TRANSPOSITION OF THE HERMES ELEMENT IN EMBRYOS OF THE VECTOR MOSQUITO, AEDES-AEGYPTI

Using a plasmid-based transpositional recombination assay in vivo, we have demonstrated that Hermes, a short inverted repeat type transposab le element from Musca domestica, can transpose in Aedes aegypti embryo s, Hermes transpositions in Ae, aegypti have all the characteristics o bserved during Hermes transposition in its host M. domestica and in re lated species. These characteristics include an absolute dependence on the expression of the Hermes transposase and a preference for the int egration site GTNCAGAC (P < 0.05). In addition, the rate of Hermes tra nsposition in Ae, aegypti (0.286 transpositions per 10,000 donor plasm ids screened) was comparable to that observed in Drosophila melanogast er under similiar conditions. These results suggest that Hermes can be developed into a gene vector and genetic engineering tool for Ae. aeg ypti and related mosquitoes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.