Overview
- The Nature Microbiology study details a transgenic Metarhizium pingshaense strain (Mp-Tps) engineered to produce the floral volatile longifolene that attracts mosquitoes to lethal spores.
- Controlled experiments reported 90–100% mosquito mortality, including tests in a large room with competing scents from humans and real flowers.
- The Mp-Tps spores attracted and killed male and female Aedes albopictus, Anopheles sinensis, and Culex pipiens.
- The work identifies longifolene release from fungus-colonized insect cadavers and the corresponding odorant receptor in Drosophila and Aedes, clarifying the attraction mechanism.
- Authors cite longifolene’s fragrance safety record and low-cost spore production with months-long release from containers, while preparing larger outdoor field trials and regulatory submissions to evaluate real-world performance and environmental effects.