA interference (RNAi) to facilitate this process. One RNAi method utilizes the oral delivery of yeast expressing interfering RNA targeting genes required for female larval survival. The yeast, which can be incorporated into normal insect larval diets, enables male sex selection during larval rearing in mosquitoes and could easily be extended to other insects. RNAi-mediated sex-sorting technologies, in combination with mechanical, genetic, and automated sorting technologies, could facilitate the scaled production of adult males in support of global insect population suppression efforts.

Manual, genetic, automated, and RNAi yeast sorting methods, and combinations thereof, can be used to scale production of male mosquitoes to facilitate new technologies that suppress mosquito populations.Diagram showing a male mosquito at the center, surrounded by four labeled methods: Manual Sorting depicted by a shelving cart, Genetic Sorting with a DNA helix, Automated Sorting with a machine, and RNAi Yeast illustrated by a petri dish.

Manual, genetic, automated, and RNAi yeast sorting methods, and combinations thereof, can be used to scale production of male mosquitoes to facilitate new technologies that suppress mosquito populations.