The evolution of resistence to genetically induced sterility in insects.

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Diethard Tautz, since 9/2011
• Subject Area: Evolutionary Cell and Developmental Biology (Zoology)
• Term: from 2010 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 162624323

Following the successes of over 50 years of radiation-based sterile insect releases to control pest insect populations, novel genetic mechanisms, free of radiation, to render released insects sterile are now being considered. Reports in the media show that there is considerable interest in transgenic-based sterility and the first field releases of insect species that are vectors of human diseases are becoming likely in the near future. However, this is being done in an almost complete absence of independent, peer reviewed, scientific inquiry into the evolutionary properties of the genetic-based sterility system. We argue that genetic-based sterility is fundamentally different from radiation-based sterility, and may in fact induce resistance to rapidly evolve in the field, similar to the evolution of insecticide resistance. We propose a rigorous program to test this possibility in a model system in order to make predictions of the likely outcomes of field trials in a wide range of insect species.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Dr. Floyd Allan Reed, Ph.D., until 9/2011