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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Chitosan/Interfering RNA Nanoparticle Mediated Gene Silencing in Disease Vector Mosquito Larvae
Published on: March 25, 2015
RNA interference in mosquito: understanding immune responses, double-stranded RNA delivery systems and potential
A Balakrishna Pillai1, U Nagarajan2, A Mitra3
1Central Inter-Disciplinary Research Facility, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Puducherry, India.
Abstract:
RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the process of post-transcriptional silencing of cellular mRNA by the application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). RNAi strategies have been widely employed to regulate gene expression in plants and animals including insects. With the availability of the full genome sequences of major vector mosquitoes, RNAi has been increasingly used to conduct genetic studies of human pathogens in mosquito vectors and to study the evolution of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. This review summarizes the recent progress in our understanding of mosquito-pathogen interactions using RNAi and various methods of dsRNA delivery in mosquitoes at different stages. We also discuss potential applications of this technology to develop novel tools for vector control.
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